Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32 NIV
Tag: Ephesians
The Ministry Of The Prophet
A good building is planned from start to finish and it’s not done by one man. We need brick layers, electricians, plumbers…
The spiritual building of the Church also needs a blue print and a team.
Men who carry a prophetic anointing are part of this team. They bring word from the Lord – what’s in God’s heart to His people and are used by Him to turn the hearts of God’s people to back to Him.
He’s not there to tell you your phone number or who you will marry!
He won’t use the anointing for money – a little “something needed to release the anointing!”
His concern is for God’s people, not his fame or pocket. He’s not a hireling and it’s not God’s heart for him to be a “Lone Ranger” and himself subject to no spiritual authority over his life.
The prophet is a spiritual “office of responsibility” …different to the spiritual gift of prophesy or word of knowledge which is available to any of us as Christians for the edification of the body.
The ministry of the prophet can’t be “learned” at “prophetic school.” It’s an anointing from God and essential in the spiritual construction of our lives.
Ephesians 4:11 -13
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge
1 Corinthians 12:4-8
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
- Mark Saunders
We All Need A Point Of Reference To Help Us Not Get Lost… Or Help Us Find Our Way When We Do Get Lost
We all need a point of reference to help us not get lost… or help us find our way when we do get lost.
In God’s spiritual construction of the Church he also gives us a point of reference.
Apostle Paul describes the Church as lives being “built on the foundation” of the Apostles and Prophets with Jesus being the “chief cornerstone”
That foundation is Jesus Christ and him Crucified. The prophets “saw it” before it happened and the Apostles had revelation of what had happened spiritually after it had happened.
Apostle is not a title given by a man. It’s an anointing given by God – a deep revelation of Christ crucified. It’s not taught to him. It doesn’t come through a certificate. It’s imparted to him from above and enables him to lay the foundation of Christ crucified, in the Church. It’s not just a knowledge of the foundation. Rather a revelation and an authority from God to lay it with profound effect that can’t be imitated.
Everything above the foundation – meaning our lives – is positioned with reference to the cornerstone – Jesus Christ.
The fullness of God’s plan is that he gives us men to help position our lives to line up with Christ …men who have anointing and authority from Him to build us spiritually… the five fold ministry team of Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers and Evangelists.
Together are accountable to Jesus himself for the Church. It’s the only way Jesus has given to effectively build the spiritual Church. Personally I’m so grateful that my life is being “built” in this way.
Ephesians 2:20
having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,
Ephesians 4:11 -13
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge
Galatians 1:1
Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead),
Galatians 1:11-12
But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.
- Mark Saunders
Church Is Not A Place Or A Meeting. It’s A People Being Built Together For A Habitation Of God In The Spirit.
The truth is not always like you’d expect.
Here’s one that might startle you. “Just Jesus and you” is not enough. That was never God’s plan. It’s much bigger. His plan is the Church.
In the old covenant His people were the nation of Israel. In the new covenant His people are the Church. His promises are only for His people.
Church is not a place or a meeting. It’s a people being built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.
His plan is for us to be linked together to be a testimony to the world – not by our programmes but by the life of Christ manifest in our individual lives that together reflect the fullness of Him.
There is a way He builds His Church. A foundation, a structure and an order in the spirit.
Ephesians 2:14-15
For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man
Ephesians 2:20-22
having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
- Mark Saunders
If There’s Anything The World Desperately Needs It’s Men To Accept The Work Of The Cross In Their Lives
We don’t like to loose. We’re taught to stand our ground and defend our rights.
The Christian life though is a “lost life” if we want to walk in the fullness of God’s plan.
Jesus said he is the way the truth and the life. His life is not just a story, it’s a message, and a pattern for us. His purpose was to do the will of the Father and this came at a price.
The price was his own will. The will of God led him to lay down His rights and position… even His life for us even though we don’t deserve it.
We can expect to be led, like He was, “to the cross” if we want God’s will above our own.
An example …a husband is called to love his wife as Christ loves the Church. See where it’s going..? Even though a husband has a God given authority in his home, we are called to be ready to loose our rights for the sake of our wife. If I want to carry the heart of God for her there’s a price to pay – it’s being ready to “loose my life.”
Being ready to accept the work of the cross did not diminish Jesus’ authority. On the contrary, it established his spiritual authority.
If there’s anything the world desperately needs it’s men to accept the work of the cross in their lives. Being ready to loose for the sake of carrying the life of Christ, to be examples of God’s own heart in their homes.
Here’s the thing – this isn’t works. It’s too hard to sustain if it’s my works. It’s only possible by His grace which he makes available to anyone who truly desires it.
The message of the cross doesn’t make sense to our natural reasoning but truly it’s the power and wisdom of God!
Philippians 2:5
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
Ephesians 5:25
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
- Mark Saunders