APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY IN MINISTRY

HOLINESS REVIVAL MOVEMENT WORLDWIDE HOREMOW

Daily Devotional by Pastor Paul Rika International Director

DATE: TUESDAY 29TH MARCH

TOPIC: APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY IN MINISTRY

TEXT: Exodus 18: 21 – 26

Key verse: Hebrews 13: 17" Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you."

The congregation of God has those who have authority and rule over them. Moses told God to give him a successor since he was going to die so that God's people will not be without a shepherd.

Some people say that the congregation should not have a leader and argue that leadership should be left to the Holy Spirit to determine who does what each time.

Such people are in darkness because God manifested Himself in three different personalities and God the Father plays the leading role over the others.

You can understand from this that God instituted leadership even in the Godhead. We need to know that the leader is not greater than the leader. Right from creation God has been appointing people to leadership positions.

Jesus came to the earth as a leader and master. He chose twelve apostles also to lead. Even among the apostles, we saw the chiefest of them, Peter as an apostle unto the circumcision, James was a leader of the council of elders and Paul was the leading apostle to the Gentiles.

Even among animals, some lead others.  In society, there are leaders over nations to avoid anarchy. Leadership had been in the mind of God from creation.

Therefore prepare yourselves either to lead or be led. Jesus said, “It is enough that a servant is as his master.” God has instituted leadership in the church. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourself to them.

Exodus 18:21-22

21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

22 And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.

There are sets of leaders with varying degrees of authority over the people of God as indicated in our today’s text but there is a higher leader that is highest among them. God has given him the highest position for the benefit of His flock.

Other leaders, together with the led are subject unto him. He has apostolic authority over them and the grace to handle harder matters. The gifts and calling of God upon him is great and equivalent to his office.

Thought for today: There is a hierarchy in ministry, submit to authority.

Song for the day: I will go with Jesus everywhere ….

Bible reading for the day: Joshua 23-24;
Luke 6:27-49    
#Horemow.