For One Is Your Father.

There are a few scripture that I hold dear for the freedom they have given me over the years to hold fast to the leadership of Jesus and Him alone.

Jesus speaking to His disciples. I am a disciple:

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 
(John 14:12-18)

But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 
(John 16:5-8)

Jesus has ascended and we have been indwelled by the Holy Spirit. No more old testament anointing, no more apostles, no more prophets, no more men privy to truth that we cannot access. We are now a royal priesthood with the inerrant Word of God as our source and the Holy Spirit revealing it's depths to us!  The Curtain in the temple was torn from top to bottom Mark 15:37-38. 

Jesus admonishes the multitudes and His disciples. If you are not a disciple your are certainly one of the multitude so this means all of us.

But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. 
(Matthew 23:8-12)

Let us not be religious and let us not believe that we must be under or over anyone in authority. Christ is quite clear and this gives us freedom not to be pulled away for His side by any man's fleeting scheme to grow the kingdom. We must not be lazy and abdicate our responsibilities before God to decrease for His increase. Let us not be people who seek the authority of others and let us not ignore our call as the royal priesthood by sitting back because it is easy to let those claiming an anointing or a great portion to take the heat for us. 

Christ's ministry is our example. Time and again I kick myself for not being able to rest in this. He showed us the way and we to many times get the idea we know better. 

Have I been so long with you, and yet hast thou not known Me? John 14:9

These words are not spoken as a rebuke, nor even with surprise; Jesus is leading Philip on. The last One with whom we get intimate is Jesus. Before Pentecost the disciples knew Jesus as the One Who gave them power to conquer demons and to bring about a revival (see Luke 10:18-20). It was a wonderful intimacy, but there was a much closer intimacy to come - “I have called you friends.” Friendship is rare on earth. It means identity in thought and heart and spirit. The whole discipline of life is to enable us to enter into this closest relationship with Jesus Christ. We receive His blessings and know His word, but do we know Him? Jesus said, “It is expedient for you that I go away” - in that relationship, so that He might lead them on.

It is a joy to Jesus when a disciple takes time to step more intimately with Him. Fruit bearing is always mentioned as the manifestation of an intimate union with Jesus Christ (John 15:1-4). When once we get intimate with Jesus we are never lonely, we never need sympathy, we can pour out all the time without being pathetic. The saint who is intimate with Jesus will never leave impressions of himself, but only the impression that Jesus is having unhindered way, because the last abyss of his nature has been satisfied by Jesus. The only impression left by such a life is that of the strong calm sanity that Our Lord gives to those who are intimate with Him. Oswald Chambers