FIVE SMOOTH STONES - The Five Ascension Gifts in the Heavenly Shepherds Bag

FIVE SMOOTH STONES — The Five Ascension Gifts in the Heavenly Shepherd’s Bag

In general, shepherds and teachers are much like Alexander Hamilton, and more likely to err on the side of adding limits and control over people, albeit for their greater protection and safety. They generally will not neglect to supply the security and protection that God’s people need. Prophets and evangelists on the other hand, are more like Thomas Jefferson. They see ahead, see the potential, and see danger in restricting the people and thereby their potential. They may, however, be unrealistic at times, or even idealistic about the actual character of the people with which they are working. While shepherds often harbor concern over a prophetic word which they fear might be incorrect or offensive, prophets want God to be heard even if some tares must grow along side of the wheat. Evangelists want the Good News preached even if it shakes up the status quo. Shepherds are concerned for the security of the flock, and will often lay everything on the line to protect those they shepherd. Shepherds and teachers place order and harmony in high regard whereas prophets and evangelists tend to put vision and hope ahead of these. Because of these different views of how things should operate, shepherds and teachers often find themselves at odds with prophets and evangelists whom they often consider rash, extreme, or even dangerous to the peace. However, as president, Washington was able to equalize the two extremes and come to a balance which impeded the excesses of either view. Washington is often called the father of our country, and, like a father, in fact, brought a type of an apostolic balance to the extreme views within his cabinet so that the entire nation was the beneficiary. It becomes apparent that the differences shepherds and teachers have with prophets and evangelists become balanced as apostolic order is allowed to function as a guiding hand over all. The suspicions, and even fears, that each have often had toward the other can be placed to rest when the biblical apostolic relationship is in place and functioning. Proverbs17:17 says that a brother is given to share adversity (NRSV), but without parental guidance and authority exercised, too often the adversity has been between brothers in the family of God. Just as proper paternal authority is meant to help keep the peace in the natural family, fully functioning apostolic ministry will also bring a peace between brothers in the spiritual family of God. When we again have all of the five-fold ministries functioning

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