THE POLLINATORS
The pollination of crops is critical to our food supply,
and, therefore, our survival. Among the
most essential pollinators are the honeybees, which have undeniably decreased
in numbers. One estimate is that we
have dropped from 6 million managed hives at the close of WWII to less than 2.5
million today while our area of crops needing bee pollination has increased
over 300% in that same period.
Many feel there is a present decline of authentic biblical
Christianity in America. If this is
true,
it may be that Christ’s own pollinators are in decline and we are
malnourished as a result.
Apostles and Prophets, as well as being the foundation
ministries upon which the House of God is built (Eph 2:19-22; 1Cor 3:9-11), are
also the most essential cross-pollinators of the Church (Acts 14:19-23;
Acts 15:40-41; Rom 1:9-13; Rom 15:24-25; 1 Cor 4:17-20). Now, while many believe that Apostolic and
Prophetic ministries no longer exist nor are they any longer needed, some of us
contend that just the opposite is true.
But what does the Bible say???
Eph 4:11-16
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and
some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the
ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
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:
These five distinct divisions of the person and ministry of
Jesus Christ, these five gifts of Christ Himself to the Church, are, according
to Scripture, to remain active and effectual “till we all” bear the
fruit of Christian maturity as clearly defined in the above passage. While some may assume that this maturity
will “just happen” to us at the end, I strongly suggest that aside from the pollinating
ministry of the five ascension gifts, especially that of the Apostle and
Prophet, none of us will taste any fruit of it. Without their cross-pollinating work of “speaking the truth in love” we will at best be dwarf fruit on a
withering vine with no hope of adequate harvest or of any healthy seed to plant
a following season.
Thank you Father for giving us Pastors that feed us with
knowledge and understanding. Thank you
for giving us Teachers and Evangelists that make your Word relevant to our
lives and inspire us follow our Lord.
And Father, we pray You send us Apostles and Prophets who come with the
heart of your servant Paul as revealed in Rom 1:9-13:
9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in
the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my
prayers;
10 Making request, if by any means now at length I might
have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.
11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you
some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;
12 That is, that I may be comforted together with you by
the mutual faith both of you and me.
13 Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that
oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might
have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. Amen.
Bobby Norton
August 16, 2017
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