Memorise:And he gave some, apostles and some, prophets; and some evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; Ephesians 4:11
Read: Ephesians 4:8-14 (KJV)
4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
4:9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
4:10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Bible in one year:
Hebrews 1-4,
Hosea 2,
Hymn:
Sing hymn 14
Message:
When God calls a person into a spiritual office, it is because there are roles He wants such a person to play in the scheme of things as regard God’s agenda for man on earth. Spiritual offices are not just for the purpose of accumulating titles or occupying position. If you are called into a spiritual office, you are called to serve God, and to be a blessing to lives. God is the giver of all spiritual gifts through His Holy Spirit. However, it so obvious today that some people are not using the spiritual offices they occupy for God’s original purpose.
If you have been called as a pastor, your responsibility is to raise a church and care for the spiritual needs of those God has placed in your trust as a pastor. Today, there are many sheep wandering away, because they are not being properly guided by the shepherds the Good Shepherd has set over them. There are members of the Body of Christ who cannot identify their left from their right, and for this reason the Holy Spirit in 2nd Timothy 4:2, gave this mandate to those He has set over them as pastors:
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort will all longsuffering and doctrine.”
Are you an evangelist? You are a preacher and messenger of the true gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. As an evangelist, you are to declare the entire counsel of God wherever you are. The word of the Lord should not be watered down because of the presence of certain people in your audience (Jeremiah 1:8). You are to constantly remind your hearers of the genuine word of God and avoid messages that will not bring people to the knowledge of Christ and His saving works. If you are a teacher of the word, you have been gifted by the Holy Spirit to explain God’s word in order to build and equip the church. You are to communicate biblical truths effectively to the understanding of your hearers. Are you occupying the office of a prophet? If you are, you have been authorised by God to speak on His behalf.
These are lots of problems in the Body of Christ today because people are not using these spiritual offices for the purpose for which they were given by the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace has been given to everyone according to the measure of the gift of Christ; hence, it is important that people disengage from causing divisions within the Body of Christ. The offices are meant to complement one another for the perfecting of the saints and to edify the Body of Christ. The offices are to be used together for the unity of the Church, so that God’s people can come into the full knowledge of Him.
Prayer Point
Father, may Your grace upon my life not be in vain.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional Lessons was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical Church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
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