Apostles, Prophets, Evangelist, Pastors and Teachers and Fresh Fire

There is a great deal of conversation and commotion in the Body of Christ today about the reality of having Apostles, Prophets, Evangelist, Pastors and Teachers as described in

Ephesians 4:11-13.

Some say that God never intended these Gift/offices to fade away or be done away with while others say these gifts do not all function today, others believe they are still functioning in the church today but under different names.

You’re Wineskin (church government and structure) along with the point in history and context of the birth of your fellowship or church group (revival or move of God or desire of man from which it sprang into life) will greatly determine how you understand the meaning and function of these gifts.

It is not my objective to argue this point today. Instead, I would like to look at the purpose or responsibility and character of these 'gifts to the church' and all who are called into the leadership of God's people. These verses when examined in a variety of translations and the Greek in which it was originally written help us to understand that 'the gifts' God has given have the responsibility to:
1. To Equip believers to do the work of the ministry (those things that Jesus began to do and teach and then were carried out by the Holy Spirit through those who made Jesus their Lord and Savior)
2. To build up one another (those who have also become believers and disciples of Jesus the Messiah)
3. To bring them into a place of full maturity.'

When we examine the words and their meaning in context we see that a part of this equipping is the mending or making whole of individual believer so that they can fulfill God's call on their life.

We also see that another part of being equipped, is to be properly fit (taking ones proper and unique place) into the body of Christ according to God's grace given each individual, as well as, the operation of His gifts in them, along with their skills, maturity and experience.

The death and resurrection of Jesus was designed to make us whole and make maturity in Him not only possible but our primary co-objective as we continue to do those things that Jesus began to do and teach through the power of His Holy Spirit.

A more complete look at the context of this passage will assist us in understanding the purpose of these three verses. The greater context will also help us to understand the expectations we should have of ourselves and those called into these positions which the Holy spirit in scripture calls Gifts to His Church.

Eph 4:1-16
4:1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it says:
"When he ascended on high, he led captives in his trainand gave gifts to men."
9 (What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. NIV

A powerful move of God, a revival, or releasing of His glory or presence which does not then become the catalyst or launching pad for the continuation of those things Jesus began to do and teach has failed to accomplish what God desired.

It is the responsibility of the Apostles, Prophets, Evangelist, Pastors and Teachers to make sure that those things Jesus began to do and teach are continued as a result of THE FRESH FIRE!

Artwork, The Road to the Cross by Graham Braddock http://www.christian-artprints.com/

The Joseph Daniel Calling

I have the privilege of knowing a Joseph-Daniel Fore-runner. This is a person who along with the Joseph Daniel calling on His life is called as one who goes before (or sent out before) others with such a calling on their lives. He is not only the one who spies out the land but then must go back and give a report of what is ahead for those who also have this calling on their lives. Now this all sounds very wonderful and magnificent, Oh what a calling!!! Callings this BIG require both great vision and a great sacrificial heart.

Before I go any further let me ask you a few simple questions to put this all in context.

1. What is a Joseph or a Daniel or for that matter a forunner calling?
A. Joseph: He had the coat of many colors and the father’s favor which may have meant a larger share of the inheritance.
B. Daniel: had encounters with angels in his battles in prayer. Did not get hurt in the Lions den.
C. the Fore-runner: the one called to go before, a path finder a path maker! John the Baptist. Eating grasshoppers and dressing in camel hair. A message purified by the wilderness.

2. What preparation does each of these callings demand?
A. Joseph
B. Daniel
C. The Fore-Runner

3. If you are called to one or all of these ministries what should you expect from God, from people and from yourself? What kind of lifestyle does each of these demand?
A. What is a Joseph dreamer and visionary without humility and the experience to make the God given dream come true and in turn bless all who are involved. He did not require harm or vengeance upon those who mistreated him.
B. What is a Daniel without faith to stand in the battle with Angels and trust God in the pit with Lions?
C. What is a (fore-Runner) and what is their ministry? When you cut into new territory, enemy territory you are being cut as well.

You cannot lead where God desires without more of God and less of you. So as you are pruned you will continue to produce an even greater harvest. Now greater here may mean more quality or, more quantity or both. The truth is that each anointed calling requires the death of the flesh and all of the power, authority and influence we may wield and the total dependence on the power and authority of God in our lives.

Jesus himself is our example in this. He relinquished His authority and power yielded to the father’s authority and was empowered by the Holy Spirit so that we might always be able to say;”I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” and “not my will but yours father.”

1. Do you have a Joseph Daniel calling?
2. Are you willing to pay the price to make yourself ready for the weight of His Glory in your life?

If not turn back now before it is too late.

If you answer yes than gird yourself for battle and give all you have for the heart of God, the Mind of Christ and the Power of the Spirit!


To Discover more about the Joseph-Daniel calling buy
Joseph Daniel Calling Morris Ruddick from Arsenal Books at the Link below.

http://arsenalbooks.com/category/s

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Joseph Daniel Calling by Morris Ruddick

Book Summary
In the face of political instabilities, economic reversals, fear, and uncertainty, Kingdom opportunities not obvious to the world are quietly on the rise. These Kingdom agendas reflect an interlinking of secular enterprises with overriding ministry objectives.

What is emerging is a move of God in the marketplace that will parallel the rise of the parachurch ministry movement of the early fifties. At the forefront of this movement is a group of men and women of God called in the same way as Joseph and Daniel of the Bible. Modern-day Josephs and Daniels will serve strategically as instruments of God’s purpose in secular positions of influence within seats of power of this world. This book addresses the dynamics of this calling, God’s economy, and the preparation, character, and challenges of these uniquely called Josephs and Daniels. Among other agendas, they will be facilitators of the release of the wealth of the wicked into Kingdom initiatives.

Author Profile
MORRIS E. RUDDICK is a business executive, consultant, entrepreneur, missionary, intercessor, conference speaker, board member, and writer. He is at the forefront of mobilizing a unique group of anointed marketplace leaders, referred to as modern-day Josephs and Daniels. As head of a market planning consulting firm serving an array of clients from Fortune 500 firms to respected ministries, his expertise includes business planning, forecasting emerging markets, developing business strategies, funding initiatives, modeling entrepreneurial bypass strategies, and applying principles of biblically based businesses. He was chief architect in two successful corporate turnarounds. His ministry activities target strengthening the brethren in locales ranging from Afghanistan to Israel. But the foundation of both his business and ministry activities is his role in leading a global intercession ministry known as SIGN (Strategic Intercession Global Network), which has as its purpose targeting strategic-level issues impacting the Body on a global basis.
http://www.strategic-initiatives.org/

Revolutionary Champions and Principles

The Bible is full of Revolutionaries (men and women) who saw beyond what was and into the Spirit realm and saw what God was doing or desired to do. One of Biblical account which demonstrates this truth is 2 Kings 6:15-17.

15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" the servant asked.
16 "Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them."
17 And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha . NIV

What is the definition of a Revolutionary?

1. According to Webster: Major Fundemental Change

a: of, relating to, or constituting a revolution b: tending to or promoting revolution c: constituting or bringing about a major or fundamental change

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/revolutionary

2. According to the Bible: Turning the World Upside Down

These New Revolutionaries want more than revival of what is and have diligently prayed and worked for what God in His Word has promised. They seek the work of His Spirit in this generation with such magnitude that nations are changed and the tide of darkness and the stench of hell and death are cleansed from their cities and nations. These New Revolutionaries are the ones who reject the spirit of religion and passionately embrace the truth and power of God's Word to change what is by into what God desires, a reformation of every village, town and city in the nations of the earth.

Acts 17:6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out,"These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.NKJV

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The Champions:

The faith of the people are listed in Hebrews 11, in God's supernatural ways and character caused them to do things and say things that put them in direct conflict and opposition to the way things were in their culture, and often to the government and the ways people around them lived and behaved. The Bible tells of these Revolutionaries who looked for the life, provision and home God had built to share with them. Hebrews chapter 11 tells many of their stories.

Heb 11:1-40

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.
3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
4 By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. 7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.Heb 11:11-40
11 By faith Abraham, even though he was past age — and Sarah herself was barren — was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country — a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. 17 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." 19 Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death. 20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones. 23 By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.

24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.

29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days. 31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.

32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37 They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40 God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. NIV

1. Principle One: FAITH

One of the Keys concepts for the The New Revolutionary is FAITH that God is the greatest supernatural being in existence and that He desires to provide us with all we need to have a supernatural life and accomplish all He desires in and through our lives.

Hebrews 11:1-3

'Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.'

2. Principle Two: DEATH

Another Key concept for the New Revolutionary is a willingness to DIE to all of the desires of our heart and this world even to the point of DEATH for the cause of Christ. The New Revolutionaries, as well as, the Biblical ones were so desirous of gaining what God had for their lives that this earth and all it offers had no hold on them.

Hebrews 11: 13- 16.

And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country — a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Hebrews 11 is not an exhaustive list of the Biblical revolutionaries. It is however a review of many and the cost they were willing to pay for the cause of God!

Will you pay the price needed to answer the call to be one of the New Kingdom Revolutionaries for Jesus the Messiah?

Will You Pledge Allegiance To The Lamb?

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=fd28e0f6fcdffbcdd760

ARTWORK: 'Guardian Angel' Danny Hahlbohm

http://www.allposters.com/gallery.asp?startat=/getthumb.asp&CID=B76AE35B549945EEB3B53AB313FF3271&PPID=1&sortby=PD&c=c&page=3&Search=19294

A CALL TO THE NEW REVOLUTIONARIES

There is a Call that is going out across the Earth. This call is to those who will die to themselves, their dream, hope and fears and become part of the New Revolutionaries for Jesus.

This Call is being heard by many who in turn are crying out to this generation of believers to become New Kingdom Revolutionaries to Cry Out to and Seek God with all of their heart soul and strength! One of the visible results of this is THE CALL DC 2008 led by Lou Engle.

The material below is from The Call web site. I encourage you to click on the link below and find out more. Find out how you can be a part of this God called Generation of Revolutionaries for Jesus!

LOAD UP A BUS AND MEET OTHER REVOLUTIONARIES AT THE CALL DC AUGUST 16 2008!

About TheCall
http://www.thecall.com/Group/Group.aspx?id=1000029165

"TheCall is a divinely initiated, multi-racial, multi-generational, and cross-denominational gathering to corporate prayer and fasting. We believe that our nation is in desperate need of the mercy of God and a great Spiritual Awakening. TheCall is committed to mobilizing people from all across America to gather together to petition God for His undeserved mercy for our nation in 12-hour solemn assemblies. Just as in the days of Joel, we believe that now is the time to blow the trumpet across our land, to fast, to pray, and return to the Lord with all our hearts.In the midst of an “entertainment” driven society,

TheCall does not seek to entertain, but to encounter God. Unlike other mass gatherings which attract people through the rhythms of loud music, the glamour of flashing lights, or through the appeal of charismatic personalities, TheCall is a gathering centered around the affections of a loving God. There will be no advertised bands and no promoted speakers, as our purpose is not to promote any man or ministry.

TheCall is a FAST not a festival. TheCall is a SOLEMN ASSEMBLY not a conference. Whereas conferences focus primarily on training and discipleship, the 12 hours of TheCall are spent primarily before the Lord in the place of prayer and worship. We believe the hour is late and the times are urgent. Our nation is in desperate need of revival and it will be only through the corporate body of Christ uniting in the place of prayer that we will find any hope in this hour. We believe we can see our nation changed as the Lord pours out His Spirit and brings refreshing to the broken, destitute, and the weary across our land.
History of TheCall

In 1997 our nation witnessed one of the largest Christian gatherings in American history. The Promise Keepers, a ministry specifically focused on igniting men with a passion for Jesus, gathered a million men on the National Mall in Washington DC to call men across our nation to a lifestyle of purity and godliness. A man named Lou Engle was deeply impacted by this highly profound event and burdened with a God-given dream. The vision was to raise up a corresponding youth movement to cry out to God for a revival to sweep across America. .

Two years after the inception of this dream, a woman approached Lou Engle and asked if he had ever considered putting young people on the Mall like the Promise Keepers did in 1997. Taken back and amazed, Lou replied that two years prior he had been burdened with a dream to see the youth of our nation gathering at the National Mall. He confessed he actually prophesied this coming gathering would be a sign from God that there was still hope for our nation. The woman promptly wrote a check for $100,000, setting into action a whole chain of supernatural events that would eventually result in the TheCall DC on September 2nd, 2000. God’s blessing was clearly manifest throughout the day as the presence of the Holy Spirit infused the prayer, worship and intermittent words of encouragement from our nations spiritual leaders. The result of one man's obedience to the God-given dream was an attendance of over 400,000 young people.

After this TheCall DC in September 2000, TheCall was exported across the nation to twelve different locations, each one gathering thousands of people hungry for a movement of God. Rather than promoting man’s good ideas, these massive gatherings were spent in corporate fasting, prayer, and worshiping before God. Specific regional issues were confronted in each gathering in the place of prayer. In each Call, issues such as racism, sexual immorality and abortion were brought into light and repented for corporately by the body of Christ. In New York, Dallas, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Nashville, and Kansas City, a movement of prayer and fasting has filled stadiums with the sounds of worship and the incense of prayer. This divinely-initiated movement of repentance has extended beyond the narrow borders of America as TheCall has traveled to Australia, Germany, the Philippines, Norway, England and Israel.

Today TheCall is marching across our land to Washington D.C. to come together for a historic gathering on August 16, 2008. We believe that our nation is in a critical hour and in desperate need of revival. While our society's moral compass continues to erode the faith of our nation is becoming increasingly secularized. The world in its rebellion violently pursues the fulfillment of all fleshly desires, yet the church has fallen prey to many of the same sins that plague our society. Even within the church truth has been substituted for spiritual relativism and religious tolerance. Sexual immorality, racism, and abortion are just as prevalent from our pews and pulpits as they are in our secular universities. We are in an hour of crisis, an hour when we have to confront our own spiritual barrenness as the church and in the place of prayer cry out to God for mercy on our nation and revival in our land. Our hope in this hour is in God and God alone.

On August 16, 2008 we are calling for 1,000,000 people to again gather together in the National Mall to fast and to pray for God to pour out His undeserved mercy on our land." http://www.thecall.com/

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ARTWORK "Midnight Herald" By William Hallmark

http://www.majesticartworks.com/ID11herald.htm

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"Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." Matthew 25:13