Rosesam

Q2. What are the personal implications of Yahweh being your King and of Jesus being the Messiah sent from God? What are the advantages of being the subject of Yahweh as King? What does it mean for you to submit to the King on an everyday basis? How does a person reject Yahweh from being King over him or her? When we accept Yahweh as our King, we are submitting to the rules of the kingdom. We are not automatically born into the kingdom of God, but it is because of putting our trust in His Messiah that we become partakers in His kingdom. We become citizens of the kingdom. And being citizens we have the privileges and rights of the kingdom. We become the adopted sons of the kingdom having the same privileges as His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. He made us heirs and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. He seated us in the heavenly realm with Christ Jesus. So our life here on earth is to be as ambassadors, representative of the kingdom of God that we represent. We cannot live here as we please but carry out the will of God here on earth. So His kingdom is ruled according to His rules and not according to ours. So submission to what He wants is absolutely necessary. This submission comes in accepting Jesus not only as our Savior but also as our Lord. That means giving the reins of our life day by day to Him so that He will steer our life according to how He wants. But then knowing that God is good and that He has good thoughts toward us, we know that whatever He does or wherever He takes us will be for our good. A person who is prideful, who wants his will to operate and who does not want to be submitted to the Lordship of Christ, rejects Yahweh from being King over him/her.

Q1. Read 1 Samuel 8:15 and Malachi 3:8-10. How did tithing relate to a person's acceptance of God being their King in the Old Testament? How about for those of us who live under the New Covenant? What place does tithing have for us? God wanted Israel to be theocentric, i.e. God as their focus. And in a theocentric kingdom there would be ministers and God chose the Levites to serve Him among the tribes of Israel. When the land was divided among the tribes, the Levites were not given an inheritance, but only cities for them to dwell in. The Lord became their inheritance and for their sustenance, God commanded the nation to bring a tenth of their income which were distributed among the Levites. So when a person in the Old Testament tithed, they were acknowledging God as their King. In the New Covenant, there is no explicit command to tithe as there are no Levites who are set apart to minister to the King. We, believers, become a kingdom of priests to minister to Him. But New Testament exhorts giving. In 1 Corinthians 16:2 To set aside an amount of their income for blessing the saints. It is not limited to just 10%. It can be way beyond the 10% stipulation. In 2 Corinthians 9:7 it says that every man has to give as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly, or of necessity. So giving has to be done generously and cheerfully, for God loves a cheerful giver. And we need to give sacrificially and this speaks of our trust in the Lord to meet our needs. We give because He is the one who set the example by not withholding His Son, but giving Him for us.

Psalm 131 O Lord, my heart is neither lifted up in pride, nor my eyes dwelling in vanity I do not linger over matters that are great and beyond my comprehension I am quiet within, like a weaned child is my soul, quietly resting and trusting Not disquieted like an infant who constantly vies for his mother when hungry O Israel, wait on the Lord with hope, wait now and forever more.

Q5. After you've studied the psalms in this chapter, what do you think it means to "rest" in God? How do you seek God's peace when you have a dozen things coming against you? Resting in God is trusting Him wholeheartedly knowing that God is in control. We can either take control of the situation, but then that would be pride and self-reliance. It would ultimately result in failure. But God is all knowing and sovereign. He is seated on the throne. None can short-circuit His purposes for us. If we are going through dark times, it could be that God is about to do something explosive and powerful and we are being prepared in the process. God hasn’t forsaken us, He is simply preparing us. So rather than work up with our efforts, we need to rest in Him and the peace like a river shall flow through our hearts. This learning to trust in Him will not happen overnight, but with developing intimacy with the Lord, knowing that He has the best for me, and will do the best for me. I remember reading a story about what it means to experience peace of God. Many artists were called to depict peace of God on to a canvas. Finally the judges selected two paintings. The painting which got the second prize was unveiled. The painting portrayed a serene atmosphere, with streams running amidst a green valley with fluffy, white sheep grazing on the meadows. But when the prize winning painting was unveiled everyone gasped in wonder. It portrayed a very chaotic, darkened skies with lightning and thunder. Trees swaying because of the turbulent winds. But in the midst of all the turmoil there was a mother bird in her nest sleeping. She was under such peace in spite of the turmoil around. That’s what peace of God is all about. It is absolute trust in the Almighty, knowing He is in control of all things.

Q4. (Psalm 46) How does the imagery of the river and streams in verse 4 function in Psalm 46 to speak peace to the harassed and harried person? Verse 10 tells us: "Be still and know that I am God." How does knowledge of who He is affect our peace? How should it affect our words? Why does He command us to "be still" as a result of this knowledge? Even though situations around us are chaotic and filled with turmoil, the river and streams in verse 4 function to speak peace in the midst of troubled situations. Rivers speak of serenity and calmness. He has promised that He would give us peace like a river. Peace of God is something that passes our understanding. It cannot be explained but to be experienced. God does not make mistakes. If He has spoken something, He will surely bring it to pass. He may not reveal all things to us, for His thoughts and ways are higher than ours. We may not even understand what His purposes are. So He commands us to be still and just trust in what He is doing. This should result in peace settling in our hearts. And our words would be faith filled rather than fear filled. Knowing that our God is more than able to bring to pass what He intends to do.

Q3. (Psalm 31) What does it mean to say to the Lord, "Into your hands I commit my spirit" (31:5)? How does that statement bring peace to a person? How does the statement, "My times are in your hands" (31:15), bring peace to the troubled soul? It means total surrender to the plans and purposes of God. It means complete trust on His higher ways and higher thoughts over our lives which is for our good and to bring us to an expected end. It is handing over the reins of our life back to Him and allow Him to be in control of it rather than manipulating it through our strength and our limited experience. He is the source of all wisdom and His ways are always right and for my good. It is faith in action, partnering with God and aligning our will to the will of the Father over our lives. This brings peace knowing that He is in control over our situations and He is the one who brings all things to work together for our good. My times are in His hands declares that all events happening in my life are chartered out by Him. It speaks of His providence over my life. Providence can be defined as God supernaturally orchestrating natural events of my life to bring about His desired purpose. So all things that happen in my life are divinely orchestrated and He is in control. I don’t have to try to figure out the outcomes of events of my life but trust in Him knowing everything is under His control. So rather than lean on my understanding, I tend to lean on Him and be under the shadow of His wings. This brings peace to me.

Q2. According to Psalm 23, how does the Lord our Shepherd quiet his sheep and give them confidence? How many ways can you find in this psalm? As the Shepherd, He leads us, protects us, restores us and rescues us from danger. His rod and His staff is our comfort and confidence that He will never leave us nor forsake us when danger encircles us. Because He is my Shepherd, I shall not lack anything. He leads me to have contentment in Him and thus giving me rest and refreshment. He restores and brings wholesomeness into my life through His loving care. He thus renews me and refreshes my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness because He is altogether righteous. Because He is beside me, I can rest and relax in spite of the paths that I am led through. He proved it to me that He would save me with His life, when He was pinned to the Cross on Calvary. He satisfies me with the abundance of His household and I can drink from the streams of rejoicing because of His steadfast love to me. I am satisfied in this life with fulfillment and purpose and it does not end here for I have eternal life in Him. I am assured that goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.

Q1. According to Psalm 131, just how does David quiet his inner person before the Lord? What are the elements mentioned in this psalm? David quiets his inner person by resting in the Lord. Resting requires humility and trust knowing that God is more than sufficient, to be everything that he needs. Isaiah 30:15 says “In returning and rest is my salvation and in quietness and confidence is my strength”. He is like a weaned child not as demanding as a nursing child, nor a self-confident, always wanting to be in control adult, but dependent on the Lord. Humility, quietness, rest, trust, and hope are the elements mentioned in this psalm. A childlike surrender to the all-knowing, loving God is also seen.

Q4. (1 Peter 4:10-11) If people are always promoting themselves and pointing to how God is using them, what does that say about them? About their sense of self-worth? About their maturity? Their realism? Their humility? What spiritual gifts has God given you, and how are you using them to his glory? When Jesus ministered on earth, we always see the response of the people as that they marveled and glorified God. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit will not speak of Himself, but will speak what He hears and will glorify Jesus. Father says that they vexed His Spirit and that He was grieved. We see the persons in the Godhead speaking of giving glory to the other. But when people promote themselves they are not imitating the example given. Rather than promoting God, they are in a marketing or promotion gimmick that’s seen in the secular world of promoting themselves. They place their worth in themselves and not in God. They have become prideful and lack maturity. They are rather interested in advancing their own kingdom rather than God’s kingdom. Sadly this is the reality that we often see in today’s world and I am really baffled by the longsuffering and patience of God who loves them and will bring them around for His glory. I believe God has given me the gift of teaching. I enjoy it and love to be used by God to impart spiritual truths for the advancement of the Kingdom of God.

Q3. (1 Corinthians 12:11) What are lessons do you learn from verse 11? What is the role of the Holy Spirit in spiritual gifts? God created us for His pleasure. He “wired” us and knows what gifts would satisfy our purpose in this life, which is to pleasure Him. So He gives those gifts and everyone is given at least a gift. We cannot pick and choose our gifts and we cannot use the gifts given to us according to our whims and fancies. It is Holy Spirit who empowers the gifts. The gifts that He has given is for the common good and not for personal benefit. So it is to equip the Body of Christ for the purpose of His work. We cannot be envious of the gifts of others, nor look down at the gifts that He has entrusted to us. If we use the gifts that He has entrusted into us we can function in the full measure of what He has intended for us, else our function will be stunted and unfulfilled. It is the Holy Spirit who empowers, distributes to each one, and brings the results through the gifts. It is all about Him. We are only vessels in His hands for the gifts to flow.

Q2. (1 Corinthians 12:9) In the twentieth century we saw the evangelistic power of preaching combined with healing the sick. Where in Jesus’ ministry do you see this combination? Where in Paul’s ministry? In Peter’s ministry? In Philip’s ministry? Jesus preached, taught, healed the sick and delivered the demon possessed which we read in Matthew 4:23 and 9:35. Before He fed the 5000, He preached to them and healed their sick. In Acts 9:11-12, we read of how handkerchiefs or aprons from Paul were brought to the sick for their healing. In Lystra, a lame man was healed in the midst of Paul’s preaching (Acts 14:8-10). Then in Acts 20:7-12, we read of how a man named Eutychus slept and fell off the third floor and died and was raised from the dead. In Peter’s ministry we see this combination in healing of the lame man at the gate Beautiful, which is found in Acts 3:1-10. Then in Acts 9: 32-35, we read of Aeneas who was sick of the palsy for eight years was healed by Peter after preaching Jesus to him. In Acts 8: 5-7, we read of Philip preaching and healing the sick and delivering the demon possessed in Samaria.

Q1. Is it legitimate to use Jesus as our example in the use of spiritual gifts? Or was he so different than we are that we can’t pattern our ministry after his example? Where do you see the gift of knowledge in the Old Testament? In the New Testament? Jesus operated in all the spiritual gifts. He’s the perfect example that we have in the scriptures and He operated in those gifts as a Man and not as God. God does not need to use gifts because He’s omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. Jesus operated in those gifts through the Holy Spirit who was resident in Him in all fullness. We also can live our Christian life through the Holy Spirit who empowers us and enables us to have a victorious Christian walk. The difference in Jesus and us is that throughout His life on earth, He lived victoriously, whereas we succumb to sin often, even though Holy Spirit resides in us. So Jesus is the best example for us to emulate from, not only to have a victorious Christian walk, but also to pattern our ministry after His example. Jesus Himself said, that His disciples would do greater things than He did, because of the promise of the Holy Spirit who would be sent to them after He returned to the Father. There are many instances where we see these gifts in operation both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. Some examples in Old Testament would be these. When Isaac asked where is the lamb for the burn offering, Abraham said the Lord will provide. But there they found a ram and not a lamb. So Abraham was pointing to the day when the Lamb of God, which the Lord provided would be seen on Mount Moriah. Jesus in John’s gospel says, your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day. So Abraham was prophetically speaking to Isaac because of the gift of knowledge that operated in him. Then we see Moses warning Pharaoh of the plagues. Rahab, by faith, declaring that God has given them the victory. Elisha knowing that Gehazi accepted the gifts from Namaan. In the New Testament, we see Jesus telling Nathaniel that He had seen him sitting under the fig tree before Philip spoke to him. He told the Samaritan woman that she had five husbands and that the one with whom she was living then was not her husband. Jesus perceived the thoughts of the religious leaders. He knew when the disciples were arguing among themselves as to who was the greatest. Peter and john perceived that the lame man was in need and ready for his healing. Paul saying that there would not be shipwreck in spite of the deadly storm.

Q5. (Luke 1:42-43) In what sense are the titles "Blessed Virgin Mary" and "Mother of God" appropriate for Mary? Why are we sometimes hesitant to exalt her as "blessed among women"? Bible calls her blessed among women and she was a blessed woman indeed. She was chosen by God Himself to bear His precious Son. But when we use a title, it should be appropriate throughout the life of that individual. In that sense, Mary did not remain a virgin after the birth of Jesus Christ. Matthew 1:25 says that Joseph did not know her “until” she brought forth her firstborn Son. She indeed became the mother of the siblings of Jesus. The title “Mother of God” ascribes divinity to Mary. She was not divine. She was only human. Moreover the title Mother of God makes the Mother superior to God. So rather than the titles “Blessed Virgin Mary” and “Mother of God”, “Blessed among women” and “Mother of Jesus” would be appropriate. Probably the reason for the hesitation is because, in exalting her, she is given the unduly status of deity. Rather than disrespecting her, we need to give respect to Mary knowing that she was chosen by God to bear His Son.

Q4. (Luke 1:38) What is the essence of Mary's positive response to the angel? What can we learn from her response for our own lives? In what sense was Mary's response an "informed consent"? When we respond to God, what do we consent to? Mary was just a teenager and she certainly had that childlike faith and in total submission to the will of God, she said, “behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word”. She did not worry about the consequences of becoming an unwed mother. We need to be submitted to the will God. We tend to lean upon our understanding, which are acquired by our experiences. But our understanding is limited and very inferior to the unlimited wisdom of God. We need to trust in His higher thoughts and in His higher ways. In her days it was the dream of every Jewish girl to become the mother of the Messiah. But probably Mary wouldn’t have realized till the angel came, that it would be as an unwed mother. But when the angel said that she would conceive the Child through the Holy Spirit, she submitted to God’s will without a moment of hesitation. She would have been fully aware of the consequences of having a child before her marriage. She knew she would have been accused of adultery, she had no surety whether Joseph would believe her. If Joseph divorced her, she would have been without support to bring up the Child. Yet she fully submitted to God’s will. When we respond to God, we consent to His higher ways and higher thoughts. In essence we are saying “Father knows best”, in spite of what we feel about the situation.

Q3. (Luke 1:35) What does the virgin conception teach us about Jesus' nature? How central is the doctrine of the virgin conception to the Christian message? The virgin birth of Jesus Christ is the most singular, spectacular, momentous event in human history. Adam was the son of God, made in the image of God. But when he had his children, they were in his likeness, (Genesis 5), marred because of the fall. But when the last Adam came, He is called the Son of God, truly begotten of the Father. If it was not a virgin birth, He would have inherited the sin nature of Adam, whereby His death on the cross would not have resulted in our salvation. Moreover in Genesis 3:15, which is the proto evangeliuum, the first mention of the gospel, it would be the seed of the woman that would crush the head of satan. Women, by nature do not have seed, for it is the man that has the seed. So to fulfill prophecy, Jesus had to be born of a virgin. In order to identify with man and take his sins, Jesus, who is God Himself, has to become man, and thus had to be born as a babe into humanity. But virgin birth allowed Him not to inherit the sin nature of Adam, and thus became the perfect substitute for us to take away our sin, pay its penalty on the Cross and give us salvation.

Q2. (Luke 1:34) In what way does Mary's "How?" question (1:34) to the angel's declaration differ from Zechariah's "How?" question (1:18)? Why was Mary rewarded and Zechariah disciplined? Zechariah doubted the word of the Lord spoken through the angel Gabriel that he is going to father a son. His question to the angel was “How shall I know this? In other words he is asking for proof or a sign. He’s standing in front of the angel and he needs proof to accept his statement. He doesn’t believe what the angel says. That’s what the angel tells him in vs. 20, that he will be mute till the word is fulfilled, because he didn’t not believe the angel’s words. When the angel announced to Mary that she will conceive and bear a Son, her question was how it is possible. In those days it was the dream of every Jewish girl to bear the Messiah. But since she’s virgin her question was how she is going to conceive without a husband. She was asking for clarification of the angel’s statement and that means she has believed his statement. We don’t see the angel reprimanding her for doubt but clarifying to her how it is going to happen.

Q1. (Luke 1:31-34) What did the angel's announcement say about who Mary's Child was and who he was to become? The angel’s announcement to Mary was that she would conceive in her womb and bring forth a Son who will called Jesus. He would be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David, and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever and of His kingdom there shall be no end. God’s covenant with David will ultimately be fulfilled through Jesus in that He is the Son of David who will rule on the throne of David forever.

Psalm 61 O God, hear me as I cry out to You and attend unto my prayer My cry is unto You when I am afraid and in uttermost parts of the earth Lead me Lord, to the safety of the towering Rock of my Salvation For You have been my refuge, a strong tower where I am hidden from my enemies Lord I want to be in close proximity to You, under the shelter of Your wings You counted me as one who fears Your name and You heard my prayers to You Add days to the king’s life and may his years be full of life lasting generations May he rule in Your presence forever, preserve him with your love and faithfulness Then will I praise Your name forever, and live fulfilling my vows unto You.

Q4. Since Christians don't seem immune to accident, persecution, and death, how are we to understand these psalms of protection? Why don't some believers seem to be protected? Does God really protect us? How? All our moments are foreordained by our Sovereign God and all things will work together for our good. He is in control of our lives and He is on the throne. Yes, He has promised us protection and we should pray for protection of our lives here on earth. But our focus should be on eternity and He has promised that we will not suffer destruction. He has given us eternal life. Even satan is an inferior foe to God. He cannot thwart the purposes of God in our lives. God may use accident, persecution and death for His glory. We may not all things now, for we see through a glass darkly. But then face to face. Now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known. Most believers live for the here and now. They seem to thank God for the protection that’s clearly seen. But what about all those incidents which we may not even be aware of but because of the protection that’s been extended to us by God, we are kept safe. But we should be more thankful to Him for the protection that’s extended to us to keep us safe in His hands. He says that none is able to pluck us out of His hands. That’s protection for which we should be thankful. Jesus was in the prime of His life when He succumbed to death on the cross. But that death was not the end in itself. He did not remain in the tomb but He was resurrected on the third day. His resurrection became the hinge on which our faith swings. Because of which we can say, even when we breathe our last, we will never die. It is this confidence that enabled Job to say, “Though my flesh be destroyed, yet with my eyes I will see God”.

Q3. (Psalm 121). What reassurance is it to you that God keeps you and watches over you? How does Psalm 121 make you feel? The Hebrew word “shamar” means having a hedge around to guard, protect, preserve, attend etc. Protection in this fallen lives is so important and God promises to be a wall of protection around our individual lives. Because He keeps me and watches over me, I have the ultimate protection. It helps me to navigate this dangerous world with the confidence that my God keeps me and watches over me. Sometimes my problem seems so big. But that’s because my perspective is all wrong. If we focus on the problem, our perspective is all anchored on it and it is a mountain before us. Then our focus is shifted from the problem solver to the problem at hand. But I need to magnify the Lord rather than the problem. I like the way this psalm opens up. I will lift “up” my eyes. I will lift it up to the Lord for my help comes from Him. Not only He is able to help us, but also He keeps us. We can rest in His keeping power over our lives, for I have no ability to keep myself.

Q2. (Psalm 91) What does this psalm teach us about God's protection when in danger? What does it teach about our authority to vanquish our enemies? What promises does Psalm 91 contain? How does this psalm make you feel? This psalm starts of declaring the strong names of our Omnipotent, all powerful God who is our refuge, habitation, hiding place. He is our Fortress and Shield and in His shadow and in His wings we can hide. He saves us from the snare of the wicked one, who is trying to trap us and bring us down. He saves us from pestilences and diseases that devastate mankind. He protects us from all terrors, whether it happens when we are awake or at sleep. We live in a culture where people are worried and terrified about everything from flu epidemics to terrorist attacks. But here, the psalmist is glorying in not only the saving power of our Mighty God, but also His keeping power. Regardless of the physical, emotional, or financial battles surrounding us, the Lord Himself is our refuge. The lion, the adder, the dragon are all names that refer to satan. Thus, satan will ultimately be trampled. God has given us power to trample, resist, and be victorious over him through the blood of Jesus and by the power of His name. Our God’s protection over us is not only in our defense, but we can use His name to be on the offensive, for Jesus declared that the gates of hell shall not prevail against us. It is His grace and His great love over us that entitled us to such great authority over the evil one. There are eight promises in this psalm. They are 1) He will rescue me, 2) He will protect me, 3) He will answer me, 4) He will be with me in trouble, 5) He will deliver me, 6) He will honor me, 7) He will satisfy me with long life and ? He will show me His salvation. This is one of the psalms I had memorized in my early Christian walk and is still one of my favorite. It is through this psalm that I had heard His audible voice twice, so clearly, to encourage me in my lowest point in my life. This psalm speaks volumes, with new revelation each time that constantly encourages and strengthens that our God is more than sufficient for any and every need of our lives. He not only provides and protects but gives us a destiny eternally all because of His great love towards us. He declares His name over us that we are His and that we belong to Him. All glory to Him alone.

Q1. (Psalm 61:1-4) What images does the psalmist evoke to communicate his trust in God's protection? How do the first four verses of this psalm make you feel? The psalmist uses the metaphor of a rock, a rock that is of prominence, who is ultimately the Rock of our salvation Jesus Christ. Then he uses the images that are military in nature. The images are of “refuge” as in a place to flee for protection and “strong tower” which is a tall building in the city wall that encircles a city for protection. God is the source of our protection. The place where we could flee to and be safe and secure from all the plans of the enemy. The next images of protection that he uses are more intimate and gentle in nature. They are “tent/tabernacle” which could stand for the abiding place of the God of the universe and the “shelter of His wings” as in how a mother bird protects her young ones by keeping them in close proximity to herself. These verses make me feel cherished, treasured and valued in the presence of God. We are protected just because we belong to Him and He has given His angels to take charge over us. We may not know how many dangers have been averted from our lives in this side of eternity, but knowing that we are precious to Him and truly we are the apple of His eyes, makes me speechless and in awe of my Mighty God, who is my Defender and my Delight.

Q4. (Ephesians 4:11) How could a person have the spiritual gift of pastor or teacher without having an official position in a church? What must a church do if its “senior pastor” doesn’t have the spiritual gift of pastor? Who gives these gifts? The gifting is given by the Holy Spirit. The official position in a church is given by people. Sometimes this gift may be exercised over a small number of people like small groups. It is not necessary that people have to recognize and officiate someone to a position, for in serving people, we are only serving God. We can pray for him to have the gift of the pastor or for him to see the gift in others. It is the Holy Spirit who gives these gifts for the equipping of the church.

Q3. (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22; 1 Corinthians 14) How would you define the gift of prophecy? Why do churches sometimes despise or prohibit prophecy? What guidelines does Paul give here and in 1 Corinthians 14 to keep prophecy in a congregation healthy? Gift of prophecy help in guiding the church. They are given to edify, exhort and comfort the church. So prophets have a guiding ministry. Biblical prophecy is more forth telling rather than foretelling, in that they speak the heart of God and reveal the mind of God. Even though there is genuine use of prophetic gifts, many a time, they have been abused in the Church. Also there may be a lack of understanding on prophetic gifts. Moreover bias and prejudice towards prophecy may also prohibit the manifestation of the gift in the church. The guidelines Paul gives is to weigh carefully what is been said. Don’t be gullible and just accept what comes our way. But pay careful attention to what is been spoken. Use discernment and discretion based on the Word of God, yet be a people who will not despise spiritual gifts but eagerly desire them.

Q2. (Ephesians 4:11a) Do you think there are modern-day apostles? If so, who might they be? If you don’t believe there are modern-day apostles, identify some people who are doing some of the same things that the early apostles did. Yes, I think there are modern-day apostles. The word apostle means “sent one”. Apostles have a governing ministry. We see in the Bible each Person in the Trinity sending someone. Father sent His Son. Hebrews 3:1 says, Consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession. Jesus chose and sent the twelve apostles. Then in the book of Acts, we see the Holy Spirit choosing and sending people. In this era, where we see the work of the Holy Spirit in manifestation, there would be many of His disciples who are sent by the Holy Spirit to pioneer and to plant churches and in the beginning stages of the church to function as prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers and to raise up leaders to oversee the congregation.