“I don’t want to hear any of you bragging about yourself or anyone else. Everything is already yours as a gift – Paul, Apollos, Peter, the world, life, death, the present, the future — all of it yours, and you are priviledged to be in union with Christ, who is in union with God.Don’t imagine us leaders to be something we aren’t. We are servants of Christ, not His masters. We are guides into God’s most sublime secrets, not security guards posted to protect them. The requirements for a good guide are reliability and accurate knowledge, It matters very little to me what you think of me, even less where I rank in popular opinion. I don’t even rank myself.” 1 Corinthians 3 & 4 -Message Bible.

What this is all about is Christ!
Who He is and what He did. Leaders and believers alike are to be stewards of that awesome revelation. “Christ in us the hope of glory”.
We should not relegate our relationship to and in this excellent Saviour, to only “our” church, and “our” pator etc.
We testify to Him, we are witnesses to what He is as has done for us. Jesus is the “hero” we want to see lifted up.
Let’s not “worship” the vessel and miss the excellency of the treasure within the vessel. God gave gifts to men for equipping of the saints , not so that we can boast in them and exalt ourselves or others because they have them.
Oh that Christ Jesus may be lifted up. That we may hear the True Shepherds voice.
“All I’m doing right now, friends,is showing how these things pertain to Apollos and me so that you will learn restraint and rush into making judgements without knowing all the facts. It’s important to look at things from God’s point of view. I would rather not see you inflating or deflating reputations based on mere hearsay.”
I always would, as pastor promote ‘our’ church and ‘my’ ministry. Like I was the one with the only good one around. How much I had to repent when I really saw who Christ is. How easily we inflatre and deflate leaders based upon our own opinions, not really knowing what the hidden motives and agendas of the heart are. Best friends have promoted me and defamed me , not knowing what was in my heart.
The HERO the world needs is the Christ.
Let’s promote Him at every opportunity.
Let’s testify to His work and ministry and goodness to our lives.

It’s so awesome to receive reports like this. Surely, we influence the world one person at a time, and especially when they are the next generation.

Marv, Bev and the team there are doing an amazing work among the kids in Reading Pennsylvania. At times they have felt discouraged not sure if their efforts was making any impression. But we should always remember that the Lord will never despise the 1 talent, as he will not despise the 10 talents.

When we receive a report like this then we realise we are on the right path.

Well done and keep up the good work!!

Hi, Shaun and Michelle…

We were really encouraged on Friday night as God ministered in a real way at Feet on the Street.  One of our faithful boys accepted Jesus as Saviour and another was ministered to with the Father’s love by Marv.  He said he so looks forward to coming on Friday nights because of the peace in that place.  (He’s been a Christian about 2 months.)  He cried and said he hasn’t cried for a long time.  Marv told him God heals in our tears.  The boy who got saved had been showing demonic influence in his life by saying different times lately that he just didn’t feel like he should be there, etc.  Marv said he got such a big smile on his face after prayer for salvation.
Bev & Marv

1Corinthians 4:15

For although you* shall be having countless tutors in Christ, _but_ not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus through the Gospel _I_ became your* father.
Therefore, I am calling on [or, pleading with] you*, continue becoming imitators of me.

Apostles, as a gift to the church, have as their DNA, a fathering spirit. Although, as Paul says, “one plants, another waters”, but we are all one, working and operating according to the grace of God. They are not the Heavenly Father, but reveal the Heavenly Father, in the measure that they have seen HIm and He has graced them to reveal. They are not , and cannot be, everything to all, but function as a gift to the Body of Christ, ‘fathering’ and guiding the Body. If we look at the family in its natural state, we can clearly see by design, that fathers set the boundaries of the home. When he functions in his grace and headship, by the order of God, he will bring balance, character, and boundaries, that will establish the family in its destiny, giving the family a sense of security. At a certain point, he will draw a line in the sand, if you may, and establish the measure of order in the home to maintain its protection.

Foundational And Constitutional

Apostles should be ‘constitutional’ in their fiber. In other words, they measure and maintain the foundations of the work. The work being the church. The church being, not the building, or the organisation, but the people, the saints. That’s what “fathers” are, constitutional, foundational, ensuring biblical, kingdom order and balance, to ensure its safety, its surety, its strength and its righteousness. Apostles are not those that ‘lord’ it over, demand honor, perform their ‘gifting’ to impress, and demand recognition.

Recently, we have had a “move” of God, that captured the worlds attention. Whole churches were caught up in its euphoria, and even the media. Special meetings were called to ‘receive’ from the man of God and see God move again. Web links were sent back and forth around the world as the saints shared the witness with all and sundry. My concern from the beginning, was who is ‘fathering’ this? Who is walking with this man in the hour prominence? Who is measuring the balance, the order, the character of it?

Too easily, we want to be impressed and swept up in another spiritual high. No denying God moves, and does signs and wonders. The Spirit of God is so desirous to manifest the glory of God, that we often times, mistakenly, assume that it is an approval of the lack of character and depth of leadership. That the Spirit of God ‘using’ a servant, immediately, is the stamp of approval for unrighteous, unsanctified and ungodly lifestyles. Now that, in the church , is where the spiritual fathers, need to and should enter.

While the apostles are strutting their stuff, why are they not, especially at this level of exposure, meeting with men being ‘used’ like this. Meeting their famly,their wives, their board, asking probing accountability questions, watching their behaviour outside of the ’spiritual’ times, “taking oversight of their souls” as Peter admonishes the elders to do. Are they too afraid that confrontation of unrighteousness may cut off their funding, especially if they are seen to be unpopular with the crowds or, heaven forbid, the leadership in the church today?

Where are the Fathers?

Where are the foundational men and women, that are prepared at the cost of their popularity, their ‘greatness’, sometimes their organizations, and even their ministries, to confront, to speak, to ‘measure’, and ensure the foundation that is laid, Jesus Christ, as the pattern, the measure, will be maintained in the church? What an embarresment to the bride of Christ again, because there were no fathers, that would speak out before, not after, but before, all of the character of the move was revealed.

1Corinthians 4:9-14

For I think that God displayed us, the apostles, last, as sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world and to angels and to people.
We [are] fools because of Christ, and you* [are] wise in Christ! We [are] weak, but you* [are] strong! You [are] esteemed, but we [are] despised!
Until the present time we both hunger and thirst, and we wear ragged clothing and are beaten with fists [fig., are harshly treated] and wander about without a home,
and labor, working with [our] own hands. Being insulted we bless, being persecuted we ourselves endure [it],
being defamed we speak words of encouragement; we have become like garbage of the world, scum of all until now.
I am not writing these [things] [to be] shaming you, _but_ as my beloved children I am warning [or, instructing] [you*]

The Revealing Of The Apostolic

A spectacle, fools, weak, despised, hungry and thirsty, ill clothed, ill treated, homeless, working in the market place, insulted, persecuted, defamed, garbage,  scum: Does this sound like someone who is preferred, accepted, prominent,  popular?  I don’t think so!

Now, I’m not saying every apostle will experience all this, but lets just look at the ’spirit’ of this gift. Somehow, today, apostles are and even at times demand a form of preeminent recognition, that at times has even led to men who supposedly carry this gift feel and behave as if they are not accountable to anyone and can do anything they feel is necessary for them regardless of the consequences to the Body of Christ. Or they don’t do anything they feel is necessary because it doesn’t fit their doctrine or their comfortability. Paul, however, as an apostle makes it very clear that this is not about a position or a title or some preeminent recognition and popularity show.

There needs to be some correction of this view that apostles can ‘lord’ it over , be in ‘charge’, strut their stuff. There is only ONE King and ONE Lord.Oh! Of course, we will never admit that its me, but watch the fruit and the behaviour and the way of the man. And please don’t insult the bride of Christ’s spirituality and intellectuality by excusing it to my ‘humanity’, and therefore, you cannot say anything because of my “deity”. If apostles have no godly character, how, oh, how, will the church of Jesus Christ know it.

Where Are The Apostles?

2Corinthians 12:19-21

Again, do you* think that we (the apostles)are defending ourselves to you*? Before God in Christ we are speaking. But [we do] all the things, beloved, for the sake of your* up-building [or, edification].
For I am afraid lest, having come, I find you* not such as I desire; and _I_ am found by you* such as you* do not desire, lest perhaps [there be] quarrels, jealousies, angry outbursts, rivalries, slanders, gossipings, conceits, rebellions [or, disorders];
lest again having come, my God will humble me in regard to you*, and I will mourn [for] many of the ones having sinned previously and not having repented concerning the impurity [or, immorality] and sexual sin and flagrant sexual immorality which they practiced.

Apostles, are to build up the Body. Right here, we find a problem, because some apostles seem to deem it their absolute assignment to destroy, break down and divide. But, there is this place where apostles will be, and should be, humbled and mourning, having deep disturb-ness regarding the condition of the church. This is not about everyone being right, and the gift being wrong. This is about the church in a condition that needs addressing, and the gift that needs to bring the measure, the order, the ways of God, to it. This is about the apostles doing and being what apostles are.

Again, if we view the natural family, we will see that when fathers do not take their place to ensure the ‘order’ of the home, there will be confusion, lack of character, strife, passivity of leadership, no regard or respect of godly authority. When the spiritual ‘fathers’ do not take their place the results are the same. Of course, I am generalizing, and thank God there are ‘fathers’ who will determinedly, ‘correct’ and speak out to those in their company, the Father’s will and heart for Godly character and behaviour, but  we need fathers to father, to address and  reveal .  We need  them to  care enough to stand together and as fathers and begin to work on the character of the bride and prepare her for the real, for her Husband, Christ Jesus Himself.

Romans 8:15 For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

We need to understand that our identity as the church is not found in an organization, or in a man, or in building. Our identity should be in what the Lord has established; What the Word establishes. If our identity is is wrongly associated, we will be constantly be trying to find our approval and acceptance in that which cannot give us any. By God’s design, we are only meant to find our significance, our identity in Him.

Identity is defined as:

Collective aspect of the set of characteristics by which a thing is recognizable or known.

Is it possible that many in the church suffer defeat and dysfunctionality due to a lack of identity? Identity to their Heavenly Father. We see Jesus although fulfilling all the law, never breaking the traditions of the elders, never identifying His Sonship, or who He was with any of these things, but with His Heavenly Father.

“This is My Beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased. Hear ye Him“

This is…. Identity

In whom I am well pleased… Acceptance

Hear ye Him… Approval

“I and MY Father are one...”

“If you have seen Me, you have seen My Father“

And many more like this, show Jesus intimate identity with His Father, not with anything here on the earth. In the church, though, we will still direct people to a very earthly source and it gives the church no confidence, no security, no stability, no faith, no identity.

Christians

God did not call us “Christians”, the unbelievers in Antioch called the disciples, whom were constantly talking about the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Christ of God, called them this. Little Christ’s is what it means. Little anointed one’s. “Born-again” is a term Jesus used with a Pharisee in the night behind the scenes where no one was listening. Peter used the term to describe the work the regenerating Word would do in the spirit of man as he receives and believes that indestructible seed. And all these are good and right terms, but the one we do not hear a lot of. The one that we do not get identified with early in our walk with the Lord. The one can change our destiny and relationship spiritually, is our sonship to the Father.

Adoption
Romans 8:15 talks about the “spirit of adoption“. Hiuothesia: meaning – to be placed as a son. Not as an object or or some unknown entity, but as a SON. And then Father places the spirit of His Son in our hearts crying:”Daddy, Father”.

Romans 8:15 For you* did not receive a spirit of slavery again for fear, _but_ you* received [the] Spirit of adoption [i.e., the formal and legal declaration that we are His children] in which we cry out, “Dad [Gr. Abba], Father!”

At first we were in a bondage of fear. fear of what? Fear of death!

Hebrews 2:14 -15 Therefore, since the young children have shared of flesh and blood, He Himself also likewise shared in the same, so that through death He should destroy [or, render powerless] the one having the power of death, that is, the Devil,
and release those, as many as [due to] a fear of death, throughout all their life, were subjects of slavery.

Fear of Death

The fear of death always kept us in slavery and in bondage. Bound, tormented and identified with the wrong ‘father’.

John 8:44 “You* are from the [or, your*] father the Devil, and the desires of your* father you* want to be doing.

Ephesians 2:2-3 in which at one time you* walked about [fig., conducted yourselves] according to the age [fig., the practices] of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, of the spirit of the one now supernaturally working in the sons [and daughters] of disobedience;
among whom also _we_ at one time lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the thoughts [fig., senses], and we were by nature children of wrath, as also the others.

But now, Paul tells us in Romans 8 that the Father has Adopted us – placed us in the place of sons.

Price Paid

Firstly, we need to understand there is a price for this adoption; and legal ramifications. Jesus, as our Saviour and elder brother has covered it all. With His blood the legal price for our adoption has been covered so that we can stand legally and officially in the place of a son. Now, when we arrive in the Father’s house, we are acknowledged as a legal child of the Father.

Adoption is not a situation of in but not in, part of but not part of. No the true spirit of the Father’s adoption is that God places in our hearts, when we receive this wonderful privilege that Jesus purchased for us, the spirit of sonship, of childhood. So that, now we can call Him Father, Not just God out there somewhere, not just Lord, but Father. Oh! How intimate. Oh! What a sense of family identity. Much of the younger generation today suffers this lack of identity, because of no fathers in the home. Fathers are supposed to represent the Heavenly Father and bring identity, acknowledgment and acceptance to the next generation.

Free from slavery, the slavery of being left out of the Fathers family, not having any access, not having the right to approach, no right standing. But we have acceptance through the blood of Christ Jesus, we have right standing to approach, we have been adopted, accepted and acknowledged as sons in the Father’s house.

Secondly, begin to acknowledge today, that you, more than anything else, are a son of God,placed legally and officially in the Father’s house. That your identity is not in the brothers of the church, but in the Heavenly Father that Jesus came to reveal to us. He did not reveal some unknown entity, but a loving Father, who pours out and abundantly pours out, His favor on us to be called and have the place of a son.

Revelation 3:20

Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

We have seen that Jesus stands at the door of our lives and knocks, and IF we hear His voice we will open and let Him enter and with Him comes certain rewards. But now let’s look at how He enters, or in what form.

In the gospel of John it says:

John 10:2-8

But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
When he hath put forth all his own, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
Jesus therefore said unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
All that came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

Jesus says He is the Shepherd that leads His sheep. How? With His voice. We need to see a few things here:

1. The sheep hear His voice. Jesus is constantly speaking to us, His sheep, and we can hear, but somehow we have enough distractions to deceive us into thinkig He is not, and cannot speak to me today.
2. We can know His voice. In fact, I do believe we do know Hs voice, but don’t often choose to listen.
3. We should not know the voice of, or listen to the voice of, anything else, except the true Shepherd.
4. Here, His voice comes as a shepherd to us.

We love that dimension of Jesus. That’s what we were taught about Him in Sunday school. The picture of the gentle Jesus , meek and mild, leading us as His sheep, is a very non-threatening picture. And yet, it is a true picture, because that He is. But we need to see there is another dimension to this Jesus we love and serve and follow.

Enter the book of Revelation.

Revelation 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ,..

Revelation 1:10-17

I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet
saying, What thou seest, write in a book and send it to the seven churches: unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamum, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And having turned I saw seven golden candlesticks;
and in the midst of the candlesticks one like unto a son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about at the breasts with a golden girdle.
And his head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
and his feet like unto burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace; and his voice as the voice of many waters.
And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as one dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying, Fear not; I am the first and the last,

A New Revelation

A different picture of Jesus, Amen! The same Jesus, but a totally different manifestation of Him, a different revelation. Now, you must understand that John knew Jesus in the flesh and wrote about the revelation of Jesus as Shephered and us as sheep hearing His voice. But, now, this same John who had walked and talked with Him in the flesh, who had handled the Word of Life, who had known Him and heard His voice, who by all we now was the disciple who lent against Jesus breast, now sees Him, but this time he falls as dead at His feet. The picture, the vision, the revelation of the Resurrected Christ is so overwhelming that he falls as dead. The Man, the Shepeherd is now manifested in glory as a KING!

What we need to recognize is that, how Jesus Christ, the King, is manifested here , is how He is addressng the churches, and the church. At this time, He is speaking to the seven churches, the stages of the church, the state of the church in its different forms, as King. Not as Shephered. He still does come to our lives, Praise God, as Shephered and deal with us gently, but we cannot keep Him in that form exclusively. Jesus comes sometimes, many times, as King of Glory. John sees Him arrayed in Kingly majesty, dressed for war. Eyes as flames of fire that see through all; feet like unto burnished bronze, speaking of judgement; His voice as the sound of floods of waters, not the gentle Shepherd we see in the gospels. His hand holds the 7 stars, the messengers of the church; from His mouth proceeds a 2 -edged sword, speaking of the living, powerful, effective, penetrating and severing Word of God; and He outrays the pure glory of God. You can hardly look at Him. John, who knew the Lord, intimately, when he sees Him, just falls, as dead. He could not presume even to stand before such a revelation of the Christ, of the Jesus he had known.

Truly, in the church, we have a wonderful and life-saving revelation of Christ as Savior and Shepherd, but we have to learn to discern the fact that Christ Jesus does come as King. We need a revelation of this fact. The wonderful thing is that when He manifests Himself as King ,can you imagine what it does to the heart of the enemy? You have this majestic and glorious King warring on your behalf.

But the flip side of this is, we need to be adaptable to the fact that He also comes to us, knocking at the door of our lives, at the door of the church, not as Shepherd here, but as KING.

Are we ready? Are we prepared? Can we discern the difference between when He comes as King, or as Shepherd? Do we have the revelation of His Kingship, so that we will recognize Him? Will we adapt?

The True Possession

We must understand that we are the possessions He purchased with His life and blood. We are His. When we declare and confess He is Lord, we are saying, “You are the Owner, the Possessor, the Boss of everything I am”. His wasn’t a small price, He is not asking a small price. He will not relent until He has it all. He is not looking for the lands, as in physical countries. He is going to put all that under His feet at the end, but He is looking to possess us. We are His land, His husbandry, His building. He will go to war for this “territory”, the church, you and me. We are His church, His bride, His body. Are you seeing the picture? We NEED a revelation! The King of kings and the Lord of lords is standing at the door, knocking….If you hear His voice. He is not tap, tapping, gently to get your attention, if you feel like it, and then you open, at your leisure. No! This King is coming in authority and majesty, knocking, banging, demanding attention, demanding what is His. Do you hear His voice?

Enter The King

If we go back a few verses in Revelation and see something here:

Revelation 2:12-17 (ALT)

“And to the angel of the assembly in Pergamos write: ‘These [things] says the One having the sharp, double-edged sword:
‘I know your works and where you are dwelling, where the throne of Satan [is]. And you hold fast to My name, and you did not deny My faith in the days {in} which Antipas, My faithful witness [or, martyr], who was put to death beside you*, where Satan dwells.
‘_But_ I have a few [things] against you, that you have there [some] holding to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling-block before the sons [and daughters] of Israel {and} to eat [food] sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual sin.
‘In the same way, _you_ even have [some] holding to the teaching of the Nicolaitans likewise.
‘Therefore repent! But if not [fig., Or else] I am coming to you quickly, and I will wage war against them with the sword of my mouth.
‘The one having an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies:

I have underlined some key points I would like you to see.

Remember, who is speaking to the church here. That’s right! Jesus, but not of Nazareth, but of Kingly Glory. And He is saying to the church: “Listen you are doing great, holding fast to My name and your faith in the midst of difficult circumstances, BUT… ” Wow! Jesus has a but here. You would think everything is hunky dory. I mean, its a great church. They are standing for the Name of Jesus even in the midst of persecution. They are standing in faith. In fact, Jesus is commending their faith and their stand. But…

Some in their midst were “holding to”. Now the point is not what they were holding to, that is another teaching altogether. The point is, in their midst, in the church,  those amog them were “holding to” something. When we look at the the “holding to” and see what it means, I think we get a better understanding.

Hold to:

G2902
krateō
From G2904; to use strength, that is, seize or retain (literally or figuratively): – hold (by, fast), keep, lay hand (hold) on, obtain, retain, take (by).

G2904
kratos
Perhaps a primary word; vigor [“great”], (literally or figuratively): – dominion, might [-ily], power, strength.

Repent!

So, these members in the midst of the church were “holding to” with strength; retaining; with great vigor and might and power. They would not relent. they were holding to something that Jesus, the King, did not approve of, was not pleased with, and yet they would not relinquish, they would not … Repent! Therefore, He says, He will come and what? WAGE WAR! With who? With those in their midst. How? Using the sword of His mouth-the Word of God.

Is it possible that some of the stuff we are blaming on the devil, that goes on in church, is just maybe, just possibly, The King of Glory Himself, Jesus Christ, warring for His throne in your and my life and the church, that is His prized possession? Is He, or is He not, talking to the church here? Well, we may say that’s not for us brother, not today. But do you sill believe we need to repent? Do you believe in the promises of that Jesus gives here as The King to His church. then it is necessary to believe that He also wants to remove all obstacles that stop Him from setting up His throne. We need to give Him all. We need to relinquish those things that are not of Him. We need to adapt and change at the Kings command. WE NEED TO HEAR HIS VOICE AND OPEN UP FOR HIM. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want this King warring with me. We sing a worship song in Reading- He will not relent until He has it all; I give You my heart…

Let’s give Him all today. Let’s repent quickly – change our minds, our thinking, our opinions, have an about turn in what we “hold to”, and adapt to the King and let Him come in and have it all. Let Him set up His throne in your life and in the church.