GIFTS UNTO MEN
Thursday – December 22, 2016
Today is my sweetheart’s birthday! Just as cute as a little button don’t you think? Let’s all sing Happy Birthday dear Patti. We have grown older together, she was just a little girl here in this picture and I did not meet her until she was about sixteen and a few years later she became my wonderful help-meet and remains so to this day. God is so good. I have sure needed His goodness and mercy and hers as well. Happy Birthday ‘little girl’, I love you.
Ephesians 4:7-12 (KJV)
7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Jesus not only sent the Holy Spirit of God into the earth on the day of Pentecost following His resurrection (Acts 2) providing for all who would believe on His name and He also gave certain gifts to the body of Christ which are designed to bring maturity for the effective work of God through us (not independent of us). We each have the overarching mandates given from the beginning which are to be fruitful, to multiply, to replenish the earth, to subdue the earth, to exercise stewardship, to guard the things of God, and not to mix the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis chapters one and two). We also have individualized assignments in the body of Christ which He expects us to perform with excellence. All is provided, we are without excuse. Remember that we are to mature and be just like Jesus and do what He did and the greater things.
John 14:12 (KJV)
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Our text tells us that when Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father, gifts were given unto certain people chosen by Jesus Himself to build up the body of the anointing (Christ).
Ephesians 4:11-12 (KJV)
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
These gifts were the rank and position of Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher. There are many who do not think that the Apostle and Prophet are present in the Church today but do believe in the Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher. What is with that kind of schizophrenic thinking? There are still saints in the earth, there is still ministry work to be done in the earth, and there is still a body of Christ in the earth, therefore there are still Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers in the earth to perfect (mature) the saints for the work of the ministry thereby elevating or strengthening the body of Christ. Dear saints the body of Christ as a whole at the moment is not within a row of outhouses of the will of God. And most think that is all right and the predestined by God lot of Christians. There are a small percent of the body that walking in the light and moving forward, the body as a whole is praying for the right thing (2 Chronicles 7:14) but with little light. We are in a space of time of His mercy and kindness.
So how does one become an Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, or Teacher? Recall that revelation comes to the Church through the Apostles and Prophets (Ephesians 3:5). Perhaps that explains a lot about why the Church has not moved forward in a very long time and in fact has regressed. The Church has digressed to the absolutely powerless state we find ourselves today. Where are the works of Jesus and where are the greater things? The Church has been following the natural law of entropy when it should be following supernatural laws of unlimited potential. We the salt have lost our saltiness and we have turned off the real light and are being trampled underfoot of men just as the Pharisaical Church of Jesus’ time was trampled underfoot. They had a form of Godliness but zero power, just like the organized Church, the Pharisaical Church of today. Is it any wonder the government and what we call the left is wiping it out with little to no resistance? When the world sees the real thing we won’t be able to beat them off with clubs. First we must get back to a whole Church with Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers and teach the whole council of Scripture.
Next Tuesday, December 27, 2016, I will pick-up with these gifts of the Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher. Tomorrow I will be discussing the Jewish Festival of Hanukkah and Monday our celebration of Christmas.
God bless you all and I pray you have a very Merry Christmas!
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
