5 Smooth Stones

He did not rebuke them, but only said it would be up to His Father who would be placed in these seats of authority “is for those for whom it is prepared.” 2 (Ma tt 20:23, Mark 10:40). He then continued by teaching the apostles about leadership in His Kingdom Ma tt 20:25 ... “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 And whoever desires to be fi rst among you, let him be your slave — 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” 1 Corinthians 12:28 And God has set [placed, appointed] some in the church, fi rst apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helpers, administrators, various kinds of tongues. When Jesus said in Ma tt hew 16:18, that He would “... build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” He never promised that the powers of hell could not prevail against a church that He has not built, or that was not built after the pa tt ern which He presented to us. The pa tt ern for his church is built on fellowship, fi rst with Him, and then with one another, and He reveals His ministry of The Apostle, The Prophet, The Evangelist, The Shepherd, and The Teacher (Jesus), through men and women whom he has called and commissioned into those gift ministries. These in turn raise up and disciple the people of God to exercise His Great Commission. Even in the days of John the apostle there was a spirit blessed by Satan working in the church which desired to have preeminence. Just as Lucifer desired preeminence in the heavens, this spirit desires preeminence in the church. This spirit functioning through men, uses the doctrine of the Nicolaitans to secure a position which operates to keep the people bound under the doctrines of men rather than the commissioning of Christ. This is the spirit which comes against the Holy Spirit and the fi ve ministries the Lord uses to equip and often reveal Himself to his church. We saw that the name Gaius means to rejoice, and through that we know that one way to ba tt le this spirit is to remain energized and joyful and keeping our focus on our fi rst love and praising Him. We saw that Jesus, 175 Later Paul the apostle spoke of those whom the Lord has set in order in His Kingdom leadership.

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