[shy1]

Acts 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God.


It's a place of honor.

[Hallah]

Pamela, on May 9 2006, 01:21 PM, said:

quote removed

WOW! Talk about confirmation!!! Check this out:http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/8304.htm


The Lord knows how . . . to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority (2 Peter 2:9, 10).

The apostle Peter reveals two ways by which we can identify false prophets and false teachers who operate within the church. First, they will be involved in immorality of some kind, indulging "the flesh in its corrupt desires." They may be discovered in illicit activities involving sex and/or money. They may be antinomian, claiming that God is all love and grace so we don't need to abide by any law. Their immorality may not be easy to spot, but it will eventually surface in their lives (2 Corinthians 11:15). Second, false prophets and teachers "despise authority" and are "daring, self-willed." These people have an independent spirit. They do their own thing and won't answer to anybody. They either won't submit to the authority of a denomination or board or they will pick their own board which will simply rubber-stamp anything they want to do.

There are historic leadership roles in Scripture: prophet (preaching and teaching), priest (pastoring and shepherding), and king (administration). Only Jesus in His perfection is capable of occupying all three roles simultaneously. I believe we need the checks and balances of a plurality of elders in the church, distributing the three critical roles to more than one person. No one can survive his own unchallenged authority. Every true, committed Christian in a leadership role needs to submit himself and his ideas to other mature believers who will hold him accountable.

We need spiritual leaders like those described by Peter: "Shepherd the flock of God among you, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock" (1Peter 5:2, 3). Are you praying for your spiritual leaders to be conformed to God's standard of leadership or yours?

Great Shepherd, protect me from irresponsible spiritual leaders, mere "hired hands" who run away in times of crisis, instead of shepherds. Give my pastor a true shepherd's heart.

This post has been edited by Pamela: 23 June 2006 - 03:56 PM

[blindzebra]

there is no authority greater than that of God, ALMIGHTY.

and when we have to choose between being obedient to God or to men,
judge for yourselves what is righteous.

But as for us, we shall obey God as Ruler, rather than men.

and for those who go out to defile the flesh, seeking fleshly desire,
using as an excuse for loose conduct the mercy of the Lord,
these are the worst sort of men.

for they do not impale the flesh with its desires...
they impale the son of God afresh for themselves.

and the judgement of men of this sort is not slumbering.

these think that godly devotion is a means of 'great gain",
even financially....

but these we are warned of, by the words of scripture.
and it is nothing new.

but to sugest that a "board", or an "organization of men", bears the authority of God?

the pharisees claimed just such authority....

and with it, they 'beat their fellow slaves'.

-bz

[blindzebra]

Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time.


Luk 20:10 And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent [him] away empty.


Luk 20:11 And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated [him] shamefully, and sent [him] away empty.


Luk 20:12 And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast [him] out.


Luk 20:13 Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence [him] when they see him.


Luk 20:14 But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.


Luk 20:15 So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed [him]. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?


Luk 20:16 He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard [it], they said, God forbid.


Luk 20:17 And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?


Luk 20:18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.


Luk 20:19 And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.

[blindzebra]

an identifying mark of a "wicked slave" is one who begins to beat his fellow servants.