I learned 5 lessons about the 5 fold yesterday! Thanks to President Trump keeping another campaign promise we received a nice tax return. We used it to replace our gazebo that was destroyed in a snow storm 2 years ago. I needed help raising the roof and it did not escape my notice that I had two pastors and an elder of a local church assist me. As I built this structure it reminded me of Ephesians 4:11 and the five-fold gifts that Christ gave to build His Church.
I framed the foundation, poured the concrete and put up the major framework with a little help from Brenda. The last task after putting the roof on was to anchor it to the foundation. It required drilling 16 holes. So I got myself some sleeve anchors made for concrete. These came with a bit for the drill.
It took me 30 minutes to drill the 1st hole and about 15 minutes into the 2nd hole I thought, this is CRAZY! My muscles are beginning to cramp up, progress is slow and did I mention.... its painful!
Now I had used this drill to do all of the work on the structure where screws were needed. It did the job just fine. But, this tool was just not the best tool to work on the foundation.
A hammer drill is what I needed. It was bigger, more expensive and louder. So I rented the hammer drill and finished the remaining 14.5 holes in about 25 minutes and that included installing the anchors.
As I thought of this experience and combined it with so many different experiences such as building prayer networks, establishing ministries, planting churches, coaching and mentoring other leaders, God revealed a number of things to me.
I framed the foundation, poured the concrete and put up the major framework with a little help from Brenda. The last task after putting the roof on was to anchor it to the foundation. It required drilling 16 holes. So I got myself some sleeve anchors made for concrete. These came with a bit for the drill.
It took me 30 minutes to drill the 1st hole and about 15 minutes into the 2nd hole I thought, this is CRAZY! My muscles are beginning to cramp up, progress is slow and did I mention.... its painful!
Now I had used this drill to do all of the work on the structure where screws were needed. It did the job just fine. But, this tool was just not the best tool to work on the foundation.
A hammer drill is what I needed. It was bigger, more expensive and louder. So I rented the hammer drill and finished the remaining 14.5 holes in about 25 minutes and that included installing the anchors.
As I thought of this experience and combined it with so many different experiences such as building prayer networks, establishing ministries, planting churches, coaching and mentoring other leaders, God revealed a number of things to me.
It began with a review of Ephesians 4:11-16 and the purpose of the five-fold ministry that Jesus gave as gifts to help build the Church. Ephesians 4:11 says, "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers..." Ephesians 2:19-22 sheds even more light! Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of the foundation and apostles and prophets are the gifts God gave to do foundation work.
 Hammer Drill is on the Left |
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Foundation Work....
Is Hard and Lonely
Years ago I worked for a plumbing, heating and air conditioning company which did residential and commercial buildings. Framing, pouring and finishing foundations is hard work which only a few do in comparison to the number of other workers that follow.
Is Absolutely Essential
It support everything else. The size and stability of the structure is determined by the foundation.
Requires the Right Tools
You will note that both of these tools above are drills. The regular drill is smaller, lighter, and used far more frequently than the hammer drill. It's great especially for the finish work which most people see and admire. It's also useful for some structural work to as long as it is not to heavy.
Trying to use the regular drill to make a hole in the foundation worked. But it was HARD, PAINFUL and SLOW! But when I got the hammer drill, which was made for working with hard surfaces like a foundation it was so easy and fast. Yes, the tool cost more but the value it brought far exceeded the cost. I was happy to pay the price because in the long run, it actually saved me money! How? It saved my time, protected me from potential injury and it saved my regular drill.
In times past, when I tried to use a regular drill to do a heavy duty job, I burned the drill up. That's what happens to people when you put them in a place to try to do a job they were not designed nor gifted to do. They burn out.
God Made the Apostle & Prophet Gifts for War, to Build & for Hard Times
For example:
Apostle Paul
1 Corinthians 3:10 - According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.
2 Corinthians 10:3-4 - For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
Ezekiel the Prophet
Ezekiel 3:8-9 - Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their foreheads. Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.”
Jeremiah the Prophet
Jeremiah 1:9-10 - Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me:
“Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant.”
Lessons Learned
Is Hard and Lonely
Years ago I worked for a plumbing, heating and air conditioning company which did residential and commercial buildings. Framing, pouring and finishing foundations is hard work which only a few do in comparison to the number of other workers that follow.
Is Absolutely Essential
It support everything else. The size and stability of the structure is determined by the foundation.
Requires the Right Tools
You will note that both of these tools above are drills. The regular drill is smaller, lighter, and used far more frequently than the hammer drill. It's great especially for the finish work which most people see and admire. It's also useful for some structural work to as long as it is not to heavy.
Trying to use the regular drill to make a hole in the foundation worked. But it was HARD, PAINFUL and SLOW! But when I got the hammer drill, which was made for working with hard surfaces like a foundation it was so easy and fast. Yes, the tool cost more but the value it brought far exceeded the cost. I was happy to pay the price because in the long run, it actually saved me money! How? It saved my time, protected me from potential injury and it saved my regular drill.
In times past, when I tried to use a regular drill to do a heavy duty job, I burned the drill up. That's what happens to people when you put them in a place to try to do a job they were not designed nor gifted to do. They burn out.
God Made the Apostle & Prophet Gifts for War, to Build & for Hard Times
For example:
Apostle Paul
1 Corinthians 3:10 - According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.
2 Corinthians 10:3-4 - For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
- Developing Apostolic Strategy, page 9.... "The word "war" in the Greek means to serve in a military campaign and to “execute the apostolate.” Apostolate literally means the office of apostle. The word warfare in the Greek means "apostolic career" or “strategy.” Hence, one of the primary functions of the apostolic gift is spiritual warfare. God made people with this gift to develop strategy."
Ezekiel the Prophet
Ezekiel 3:8-9 - Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their foreheads. Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.”
Jeremiah the Prophet
Jeremiah 1:9-10 - Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me:
“Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant.”
Lessons Learned
- Whenever we expect a pastor, evangelist or teacher to do the work of a prophet or an apostle we set them up for burn out and set ourselves up for frustration.
- When building, foundation work is where every work starts and there is an emphasis on it for a season. That's when the apostle and prophet are most needed. They are are also useful when working with foundational issues. They are also needed and extremely valuable whenever you are engaged in spiritual warfare. Which Revelation 12 reveals has been going on ever since Satan and his demonic hordes were kicked out of heaven.
- The regular drill is used most often in finish work and is useful for maintenance. Hence, it is more prominently seen around "the house" on a regular basis. Its like the role the pastor, teacher and evangelist on a regular basis around the local church. They are ministers (drills) just like the apostle and prophets (hammer drills) are ministers too. But they are a different kind of minister. Each one has applications they are better suited for than the others.
- The apostle and prophet, like the hammer drill, are more rugged and its more costly to develop the tool. Hence, they are very valuable especially when it comes to foundation work or war. Their use will save people a lot of pain, anguish and time if utilized properly.
- The mature apostolic and prophetic gift have the ability to turn the hammer down or even off when necessary for our heavenly Father's purpose. The apostolic gift especially has a unique ability to to function in each of the five fold gifts though they usually excel in two or three.
- People, have to make a decision to get them and value them in order receive the benefit their gift brings. They can choose to suffer or be blessed like I was when I decided to pay the price to rent the hammer drill.
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