“ Don’t Muzzle the Carabao” by Dave Bessey

Okay I admit it. It says Oxen or Ox in the Bible and not Carabao or Water-buffalo. But each are pretty much the same. They are a beast of burden and made to serve. The “Apostles” anointing is the ox anointing and made to serve, in general, From scripture it points us to a key teaching in the Kingdom. Apostles carry the Ox anointing for the purpose to serving everyone as an object lesson or pattern of Christ. When Paul was writing Timothy about this, it was not just a lesson in wages (you can read my note on that later). It was even more about teaching Timothy not to become one of those super-apostles who leads like a Boss thriving off the back or hard work of others, rather than having a true servant’s heart as Jesus does. Many today get puffed up in their calling and anointing and character becomes the issue. Let us get back to having the heart of love, honor and service through sacrifice. Each step that we take as apostles is treading the seed and digging deeper in plowing that field or releasing the grain to be the word that is planted in the hearts of mankind and later harvested as the next generation of ministers who are sons of God equipped as kings and priests.

“We come alongside and serve! “ Apostle Cal Cook.

Yet many leaders today, even pastors, are fleecing their sheep rather than raising them to be leaders also. For some it may be because they are just plain ignorant of the pattern for spiritual growth through cultivation or building Ephesian 4 etc. The reason they don’t fully equip may be pride or fear as in insecurity too. Some try to do everything and never delegate or share in the mission. Apostle Paul became a Master Builder and Farmer not because he was so smart. He made mistakes along his journey too. He grew into maturity as a servant by each step that he plowed and learned from others too. Through adversity we grow to love and serve. We think about others as we humble ourselves and learn and serve.

Side Note:

What does 1 Timothy 5:18 mean?

In Paul's writings, reference to "Scripture" almost always means the Old Testament. The first quote regarding an ox and grain is from Deuteronomy 25:4, the final book of the Torah. This verse has both a specific and general application. Putting a muzzle on the ox would prevent it from eating grain while it was working. This might save a small amount of grain, but it means the ox can't replenish its strength while it works. (a remember what an ox ears becomes the very fertilizer which helps others grow.)

It is more sensible—and fair—to let the animal eat while it works. The net benefit is considerable. In the more general sense, as Paul is using it here, this also means it's both beneficial and fair for those who labor in teaching and preaching in the church to be paid for their work. This is primarily so they can devote their time and energy fully to service of the congregation.

Interestingly, the second quote is from Jesus. These words appear in Luke 10:7 and are similar to Matthew 10:10. Note that Paul is referring to both quotations as "Scripture," meaning Paul is placing Luke's writing in the same category as the Old Testament: inspired Scripture. This strongly supports the notion that the apostles knew they were writing divinely-inspired words.

Also, this quotation shows the Gospel of Luke had almost certainly been written by this time. This would date the Gospel of Luke after AD 62, which was the end of Paul's house arrest in Rome,. It would also date the Gospel of Luke prior to the time 1 Timothy was written, which was approximately AD 64.

The actual quote, "The laborer deserves his wages" reinforces Paul's teaching that elders who work hard are to be paid for their efforts (1 Timothy 5:17).

Teaching Timothy to be a humble apostle rather than one who takes the role of a greedy land owner rather than a humble plowing servant is very important.

On a personal note:

20 years I have labored along side my fellow leaders here on the Island of Negros, Philippines . At times I felt I was failing. The spiritual soil (hearts) are quite Rocky or hard. Yet I never stopped plowing in love and planting seeds of the Word. Some began to understand the Kingdom and others resist for whatever reason.

I am thankful for those who came in recently to assist in the plowing and planting. Those from the Love and Unity Team founded by Apostle Eddie Maestas, lead by my friend Prophet Andrew Gonzales with Apostles Dr. Bacer Baker, Michael Fram and John Lucas Jr. They came and imparted to us the Kingdom as mighty warriors showing Christ in us in love.

Many years ago Apostle Bo Salisbury came and showed me how to plow. This was important because I saw the servant heart of an apostle up close. I saw it was not an easy assignment and pain is a close tutor.

Apostle Bob Strobel, years before that, was instrumental in demonstrating how to be an example of an apostle without carrying the name tag.

Pastor (Apostle) Edman Locsin, who gave me books on the 5 grace gifts in Ephesians 4 and was my mentor in those initial early steps in plowing in 2095-2006.

Each apostle is really a sum of those mentors and spiritual fathers who cared enough to equip us.

Thank you Apostle Calvin Cook for you persistent teaching of the Kingdom and the Word. Though I have never met you face to face, you have become a spiritual father to me here. Wow Air Force and Navy can really get along.

Learning to plow takes a tribe of farmers who understand the cultivation process is key. Not everyone does the same function, but we are part of the process. Great patience is required. I will close with the word.

We are all fellow workmen, each with a key roll in the harvest or building process. Whether you plow, plant or reap each is important to the harvest in the spiritual sense. So “Just Do It!”

Just Plow it!

Just Sow It!

Just Feed It!

Just Reap it!

Just Build it!

Just Advance It!

“HOWEVER, BRETHREN, I could not talk to you as to spiritual [men], but as to nonspiritual [men of the flesh, in whom the carnal nature predominates], as to mere infants [in the new life] in Christ [unable to talk yet!] I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not yet strong enough [to be ready for it]; but even yet you are not strong enough [to be ready for it], For you are still [unspiritual, having the nature] of the flesh [under the control of ordinary impulses]. For as long as [there are] envying and jealousy and wrangling and factions among you, are you not unspiritual and of the flesh, behaving yourselves after a human standard and like mere (unchanged) men? For when one says, I belong to Paul, and another, I belong to Apollos, are you not [proving yourselves] ordinary (unchanged) men? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Ministering servants [not heads of parties] through whom you believed, even as the Lord appointed to each his task: I planted, Apollos watered, but God [all the while] was making it grow and [He] gave the increase. So neither he who plants is anything nor he who waters, but [only] God Who makes it grow and become greater. He who plants and he who waters are equal (one in aim, of the same importance and esteem), yet each shall receive his own reward (wages), according to his own labor. For we are fellow workmen (joint promoters, laborers together) with and for God; you are God's garden and vineyard and field under cultivation, [you are] God's building. [Isa. 61:3.] According to the grace (the special endowment for my task) of God bestowed on me, like a skillful architect and master builder I laid [the] foundation, and now another [man] is building upon it. But let each [man] be careful how he builds upon it, For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is [already] laid, which is Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). But if anyone builds upon the Foundation, whether it be with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, The work of each [one] will become [plainly, openly] known (shown for what it is); for the day [of Christ] will disclose and declare it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test and critically appraise the character and worth of the work each person has done. If the work which any person has built on this Foundation [any product of his efforts whatever] survives [this test], he will get his reward. But if any person's work is burned up [under the test], he will suffer the loss [of it all, losing his reward], though he himself will be saved, but only as [one who has passed] through fire. [Job 23:10.] Do you not discern and understand that you [the whole church at Corinth] are God's temple (His sanctuary), and that God's Spirit has His permanent dwelling in you [to be at home in you, collectively as a church and also individually]? If anyone does hurt to God's temple or corrupts it [with false doctrines] or destroys it, God will do hurt to him and bring him to the corruption of death and destroy him. For the temple of God is holy (sacred to Him) and that [temple] you [the believing church and its individual believers] are. Let no person deceive himself. If anyone among you supposes that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool [let him discard his worldly discernment and recognize himself as dull, stupid, and foolish, without true learning and scholarship], that he may become [really] wise. [Isa. 5:21.] For this world's wisdom is foolishness (absurdity and stupidity) with God, for it is written, He lays hold of the wise in their [own] craftiness; [Job 5:13.] And again, The Lord knows the thoughts and reasonings of the [humanly] wise and recognizes how futile they are. [Ps. 94:11.] So let no one exult proudly concerning men [boasting of having this or that man as a leader], for all things are yours, Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas (Peter), or the universe or life or death, or the immediate and threatening present or the [subsequent and uncertain] future–all are yours, And you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.”