Five Ministries that God give to the church

1] Generally speaking most local churches reject the Apostles and Prophets and exalt the Pastors or the Pastors lord it over all the other ministries.
2] Ideal: All Five Ministries that Jesus has given should be given the freedom and space to function and equip [furnish] the Body of Christ. They should be taken care of by the local churches [that is if they honor Christ].
How do we know whether these ministries are of God? Here are some questions we can ask?

a] Does these ministries bring us closer to the heart of God?
b] Does it build up the Body of Christ or does it build up a particular ministry, local church or denomination?
c] Does it glorify God, or men?
d] Does it emphasize balance between the exercise of the gifts and the character of the believer?
e] Are the teachings and practices in line with the Word of God?
f] Does it support the fulfillment of the Great Commission?

Where are you?

Where are you? spoken on 5/10/2014 at Highlands Immanuel Fellowship -Ernakulam

12 Oktober 2014 pukul 23:30

What is God like? How does He feel about me?

The answer to this question is what you are to the world. Are you carrying Jesus our Lord. We have lot of pressures in life, peer pressure, being a church member or a husband or a wife or an employee. When we try to approach the issue with our own ability we end up wearing a mask of a victorious Christian but inside we are a bull dog. Fear, guilt, shame & condemnation thus rule the Christian who is a slave to the burdens which dominate their lives. We keep trying with our strength buy fail every time to be righteous with our own righteousness. Romans 7:19 KJV For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. When Paul was in earth he also took a journey with God, he thus had strength and weakness. He was a great apostle having written many letters even from prison. But the fact remains that he had weakness despite his closeness with God, a man of God but remember he is a man after all. That is why he speaks thus in the above verse. When we have any such weakness let us not wear a mask rather deal with it with His help. Adam and Eve waited daily for Jehovah in the garden when the father walked in, they would join Him with a lot of intimacy, fully focussed on Him, lived in freedom from guilt and sin but one single lie destroyed them and they fell. Though they tasted the intimacy with God, they fell and desired to be with the Lord but the lie on their life separated them. Do you think they could go back to Him, they were confused and decided to cover up with fig leaves to cover up their sin. They were naked from birth but they realised it when they sinned from a lie they thought the nudity was the problem. The fact remains that the fig leaves would dry up in a few days and they would end up back to square one. There are many such Christians even today, they keep trying, keep trying, even while living in a lie but reach no where. They find temporary solace in fasting, reading the bible, preaching the good news but the fact remains that the objective of all these are misguided. While our Lord loves us for eternity, all these misguided deeds to impress God will not meet with His acceptance as the objective is to find temporary solace to cover up a sin which is repetitive as man has been trying to win over sin using his own righteousness. Satan's way: Lies, bondage, control, manipulation fear. Gods way: Truth, freedom, faith, integrity, straight paths Anything hidden from the light will cause a shadow, that is not Gods way as in God there is no shadow while in Satan's way there will be many shadows. We simply cannot change ourselves with our own strength. Jeremiah 18:1-2 KJV The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord , saying, [2] Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Jeremiah 18:5-6 KJV Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, [6] O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord . Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel. Potter procures dirt from the river bed and brings it home to work on it when he finds a piece of wood or stone but he is not shocked because it was obvious to him that there will be impurities in dirt. The reason the potter is working is to remove impurities after all. The objective is that impurities be identified, if the issue is not side rifles then the dirt remains where it is. No impurity goes to the potter and asks to be removed rather the potter takes the pain to side tofu the issue , remove it, to form a perfect piece, how much more would God work on us for perfection. He knows what He is doing so allow Him to do it for His purpose. Gods thinks for my good and only good because He knows me and nothing g shocks Him for he knows how to get me back. So much have we committed our lives to Him, He will ensure we remain with Him in this journey for He zealously seeks our victory. In the garden of eden, after Adam and Eve had sinned, he came to have fellowship even though He knew they had fallen. An all knowing God asks "where are you' just to fellowship for He was eager to meet them but Adam and Eve was in hiding, God wanted to give them another chance to change themselves which they could not do themselves but only with His grace.

Posted by Gracious George at 22:48

Will God say the same words to the so called [majority of pastors] shepherds TODAY?

First of all I thank ALL those Pastors who have shepherded their flock, poured out your life into the flock, setting an example for your flock to follow as Jesus did.
1Pe 5:2 -3 Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight, not by compulsion, but willingly; nor eagerly for base gain, but readily; nor as exercising lordship over the ones allotted to you, but becoming examples of the flock.
Will God say the same words to the so called [majority of pastors] shepherds TODAY?

(Eze 34:1 -10] And the Word of Jehovah was to me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to them, to the shepherds, So says the Lord Jehovah: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who are feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you sacrifice the fat ones, and you do not feed the flock.
You have not made the weak strong; and you have not healed the sick, and you have not bound up the broken. And the banished have not been brought back, and you have not sought the lost, but you rule them with force and with harshness. And they were scattered for lack of a shepherd. And they became food to all the beasts of the field when they were scattered. My sheep strayed through all the mountains and on every high hill. And My sheep were scattered on all the face of the earth, and none searched, and none sought for them. For this reason, shepherds, hear the Word of Jehovah: As I live, declares the Lord Jehovah, surely because My sheep became a prey, and My sheep became food for all the beasts of the field, from not having a shepherd, and because My shepherds did not search for My sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed the flock, so, O shepherds, hear the Word of Jehovah: So says the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My sheep from their hand and cause them to cease from pasturing the sheep. And the shepherds shall no longer feed themselves, for I will deliver My sheep from their mouth, and they will not be food to devour.

Are we following Christ?

Christopher Krishnasamy

Are we following Christ? [Following a person] OR
Are we following Christianity? [Following a religious system created by man]
Luke 14:26,27& 33 If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers and sisters, and besides, even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me, he cannot be My disciple. So then every one of you who does not abandon all his possessions is not able to be My disciple.

EKKLESIA

Christopher Krishnasamy

ἐκκλησία
ekklēsia
ek-klay-see'-ah
From a compound of G1537 and a derivative of G2564; a calling out, that is, (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both): - assembly, church.

Mat 16:18 So I will call you Peter, which means "a rock." On this rock I will build my church, and death itself will not have any power over it.