1 Corinthians 4:1-2 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
A minister must be faithful to God who appointed him and ordained him and anointed him and called him to be a minister and set him into the body of Christ as apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher according to Ephesians 4.
(A minister can have more than one office. Paul was apostle/teacher.)
(A minister can have more than one office. Paul was apostle/teacher.)
That minister of God must faithfully deliver the messages of God, the counsel of God. He must not speak to please the people but rather he speaks what God gives him whether it pleases the people or not, for it is God, not the minister, who is giving that message when the minister is of God.
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Jesus spoke those things HE heard from God the Father.
Jesus said:
Jesus said:
John 5:30 I can of MINE own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and MY judgment is just; because I seek not MINE own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent ME.
As Jesus heard from God, HE judged by that Word HE heard from God.
(We hear from God by the Holy Spirit bringing that scripture to mind. Or it could be a dream brought to mind, or the remembrance of an experience as an example. Or it could be a word.)
As Jesus heard from God, HE judged by that Word HE heard from God.
(We hear from God by the Holy Spirit bringing that scripture to mind. Or it could be a dream brought to mind, or the remembrance of an experience as an example. Or it could be a word.)
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Some of the messages Jesus spoke were very unpopular.
John 6:53-56 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink HIS blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth MY flesh, and drinketh MY blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For MY flesh is meat indeed, and MY blood is drink indeed. He that eateth MY flesh, and drinketh MY blood, dwelleth in ME, and I in him.
59-60 These things said HE in the synagogue, as HE taught in Capernaum. Many therefore of HIS disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
(The flesh of Jesus and the blood of Jesus is THE WORD OF GOD. As we partake of the Word of God we eat and drink the flesh and blood of Jesus. This is "the Lord's supper".)
(The flesh of Jesus and the blood of Jesus is THE WORD OF GOD. As we partake of the Word of God we eat and drink the flesh and blood of Jesus. This is "the Lord's supper".)
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Some messages God would have spoken by the minister are offensive messages.
But these messages show the way of sin and the way of God and are therefore salvation to those who will hear and conform to the correct way and leave the darkness.
John the Baptist spoke a message that was so offensive it got him beheaded. John told Herod it was not lawful for him to have his brother's wife. The wife managed to get John beheaded because he spoke this about her.
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The minister who is of God speaks what God wants spoken.
The apostle Paul said: Galatians 1:10-12 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
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A real minister who is appointed by God, speaks as an oracle of God, faithfully speaking that message God wants spoken at that exact moment.
Just before Paul died, he said this to the church.
Acts 20:18- 30 And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:
And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.
But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which HE hath purchased with HIS own blood.
For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.
But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which HE hath purchased with HIS own blood.
For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
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All these examples show us what we must do as ministers appointed by God.
When God shows us about antichrist, that is the message we speak.
When God calls a scripture to our attention showing us to exhort the church to be careful about the words they are speaking, that is the message we speak.
We faithfully deliver the message we believe to be from God, leaving nothing out of that message.
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In 1982, God spoke to me the following:
"The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God."
Up to that point, I had been speaking messages such as following God by HIS Spirit and taking thoughts captive. The messages I had been given up to that point had been very popular with the churches.
But then God gave me another message showing sins being committed by big-time ministers.
When I could not get these messages to the specific minister, I became persuaded to give the message on my radio broadcasts and to name the minister by name.
I had faith in God and strength to do this because I had seen the following scripture:
Paul said: Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words. II Timothy 4:14-15
Paul named a wrong doer by name and warned the church about him.
When I presented the message of the man who had done the wrong doing, then the message reached that minister. Before speaking this on radio, I had been unable to get the message to the minister who was doing wrong.
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I was in Seattle for a meeting and outside the door of the meeting room, waiting for me, was the manager of the radio station.
He said, "Joan, you have many wonderful messages. Just speak those messages. If you keep speaking these judgment messages, I don't know what is going to happen to you. We might have to put you off the air."
Out of my mouth, came the following defining word from God by His Spirit. "George, if I don't speak the message I believe to be from God, then I don't have a message and I may-as-well be off the air."
The minister has a responsibility to God , WHO appointed him to be a minister, to speak faithfully that message given him by God at that point in time, withholding nothing.
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1 Corinthians 4:3-5 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
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One thing the above scripture shows is to be careful about praising a man.
God will show, at the judgment seat of Christ, those who are doing HIS will, speaking what HE wants spoken and doing what HE wants them to do.
You might judge an evil doer as good and a person who is following God as evil.
One time, a woman who had been my bridge partner for three or four years said to me, "You're really much nicer than you seem to be." I laughed, considering this a compliment, for it shows I wasn't trying to get the people there to think I was good.
Almost everyone at this Bridge Center called themselves Christians and most were church goers, faithful to their churches. One woman always praised her church. She liked to look very nice. She was in her 90's and died. She had been in charge of the money at the center. After she died, they found she had been stealing the money. Shocking. She gave such an appearance of nice. Her children repaid the stolen money. When my cousin visited me, we went to bridge center. This woman was talking to my cousin. The first thing she told my cousin is how she was a Church of Christ member. She loved to tell people where she went to church.
You have to be careful about praising people. You have to be very careful about praising pastors or praising church group.
One time, a woman who had been my bridge partner for three or four years said to me, "You're really much nicer than you seem to be." I laughed, considering this a compliment, for it shows I wasn't trying to get the people there to think I was good.
Almost everyone at this Bridge Center called themselves Christians and most were church goers, faithful to their churches. One woman always praised her church. She liked to look very nice. She was in her 90's and died. She had been in charge of the money at the center. After she died, they found she had been stealing the money. Shocking. She gave such an appearance of nice. Her children repaid the stolen money. When my cousin visited me, we went to bridge center. This woman was talking to my cousin. The first thing she told my cousin is how she was a Church of Christ member. She loved to tell people where she went to church.
You have to be careful about praising people. You have to be very careful about praising pastors or praising church group.
Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus says ... Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to ME in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in THY name? and in THY name have cast out devils? and in THY name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
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1 Corinthians 4: 6-7 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.
For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
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Paul wasn't bragging when he told the church he was an apostle/teacher. Paul was simply identifying the offices to which he was called by God and set into the church.
After Jesus arose, HE gave gifts to the church.
Ephesians 4:11-12 And HE gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Some are set in the church to do specific works of God.
Apostles have a strong anointing from God to deal with scripture and to keep doctrines straight.
Prophets often carry messages of correction to the church as-well-as messages of warning.
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Once I was having coffee with two Baptist women. One woman began speaking of the new church building pastor was building at her church. Then she began telling about a woman in the congregation who was against this building and she said to me, "What do you think could be wrong with this woman?" Instantly, without any thought, the following came from my mouth: "Maybe she is a prophet." (That ended the talk about the woman.)
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1 Corinthians 4:20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
When God speaks through us, there is a power and an authority in that word. It is not like the word of men. That word can be shattering to the person who hears it.
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