SPIRITUAL GIFTS MOVE AS WE MATURE IN CHRIST
Have you given much thought to how Spiritual Gifts impact your life and those around you as a Christian ? In 1 Corinthians 12, the Apostle Paul gives us a really important understanding of our gifts in terms of their importance in the Body Of Christ. Those who have given their life to Jesus, and follow Him are filled with the Presence of the Holy Spirit. For many Christians, The Holy Spirit is the least understood member of the Trinity. It is important to realize that God The Father, God The Son, and The Holy Spirit Of God are ONE. One incredible Essence, co-eternal, co-equal. Described as “God’s Inner Life as a communion of three persons in perfect Unity of Will, Power, and Glory ! Three parts of ONE GOD….not three separate gods. The Holy Spirit brings people New Birth; Indwelling them and producing “Spiritual Fruit” and “Spiritual Gifts” for Building Up the Body Of Christ (Church). It is important for Believers In Christ to understand their particular ‘Gifts”, because we use them uniquely to build each other up ! Every Person and Every Gift are IMPORTANT:) These “Gifts” are for Building The Kingdom, and for Glorifying God and Understanding His Power and Love. Scripture gives us a picture of these “Gifts” in 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12: 3-8, and Ephesians 4: 11-13. I have seen them broken down in terms of Speaking ( Teaching, exhortation, prophecy, wisdom, knowledge, evangelism, pastoring; Serving ( Leadership, administration, hospitality, giving, mercy; Sign/Miracles ( Miracles, healing, tongues, interpretation, discernment of spirits ). These GIFTS are distributed as the Spirit Wills, not as people choose. Importantly, they are for EDIFICATION OF THE CHURCH ( Body), NOT SELF PROMOTION ! They are used in LOVE for each other ! They are So Important because they MOVE To grow us and unify us in Love For Each Other, and to Glorify The God We Serve And Love :) WE DISCOVER THEM AND USE THEM BY BEING IN CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD ! The closer you are to God, the more He reveals to you. YOU MATURE. YOU DISCERN WISDOM AND UNDErSTANDING. YOU BECOME STRONG IN HIS AUTHORITY AND POWER. IT TAKES EFFORT ON OUR PART TO BUILD THE RELATIONSHIP ! It doesn't magically appear by sitting in a church pew once a week, or occasionally praying. GOD WANTS YOUR HEART “ALL IN '“ ! Are you ready to make that commitment ? SEARCH YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW:)
NOW THERE ARE VARIETIES OF GIFTS, BUT THE SAME SPIRIT; AND THERE ARE VARIETIES OF SERVICE, BUT THE SAME LORD; AND THERE ARE VARIETIES OF ACTIVITIES, BUT IT IS THE SAME GOD WHO EMPOWERS THEM ALL IN EVERYONE. 1 Corinthians 12: 4-6
TO EACH IS GIVEN THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SPIRIT FOR THE COMMON GOOD. 1 Corinthians 12:7
FOR AS IN ONE BODY WE HAVE MANY MEMBERS, AND THE MEMBERS DO NOT ALL HAVE THE SAME FUNCTION, SO WE, THROUGH MANY, ARE ONE BODY IN CHRIST, AND INDIVIDUALLY MEMBERS ONE OF ANOTHER. Romans 12:4-5
AND HE GAVE THE APOSTLES, THE PROPHETS, THE EVANGELISTS, THE SHEPHERDS AND THE TEACHERS, TO EQUIP THE SAINTS FOR THE WORK OF MINISTRY, FOR BUILDING UP THE BODY OF CHRIST, UNTIL WE ALL ATTAIN TO THE UNITY OF THE FAITH AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SON OF GOD, TO MATURE MANHOOD , TO THE MEASURE OF THE STATURE OF THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST. Ephesians 4:11-13
Can you see the IMPORTANCE of our Gifts ? They all come From God out of RELATIONSHIP ! I see a lot of people advertising all the ways one can become “this or that”. I personally don’t believe that Spiritual Gifts can be sorted and ordered. I do believe they can be “Imparted” by the Spirit, and learning more about them and desiring to have them and move in them is the beginning of a time of Conversing With God, and desiring to Serve Him and The Body Of Christ. How important it is to see the words above, “TO MATURE MANHOOD, TO THE MEASURE OF THE STATURE OF THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST ! “ Can we ever know, or be Everthing God Desires For Us if our Efforts and Time are only part-time, or even afterthoughts ? Life in the world demands so much of us….and it is often distracting, difficult, and unfulfilling….and always TEMPORARY. JESUS CHRIST OFFERS US ETERNAL LIFE IN ABIDING IN HIM ! With that LIFE, we receive Joy, Peace, Rest, and LOVE. IT COMES FROM HIM ALONE :) We don’t have to Earn It; Work For It; Plan It And Execute It Perfectly. It ALL comes when we have RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM as our LORD ! HE shows us how to Mature and WALK IN HIS WAYS. HE captures our HEART and writes HIS COMMANDMENTS IN US that we might not let our human logic, wisdom, and Fallen Existence stop us from Receiving HIS LOVE. He offers an INVITATION….the decision on whether to accept and persue Relationship with Him is ours to choose. CHOOSE WISELY !
BEHOLD, I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK. IF ANYONE HEARS MY VOICE AND OPENS THE DOOR, I WILL COME IN TO HIM AND EAT WITH HIM, AND HE WITH ME. Revelation 3:20
I AM THE VINE ; YOU ARE THE BRANCHES. WHOEVER ABIDES IN MEAND I IN HIM, HE IT IS THAT BEARS MUCH FRUIT, FOR APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING. John 15:5
BUT TO ALL WHO DID RECEIVE HIM, WHO BELIEVED IN HIS NAME, HE GAVE THE RIGHT TO BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD. John 1:12
I often wonder how the 12 men who followed Jesus and walked with Him on the earth must have felt when He told them to go and Heal Those In Need. Heal the Blind; open the ears of the Deaf; Cast Out Demons; Raise the Dead To Life; Preach My Words and Tell The World My Truth, My Divinity, My Salvation, My Glory. Simple men…WHO FOLLOWED AND BELIEVED ! Obedient. Humble. Servant Leaders. MARTYRED FOR THEIR FAITH AND LOVE OF JESUS. THEY CHANGED THE WORLD THROUGH THE POWER OF A RISEN CHRIST :) SO CAN WE ! Take inventory of your Time and Commitment to God as this year, 2025 winds down. Look forward to a new year where perhaps Your Spiritual Gift(s) will COME TO LIFE ! The world is a seductive force that will do its best to garner your time and effort….just remember….none of it will last. It is all just a temporary vapor. GOD IS ETERNAL, AND HIS LOVE FOR YOU IS FOREVER. Give your life to Christ, and MOVE IN YOUR GIFTS:)
GO ALL IN / JAA
AND THIS IS ETERNAL LIFE, THAT THEY KNOW YOU, THE ONLY TRUE GOD, AND JESUS CHRIST WHOM YOU HAVE SENT. John 17:3