Posted on Trumpet Wind Ministries Prophetic Email List
APOSTLES, FALSE APOSTLES OR WRONG APOSTLES?
I titled this message with grace. Some people mean well but don't always get it right at first. Some ministries are wrong on purpose, but some will and do get it right.
How do we build God's Church? Do we build it from the top down? Or do we build it from the bottom up? We cry for God's outpouring of His Spirit. We cry for the souls to come in. But even most expectant mothers plan for the birth of their children. They make rooms for their babies and buy them clothes and plan for their futures. How do we plan for God's?
Studies have said that most church growth has taken place by membership transfers. In other words, it's not really the lost coming in but people changing churches. And God will move people at times to change churches because of their own moving or maturing them in their gift calling, but is that alone building the Kingdom? I don't think so.
How do you build the Church? Do you build it from the top down or from the bottom up? If God sends the lost and broken to your church, are you ready and equipped to handle them? Are the Body members equipped for this change? Have they worked to make a nest or a working center? Who said the Kingdom life was a bed of roses without the thorns?
The bones must come into place before the winds of the Spirit can blow in His Breath. (Ezekiel 37) Are there teachers for those who know nothing about Scriptures? Will they be immediately taken into theology and run off or made arrogant, or will they learn basic life and loving skills for assimilation into the Body Kingdom life?
God has given the five fold ministry gift of teaching to the Church. That five fold gift should be equipping others to teach! Why do we have church buildings closed 4-5 days a week with no equipping going on?
Who is working with God's evangelists? Does the church have a ministry of helps for those whom the evangelist finds broke down on the road of life? Or do we just donate for his travel expenses? Are there resources for food and shelter and healing?
The evangelist can win them but is there a pastor who will take them? Are the pastors listening? Did God raise up evangelists to not work with His Body? True five fold evangelists will equip others to HELP THE CHURCH in evangelism. But they will have to work with the others and should get that help. But they must respect the other parts as well, and I know that many try hard to do just that.
Do the pastors believe that God has the gift of ministry help for them through the prophet and the apostle? Are they willing to have a church of dynamic change or do they want a rest home? They need to be sure they have enough fruit manifesting so they will qualify for the Eternal Rest Home! Jesus said, "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." (Mttw5:20)
In small families, life can be quiet and often predictable. But in large families, something is always going on and you never know what to expect. Things are lively! Large families can be hard to manage if each member does not do his part. But they can be rich and even entertaining if each part willingly gives. Is every family the same? (no) But do all need God? (yes)
Jesus is looking for a Bride who has His Heart, one who is willing to co-labor with Him, even against the odds. He has found that rewarding for Himself and He will benefit accordingly.
There are many enemies against the Church. Competitions, discouragements, jealousies, backbitings, bullying (oppressions), selfishness and self pity, poverty spirit. Do you know that God has a plan to overcome every one of these things??? The answers are in His Word. But if we fight and war as the world does, we will not have victory and even worse, we will be blind to the cure and benefit of our blessings.
God has a cure for financial hardships. Build HIS Church! He fights competitions and discouragements and jealousies with the understanding and respect of the uniqueness of every believer.
Some things are overcome by seeing the choices of how to THINK according to God's mind and heart. It's not enough to say that we know there is the solution. We need to teach and give the solutions!!! How else do we renew our minds? It's a constant job!
If we know how to tap into God's revelation, we would not be bored at all. If we would learn loyalty and compassion for God's body, we would deal with those who bite and devour the flock for repentance or judgment. God has prophets and apostles who will help with that. Not for scarring but for establishing the Kingdom of His good. Evil is our enemy, not people who may be mixed up or missing it.
So many church members today don't know the Bible at all, so how would they know His Mind or His Heart or current rhema word and will? Cheap trade offs do not yield His full Life.
Apostles who build from the top down, condescending to and "allowing" others to come into "their" camp, are building "their" churches. But apostles who build from the bottom up with a servant spirit, are building God's Kingdom.
It takes all the Body parts to come together. If you are in leadership, you will be making it easier for people to find and do their parts by your equipping ministry and ability to help others discern their gifts and get them into use. Jesus said you know the tree by its fruit.
Some churches will be focused more in some places with teaching or evangelizing or prophesying a little more than others. But often times they are there to equip those who need that for those who have qualified for larger ministry outreaches. But if those churches can't bond and network with the Big Plan of God and if they are not affiliated with the move of God through their equipping ministries, they are islands unto themselves.
Are we working to find reasons for people to make it or are we looking for stumbling blocks to make them fall?
God has hope for the Church! He planted her and His Garden will yield. But He is looking for the productive land and fertile well tended fields. He wants the fruits and nuts and vegetables if they have redeeming qualities in them. Vegetables are good and healthy for us. So are fruit salads!
God will breathe on what we prepare.
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