Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘Intimacy with God’

The ‘I AM’ is here NOW!

Posted in Christian, Christianity, tagged , , , , , , , , , on May 9, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Have you ever wondered, if God knows the end of the story, why does He choose to create all of us?  Here is an example of what I mean – the people of Noah’s day.

Gen 6:5-8
5 The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. 6 The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. 7 So the LORD said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth — men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air — for I am grieved that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

“The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.” So, why did God make all of these people in the first place if He knew that they would not honour and glorify Him?  It’s, kind of, an interesting question isn’t it?  That is, that God would give someone life knowing that they would be such a heartache to Him that He would choose to destroy them.  I mean, why make them in the first place?

Also, why would God choose to interact in peoples lives when He knows they are not going to listen to Him.  One example in the Bible is this – God speaking to Cain before He murders Abel.

Gen 4:6-8
6 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”
8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”  And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

To a certain extent, I can see the point of this second example.  That is, that God is presenting Cain with the reality and choice that it doesn’t have to be like this.  But if Cain is not listening, and God knows He is going to kill Abel anyway, why bother with Him? (our God is a God of grace)

Here’s something radical – the future is not set.  Well, at least from our point of view.  We are the random.  We are the unknown quantity.  We have free will and we have choice so our future is not set.  The other big thing is that our God is a God of grace.

Here’s something even more radical.  God chooses to walk our timeline.  Now it’s not really our timeline, it’s God’s timeline.  God is not buzzing about in some time machine effecting the future and the past to a achieve a desired outcome.  God is in our moment and our present and this is where He chooses to act and to lavish His graciousness upon us.

So, getting back to the people of Noah’s day, these people had all these ‘present’ moments where God was gently speaking into their lives, before their final ‘now’ moment of their destruction .  Their choices, which were not devoid of God speaking to them, have led them now to this point where a loving God would choose to destroy them rather than to continue to bear the pain of their evil choices.  Yes, God is bearing the pain of OUR evil choices.  This is where the grace of our Lord Jesus fits in.

Pointing this back to us.  God is in this present moment.  He wants to speak into your life and my life NOW!  He wants to change the course of your life and my life NOW!  Don’t delay in submitting your life totally over to your Creator and Jesus Christ His Son.

The ‘I AM’ is here now!

The LORD is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.
The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.
All you have made will praise you, O LORD; your saints will extol you.
They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might,
so that all men may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The LORD is faithful to all his promises
and loving toward all he has made.
The LORD upholds all those who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you
and you give them their food at the proper time.
You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made.
The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.
The LORD watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
[Ps 145:8-20]

Read Full Post »

To Those That Overcome – A Message for Men

Posted in Christian, Christianity, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 8, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Have you listened to Gianna Jessen testimony yet?  She is an amazing woman with an incredible testimony.  I’ve been thinking about her message.  In it, she directly addresses and challenges the men.  Her words have been ‘ruminating’ in my head.  Check them out.

“Men, you are made for greatness.  You are made to stand up and be men.  You are made to defend women and children, not stand by, and turn your head, when you know murder is occurring and do nothing about it.  You are not made to use women and leave us alone.  You are made to be kind and great and gracious and strong and stand for something because men, listen to me, I am too tired to do your job.”

“I trust, men, you will rise to the occassion…you are made for greatness…you are made to defend what is right and good…what sort of man do you want to be?  A man obsessed with your own glory or a man obsessed with the glory of God?”

“Men, you are made for greatness”

I guess this is some thoughts for men.  “Men, you are made for greatness.”  Don’t misunderstand this quote.  This isn’t ‘great’ in your own sight and in the sight of others, this is great in the sight of God!  This isn’t puffing up and glorifying yourself (as lots of men do) it is glorifying God.  To quote an early Saint

“THE GLORY OF GOD IS MAN FULLY ALIVE”- Saint Irenaeus (2nd century AD)

We are to stand out as shining lights for justice and mercy, integrity and love, kindness and graciousness, to defend and protect the widow and the orphan, to be the man of God that loves his wife as Christ loves the Church.

“He has showed you, O man, what is good.  And what does the LORD require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” [Mic 6:8]

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” [James 1:27]

“Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.  For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.  Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing  her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” [Eph 5:22-27]

and yet, a lot of us are bumbling about in the dark.  Why?  There are many reasons.

One is, we live compromised lives.  The virtues of honest and integrity are pushed aside for an easy, more comfortable life.  The values that we say that we subscribe to are pushed away by the realities of life.

Another reason is that we have never grown up.  Like Peter Pan we never step up to the responsibilities of being a man.  We shy away.  We look for the easy way.  We remain children at heart.  Why?  Because we can.  In this society we can avoid being mature and upright men so we ‘hide out’ in the ‘safe places’ of our addictions and soul comforts.

“Men, you are made for greatness”

So what does God do when men refuse to stand and be men?  He raises women!  God raises women to do what the men won’t do.  God raises women to do and to speak and to lead because the men refuse to be men and/or do not know how to be be men. Gianna says to the men listening…

“I am too tired to do your job”

I’m not trying to promote something sexist here.  I am highlighting a truth. Most men are not men of truth and integrity, of love and kindness, of faithfulness and honour, of courage and valour, of loving their wives as Christ loves the Church, of standing  up for the widows and the orphans, of fighting for the causes of the opressed, of standing against all forms of wickedness and evil.

Why are men such pathetic wimps?

We were made for so much more!  We were designed to rule and reign but, at the ‘fall’, this rule and reign was defaulted to Satan through deception.  However, at the cross, Satan was defeated and put to public spectical.  Here’s where we go wrong.

Just like in the garden, we believe a lie.

We do not believe sin is broken over our lives.  We believe what this world teaches us more than we believe the Word of God.  We allow thing to bind us and to rule and reign over our lives so that we never become a powerful and effective man of God.  Christ has given us the power to overcome anything that would try to rule and reign us.  Don’t you know that “if we endure, we will also reign with Him” [2 Tim 2:12]

All power and all authority have been given to Christ therefore, those who are in Christ, there is nothing that should rule and reign over them!

I want to end with some Words from Revelation…

  • To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. [Rev 2:7]
  • He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. [Rev 2:11]
  • To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it. [Rev 2:17]
  • To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—
    ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery’ –
    just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give him the morning star. [Rev 2:26-29]
  • He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. [Rev 3:5-6]
  • Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. [Rev 3:12]
  • To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. [Rev 3:21-22]

Gianna Jessen, abortion survivor speaks at Queen’s Hall, Parliament House, Victoria (Australia) September 8 2008 on the eve of the debate to decriminalize abortion in Victoria.  Gianna’s visit was sponsored by the Ad Hoc Interfaith Committee – Part 1

Gianna Jessen, abortion survivor speaks at Queen’s Hall, Parliament House, Victoria (Australia) September 8 2008 on the eve of the debate to decriminalize abortion in Victoria.  Gianna’s visit was sponsored by the Ad Hoc Interfaith Committee – Part 2


Read Full Post »

Life, Life and More Life – Quotes from Gianna Jessen

Posted in Christian, Christianity, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 8, 2010| 1 Comment »

“We are in an interesting battle, whether we realise it or not, in this world.  It’s a battle between life and death.  What side are you on?”

“I know, along my journey, I am already hated because I declare life!”

“How much are you willing to take, and how much are you willing to risk, to speak the truth in love and graciousness, and stand up and, at least, be willing to be hated?

“There was not a radical feminist, standing up and yelling about how my rights had been violated that day.  In fact my life was being snuffed out in the name of womens rights.”

“There are things that you are only able to learn by the weakest among us.  And when you snuff them out you are the one that looses.  The Lord looks after them but you are the one who will suffer for ever.”

“And what arrogance, what absolute arrogance, and it has been an arguement for so long in this human place that we live, that the stronger should dominate the weaker, should determine who lives and dies.  The arrogance of that!  Don’t you realise that you cannot make your own heart beat.  Don’t you realise that all the power that you think that you possess you really possess none of it.  It is the mercy of God that sustains you, even when you hate Him.”

“We misunderstand how beautiful suffering can be.  I don’t willingly sign up for it, but when it comes, we forget that God is in control and God has a way of making the most miserable thing beautiful.”

“Men, you are made for greatness.  You are made to stand up and be men.  You are made to defend women and children, not stand by, and turn your head, when you know murder is occurring and do nothing about it.  You are not made to use women and leave us alone.  You are made to be kind and great and gracious and strong and stand for something because men, listen to me, I am too tired to do your job.”

“Women, you are not made for abuse.  You are not made to sit and not know your worth and your value.  You are made to be fought for, forever.”

“So now is your moment, what sort of people are you going to be?  I trust, incredible.  I trust, men, you will rise to the occassion.  To the politians listening, particularly to the men, I would say this, you are made for greatness, set your politics aside.  You are made to defend what is right and good, this fiery young girl will stand here and say, now it your moment.  What sort of man do you want to be?  A man obsessed with your own glory or a man obsessed with the glory of God?  It’s time to take a stand, Victoria.  This is your hour.  God will assist you.  God will be with you.  You have the opportunity to glorify and honour God in 2008.”

“Some of you might be slightly annoyed that all I keep doing is talking about God and Jesus but how on earth can I walk about, limping through this world and not give ALL my heart and mind and soul and strength to the Christ who gave me life!  So if you think I am a fool, it’s just another jewel in my crown.  My whole intent in living here is to make God smile.”

Gianna Jessen, abortion survivor speaks at Queen’s Hall, Parliament House, Victoria (Australia) September 8 2008 on the eve of the debate to decriminalize abortion in Victoria.  Gianna’s visit was sponsored by the Ad Hoc Interfaith Committee – Part 1

Gianna Jessen, abortion survivor speaks at Queen’s Hall, Parliament House, Victoria (Australia) September 8 2008 on the eve of the debate to decriminalize abortion in Victoria.  Gianna’s visit was sponsored by the Ad Hoc Interfaith Committee – Part 2

“I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.”  [John 17:14]

Read Full Post »

The Giant Killer

Posted in Christian, Christianity, tagged , , , , , , , , , on May 1, 2010| Leave a Comment »

THE GIANT KILLER

or ‘The Battle which all must Fight’

by A.L.O.E. (AKA Charlotte Maria Tucker)

Giant Selfishness was huge of stature and strong of limb, taller and more powerful than his younger brother Sloth.  There were few indeed who could cope with his arm, he was tyrant over half the world.  Many a great conqueror he had made his slave, thousands and thousands had felt his chains, he claimed dominion over young and old.  Yet now as the giant sat alone, a deep shade of gloom was upon his massive brow.  He listened not to the tinkling fall of the fountain, he glanced not at the beautiful flowers,

“Evil tidings, evil tidings” he muttered to himself.

“Sloth has been the first victim but he will not be the last.  I dread nothing on earth but the invincible sword, not even my strength can stand against that.”

He pressed his vast hand over his eyes and remained for some moments in thought.

“Ha, I have it!” he exclaimed suddenly raising his head what force cannot accomplish cunning may perform.

He clapped his hands as a signal and the noise that they made was startling as a peal of thunder.  Instant at the summons his servant Pleasure appeared.  A fairy like creature with gossamer wings all sparkling with the tints of the rainbow.

“Pleasure” exclaimed the Giant, “I call thee to my aid against him who would root out the race of Selfishness.  Do you know if Fides is still at the castle where Sloth this morning fell beneath his sword?”

A taste of a great novel : The Giant Killer (written by Charlotte Maria Tucker in 1856)

Updated and ‘modernised’ here.

Read Full Post »

Be Lifted High!

Posted in Christian, Christianity, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 1, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Lord, as I enter this new day,


YOU BE LIFTED HIGH!


“Be Lifted High” sung by Michael W Smith (Written by Leeland)

…and here is Leeland teaching how to play it on the guitar…

I pray that Jesus be lifted high in my life and yours today and forever,

Blessings Steve

Read Full Post »

Life, Life and More Life! – Aborted Foetus Speaks Out

Posted in Christian, Christianity, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 24, 2010| 1 Comment »

As if an aborted foetus could speak!

That is never going to happen!

And so their voices go unheard

God is the only one who hears their cries.

Goodness! – what a title for a post!  I hate the word foetus.  It SO depersonalises the BABY in the womb.  The baby in the womb isn’t an ‘it’ or a thing.  Let’s dispense with the word foetus!

I’m thinking, what if the baby in the womb could speak!

Or what if an aborted baby could speak, what would they say?

What if they could passionately and articulately argue for their right to life.  Wouldn’t we have to listen?  Wouldn’t things be different?  I mean, if they could speak and argue their existence it would be a no brainer.  We would have to say “Well done, intelligent and articulate baby.  We can see your reasoning.  You are just like us.  We can see you have a right to live.  Welcome to this life!”

However, this is but a fanciful dream.  In reality, babies in the womb are helpless and vulnerable and cannot speak for themselves.  So…

Babies in the womb need an advocate!

Babies in the womb need our help!

Gianna Jessen was aborted at birth but, through a series of miracles, survived to become an advocate for babies in the womb.  She is a testimony of passionate survival and courage through the trials in her life.  Gianna loves Jesus and lifts Him higher at every opportunity.  This message is not just ‘pro life rhetoric’ but a heart felt, God breathed, cry for LIFE, LIFE and MORE LIFE!  Life in abundance.  Life in all it’s fullness.  It’s a call to drawing a line.  It’s time to take a stand.  Enough is enough!  Be a man of God!  Be a woman of God!

Are we standing up and fighting for the things that matter?

Gianna Jessen, abortion survivor speaks at Queen’s Hall, Parliament House, Victoria (Australia) September 8 2008 on the eve of the debate to decriminalize abortion in Victoria.  Gianna’s visit was sponsored by the Ad Hoc Interfaith Committee – Part 1

Gianna Jessen, abortion survivor speaks at Queen’s Hall, Parliament House, Victoria (Australia) September 8 2008 on the eve of the debate to decriminalize abortion in Victoria.  Gianna’s visit was sponsored by the Ad Hoc Interfaith Committee – Part 2


Read Full Post »

In Him we live and move and have our being

Posted in Christian, Christianity, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 12, 2010| 1 Comment »

I’m just really loving this passage this morning.

Acts 17:26-28
26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28’For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

Why did God create us?

So that we would seek Him and find Him.  It’s as simple as that.  There are two things I am sure of at the moment, one is never stop seeking God, the other is never stop praying.  If you loose sight of either of these you will become stale and disallussioned with the Christian faith.  If you give up on these things your relationship with the Lord won’t mean much to you so it won’t be hard for you to give it up.

SEEK HIM!

If I told you you had $1 millions dollars buried in your backyard and it is yours to keep if you find it how hard would you look for it?  God’s reward (of knowing Him) is so much greater than this!

In Him we live and move and have our being!

Kind of reminds me of this verse(s)…

Col 3:3-4
3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your  life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

and this verse…

Phil 3:8
8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.

and this verse…

John 17:3
3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

Christ should be nothing short of everything in our lives.  Start praying and start seeking Him with your whole heart, Amen.

Read Full Post »

Are we loosing our way?

Posted in Christian, Christianity, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 12, 2010| Leave a Comment »

An Interview with Leonard Ravenhill

Read Full Post »

Gifts (Part 3) – Examining Further

Posted in Christian, Christianity, tagged , , , , , , , , on January 31, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Reviewing the Gifts Passages (from Part 2)

Now to each one the manifestations of the Spirit is given for the common good (1 Cor 12:7-11):
The message of wisdom, The message of knowledge, Faith, Gifts of healing, Miraculous powers, Prophecy, Distinguishing between spirits, Speaking in different kinds of tongues, Interpretation of tongues

In the church God has appointed (1 Cor 12:28):
First apostles, Second prophets, Third teachers, Then workers of miracles, Those having gifts of healing, Those able to help others, Those with gifts of administration, Those speaking in different kinds of tongues

Christ gave some to be (Eph 4:11-13):
Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers

Different Gifts (Rom 12:4-8):
Prophesying, Serving, Teaching, Encouraging, Contributing (to the needs of others), Leadership, Showing mercy

The Different Gifts and Serving Appointments

Now, for clarity, if we were to represent each gift by a single word, and if we do a little sorting and notice there is some overlap in the gift passages, then we can see that there are nine Spiritual manifestations given to each one for the common good(1 Cor 12:7-11) and there are fifteen God given serving appointments(Eph 4:11-13, 1 Cor 12:28, Rom 12:4-8) for the edification and equipping of the body, and for the glory of His ‘Kingdom come’ here on earth.  Highlighted in red they are…

Wisdom, Knowledge, Faith, Healing, Miracles, Prophecy, Discernment, Tongues, Interpretation (1 Cor 12:7-11)

Apostles, Prophets, Teachers, Evangelists, Pastors (Eph 4:11-13)
Apostles, Prophets, Teachers, Miracles, Healing, Helpers, Administration, Tongues (1 Cor 12:28)
Prophecy, Teaching, Serving, Encouraging, Giving, Leadership, Mercy (Rom 12:4-8)

Just to make that clearer there are…

Nine Spiritual Manifestations (given to each one for the common good)

Wisdom, Knowledge, Faith, Healing, Miracles, Prophecy, Discernment, Tongues, Interpretation (1 Cor 12:7-11)

Fifteen Spirit Given Serving Appointments

Apostles, Prophets, Teachers, Evangelists, Pastors, Miracles, Healing, Helpers, Administration, Tongues, Serving, Encouraging, Giving, Leadership, Mercy (Eph 4:11-13, 1 Cor 12:28, Rom 12:4-8)

With regard to the nine Spiritual manifestations…

It is my understanding and my belief and my experience, that those who are born again of the Spirit of God (John 3:5-8) will naturally or rather supernaturally manifest the nine gifts of the Spirit from time to time, through the exercising of their faith, and as the Spirit leads and directs and enables. These gifts aren’t just for the ‘super-Christians’ or the ‘wacky-charismatics’ 🙂 they are for ALL of us to build up the body of Christ for the common good.

With regard to the fifteen Spirit given serving appointments…

Now, I want to make the distinction here between the manifestations of the Spirit (given to all (who are born of the Spirit) from time to time, as faith is exercised and as the Spirit leads and directs and enables) and the specific roles or offices given by the Spirit for the function and equiping of His body.

Dr. Dale A. Robbins puts it this way…

The ministry of Spiritual Gifts originates in the New Testament, commissioned by our Lord Jesus Christ. After He established His church on the earth and ascended to Heaven, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to equip His church with power and spiritual gifts (Greek — charismata) so that His disciples could continue to carry out His ministry objectives. While there are certain gifts of a spectacular nature that are often given greater attention, the New Testament mentions at least 21 that are provided to the church. These gifts are listed in Eph. 4:11, Rom. 12:3-7, and 1 Cor. 12:1-12,28, and are generally assigned to one of three categories, as listed below:

  • Charismatic (spiritual) gifts: Wisdom, Knowledge, Faith, Healing, Miracles, Prophecy, Discernment, Tongues, Interpretation
  • Ministry (office) gifts: Apostles, Prophets, Teachers, Evangelists, Pastors
  • Motivational (practical) gifts: Service, Encouraging, Giving, Leadership, Mercy, Helpers, Administration

I find Dr Robbins list quite helpful but it’s difficult (perhaps impossible) to define or categorise the Spiritual with mere words.  Note that the specific appointments of Miracles, Healing and Tongues from the 1 Cor 12:28 passage are not apparent in his list.  Note also that I don’t believe this list is suggesting that some gifts are Spiritual and some aren’t.  But, as you browse the list, can you see those in your church with the gift of ‘service’ for example?  Or perhaps the gift of ‘encouraging’ or ‘giving’ or ‘leadership’ or ‘mercy’ or ‘help’ or ‘administration’?  I can!  I  mean, we are all called to do all these things but there are those in your church and my church who have these specific gifts.  Just as a side note, I find it interesting (to say the least), that those with these gifts often tend to beat their drum from the perspective of their gift and say things like “If we are all better at leadership then the church will grow” or “If we acted more mercifully the church would grow” etc, etc. 🙂

Hold on a minute…

Let’s just stop here for a moment and make an observation.  Is there any ‘office gift’ missing in your church or my church?  I mean, I’m sure you have a Pastor(s) and maybe a Teacher(s) (you might be overrun with teachers 🙂 ) and, if you are really ‘lucky’ (sarcasm), you may have an Evangelist, but what about an Apostle or a Prophet?  What is an Apostle anyway? And prophet, “Oh, we have prophecy from time to time” it may be said.  No, no, no!  The ‘office’ of prophet (Eph 4:11-13, 1 Cor 12:28, Rom 12:4-8), not the ‘each one manifestation of the Spirit’ as mentioned in 1 Cor 12:7-11.  Do some homework on what an Apostle is – Here is a link.  Do some homework on what a Prophet is. Here is a link.

Why does the Modern Church have mainly Pastors and Teachers?

Would it fair to say that the church (at large) has a handle on Pastors and Teachers because these can be performed naturally instead of supernaturally? – these can be performed without faith and without the Spirits empowerment? (and then we wonder why people and churches ‘crash and burn’).

To be continued…

Read Full Post »

Gifts (Part 2) – What are the gifts?

Posted in Christian, Christianity, tagged , , , , , , , , on January 22, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Does it amaze you (it does me) that God gives us His most precious gift, the gift of His Son Jesus, and yet continues to lavish upon us further gifts for His plans and purposes and His Kingdom come here on Earth?

What are the Gifts?

So, what are the gifts?  There are four main passages in the Bible that speak about gifts.  They are Romans 12:4-8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-13, 1 Corinthians 12:27-31 and Ephesians 4:7-13.  However, I think it is important to consider the whole of the chapters of Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4.  I think it also important to include 1 Corinthians 13 and 14 as well as parts of Paul’s letters to Timothy and some things that Jesus said but I may not get time to include these in this blog.

Romans Chapter 12

Submission and Transformation; Gifts and Love

Rom 12:1-3 (Submission and Transformation)
12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual  act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will. 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

Rom 12:4-8 (Different gifts but one body – we belong to each other)
4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his  faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

Rom 12:9-21 (Love)
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.  14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.  Do not be conceited.  17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”  says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”  21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Different Gifts (Rom 12:4-8):
Prophesying
Serving
Teaching
Encouraging
Contributing (to the needs of others)
Leadership
Showing mercy

1 Corinthians Chapter 12

1 Corinthians 12:1-31
12:1 Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,  and to still another the interpretation of tongues.   11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. 12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by  one Spirit into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.  21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues ? Do all interpret? 31 But eagerly desire  the greater gifts.

To each one the manifestations of the Spirit is given for the common good (1 Cor 12:7-11):
The message of wisdom
The message of knowledge
Faith
Gifts of healing
Miraculous powers
Prophecy
Distinguishing between spirits
Speaking in different kinds of tongues
Interpretation of tongues

In the church God has appointed (1 Cor 12:28):
First apostles
Second prophets
Third teachers
Then workers of miracles
Those having gifts of healing
Those able to help others
Those with gifts of administration
Those speaking in different kinds of tongues

Ephesians Chapter 4

Eph 4:1-32

4:1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it  says: “When he ascended on high,he led captives in his trainand gave gifts to men.”  9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions ? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)

11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.
20 You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. 21 Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin” : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.  29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Christ gave some to be (Eph 4:11-13):
Apostles
Prophets
Evangelists
Pastors
Teachers

So putting them all together…

Different Gifts (Rom 12:4-8):
Prophesying, Serving, Teaching, Encouraging, Contributing (to the needs of others), Leadership, Showing mercy

Now to each one the manifestations of the Spirit is given for the common good (1 Cor 12:7-11):
The message of wisdom, The message of knowledge, Faith, Gifts of healing, Miraculous powers, Prophecy, Distinguishing between spirits, Speaking in different kinds of tongues, Interpretation of tongues

In the church God has appointed (1 Cor 12:28):
First apostles, Second prophets, Third teachers, Then workers of miracles, Those having gifts of healing, Those able to help others, Those with gifts of administration, Those speaking in different kinds of tongues

Christ gave some to be (Eph 4:11-13):
Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers

To be continued…

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »