Who Is The Greatest?

[vinc]

WHO IS THE GREATEST?
- by David Howe (davehowe@dsl.pipex.com)

Just recently I have been looking at what’s happening in the church at large and have been disturbed in the spirit at what I see.

Many today speak about people at different levels – Speak about different types of Apostles – Prophets – Pastors and much more – Speak about who is over whom – About who is the greatest in the Kingdom.

They say things like – You are a level one – Level two – Level three prophet - Level one or two apostle and so on.

This is about comparing one against another – Its not in the Word – We are not to put people in these boxes – Not to measure one against another.

They also say that leaders/teachers must be obeyed without question – Aren’t we supposed to test all things by the Word – This means not just prophecy but teaching as well – In fact the bible warns more about false teachers in the last days.

Accountably and I am all for it – But in some places it is used to control the people. They say you have be accountable to them - But who are they accountable to – When asked they would say God - But we are all accountable to God I say – But they would say we hear God better than you – That’s why we are above you. (Yes I have heard this preached)

Did the apostles say anything like this – No they did not.

Just to clarify things I do not believe in isolationism – People totally doing their own thing but in team work where each one does the work God has given them – Some as prophets – Pastors – Some having gifts of healing and so on.

The five fold ministries are there for the building up of the body – Not as rulers with titles lording it over others - To look good – Or to get rich quick.

One thing that disturbs me is one minute we have someone calling themselves pastor so and so then soon after that apostle so and so as if this gives them greater authority over people.

We see that some bigger ministries dominating and taking over the smaller ones just like many companies do in the secular world.

The church in general especially in the west has adopted the world’s business practices.

Things like the bigger the better – The small must submit the powerful – People setting themselves up as super apostles above the people saying that all must submit to them as they are Gods spokesmen on earth – Setting themselves up as a new priest class over all others – Setting themselves up in place of Christ with is idolatry – Witchcraft and an abomination in the eyes of the Lord – An extension of the clergy laity system by another name – Like little popes.

Showing how immature much of the body really is today.

I believe many of these ministries started out right but over time they have slowly taken their eyes off Christ and that snake of the religious spirit and pride got in without them knowing it – They lost their child like dependence on Christ and began to look to the world methods – Programs and ways again without knowing what was happening.

This can happen to anyone – Happen to any group of believers big or small – We start thinking we see it all - When we see only through a glass dimly.

Heavy Shepherding.

A strange thing has happened in the land – Many shepherds have set themselves above the people – And the people like it this way.

Many are placing themselves in front of Christ – Acting as if they are “christs” and “gods” before the people – Building their own temples and altars for men to worship them – Worship their doctrines and practises – Worship the system – Ending up in worshipping the beast without knowing it.

In such places we see a pyramid system of government where the senior pastors passes down orders to the under pastors and then to the group leaders onto the people.

Within such groups the top pastors are unapproachable – You have to go through an appointment system to see them if ever.

And woe betides you if you question them or the system for you would be told that you are in rebellion and rebellion is as witchcraft.

All this is just the heavy shepherding movement coming back under a different form – A way of controlling the people all for their own good of course.

Something else that is misused in some places is mentoring or discipleship where all they do is make clones of the people – Make them like robots.

(I am not against discipleship in the right way where people are built up and set free into what Christ has given them – And then let them go as you would your children when they have grown up)

Did Christ act like this on earth – Were the apostles like this – No they served and gave their lives in the service of others – Gave their lives even unto death.

They did not lord it over others – Use titles in any way to put themselves above others.

In the early days the disciples wanted to stop others from praying and ministering in Christs name but Christ told them not to stop them – But today many gifted people are being stopped from ministering by those who should know better.

Through Christ alone.

For all have direct personal access to God through Christ Jesus by his Blood that spilled down the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.

We do not have to go through a priest or special holy man for Christ made the way clear for us all.

Yes the curtain was torn from top to bottom so that Holy of Holies is open to all who are washed in the blood of Christ for all time.

We do not have to ask an apostle – Prophet - Pastor or anybody else to have access to the Lord – But we can go boldly before the throne of our heavenly father through Jesus Christ.

Men have no right to put themselves over you and in front of Christ - For those who do such things are in grave risk of the judgement of God unless they repent – For God is a jealous God – Jealous for his Son – Jealous for the people that his Son bought with his own blood.

For we are all his sheep and he is the great shepherd Jesus Christ.

We do well to remember Christ’s warning to us – That many will come to him saying Lord we prophesied in your name – We cast out demons in your name – But he will say depart from me you worker of evil – I never knew you – For you did not care about others but only cared about yourselves.

He warned us that in the last days many would come in his name but they would not be from him – But there would be ravening wolves sent to secretly introduce false doctrines and heresies – That many would run after them with itching ears hearing only what they want to hear – Deceiving others and being deceived themselves.

About Buildings

Let us stop building our kingdoms – Stop telling Christ how to build his Church – For Christ said “I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it”.

But if we are trying to build it in our image then it will fall much as that house on the sandy soil when the storm came – The gates of hell will prevail against them.

The reason there is so much stress and burnout today is because of our building on sandy soil – When a building is on unstable ground it moves and cracks – It has to have a lot of maintenance – Which causes stress for the owners who have to work hard to keep it from falling.

But when a building is on the rock – It will stand in all weathers – There will be no worries about it falling down – Their yoke will be easy and their burdens light.

A pastor once said to me “It’s so hard to run a church” – What came to me was “That’s because you are running it and not the Lord”.

We should all be like burning bushes that don’t burn out being filled Holy Fire of the Lord and not some strange smelly Smokey worldly fire.

Defiling the Lords Body and Blood.

Many today are defiling the table of the Lord.

They break bread with sin and unforgiveness in their hearts.

The Word tells us that we should put things right with our brothers – Leave your gifts at the altar and make peace.

If you break the bread and drink the cup in an unworthy manner then you bring damnation onto yourself – This is the reason many are weak and sick and many fall asleep before their time.

This lack of discernment in this one important area is why there is much division in the body – That there is so much false teaching coming back into the Church.

Let’s wait upon the Lord and not think that we know better – Remember He created the universe – He is all wise – All loving – All powerful for He is Lord.

Let us take our hands off His church and watch it grow with everyone using the gifts and ministries God has given them.

Lets us get out of each other way and stop telling the Lord what to do in others for He made us all in His image.

For He gave some to be apostles – Some prophets – Some evangelists – Some pastors and teachers.

He gave us gifts of healing – Gifts of tongues – Gifts of prophecy - Gifts of helps and many more – All for the building up of the church.

And let us not forget the most important thing - To win the lost and set the captives free in Christ – Which we cannot do very well if we are doing all the above.

Let us repent and fear not – May we not put each other in boxes – May we not think we are above others – May we not try to control others around us for our gain but may we see Christ formed within them – May we get out of his way so that He will be able to work in and use others as He wishes – Not as we think.

Let us humble ourselves before Him who paid for us with His blood – Be humble before each other preferring others above ourselves.

For His ways are higher than our ways – His thoughts deeper than our thoughts.

For we all are the sheep of His pasture – AND He is our Great Shepherd JESUS CHRIST.

Who is the Greatest – JESUS CHRIST IS LORD.

*************************************************
Dave Howe – 8th July 2002,
Living Waters Fellowship,
Wellspring prophetic Ministries,
England.

 

[ZiSunka]

Very true words, sadly.

Jesus said those who are willing to be lowly servants are considered the greatest people in his esteem, but very, very few are willing to be lowly servants these days. Everyone wantst to be famous and esteemed in the eyes of people. I've even heard, many times right here at CF, that Jesus didn't mean what he said, that Billy Graham will have a higher and more honored place than the woman who cleans the toilets at the stadium where he has his crusade events. If that woman loves the Lord, if she is willing to clean up people's poop because she loves Him so much, then she will certainly be more honored than anyone who loves the Lord but does things to bring praise and attention to him/herself.

Thanks for the reminders! We need them!

 

[angelwind]

Good post...thanks