"…not be a hoof shall be left behind…” Exodus 10:26
The devil seeks to compromise the full vision of God as revealed to his children. He’s good that way.
Here we have Pharaoh finally considering the possibility of releasing the Israelites to worship their God on the Sinai Peninsula. Their release from the land would pretty much destroy the slave workforce, tip the economy, halt the construction, and make life quite uneasy for the thriving culture.
All the same, Pharaoh was willing to release himself to God’s Promise.
We are often apprehensive about fully giving into the Promise, aren’t we? We think that if we give it all to God worlds will collide. And they will. Nothing is ever, ever the same.
That’s when the voice of comprise raises its slimy head. It says, “Why don’t you head in God’s general direction – nothing too radical, of course - and not throw your eggs into one basket. And then, just incase things don’t work out for you, you’ll still have a piece of your heart here (your ‘herds and cattle’). You can always come home, you know. We’ll leave the light on for ya…”
I call that Preventative Theology.
In the face of Pharaoh’s compromise, “Go, worship the Lord… only leave your flocks and herds behind…” (Gen. 10:24) the original Call of God came to the forefront of Moses’ mind. He knew that, when God calls, he demands everything. There is no spare tire – no room for “Preventative Theology” – in the call of the God.
No, he asserts. “Not a hoof shall be left behind.” Moses might as well be saying, “Here’s the deal, chump. You either release us into the full, uncompressing, unyielding, complete will of God or we’re going to be dealing with a few more plagues around here until you finally get a clue and give into what he wants to do in your life.”
Perhaps there is a similar conversation going on inside of your mind, and inside of mind. While we know it’s God’s best to completely get out of Egypt, our flesh – our lord over Egypt – in its fear and rebellion and hardness of hard cries out, seeking to keep something, anything – even a hoof, if need be – in the land of our past. And today, as it was with Moses, the call is all consuming. It demands everything. There can be no back-up plan for one who sets his eyes on the Mountain of God.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Prophetic Points to Ponder V
Then the Lord said to Moses,” What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied.” Exodus 4:2
Our “mundane” has the potential to become a tool of the miraculous, providing, of course, our "mundane" is operated in obedience to the call of God.
I often think of Jesus’ first miracle, a wedding in Cana. In that situation, water became a powerful tool where-with many became aware of the goodness of God. Even today, some 2000 years later, we are encouraged by this miracle and even yearn that the Lord would change our water to wine, our mundane to the miraculous.
Moses had a staff. It was a simple tool of his trade – shepherding. On its own, it was a stick. Yet, under the Moses’ obedience to the call of God in his life, it became the very instrument of redemption. It fulfilled the purposes of God in the life of Moses.
We often look for the perfect instrument of God’s call. Sometimes it’s a book, a class, an experience, or a new “something.” When that happens, we say, that’s when God will really take over and use me. But that wasn’t the case with Moses. He already had what it took to fulfill the promise of God in his life. He may have had it for years. It wasn’t a matter of getting the new book, guitar, buy a new car, attend a class, or even get an experience in God. For in the light of his Light, even our most mundane articles are transfigured into instruments of the miraculous.
Holy Father, forgive me for thinking you need something more than I have to do your work. As I present my heart before your call on my life, use me – and use all I currently own as instruments of the miraculous. May my water be transformed into the wine of your redemption, for all to see. In Christ I pray. Amen.
Our “mundane” has the potential to become a tool of the miraculous, providing, of course, our "mundane" is operated in obedience to the call of God.
I often think of Jesus’ first miracle, a wedding in Cana. In that situation, water became a powerful tool where-with many became aware of the goodness of God. Even today, some 2000 years later, we are encouraged by this miracle and even yearn that the Lord would change our water to wine, our mundane to the miraculous.
Moses had a staff. It was a simple tool of his trade – shepherding. On its own, it was a stick. Yet, under the Moses’ obedience to the call of God in his life, it became the very instrument of redemption. It fulfilled the purposes of God in the life of Moses.
We often look for the perfect instrument of God’s call. Sometimes it’s a book, a class, an experience, or a new “something.” When that happens, we say, that’s when God will really take over and use me. But that wasn’t the case with Moses. He already had what it took to fulfill the promise of God in his life. He may have had it for years. It wasn’t a matter of getting the new book, guitar, buy a new car, attend a class, or even get an experience in God. For in the light of his Light, even our most mundane articles are transfigured into instruments of the miraculous.
Holy Father, forgive me for thinking you need something more than I have to do your work. As I present my heart before your call on my life, use me – and use all I currently own as instruments of the miraculous. May my water be transformed into the wine of your redemption, for all to see. In Christ I pray. Amen.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Prophetic Points to Ponder IV
“… I have never been eloquent… I am slow of speech and tongue…” Exodus 4:10
When a person comes face to face with the Living God his soul is laid bare and all worldly status, skill, and social achievement is quite simply, stripped away. From infancy, Moses was raised in the most progressive civilization in the world – Pharaoh’s Egypt. He learned its arithmetic, its poetry, and its magic; even became a general in its military. He was a learned dignitary, “educated in the wisdom of the Egyptians and powerful in speech and action.” (Acts 7:22) So what he said wasn’t exactly true. He could talk, he had lead, he was a real player in the land of Egypt – educated and enmeshed in Egyptian high culture.
Yet, here, in the Presence of God on the mountain, he realizes who he thought he was couldn’t hold a candle to who the Shekinah Creator said he was.
It’s a funny thing, isn't it? When God reveals his call on our life, we instinctively tell him why it can’t work. The subject of the conversation changes from his call to our inadequacies. First it begins as an opportunity – something of a surprise, something he knows we’d love to do. Then, somewhere in the midst of the discussion (and the discussion may last for years, by the way) it turns to an argument. Not long after that we sense God’s rising anger in our lingering procrastination. One day we come to our senses and realize that – yes, he has called us – and, no, we cant do it in our own strength.
That’s when God calls, “Bingo.”
This is called the, Conversion to Calling. It happens to all of us at some time or another. It’s when we realize our best can never touch what is needed to carry out God’s call on our life’s. It is a spiritual nexus – a colliding of worlds of sorts – where we are both completely convinced of the call of ministry on our life AND, in the same instant, realize our complete inadequacies for the job he has called us to do. How can we possibly live into the revelation of his call knowing we fall so miserably short of the Glory of God?
One more time – let’s say it together with God, “Bingo!"
This is exactly where we need to be (and exactly where we need to stay). It has been God's destination for us all along. When we arrive here, humbled at the mountain of God's Almighty Throne, his work, in one sense, has been accomplished. All those years he’s worked to get us off our pride and into humility accumulate here, at this one point in time. All the lessons of his sufficiency in the midst of our insuffencies have been predesigned for this one moment.
In a moment's flash we realize it's impossible to do anything God calls us to on our own. It's when we realise he's calling us to do it on his own.
Holy Father, I stand at the ceiling of my being, knowing that all I offer is tasteless to food from above. Breath into my brokenness with your Almighty Grace and, in the power of your Living Word, create in me a disdain for my efforts and ordain me for yours. In the Name of the One who changes my water to wine, Jesus Christ. Amen.
When a person comes face to face with the Living God his soul is laid bare and all worldly status, skill, and social achievement is quite simply, stripped away. From infancy, Moses was raised in the most progressive civilization in the world – Pharaoh’s Egypt. He learned its arithmetic, its poetry, and its magic; even became a general in its military. He was a learned dignitary, “educated in the wisdom of the Egyptians and powerful in speech and action.” (Acts 7:22) So what he said wasn’t exactly true. He could talk, he had lead, he was a real player in the land of Egypt – educated and enmeshed in Egyptian high culture.
Yet, here, in the Presence of God on the mountain, he realizes who he thought he was couldn’t hold a candle to who the Shekinah Creator said he was.
It’s a funny thing, isn't it? When God reveals his call on our life, we instinctively tell him why it can’t work. The subject of the conversation changes from his call to our inadequacies. First it begins as an opportunity – something of a surprise, something he knows we’d love to do. Then, somewhere in the midst of the discussion (and the discussion may last for years, by the way) it turns to an argument. Not long after that we sense God’s rising anger in our lingering procrastination. One day we come to our senses and realize that – yes, he has called us – and, no, we cant do it in our own strength.
That’s when God calls, “Bingo.”
This is called the, Conversion to Calling. It happens to all of us at some time or another. It’s when we realize our best can never touch what is needed to carry out God’s call on our life’s. It is a spiritual nexus – a colliding of worlds of sorts – where we are both completely convinced of the call of ministry on our life AND, in the same instant, realize our complete inadequacies for the job he has called us to do. How can we possibly live into the revelation of his call knowing we fall so miserably short of the Glory of God?
One more time – let’s say it together with God, “Bingo!"
This is exactly where we need to be (and exactly where we need to stay). It has been God's destination for us all along. When we arrive here, humbled at the mountain of God's Almighty Throne, his work, in one sense, has been accomplished. All those years he’s worked to get us off our pride and into humility accumulate here, at this one point in time. All the lessons of his sufficiency in the midst of our insuffencies have been predesigned for this one moment.
In a moment's flash we realize it's impossible to do anything God calls us to on our own. It's when we realise he's calling us to do it on his own.
Holy Father, I stand at the ceiling of my being, knowing that all I offer is tasteless to food from above. Breath into my brokenness with your Almighty Grace and, in the power of your Living Word, create in me a disdain for my efforts and ordain me for yours. In the Name of the One who changes my water to wine, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Prophetic Points to Ponder III
“… she placed the child in the papyrus basket and put it among the reeds…” Exodus 2:3
Amram, Moses mother, loved her son to such an extent that she intentionally positioned him to be caught up in the house of her enemy. He was captured – drawn out of the waters – and was immediately baptized in the most progressive civilization in the world. He learned its arithmetic, its poetry, and its magic; even became a general in its military. He became a learned dignitary, “educated in the wisdom of the Egyptians and powerful in speech and action.” (Acts 7:22)
One would think Moses’ exposure to this hardened, poly-theistic culture would have ruined him. Yet it became the very springboard for his future call to ministry. Through his loving mother, God placed this infant prophet into the very heart of Egypt – the same Egypt from which he would one day return, rescue, and deliver His children and lead them to the Promised Land.
Herein lies a powerful foreshadowing of the ministry of Christ. Like Moses, Christ was intentionally released from Love’s Arms and positioned to be captured – drawn from the waters of Mary’s womb, if you will – to live, learn, and grow into the baptism of this fallen world, that he would one day rise and become its Everlasting Redeemer.
It is never God’s final intent to place us in Egypt, to lean its arithmetic, its poetry, and its magic, for Egypt’s sake alone. If that were the case the Church would evolve into a spineless amoeba of stealthy chameleons, sold out to a system governed by the prince of darkness. No, we have a much higher call – a call that, like the Presence of God on Sinai, transcends time and space and trumpets forth the Heart of Matter. We are only passing through. True, we live in the world, but we are not of the world. Like Moses (and like Jesus) we have been positioned from above to proclaim the testimony of the One with whom we’ve met on the mountain.
Holy Father, as Amram sent her son Moses into a foreign culture and as you sent Jesus into the world of your redemption, so too have you positioned us to live with the people you so dearly love. Give us such an awareness of your mission in the world that we would never loose site of the higher call, the call we heard at our Transfiguration, the call to evangelize the world with the Good News of Christ Jesus. It is in his Name we pray. Amen.
Amram, Moses mother, loved her son to such an extent that she intentionally positioned him to be caught up in the house of her enemy. He was captured – drawn out of the waters – and was immediately baptized in the most progressive civilization in the world. He learned its arithmetic, its poetry, and its magic; even became a general in its military. He became a learned dignitary, “educated in the wisdom of the Egyptians and powerful in speech and action.” (Acts 7:22)
One would think Moses’ exposure to this hardened, poly-theistic culture would have ruined him. Yet it became the very springboard for his future call to ministry. Through his loving mother, God placed this infant prophet into the very heart of Egypt – the same Egypt from which he would one day return, rescue, and deliver His children and lead them to the Promised Land.
Herein lies a powerful foreshadowing of the ministry of Christ. Like Moses, Christ was intentionally released from Love’s Arms and positioned to be captured – drawn from the waters of Mary’s womb, if you will – to live, learn, and grow into the baptism of this fallen world, that he would one day rise and become its Everlasting Redeemer.
It is never God’s final intent to place us in Egypt, to lean its arithmetic, its poetry, and its magic, for Egypt’s sake alone. If that were the case the Church would evolve into a spineless amoeba of stealthy chameleons, sold out to a system governed by the prince of darkness. No, we have a much higher call – a call that, like the Presence of God on Sinai, transcends time and space and trumpets forth the Heart of Matter. We are only passing through. True, we live in the world, but we are not of the world. Like Moses (and like Jesus) we have been positioned from above to proclaim the testimony of the One with whom we’ve met on the mountain.
Holy Father, as Amram sent her son Moses into a foreign culture and as you sent Jesus into the world of your redemption, so too have you positioned us to live with the people you so dearly love. Give us such an awareness of your mission in the world that we would never loose site of the higher call, the call we heard at our Transfiguration, the call to evangelize the world with the Good News of Christ Jesus. It is in his Name we pray. Amen.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Prophetic Points to Ponder II
“…Moses reported this to the Israelites but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and cruel bondage...” Exodus 6:9
The words of Moses were words of hope and promise. Through the stuttering lips of the timid prophet, God was seeking to communicate that he had heard the cries of his children. He was assuring them he would deliver them from the yoke of Egyptian slavery and lead them, with a mighty hand, into the land of Promise. (Exodus 6:6-8)
But they wouldn't hear a word of it. Perhaps, better said, they couldn’t hear a word of it.
Once, sometime in the past, they had been filled with faith, gratitude, and enthusiasm for the things of God – the Land of Goshen. But now their hearts had become strangely similar to the bricks they were mindlessly manufacturing for Pharaoh; hardened and impenetrable by any moisture from above.
If not monitored, the desert elements of discouragement and cruel bondage will form a toxic combination which handicaps ones ability to hear (and believe) the Promises of God. The Bible calls this condition “a hardened heart.” It’s a natural outcome of life in the desert and can breed a cynical, bitter, and even disbelieving demeanor in the heart of the disciple.
Ezekiel prophesied God would one day remove the heart of stone and exchange it with a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 11:19) A heart of flesh is a beautiful thing. A person with a heart of flesh dares to listen. She is sensitive, discerning, and open. She is willing to believe. Her being is intentionally softened through the streams of the Holy Spirit. She is postured in certain, living vulnerability, which enables her to flow within and embrace the mysterious wonder of God’s promise.
Even in the midst of immense pain and disappointment, a person with a heart of flesh can recognize and even be encouraged by God’s Promise, regardless of how preposterous it seems.
Heavenly Father, create in me a contrite heart. Lift me from all discouragement and cruel bondage. Wash me in the water of your Word and rain onto my rocky soil, that I might know you and believe you as your Word is revealed in my heart. Amen.
The words of Moses were words of hope and promise. Through the stuttering lips of the timid prophet, God was seeking to communicate that he had heard the cries of his children. He was assuring them he would deliver them from the yoke of Egyptian slavery and lead them, with a mighty hand, into the land of Promise. (Exodus 6:6-8)
But they wouldn't hear a word of it. Perhaps, better said, they couldn’t hear a word of it.
Once, sometime in the past, they had been filled with faith, gratitude, and enthusiasm for the things of God – the Land of Goshen. But now their hearts had become strangely similar to the bricks they were mindlessly manufacturing for Pharaoh; hardened and impenetrable by any moisture from above.
If not monitored, the desert elements of discouragement and cruel bondage will form a toxic combination which handicaps ones ability to hear (and believe) the Promises of God. The Bible calls this condition “a hardened heart.” It’s a natural outcome of life in the desert and can breed a cynical, bitter, and even disbelieving demeanor in the heart of the disciple.
Ezekiel prophesied God would one day remove the heart of stone and exchange it with a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 11:19) A heart of flesh is a beautiful thing. A person with a heart of flesh dares to listen. She is sensitive, discerning, and open. She is willing to believe. Her being is intentionally softened through the streams of the Holy Spirit. She is postured in certain, living vulnerability, which enables her to flow within and embrace the mysterious wonder of God’s promise.
Even in the midst of immense pain and disappointment, a person with a heart of flesh can recognize and even be encouraged by God’s Promise, regardless of how preposterous it seems.
Heavenly Father, create in me a contrite heart. Lift me from all discouragement and cruel bondage. Wash me in the water of your Word and rain onto my rocky soil, that I might know you and believe you as your Word is revealed in my heart. Amen.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Prophetic Points to Ponder 2
“…Moses reported this to the Israelites but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and cruel bondage...” Exodus 6:9
The words Moses reported to the Israelites were words of hope, words of promise. They were a sorely-needed reminder that God had not forsaken them but had heard their cry. Through the stuttering lips of the Prophet Moses, God swore to his children that he would rescue them from the yoke of the Egyptians, free them from their slavery, and bring them into the land of Promise Land with a mighty hand. (Exodus 6:6-8)
But they couldn't hear a word of it.
Their hearts – having once been filled with faith, gratitude, and enthusiasm for the forgotten Land of Goshen – had become strangely similar to the bricks they were now manufacturing for Pharaoh; hardened, impenetrable by any moisture from above.
Ezekiel prophesied that God would one day remove the heart of stone and exchange it with a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 11:19) A person with a heart of flesh dares to listen. She is willing to believe. She is sensitive, discerning, and open. Her mind is intentionally softened through the Spirit – postured in certain, living vulnerability – which enables her to flow within the mysterious ways of the Covenanted One.
"Discouragement and cruel bondage" form a toxic combination which handicaps the ability to hear the Promise of God. It silences to Voice of salvation and hope - which is the essence of who we are in Christ.
When the weight of our attention falls solely upon the choking cares of this world, we are certain to turn cynical, bitter, and unbelieving. But as we set our minds on the things above, even in the midst of our pain and disappointment, we will recognize and even be encouraged by the steadfast Word of the Lord – regardless how preposterous it may seem.
Heavenly Father, remove my pride, my bitterness, my life patterns of worry and adherence to the myth of fairness. Breathe your rain onto my rocky soil and set me free from the noise that would seek to distort and deafen your holy words to and through me. In Christ’s Name I pray, Amen.
The words Moses reported to the Israelites were words of hope, words of promise. They were a sorely-needed reminder that God had not forsaken them but had heard their cry. Through the stuttering lips of the Prophet Moses, God swore to his children that he would rescue them from the yoke of the Egyptians, free them from their slavery, and bring them into the land of Promise Land with a mighty hand. (Exodus 6:6-8)
But they couldn't hear a word of it.
Their hearts – having once been filled with faith, gratitude, and enthusiasm for the forgotten Land of Goshen – had become strangely similar to the bricks they were now manufacturing for Pharaoh; hardened, impenetrable by any moisture from above.
Ezekiel prophesied that God would one day remove the heart of stone and exchange it with a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 11:19) A person with a heart of flesh dares to listen. She is willing to believe. She is sensitive, discerning, and open. Her mind is intentionally softened through the Spirit – postured in certain, living vulnerability – which enables her to flow within the mysterious ways of the Covenanted One.
"Discouragement and cruel bondage" form a toxic combination which handicaps the ability to hear the Promise of God. It silences to Voice of salvation and hope - which is the essence of who we are in Christ.
When the weight of our attention falls solely upon the choking cares of this world, we are certain to turn cynical, bitter, and unbelieving. But as we set our minds on the things above, even in the midst of our pain and disappointment, we will recognize and even be encouraged by the steadfast Word of the Lord – regardless how preposterous it may seem.
Heavenly Father, remove my pride, my bitterness, my life patterns of worry and adherence to the myth of fairness. Breathe your rain onto my rocky soil and set me free from the noise that would seek to distort and deafen your holy words to and through me. In Christ’s Name I pray, Amen.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Prophetic Points to Ponder I
“… and Moses led the flock to the back of the desert… and the Angel of the Lord appeared to him…” Exodus 3:1,2
God’s presence – which includes revelation, calling, and empowerment – happens as we faithfully embrace the present day, moment by moment, reality of the work given us to do.
We tend to want to meet God everywhere – anywhere – except for where we happen to be at any given time. We think present circumstances have little to do with the real deal. Thus, like fidgety prairie dogs, with our heads darting to and fro, scanning the horizon for any signs of Life, we quickly forget that the Voice of I AM happens right here, right where we are; right here in the back of the desert.
Moses encountered God as he was faithful and diligent in his work. One could speculate that if Moses had been irresponsible in the shepherding of the little flock, he would have missed the greater call to shepherd Israel. Being a shepherd wasn’t the most prestigious occupation in the world (it meant life or death to the sheep, though). Yet, it was there, there in the daily decision to faithfully embrace the work given him, when God spoke. There, in the all hallowed Present, God revealed, called, and empowered his servant Moses.
Father, guide my eyes, my heart, my entire being to the present thing you’ve given. Grant me diligence to thankfully be about your present-day business so that, through your holy fire, your revelation and calling would shine forth in my life. For the glory of your Name. Amen.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
The Gift that Keeps on Giving
For a consice, easy to read essay on the Spiritual gifts, scroll down to the March 29 entry and read from there (10 entries).
Or you may click (or copy and plaste the link below into your browser) and get it in its entirety. The PDF file is at the bottom of that page.
http://www.holyapostles.cc/templates/System/details.asp?id=45195&PID=662848
Or you may click (or copy and plaste the link below into your browser) and get it in its entirety. The PDF file is at the bottom of that page.
http://www.holyapostles.cc/templates/System/details.asp?id=45195&PID=662848
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
What to Do When Heresy Invades the Church?
(ED Note: This is a post sermon response to a sermon preached on July 19th.)
What happens when heresy rises up in the church?
What happens when heresy rises up in the church?
Some people leave; other stay. Regardless, those who leave and those who stay are still united by the Blood of Christ and still Christians. I think the Lord’s heart on this would sound something like this: don’t judge those who stay and don’t judge those who leave.
I have many friends who have left the denomination. Part of me is saddened because they are good people and I will miss them. My blessing runs with them, though, and I bless their new call. After all, it’s all about populating the Kingdom of God.
As for me, and others who have yet to be lead away, my job is to be content and minister on. I’ve been in the denomination for nearly 30 years now – 15 years as a paid lay person/minister and 15 years as an ordained person. Very early on I wanted to leave. Now that God has developed a deeper sense of his will and timetable in my heart, I no longer yearn – like a runner posed and ready to bolt at the sound of the gun – to leave the church. If and when my time comes I’ll be ready. Until then, there is work to do. Not unlike the Second Coming.
So how are we – those who have remained – to poise ourselves in the face of rising theology and praxis which flies in the face of Christian Orthodoxy? First we need to be cautious. This is a real danger – not unlike a tiger sticking its head into a house. Paul writes the church at Romans:
I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. Romans 16:17-19
He writes, “Stay away from them.” He doesn’t say, “Leave them,” nor does he say, “Befriend them.” This is a tone of cautiousness. Be careful. Be aware of who they are, what they have the potential to do, and don’t fall into the same trap as they have. Through it all we’re to maintain a disposition of peace.
Here’s Paul once again:
17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19Do 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. 20On 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." 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:17-21
Now, just in case your inner warrior or Biblical Jihad rose up in you after reading this passage – you know, the whole misguided idea of giving your enemy water and food because somehow in God’s mysterious ways Jesus will change your water into the wine of God’s wrath – let me offer to you something that may sober you up. This quote (about the coals being heaped on the heads of those we bless) is taken from Proverbs 25:21-22 – and it’s from a really, really long time ago. In that day and age it was well known that Egyptians – when charged guilty of a crime – often carried a basin of hot coals around on their heads as a visible symbol of their admission of guilt and repentance.
Yeah.
So Paul is saying that, as we give water to our enemies who thirst and as we give food to our enemies who hunger – or, in other words, as we love our enemies – they just might “get it,” turn around, and look for a basin of heaping coals to put on their heads as a sign of sincere and public repentance.
That puts it in an entirely different perspective.
I have often wondered why Church needs to be diversified. Why does Judas have to be at the Last Supper anyway? Why didn’t Barabbas go to the cross? I mean, life would be so much easier without them. While Jesus doesn’t exactly answer the question, he does acknowledge the problem exists. Hear the Master’s words:
24Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
27"The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?'
28" 'An enemy did this,' he replied. "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'
29" 'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.' " Matthew 13: 24-30
Living in a mixed Church is… it simply IS. We are consoled by the assurance that this hasn’t taken God by surprise. He will make it right one Day. In the meantime, we – who have yet to be called out – are given certain chrisms with which we are to clothe ourselves; disposition of love, absence of judgment, and peace. We are to remain cautious; and never compromise the Faith of the Church and everything for which it stands.
In a distant way, this sort of posturing reminds me of Jesus when he was here.
I have many friends who have left the denomination. Part of me is saddened because they are good people and I will miss them. My blessing runs with them, though, and I bless their new call. After all, it’s all about populating the Kingdom of God.
As for me, and others who have yet to be lead away, my job is to be content and minister on. I’ve been in the denomination for nearly 30 years now – 15 years as a paid lay person/minister and 15 years as an ordained person. Very early on I wanted to leave. Now that God has developed a deeper sense of his will and timetable in my heart, I no longer yearn – like a runner posed and ready to bolt at the sound of the gun – to leave the church. If and when my time comes I’ll be ready. Until then, there is work to do. Not unlike the Second Coming.
So how are we – those who have remained – to poise ourselves in the face of rising theology and praxis which flies in the face of Christian Orthodoxy? First we need to be cautious. This is a real danger – not unlike a tiger sticking its head into a house. Paul writes the church at Romans:
I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. Romans 16:17-19
He writes, “Stay away from them.” He doesn’t say, “Leave them,” nor does he say, “Befriend them.” This is a tone of cautiousness. Be careful. Be aware of who they are, what they have the potential to do, and don’t fall into the same trap as they have. Through it all we’re to maintain a disposition of peace.
Here’s Paul once again:
17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19Do 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. 20On 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." 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:17-21
Now, just in case your inner warrior or Biblical Jihad rose up in you after reading this passage – you know, the whole misguided idea of giving your enemy water and food because somehow in God’s mysterious ways Jesus will change your water into the wine of God’s wrath – let me offer to you something that may sober you up. This quote (about the coals being heaped on the heads of those we bless) is taken from Proverbs 25:21-22 – and it’s from a really, really long time ago. In that day and age it was well known that Egyptians – when charged guilty of a crime – often carried a basin of hot coals around on their heads as a visible symbol of their admission of guilt and repentance.
Yeah.
So Paul is saying that, as we give water to our enemies who thirst and as we give food to our enemies who hunger – or, in other words, as we love our enemies – they just might “get it,” turn around, and look for a basin of heaping coals to put on their heads as a sign of sincere and public repentance.
That puts it in an entirely different perspective.
I have often wondered why Church needs to be diversified. Why does Judas have to be at the Last Supper anyway? Why didn’t Barabbas go to the cross? I mean, life would be so much easier without them. While Jesus doesn’t exactly answer the question, he does acknowledge the problem exists. Hear the Master’s words:
24Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
27"The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?'
28" 'An enemy did this,' he replied. "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'
29" 'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.' " Matthew 13: 24-30
Living in a mixed Church is… it simply IS. We are consoled by the assurance that this hasn’t taken God by surprise. He will make it right one Day. In the meantime, we – who have yet to be called out – are given certain chrisms with which we are to clothe ourselves; disposition of love, absence of judgment, and peace. We are to remain cautious; and never compromise the Faith of the Church and everything for which it stands.
In a distant way, this sort of posturing reminds me of Jesus when he was here.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Restoration in Difficult Circumstances
Editors Note: This blog will seek to clarify how restoration is possible in difficult or impossible situations. These are spin-off questions and items from this morning’s sermon.
While Biblical restoration with the Lord and others is always God’s will. There are difficult times and situations that warrant a closer look. For example, in the case of abuse, does God want to restore me back into that situation? If so, I want no part of it! When I ask forgiveness from a person who has hurt me, am I to jump back into the same lion cage as before and be all “buddy-buddy” with them – only to be scratched again? Is that what forgiveness asks of me?
Here are some difficult questions around the idea of restoration:
Q1. How is restoration possible with a dead person?
A1. We’re commanded in Scripture not to talk with the dead. In cases that require the asking or giving of forgiveness to those who have passed it is necessary to do that within the context of prayer; stating the conversation to Jesus and using the words that you would like him to pass onto the deceased. He knows where everyone is. If they are with him, that wont be a problem and you can pray with confidence and peace. Even if their eternal resting place is uncertain – something we are not to judge, by the way – Jesus can get the word to them and you will have a sense of peace and release after your “Amen.”
Q2. If I forgive someone who has hurt me does that mean I have to befriend them and wind up getting hurt all over again?
A2. Remember, forgiveness is a releasing a person from the actions, behavior, or sin to the heart of God. You relinquish judgment of that person to the Judge of All and intentionally wash your hands of the event. Sometimes, God may even allow you to view the “breacher” with His eyes – eyes of love and a heart of compassion towards the very person who once hated and denied you so severally.
However, this does not mean that everything is hunky-dory. While you may have changed, the other person may not have changed. You’ll need to use real wisdom now as to how the relationship should move forward from this point. Sometimes that means you decide to never see or contact that person again – especially if it an issue regarding the transgression of a sexual boundary. Other-times it may mean you can see that person occasionally, but remain guarded all the same. If you have been restored with the person, nothing may need to change. Be content in that you know that “restoration” was God’s will. You need not feel obligated to linger in the muck.
Restoration within the context of a “live-in” situation – say with a son or spouse – is a beautiful thing. It’s a bit different than forgiveness. I’m thinking that the need to be restored is the accumulatory effect of numerous “unforgivenesses” or “denials.” In cases like this, restitution will bring the family tighter together and you probably won’t wind up “getting hurt all over again” – at least to the same extent as before. Restoration among blessed unions should strengthen them.
Q3. I know I ought to forgive but I don’t feel like it.
A3. Rarely people do. On one level we forgive because Christ forgave us. ‘Nough said. Yet if our forgiveness is a knee-jerk reaction because “it’s the right thing to do,” we’ve invalidated the holiness of the gift.
People sometimes run a decade of un-forgiveness because of the hurt they suffered. They often look to a court case, or some other form of retribution to happen to the abuser before they then feel “safe” to offer their forgiveness. The idea is that, once the person has sufficiently suffered the crime, forgiveness will come all the more easily. But that isn’t the case. I saw a news show where the family sought the death penalty for the killer of their daughter. They hated the killer (who wouldn’t?) and could have prevented him from going to the chair, but didn’t. Years after the killer’s death they were still bitter and enraged at the situation.
It would have been completely inappropriate for that family to forgive that man the very next day. That would have, in my mind, sported a superficial spirituality. Yet to deliberately withhold it wasn’t any better for anyone.
There is a proper time and place for restoration to happen. It will be natural and graceful. For some it takes longer, others shorter. When it’s your time to forgive, God will line it up for you. And – even then – you may not feel like it, but you will know it’s the right thing to do. It will only be afterwards when your feelings may follow. We forgive because we have been forgiven.
Q4. I cannot forgive the person who did this to me.
A2. Quite right; true forgiveness is one of those heavenly attributes that comes from heaven, through you, and lands in the heart of the other – not unlike God’s love, poured out through Christ on the Cross, into our hearts. Truth is that you have the ability to forgive that person (by virtue of the forgiveness in Christ bestowed on you). The looming question is what’s preventing you from releasing it?
Q5. I want my relationship restored. But s/he will have no part of it. What do I do?
A5. The most important thing here is to make sure the person knows of your intent for restoration and leave that door open until that person decides to walk through it. Your posture should be a posture of restoration. One day they may run to you and meet you like Peter ran to meet Jesus on the beach. Then you will be ready for it – and how glorious it all will be!
I know I mentioned the idea of “spiritual sludge” build-up in those folks who turn the other cheek at Biblical restoration. In this case, however, I believe your sincere posture of restoration is the Drano you need to get on with your life. Even if they never meet you on the beach you can rise with purpose into God’s call, knowing you’ve held nothing back.
Other questions? Shoot me an email at bill@holyapostles.cc.
While Biblical restoration with the Lord and others is always God’s will. There are difficult times and situations that warrant a closer look. For example, in the case of abuse, does God want to restore me back into that situation? If so, I want no part of it! When I ask forgiveness from a person who has hurt me, am I to jump back into the same lion cage as before and be all “buddy-buddy” with them – only to be scratched again? Is that what forgiveness asks of me?
Here are some difficult questions around the idea of restoration:
Q1. How is restoration possible with a dead person?
A1. We’re commanded in Scripture not to talk with the dead. In cases that require the asking or giving of forgiveness to those who have passed it is necessary to do that within the context of prayer; stating the conversation to Jesus and using the words that you would like him to pass onto the deceased. He knows where everyone is. If they are with him, that wont be a problem and you can pray with confidence and peace. Even if their eternal resting place is uncertain – something we are not to judge, by the way – Jesus can get the word to them and you will have a sense of peace and release after your “Amen.”
Q2. If I forgive someone who has hurt me does that mean I have to befriend them and wind up getting hurt all over again?
A2. Remember, forgiveness is a releasing a person from the actions, behavior, or sin to the heart of God. You relinquish judgment of that person to the Judge of All and intentionally wash your hands of the event. Sometimes, God may even allow you to view the “breacher” with His eyes – eyes of love and a heart of compassion towards the very person who once hated and denied you so severally.
However, this does not mean that everything is hunky-dory. While you may have changed, the other person may not have changed. You’ll need to use real wisdom now as to how the relationship should move forward from this point. Sometimes that means you decide to never see or contact that person again – especially if it an issue regarding the transgression of a sexual boundary. Other-times it may mean you can see that person occasionally, but remain guarded all the same. If you have been restored with the person, nothing may need to change. Be content in that you know that “restoration” was God’s will. You need not feel obligated to linger in the muck.
Restoration within the context of a “live-in” situation – say with a son or spouse – is a beautiful thing. It’s a bit different than forgiveness. I’m thinking that the need to be restored is the accumulatory effect of numerous “unforgivenesses” or “denials.” In cases like this, restitution will bring the family tighter together and you probably won’t wind up “getting hurt all over again” – at least to the same extent as before. Restoration among blessed unions should strengthen them.
Q3. I know I ought to forgive but I don’t feel like it.
A3. Rarely people do. On one level we forgive because Christ forgave us. ‘Nough said. Yet if our forgiveness is a knee-jerk reaction because “it’s the right thing to do,” we’ve invalidated the holiness of the gift.
People sometimes run a decade of un-forgiveness because of the hurt they suffered. They often look to a court case, or some other form of retribution to happen to the abuser before they then feel “safe” to offer their forgiveness. The idea is that, once the person has sufficiently suffered the crime, forgiveness will come all the more easily. But that isn’t the case. I saw a news show where the family sought the death penalty for the killer of their daughter. They hated the killer (who wouldn’t?) and could have prevented him from going to the chair, but didn’t. Years after the killer’s death they were still bitter and enraged at the situation.
It would have been completely inappropriate for that family to forgive that man the very next day. That would have, in my mind, sported a superficial spirituality. Yet to deliberately withhold it wasn’t any better for anyone.
There is a proper time and place for restoration to happen. It will be natural and graceful. For some it takes longer, others shorter. When it’s your time to forgive, God will line it up for you. And – even then – you may not feel like it, but you will know it’s the right thing to do. It will only be afterwards when your feelings may follow. We forgive because we have been forgiven.
Q4. I cannot forgive the person who did this to me.
A2. Quite right; true forgiveness is one of those heavenly attributes that comes from heaven, through you, and lands in the heart of the other – not unlike God’s love, poured out through Christ on the Cross, into our hearts. Truth is that you have the ability to forgive that person (by virtue of the forgiveness in Christ bestowed on you). The looming question is what’s preventing you from releasing it?
Q5. I want my relationship restored. But s/he will have no part of it. What do I do?
A5. The most important thing here is to make sure the person knows of your intent for restoration and leave that door open until that person decides to walk through it. Your posture should be a posture of restoration. One day they may run to you and meet you like Peter ran to meet Jesus on the beach. Then you will be ready for it – and how glorious it all will be!
I know I mentioned the idea of “spiritual sludge” build-up in those folks who turn the other cheek at Biblical restoration. In this case, however, I believe your sincere posture of restoration is the Drano you need to get on with your life. Even if they never meet you on the beach you can rise with purpose into God’s call, knowing you’ve held nothing back.
Other questions? Shoot me an email at bill@holyapostles.cc.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Predestined to Eternal Free Will?
Recently a member of the church asked me about the mystery found in Hebrews 6:4-6.
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance...
This is what I said.
These verses are given in the context of moving on towards perfection (Hebrews 6:1) and growing up in the Lord. As it is a natural progression for a person to grow from infancy to adulthood, the same is also true in a spiritual sense.
In his language, the writer of Hebrews is admitting that it is possible to look like a Christian, behave like a Christian, and even be – or have been – a Christian when, in realtiy, the person is not a Christian. In essence, it is a sobering exhortation for all followers of Christ to, in Jesus’ words, “see to it that the light in you is not darkness.” (Luke 11:35)
This is one of the most difficult passages in Scripture – as it allows room for apostasy, or the breaking away from the faith. The idea of apostasy is common in both OT and NT. Remember the Israelites who were marvelously rescued from Egypt? Many of them turned away from Yahweh and worshipped other gods (and were consequently destroyed in the meantime). They were redeemed as “the chosen people” yet, over the course of time, turned away because of their own free will and intentional decisions to turn their backs on God.
In addition, the NT is filled with warnings about “false teachers” (2 Peter 2 and 1 Timothy 4) who were formally “one of us” (1 John 2:19) but strayed into the enemy’s camp. These Scriptures speak unequivocally to the fact that it is within a person’s fallen nature to choose another god and that, on some level, God chooses to honor that decision.
The difficulty in the passage lies in its allusiveness. It either says, “You can be a full hearted believer, make a mistake and/or intentionally throw it all away, and wind up in hell,” or it says, “’Christians’ who seemed to have had it all together can fall away from God - and that they could have only done that because they were never of God in the first place. God knew that so they were predestined for their particular [chosen?] fate.”
Either way, the passage raises considerable uneasiness among the faithful.
While the intent of the passage is to encourage us to press forward and not drift away, it serves a wonderful reminder that God is a holy, consuming fire. He is God; we ought to fear and revere him as the one who has the power to “destroy both the soul and the body in hell.” (Matt. 10:28)
Conversely, Jesus said that there is only really one sin that can lead us away from the bosom of the Father – only one sin that is unforgivable and, therefore, circles back around the punishment of eternal separation from God through one’s one deliberate rebellion – and that is the sin of Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. (See Matt. 12:32) In its most basic definition, the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is an intentional failure to recognize Jesus as the Son of God.
Whew!
You may say, “I love God. Sure I mess up, sin, and even succumb to years of addiction and intentional mistakes. Does that mean I’m out of the Loop?” Nope - not at all. Have you abandoned the faith? No. Are you concerned about your relationship with the Lord? Yes. That says it all.
If you weren't concerned about it you wouldn't have raised the issue. You wouldn't have raised the issue if you weren't fearful of loosing it. The fact you're fearful of loosing it says you still have it.
Sometimes even married people fight because they fear loosing what they have. Their fighting and wrestling, in a sense, proves their lifelong love for one another.
While we may never know why people backslide from Faith one thing is certain (and I couldn’t say this any better than Gerald Hawthorne in his Commentary on Hebrews, The International Bible Commentary, ed. F.F. Bruce, Zondervan Publishers): [This] is not the result of a quick decision in a weak moment, but of a gradual hardening process within the mind which has crystallized now into a ‘constant attitude’ of hostility towards Christ.”
The take-a-way here reminds us of the double-edged coin of God’s mysterious ways. At the same time wherein we are reminded of the tremendous rebellion and its eternal potential of our own humanness – and therefore stirred in our souls to press on in the Faith – we are simultaneously arrested with the revelation that the Blood of Christ’s Forgiveness runs deeper than any sin and that we are securely sealed by the Holy Spirit for the glorious Day of Redemption. (Ephesians Eph. 1:14)
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance...
This is what I said.
These verses are given in the context of moving on towards perfection (Hebrews 6:1) and growing up in the Lord. As it is a natural progression for a person to grow from infancy to adulthood, the same is also true in a spiritual sense.
In his language, the writer of Hebrews is admitting that it is possible to look like a Christian, behave like a Christian, and even be – or have been – a Christian when, in realtiy, the person is not a Christian. In essence, it is a sobering exhortation for all followers of Christ to, in Jesus’ words, “see to it that the light in you is not darkness.” (Luke 11:35)
This is one of the most difficult passages in Scripture – as it allows room for apostasy, or the breaking away from the faith. The idea of apostasy is common in both OT and NT. Remember the Israelites who were marvelously rescued from Egypt? Many of them turned away from Yahweh and worshipped other gods (and were consequently destroyed in the meantime). They were redeemed as “the chosen people” yet, over the course of time, turned away because of their own free will and intentional decisions to turn their backs on God.
In addition, the NT is filled with warnings about “false teachers” (2 Peter 2 and 1 Timothy 4) who were formally “one of us” (1 John 2:19) but strayed into the enemy’s camp. These Scriptures speak unequivocally to the fact that it is within a person’s fallen nature to choose another god and that, on some level, God chooses to honor that decision.
The difficulty in the passage lies in its allusiveness. It either says, “You can be a full hearted believer, make a mistake and/or intentionally throw it all away, and wind up in hell,” or it says, “’Christians’ who seemed to have had it all together can fall away from God - and that they could have only done that because they were never of God in the first place. God knew that so they were predestined for their particular [chosen?] fate.”
Either way, the passage raises considerable uneasiness among the faithful.
While the intent of the passage is to encourage us to press forward and not drift away, it serves a wonderful reminder that God is a holy, consuming fire. He is God; we ought to fear and revere him as the one who has the power to “destroy both the soul and the body in hell.” (Matt. 10:28)
Conversely, Jesus said that there is only really one sin that can lead us away from the bosom of the Father – only one sin that is unforgivable and, therefore, circles back around the punishment of eternal separation from God through one’s one deliberate rebellion – and that is the sin of Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. (See Matt. 12:32) In its most basic definition, the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is an intentional failure to recognize Jesus as the Son of God.
Whew!
You may say, “I love God. Sure I mess up, sin, and even succumb to years of addiction and intentional mistakes. Does that mean I’m out of the Loop?” Nope - not at all. Have you abandoned the faith? No. Are you concerned about your relationship with the Lord? Yes. That says it all.
If you weren't concerned about it you wouldn't have raised the issue. You wouldn't have raised the issue if you weren't fearful of loosing it. The fact you're fearful of loosing it says you still have it.
Sometimes even married people fight because they fear loosing what they have. Their fighting and wrestling, in a sense, proves their lifelong love for one another.
While we may never know why people backslide from Faith one thing is certain (and I couldn’t say this any better than Gerald Hawthorne in his Commentary on Hebrews, The International Bible Commentary, ed. F.F. Bruce, Zondervan Publishers): [This] is not the result of a quick decision in a weak moment, but of a gradual hardening process within the mind which has crystallized now into a ‘constant attitude’ of hostility towards Christ.”
The take-a-way here reminds us of the double-edged coin of God’s mysterious ways. At the same time wherein we are reminded of the tremendous rebellion and its eternal potential of our own humanness – and therefore stirred in our souls to press on in the Faith – we are simultaneously arrested with the revelation that the Blood of Christ’s Forgiveness runs deeper than any sin and that we are securely sealed by the Holy Spirit for the glorious Day of Redemption. (Ephesians Eph. 1:14)
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Mid-Wifing the World
When I teach people how to heal the sick I tell them to take on the role of a mid-wife. A mid-wife has a unique role in the birth of a child. The mid-wife didn't conceive the child, nor will he raise the child. His or her sole role is to bless - to encourage through the power of the Spirit - the person who is giving birth, right then and there, underneath the midwife's capable supervision.
Now God is birthing things all over the place - not only under the hand of the healing minister. People everywhere are birthing dreams, wrestling with God, and struggling to overcome life-long demons. You can find them at HEB, on the RTD, and even homeless in the streets. Everywhere you go, God is doing something in the people surrounding you.
Think of that.
Add to that your role and ministry of the mid-wife -- the one who blesses, who encourages, who loves others through their unique birthings in the power and grace of the Holy Spirit and you have an instant ministry that looks a lot like the ministry of Jesus.
Our healing teams have been taught to bless and birth. Alright, fair enough (and they do a magnificant job of it as well!). Yet, what would happen if we took that same role of blessing and birth into the streets, into the places where people need it the most?
Here's the challenge: As you relate to others - howbeit a waiter at Ruthie's or someone standing in line with you at Ritz's Camera - think of yourself as being a mid-wife THERE, with THEM, open to any opportunity the Lord may give to do those same beautiful things we do in the church, right there, in the world, with them, there and them.
In so doing you will bless others and glorify Jesus in real tangeble ways.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
There is No Relief for Love
I just read this poem, written by the Rev. Ted McNabb. I don't know who he is but he writes a profound poem!
Breath deeply....
Hesed
There is no relief for love.
It does not withdraw
From the tear in the eye
And the tear in the heart.
It does not vacate the dark night
While the trembling hand gropes in vain
For lack of sight and a door shut tight.
It stays
To share a cup of bloody sweat
That will not pass.
It stays
To hang upon a nail
The intolerable coat of shame
And the thorny cap of blame.
It waits
Past the time of hope
At the tomb surrounded
By the old undefeated guard.
It waits
Deeper than hope
For the dawn to break.
Open the door and take
The hopeless home.
Easter A.D.2009
Breath deeply....
Hesed
There is no relief for love.
It does not withdraw
From the tear in the eye
And the tear in the heart.
It does not vacate the dark night
While the trembling hand gropes in vain
For lack of sight and a door shut tight.
It stays
To share a cup of bloody sweat
That will not pass.
It stays
To hang upon a nail
The intolerable coat of shame
And the thorny cap of blame.
It waits
Past the time of hope
At the tomb surrounded
By the old undefeated guard.
It waits
Deeper than hope
For the dawn to break.
Open the door and take
The hopeless home.
The Rev. Ted McNabb
Published in The Anglican DigestEaster A.D.2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
10 FAQ'S
As we come to the end of this “teaching-slash-commentary” I’d like to close with a few questions and answers regarding the use of spiritual gifts. These are questions I’ve had through the years. Perhaps you’ve had them, too.
Here we go:
Q. How I can tell when I’m in my spiritual gift or when I’m working outside my gifts and skills?
A. When a person is in their gift the activity is accompanied with a rich sense of joy - a delight in doing what is almost too good to be true! There is also a certain keenness, of a sharpness of mind, that comes into play. It’s a “just knowing what to do and how to do-it-ness” about the activity.” Spiritual activities don’t get blurred – or ill-defined – they become crystallized.
Conversely, when a person is outside her gifts there will be a general sense of draining. Energy will dwaine and “ministry” may become synonymous with “chore.” That’s not to say that ministry can’t be draining even when a person is in her gift, only that there is disposition of fatigue and “work” when a person has stepped into someone else’s spiritual turf.
Q. Can’t natural abilities be the same as spiritual gifts?
A. When we come to Christ there is no doubt that God takes our “water” and changes it to “wine” – meaning everything/all that we are is crucified and raised to new life in Christ. If you were a teacher before you were raised with Christ, you will still be a teacher afterward – howbeit your teaching will no doubt take on the added element of the fragrance of Christ. So, in one sense, “wine happens.”
There is a strong body of belief which states our gift(s) actually lie somewhat dormant in our hearts until awakened with Christ, that we are born with everything we need and everything we need will kick in to play the moment we surrender our lives to Christ. Before Christ, they are exhibited in society, but in a far less influential way than they would have been (or could have been) through a converted heart.
For example, a person with the “dormant gift of evangelism” may turn out to be a very influential person - like an Elvis, Sir Paul, or a convincing spokesperson for a “Just Say Yes” campaign - someone with a culturally defined, "natural charisma." Then, when the soul of that person becomes a new creation in Christ, their semi-dormant gift then becomes all that God originally intended it to be and things really kick into gear. Until that time, the gifts are used, and the person may find some sense of fulfillment therein, but their use is far less than God’s potential. (It’s difficult to argue with that because no one knows if it’s really true or not.)
Unless otherwise informed, I still abide by the old Biblical view: our skills and natural giftedness become empowered when we become Christians and, at the same time, God gives us our spiritual gift(s) when we are filled with the Spirit. It’s not as nice and tightly defined as it could be hoped for. There are numerous variable that go into the seen giftedness of an individual. And - as we have seen, God has the right to call up any of his gifts/skills on as “as needed” basis.
Q. Can I use spiritual gifts outside “church”?
A. Absolutely. A dear friend of mine has the gift of administration – which she uses and is paid for at BP. Many who have the gift of service and helps find themselves in the food service profession. Others with gifts of compassion, and mercy find themselves in the medical profession. Behind it all – whether within or without the organized church – the function of our gifts is to evangelize and empower others for Christ, regardless of where ever you are.
Q. Are there lesser and greater gifts?
A. No. Paul is quite emphatic here: there are not. All gifts are given and based in the Holy Spirit. Some gifts, of course, are more “in the limelight” than others. But that has nothing to do with their power or potential of use. A person who serves, or those with the gifts of hospitality, mercy, intercession, or giving are on equal footing with the prophets and apostles.
Q. Sometimes in church I feel the Lord would have me share a vision, speak a prophecy, or deliver a message in tongues. My heart pounds, I break out in a sweat, and my hands begin to tremble. What do I do with that?
A. Take two aspirin and call me in the morning...
That’s a wonderful question. I believe that God’s desire is to always have a prophetic word when followers of Jesus are gathered. Perhaps this is why there is such a push for prophets to arise from among the people. – and relevant because, as the days wear on, God will be moving more and more in revelatory ways. If you have a gift - or even the stirring of a gift that is meant to edify and build up others - you need to talk to your priest, pastor, elder, shepherd about it. The operation of your gift needs to be done in order, in a way that “fits” with the blessing of your spiritual elder, and - most importantly - in a way that God gets the fame.
If the sharing of a revelatory gift at your church would be a bit out of the box, the Lord may grant you and your pastor wisdom in how to get the word out decently and in order. There are always avenues wherein a word from God can get into the congregation. It may be couched within the framework of a written prayer, creatively infused within the story-line of a a book, or poem, written into a song, or posted in the newsletter or on the church website.
Q. Is there a "growing curve" with spiritual gifts? Will it get better as I go along?
A. Most definitely. If you are in a small group, that is the best place to begin. Like crawling, toddling, walking, and running there is a real progression to one's maturity in his or her spiritual gift. Timing, wisdom, and - above all - love are key components in the operation of spiritual gifts. Once the gift is given there’s no need to rush it. You will always have it.
So go slow. Read about it, practice it in little places. As God sees you are faithful in the little things, he will raise you up to be a greater influence for him.
A big piece in the growing curve is one's personal character - his or her discipline to live/walk according to the light he or she has been shown. That means there is a relationship between the human health of the gifted person and the integrity of his or her corresponding public reflection of the Risen Christ. Many people are tremendously gifted but they also have besetting “intentional” issues in their lives. If a person is living in outright rebellion it creates a problem. God has a reputation to keep. If needed, he will wait until that person matures in Grace so that, when his gifts are made public, people will see both an inner and outer integrity of the minister and can receive the gift, giving full glory to God, with no reservations.
This is not to say we need to be completely sinless to minister in holiness. Noting could be further from the truth. God uses imperfect vessels to do his perfect work. Yet his perfect work arises from humble hearts, broken and fully reliant on his all sufficient grace. People may still fall short of their spiritual convictions. But they get up, receive forgiveness, and get back into God’s Life and work. That’s the difference, One cannot be in rebellion to the Lord and have a contrite heart.
Q. Do you have to have been “baptized in the Holy Spirit” to have a spiritual gift?
A. No. Your gifts were given to you by default when you became a follower of Jesus. At that time, the Spirit entered your heart and sealed you as one of his own, for eternal life. You have the gifts of the Holy Spirit because you have the GIFT of the Holy Spirit.
However, when a person is anointed in the Spirit, she is endowed with power from God. Everything about the spiritual life of that person is changed - including the potency of her gifts.
It’s hard to understand why a person would seek to avoid receiving the empowerment of the Spirit. God is good - so it doesn’t hurt. And he wants to see the Good News spread across the globe - so do most Christians - and has provided the supernatural means-with-all to do it, through the empowerment of the Spirit. Sounds like a no-brainer to me.
Q. Where else can I find information on the gifts?
A. The Internet, gift blogs, Christian book stores, or at by doing a search at CBD (Christian Book Distributors) online.
In your research you will find two general schools of thought on the gifts of the Spirit. First, there is a view that the gifts ceased when the Bible was written. That view is anchored in 1 Corinthians 13.8-9. These good folks would say that the gifts were imperfect – or that it was the best way God could speak to his people before the Bible (the perfect) came along. Obviously, I don’t agree with that. The other side would more/less express the views of the gifts as I have here: all the gifts are all around until Jesus (the perfect love) appears at the end of the Age. Theories vary about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. You’ll see.
Q. What do I need to believe about the gifts in order to have eternal life?
A. Nothing. Nothing at all.
Eternal life comes when you turn away from your sin, believe that God raised Jesus from the dead, and embrace the Faith with faith. People like to add other ingredients into that – like current moral/lifestyle issues, politics, theories of evolution, and even fallibility stances over the Scriptures themselves. While these things are important, they – like the gifts of the Spirit – have absolutely nothing to do with one’s eternal salvation in Jesus Christ. Salvation is one thing; how it’s lived out is quite another.
This is the final blog in A Primer for Spiritual Gifts. I hope it has all been helpful for you. The important thing is to discover your gifts and use your gifts for the glory of God.
Look around the church or community for a place for what God has given and get busy! We need you in the Body of Christ. We need to see the love of God in your gifts. More importantly, the world needs to see Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Here we go:
Q. How I can tell when I’m in my spiritual gift or when I’m working outside my gifts and skills?
A. When a person is in their gift the activity is accompanied with a rich sense of joy - a delight in doing what is almost too good to be true! There is also a certain keenness, of a sharpness of mind, that comes into play. It’s a “just knowing what to do and how to do-it-ness” about the activity.” Spiritual activities don’t get blurred – or ill-defined – they become crystallized.
Conversely, when a person is outside her gifts there will be a general sense of draining. Energy will dwaine and “ministry” may become synonymous with “chore.” That’s not to say that ministry can’t be draining even when a person is in her gift, only that there is disposition of fatigue and “work” when a person has stepped into someone else’s spiritual turf.
Q. Can’t natural abilities be the same as spiritual gifts?
A. When we come to Christ there is no doubt that God takes our “water” and changes it to “wine” – meaning everything/all that we are is crucified and raised to new life in Christ. If you were a teacher before you were raised with Christ, you will still be a teacher afterward – howbeit your teaching will no doubt take on the added element of the fragrance of Christ. So, in one sense, “wine happens.”
There is a strong body of belief which states our gift(s) actually lie somewhat dormant in our hearts until awakened with Christ, that we are born with everything we need and everything we need will kick in to play the moment we surrender our lives to Christ. Before Christ, they are exhibited in society, but in a far less influential way than they would have been (or could have been) through a converted heart.
For example, a person with the “dormant gift of evangelism” may turn out to be a very influential person - like an Elvis, Sir Paul, or a convincing spokesperson for a “Just Say Yes” campaign - someone with a culturally defined, "natural charisma." Then, when the soul of that person becomes a new creation in Christ, their semi-dormant gift then becomes all that God originally intended it to be and things really kick into gear. Until that time, the gifts are used, and the person may find some sense of fulfillment therein, but their use is far less than God’s potential. (It’s difficult to argue with that because no one knows if it’s really true or not.)
Unless otherwise informed, I still abide by the old Biblical view: our skills and natural giftedness become empowered when we become Christians and, at the same time, God gives us our spiritual gift(s) when we are filled with the Spirit. It’s not as nice and tightly defined as it could be hoped for. There are numerous variable that go into the seen giftedness of an individual. And - as we have seen, God has the right to call up any of his gifts/skills on as “as needed” basis.
Q. Can I use spiritual gifts outside “church”?
A. Absolutely. A dear friend of mine has the gift of administration – which she uses and is paid for at BP. Many who have the gift of service and helps find themselves in the food service profession. Others with gifts of compassion, and mercy find themselves in the medical profession. Behind it all – whether within or without the organized church – the function of our gifts is to evangelize and empower others for Christ, regardless of where ever you are.
Q. Are there lesser and greater gifts?
A. No. Paul is quite emphatic here: there are not. All gifts are given and based in the Holy Spirit. Some gifts, of course, are more “in the limelight” than others. But that has nothing to do with their power or potential of use. A person who serves, or those with the gifts of hospitality, mercy, intercession, or giving are on equal footing with the prophets and apostles.
Q. Sometimes in church I feel the Lord would have me share a vision, speak a prophecy, or deliver a message in tongues. My heart pounds, I break out in a sweat, and my hands begin to tremble. What do I do with that?
A. Take two aspirin and call me in the morning...
That’s a wonderful question. I believe that God’s desire is to always have a prophetic word when followers of Jesus are gathered. Perhaps this is why there is such a push for prophets to arise from among the people. – and relevant because, as the days wear on, God will be moving more and more in revelatory ways. If you have a gift - or even the stirring of a gift that is meant to edify and build up others - you need to talk to your priest, pastor, elder, shepherd about it. The operation of your gift needs to be done in order, in a way that “fits” with the blessing of your spiritual elder, and - most importantly - in a way that God gets the fame.
If the sharing of a revelatory gift at your church would be a bit out of the box, the Lord may grant you and your pastor wisdom in how to get the word out decently and in order. There are always avenues wherein a word from God can get into the congregation. It may be couched within the framework of a written prayer, creatively infused within the story-line of a a book, or poem, written into a song, or posted in the newsletter or on the church website.
Q. Is there a "growing curve" with spiritual gifts? Will it get better as I go along?
A. Most definitely. If you are in a small group, that is the best place to begin. Like crawling, toddling, walking, and running there is a real progression to one's maturity in his or her spiritual gift. Timing, wisdom, and - above all - love are key components in the operation of spiritual gifts. Once the gift is given there’s no need to rush it. You will always have it.
So go slow. Read about it, practice it in little places. As God sees you are faithful in the little things, he will raise you up to be a greater influence for him.
A big piece in the growing curve is one's personal character - his or her discipline to live/walk according to the light he or she has been shown. That means there is a relationship between the human health of the gifted person and the integrity of his or her corresponding public reflection of the Risen Christ. Many people are tremendously gifted but they also have besetting “intentional” issues in their lives. If a person is living in outright rebellion it creates a problem. God has a reputation to keep. If needed, he will wait until that person matures in Grace so that, when his gifts are made public, people will see both an inner and outer integrity of the minister and can receive the gift, giving full glory to God, with no reservations.
This is not to say we need to be completely sinless to minister in holiness. Noting could be further from the truth. God uses imperfect vessels to do his perfect work. Yet his perfect work arises from humble hearts, broken and fully reliant on his all sufficient grace. People may still fall short of their spiritual convictions. But they get up, receive forgiveness, and get back into God’s Life and work. That’s the difference, One cannot be in rebellion to the Lord and have a contrite heart.
Q. Do you have to have been “baptized in the Holy Spirit” to have a spiritual gift?
A. No. Your gifts were given to you by default when you became a follower of Jesus. At that time, the Spirit entered your heart and sealed you as one of his own, for eternal life. You have the gifts of the Holy Spirit because you have the GIFT of the Holy Spirit.
However, when a person is anointed in the Spirit, she is endowed with power from God. Everything about the spiritual life of that person is changed - including the potency of her gifts.
It’s hard to understand why a person would seek to avoid receiving the empowerment of the Spirit. God is good - so it doesn’t hurt. And he wants to see the Good News spread across the globe - so do most Christians - and has provided the supernatural means-with-all to do it, through the empowerment of the Spirit. Sounds like a no-brainer to me.
Q. Where else can I find information on the gifts?
A. The Internet, gift blogs, Christian book stores, or at by doing a search at CBD (Christian Book Distributors) online.
In your research you will find two general schools of thought on the gifts of the Spirit. First, there is a view that the gifts ceased when the Bible was written. That view is anchored in 1 Corinthians 13.8-9. These good folks would say that the gifts were imperfect – or that it was the best way God could speak to his people before the Bible (the perfect) came along. Obviously, I don’t agree with that. The other side would more/less express the views of the gifts as I have here: all the gifts are all around until Jesus (the perfect love) appears at the end of the Age. Theories vary about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. You’ll see.
Q. What do I need to believe about the gifts in order to have eternal life?
A. Nothing. Nothing at all.
Eternal life comes when you turn away from your sin, believe that God raised Jesus from the dead, and embrace the Faith with faith. People like to add other ingredients into that – like current moral/lifestyle issues, politics, theories of evolution, and even fallibility stances over the Scriptures themselves. While these things are important, they – like the gifts of the Spirit – have absolutely nothing to do with one’s eternal salvation in Jesus Christ. Salvation is one thing; how it’s lived out is quite another.
This is the final blog in A Primer for Spiritual Gifts. I hope it has all been helpful for you. The important thing is to discover your gifts and use your gifts for the glory of God.
Look around the church or community for a place for what God has given and get busy! We need you in the Body of Christ. We need to see the love of God in your gifts. More importantly, the world needs to see Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
9 Baptism in the Holy Spirit
Here’s a question: Can a person be an authentic follower of Jesus without ever being baptized in the Spirit? Can he or she still receive forgiveness, still be in ministry with Christ, still grow into a fruitful believer, and even go to heaven without being filled with the Holy Spirit?
Yes. Unequivocally, yes!
There are large pockets of believers in Christ all over the world who maintain that the the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not relevant in this day and age. Some even preach against it. They may say the Spirit no longer needs to be made manifest in that capacity because we have the Bible. They may say we are all filled with the Spirit and don’t need a second (third, fourth, fifth, etc.) experience in the Spirit, or they may even say that the whole pentecostal experience is of the devil.
Perhaps the clearest examples of not needing the baptism in the Holy Spirit and still being a bionafied follower of Christ comes from the New Testament itself. The twelve disciples, for example, were “hands on” with the ministry of Christ. They partook in the ministry of Christ, performed miracles, and even went on mission trips where they cast out demons and healed the sick. They were powerful witnesses of Jesus Christ. And they all that - and probably many other things as well - before the Spirit fell at Pentecost.
Were they Christians before they had experienced Pentecost? Sure. Were they disciples? Yup. Did they have the Holy Spirit with them? You bet. If they had died before receiving the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost would they still go to heaven? Of course.
Similar situations happened throughout the book of Acts. Paul would come across “disciples” of Jesus – real, authentic, believers in the Lord – but, all the same, disciples who had were operating the outside the fullness of the Spirit. When they heard God had more for them, they received the Spirit and experienced the same manifestations of the Spirit the original disciples received at the Feast of Pentecost, there in the upper room, which would have included the gift of tongues.
Having said all that it would be terrible thing just to say all that without completing the picture. While the experience of the Spirit was not a prerequisite for salvation, or even essential to be a disciple of Christ, it had - and still has - an essential role in the life of the church.
Jesus attested to the importance of Pentecost when he emphatically told his disciples to cease doing ministry until they had been empowered with the Spirit of God. Apparently he thought it was pretty important. In addition, all the disciples experienced and ministered in their newfound empowerment. So, while not essential, they readily received the Spirit as the fulfillment of the Promise. The Holy Spirit is a most important aspect of the Life for many, many reasons. He is a Gift that Jesus died to give us.
In fact, the resurrected Christ is the one who baptizes people in the Holy Spirit. I don’t know about you. But, if he’s doing it, I want to be a part of it!
Just what is the baptism in the Holy Spirit? The baptism of the Spirit is an added experience (in addition to Salvation) wherein the full love of the Father is poured into our hearts. It is not meant to be a once in a lifetime experience but the beginning of limitless infilling within each follower of Jesus Christ. It is meant for the empowering and anointing of the followers of Jesus in order to fulfill the mission of Christ.
Some Christians look at the baptism of the Spirit as an anointing, or calling, into ministry that comes down from above, like how it happened to Jesus when he was baptized by his cousin John. Others see the infilling of the Spirit more akin to a "releasing" of the power residing within the heart of the convert. Among those who subscribe to this phenomenon, most everybody leans into the experience as a God-given provision to walk the walk and talk the talk, victoriously in Christ. It’s interesting to note that people coming in from cults and/or the occult tend to find themselves in “Spirit-filled,” or “Pentecostal,” or “charismatic” churches. I believe this is because they’re used to dealing with spiritual powers and need the fullness of the Spirit as grace-given counterbalance to maintain a life of spiritual victory before a holy God.
In Scripture, the Greek behind the word, “baptism” has to do with a full immersion, or total saturation, into the same substance that resides within. Here’s an example of that: My brother once gave me a picture he took of an old wooden canoe carved by Native Americans. In the photo, the canoe is filled with water and, in turn, the canoe is sunk under, or within, the water as well. That is a good picture of what it means to be baptized in the Spirit. We are baptized into the same Spirit that dwells within our hearts.
When a person comes to Christ he receives the Holy Spirit. It is a deposit placed within the heart which serves as a seal of adoption into the family of God, a guarantee of the future life in heaven, and an avenue wherein the love of the Father is poured out. That all happens when a person repents of the old life, turns to Christ, and he comes to dwell in the heart of the new believer.
But the baptism of the Holy Spirit is very different than that.
When I was first baptized in the Spirit I had been a Christian for a couple of years. I was hitchhiking around, sharing Christ with about everyone I met. All in all, it was pretty awesome. Previous to my conversion, I had been involved with activities that were quite dark and powerful and, although content in my walk with Christ, I often experienced the devil's reside in my life. As a Christian, I had not yet experienced the supernatural power I needed to walk victoriously in Christ.
One evening a friend of mine invited me to a gathering of Christians. When I arrived it happened to be in a large conference room where a band was leading everyone in worship - which was a new experience for me. As the worship intensified I received a vision of a cracked-open door that had intensely-white light beaming in from the around the sides and top. It was glorious.
It was then when I heard the Lord say, “Now, Bill, you know I love you right?” I nodded. “And you know I will never love you any more, or any less than I love you now – you know that, right” Again, I nodded. Then he said, “But I have more for you... Do you want more of me?” “Oh, yes Lord... you know I want everything you have for me.”
And, with that, that the door flew open and I was immediately saturated with the all-consuming realized presence of God. It was an overwhelming moment wherein I experienced the holiness of God up and against my sinful wretchedness - which seemed to be particularly highlighted during that time. Then, as I watched, His holiness completely swallowed up my sin and shame. A couple of things happened at that time. I was washed cleaner then ever before. It was then when he also exchanged my callused heart of stone for a heart heart of flesh.
I cried for a long time that night – tears of gratefulness, to be sure. I rose from that seat knowing - and experiencing the power and fullness of God. It was then when the verse, "Greater is he (Jesus) that is in you than he (satan) who is in the world” really became something I could believe in, something that had been firmly anchored and set as a seal over my heart.
Additionally, it was after that experience when I began to minister in the revelatory gifts of the Spirit. Everything about witnessing, worship, Bible study, personal holiness – all things Spiritual, including my heart for those outside the Faith – changed for me that evening.
So, in summary, we’ve learned that a person does not need to be baptized in the Spirit – overwhelmed and saturated in the holiness of God – in order to be a Christian, or even in order to have a ministry. Yet, Scripture recognizes the additional experience of a personal Pentecost which cannot be overlooked.
Jesus himself is the one who baptizes people with the power/fire of his love. When this happens, a person’s orientation on life (her call, gifts, passion, and heart for the things of God) dramatically come to focus and that person’s life is, by the grace of God, forever changed.
Yes. Unequivocally, yes!
There are large pockets of believers in Christ all over the world who maintain that the the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not relevant in this day and age. Some even preach against it. They may say the Spirit no longer needs to be made manifest in that capacity because we have the Bible. They may say we are all filled with the Spirit and don’t need a second (third, fourth, fifth, etc.) experience in the Spirit, or they may even say that the whole pentecostal experience is of the devil.
Perhaps the clearest examples of not needing the baptism in the Holy Spirit and still being a bionafied follower of Christ comes from the New Testament itself. The twelve disciples, for example, were “hands on” with the ministry of Christ. They partook in the ministry of Christ, performed miracles, and even went on mission trips where they cast out demons and healed the sick. They were powerful witnesses of Jesus Christ. And they all that - and probably many other things as well - before the Spirit fell at Pentecost.
Were they Christians before they had experienced Pentecost? Sure. Were they disciples? Yup. Did they have the Holy Spirit with them? You bet. If they had died before receiving the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost would they still go to heaven? Of course.
Similar situations happened throughout the book of Acts. Paul would come across “disciples” of Jesus – real, authentic, believers in the Lord – but, all the same, disciples who had were operating the outside the fullness of the Spirit. When they heard God had more for them, they received the Spirit and experienced the same manifestations of the Spirit the original disciples received at the Feast of Pentecost, there in the upper room, which would have included the gift of tongues.
Having said all that it would be terrible thing just to say all that without completing the picture. While the experience of the Spirit was not a prerequisite for salvation, or even essential to be a disciple of Christ, it had - and still has - an essential role in the life of the church.
Jesus attested to the importance of Pentecost when he emphatically told his disciples to cease doing ministry until they had been empowered with the Spirit of God. Apparently he thought it was pretty important. In addition, all the disciples experienced and ministered in their newfound empowerment. So, while not essential, they readily received the Spirit as the fulfillment of the Promise. The Holy Spirit is a most important aspect of the Life for many, many reasons. He is a Gift that Jesus died to give us.
In fact, the resurrected Christ is the one who baptizes people in the Holy Spirit. I don’t know about you. But, if he’s doing it, I want to be a part of it!
Just what is the baptism in the Holy Spirit? The baptism of the Spirit is an added experience (in addition to Salvation) wherein the full love of the Father is poured into our hearts. It is not meant to be a once in a lifetime experience but the beginning of limitless infilling within each follower of Jesus Christ. It is meant for the empowering and anointing of the followers of Jesus in order to fulfill the mission of Christ.
Some Christians look at the baptism of the Spirit as an anointing, or calling, into ministry that comes down from above, like how it happened to Jesus when he was baptized by his cousin John. Others see the infilling of the Spirit more akin to a "releasing" of the power residing within the heart of the convert. Among those who subscribe to this phenomenon, most everybody leans into the experience as a God-given provision to walk the walk and talk the talk, victoriously in Christ. It’s interesting to note that people coming in from cults and/or the occult tend to find themselves in “Spirit-filled,” or “Pentecostal,” or “charismatic” churches. I believe this is because they’re used to dealing with spiritual powers and need the fullness of the Spirit as grace-given counterbalance to maintain a life of spiritual victory before a holy God.
In Scripture, the Greek behind the word, “baptism” has to do with a full immersion, or total saturation, into the same substance that resides within. Here’s an example of that: My brother once gave me a picture he took of an old wooden canoe carved by Native Americans. In the photo, the canoe is filled with water and, in turn, the canoe is sunk under, or within, the water as well. That is a good picture of what it means to be baptized in the Spirit. We are baptized into the same Spirit that dwells within our hearts.
When a person comes to Christ he receives the Holy Spirit. It is a deposit placed within the heart which serves as a seal of adoption into the family of God, a guarantee of the future life in heaven, and an avenue wherein the love of the Father is poured out. That all happens when a person repents of the old life, turns to Christ, and he comes to dwell in the heart of the new believer.
But the baptism of the Holy Spirit is very different than that.
When I was first baptized in the Spirit I had been a Christian for a couple of years. I was hitchhiking around, sharing Christ with about everyone I met. All in all, it was pretty awesome. Previous to my conversion, I had been involved with activities that were quite dark and powerful and, although content in my walk with Christ, I often experienced the devil's reside in my life. As a Christian, I had not yet experienced the supernatural power I needed to walk victoriously in Christ.
One evening a friend of mine invited me to a gathering of Christians. When I arrived it happened to be in a large conference room where a band was leading everyone in worship - which was a new experience for me. As the worship intensified I received a vision of a cracked-open door that had intensely-white light beaming in from the around the sides and top. It was glorious.
It was then when I heard the Lord say, “Now, Bill, you know I love you right?” I nodded. “And you know I will never love you any more, or any less than I love you now – you know that, right” Again, I nodded. Then he said, “But I have more for you... Do you want more of me?” “Oh, yes Lord... you know I want everything you have for me.”
And, with that, that the door flew open and I was immediately saturated with the all-consuming realized presence of God. It was an overwhelming moment wherein I experienced the holiness of God up and against my sinful wretchedness - which seemed to be particularly highlighted during that time. Then, as I watched, His holiness completely swallowed up my sin and shame. A couple of things happened at that time. I was washed cleaner then ever before. It was then when he also exchanged my callused heart of stone for a heart heart of flesh.
I cried for a long time that night – tears of gratefulness, to be sure. I rose from that seat knowing - and experiencing the power and fullness of God. It was then when the verse, "Greater is he (Jesus) that is in you than he (satan) who is in the world” really became something I could believe in, something that had been firmly anchored and set as a seal over my heart.
Additionally, it was after that experience when I began to minister in the revelatory gifts of the Spirit. Everything about witnessing, worship, Bible study, personal holiness – all things Spiritual, including my heart for those outside the Faith – changed for me that evening.
So, in summary, we’ve learned that a person does not need to be baptized in the Spirit – overwhelmed and saturated in the holiness of God – in order to be a Christian, or even in order to have a ministry. Yet, Scripture recognizes the additional experience of a personal Pentecost which cannot be overlooked.
Jesus himself is the one who baptizes people with the power/fire of his love. When this happens, a person’s orientation on life (her call, gifts, passion, and heart for the things of God) dramatically come to focus and that person’s life is, by the grace of God, forever changed.
8 Tongues
Perhaps the most misunderstood gift of the Spirit is “tongues.” Let’s talk about that.
Paul wrote the Corinthians and thanked God that he spoke in tongues more than anyone else in their church, which indicates not only its authenticity but its viable place in the life of a follower of Jesus. Tongues of men and and tongues of angels are everywhere in the Bible. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit manifested himself through “tongues of men” - known languages from that current day and age. Many times afterward, when the Spirit showed up, tongues also showed up.
Just to clear the air: A person exercising the gift of tongues doesn’t go into a zombie-like trance with white foam oozing out from the sides of their mouth anymore than a bilingual person does when speaking in their second language.
The language of the Spirit is... well, a language. And, just like any other language, it comes with its own vocabulary, dialect, expressions, grammar, in-fluctuation, syllables, and so on. A person with the gift of tongues can speak, pray, or even sing their gift almost anywhere they please - at church, in the car, or even at the gym. Some can even use their gift in their mind - like you do when you talk to yourself. It’s use is solely at the discretion of the user.
What is the value of the gift of tongues. Scripture says a person who has the gift of tongues builds himself up in the faith. That means the strength of the Lord may be magnified, lifted up, or encouraged in the heart of a person when they praying tongues - perhaps something akin to taking a spiritual vitamin.
In addition, tongues is useful in situations when your unclear exactly how to pray, or when you’re prayed out over a situation and running on empty. This can be especially useful when passing the scene of an accident on the freeway, or pulling over for an ambulance racing to the hospital. I have personally noticed that my spiritual discernment seems to sharpen after I have spent time praying in “the Spirit.” This is especially helpful just before I lead worship or pray for others.
The first time I prayed in tongues it happened in a far-a-way field near the college I was attending and under the cloak of darkness...
At that time I didn’t believe in the gift of tongues but did believe, if tongues were real, that God was big enough to give them to me if I asked.
As mentioned earlier, I had also had substantial Bible teaching telling me that the gifts of the Spirit had died out when the Bible had been written. So, by asking God for the gift of tongues, I was fearful that I would get a gift of satan instead. It was all a bit spooky for me. So, with no one around (and when the airy cloud moved mysteriously crossed over the face of the full moon), I prayed. “God, I’m going to try this. But, if it’s not your will, I pray you will shut my mouth. Guide my tongue because here I go.” Then I started talking in make-believe.
Within a milli-second two distinct things happened. First, my mind was barraged with all manner of thoughts of personal condemnation, telling me I sounded like a full-fledged idiot - and that I was a “lousy, illogical witness for the cause of Christ.”
Within a milli-second of the first milli-second, the Spirit of God got a hold of my tongue and I took off - speaking be in a new, heavenly language! Just like that.
It wasn’t nearly as difficult, or strange, as I had made it out to be. In a distant way, it seemed almost normal. It was quite a powerful experience, though. I experienced a immediate sense of the presence of God and a corresponding surge of joy. In fact, the presence of God became so intense that I had to ease back on it. I had never had such an intense physiological experience with the the Lord before then. I got up from the field, looked up at the stars and said, “Wow, I guess tongues are still around.”
After an experience like that one would think I’d become fluent in the language and use it every day. But that wasn’t the case. In fact, in the years to follow I rarely revisited the gift and pretty much forgot all about it. Indeed, within a short period of time, I essentially talked myself out of the gift of tongues altogether.
About two years later found myself living on a kibbutz in Israel. One particular Saturday morning, I was in church when the pastor led the congregation into of time of “free-form singing in the Spirit.” It was beautiful. The entire place turned into a most holy place. The presence of God was all over the place - not unlike that night in the field. As the praises increased I heard a particular someone singing a magnificent praise to the Lord. Though I couldn’t make out the language, I knew it was glorifying God in an almost angelic language. It was so beautiful that I had to open my eyes to see who it was singing these beautiful song. I opened my eyes, traced the melody with my ears and – lo and behold – it was coming from me. It was a hallelujah moment.
That did it. From that day since (some 28 years) I have used this gift almost every day - when praying for others, when worshipping, or when simply clearing the pipes in my head before I teach. It’s never led me astray and - quite to the contrary - it has blessed others.
While tongues can build up an individual in the faith, they can also serve to edify a church, or a gathering of people. I believe there are at least two types of tongues. The first are those that are angelic, or other worldly. This is the type I was singing that day in Jerusalem. It is an intimate expression of praise, worship, intercession, and/or prayer, said in faith, mixed with love, and directed to God. These languages can be said simultaneously with others who have this gift in corporate settings because they are directed to God and are not intended as a prophetic gift for the gathered.
A second type of tongues manifest as actual languages of the world - like Spanish, Dutch, Finnish, or Indian. They are unknown to the user but are understood by anyone in the general vicinity who could understand what’s being said. These are given to impart a prophetic message - a word of encouragement and (sometimes direction) - to the people gathered. This type of gift is readily understood because it is heard from natives of the country of the tongue. When non-believers hear the words of the Lord in their own language, and additionally see that the tongue-talkers aren’t even from their own country, it is a tremendous testimony to God.
There is a use of the gift of tongues which is also prophetic in nature. They sound like angelic tongue - a language that is not of this world - yet their application takes the on the form of a prophetic word to those gathered. In these situations another spiritual gift must come into play - the interpretation of tongues - so that everyone can know what the person with the gift of angelic tongues is saying.
There is a danger in tongues. Tongues are fun. It’s the kind of gift that can be abused. Paul really came down hard on the church at Corinth because, each time they gathered, they did nothing but speak in tongues. The danger was that no one understood what was being said. So, if you have the gift of prophetic tongues, ask the Lord to give you an interpretation so you can follow your pronunciation in a known language – or ask the Lord to give someone else the interpretation. Or else, don’t do it at all.
What about the gift of tongues? Is it for you? As I mentioned a few chapters back, the big gift is the Holy Spirit himself. And, as I said, if you have the Holy Spirit in you then you have the potential for all the gifts of the Spirit - including tongues.
Could you speak in tongues? Most likely. I believe God would have Christians speaking in tongues much, much more than they do now. we are currently doing. Can you imagine that - waiting for a bus somewhere and speaking the marvelous praises of God in the precise language and dialect of the Muslim standing there next to you? The gift of tongues is a powerful form or prayer, intercession, spiritual warfare, and prophecy – and boy, in our day, do we need it.
If the Holy Spirit is in you – which He is – why not try it? Why not place this blog aside, sit back right now and ask Him to release the gift of tongues in your life? You don’t have to sneak away somewhere under the cloak of darkness. You can ask him to release the gift in your heart right here, right where you are now.
After you ask for it, give it a moment of silence and, when you feel the peace of the Lord resting upon you, simply start talking. It may sound like gibberish at first - no, let me correct that... It will sound like gibberish at first - and you will have your sincere doubts. But within a milli-second, the Spirit will get a hold of the water of your words and change them into the wine of a holy, heavenly language.
He may not do it - not now, anyway. But he just may. You’ll never know, until you ask.
Paul wrote the Corinthians and thanked God that he spoke in tongues more than anyone else in their church, which indicates not only its authenticity but its viable place in the life of a follower of Jesus. Tongues of men and and tongues of angels are everywhere in the Bible. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit manifested himself through “tongues of men” - known languages from that current day and age. Many times afterward, when the Spirit showed up, tongues also showed up.
Just to clear the air: A person exercising the gift of tongues doesn’t go into a zombie-like trance with white foam oozing out from the sides of their mouth anymore than a bilingual person does when speaking in their second language.
The language of the Spirit is... well, a language. And, just like any other language, it comes with its own vocabulary, dialect, expressions, grammar, in-fluctuation, syllables, and so on. A person with the gift of tongues can speak, pray, or even sing their gift almost anywhere they please - at church, in the car, or even at the gym. Some can even use their gift in their mind - like you do when you talk to yourself. It’s use is solely at the discretion of the user.
What is the value of the gift of tongues. Scripture says a person who has the gift of tongues builds himself up in the faith. That means the strength of the Lord may be magnified, lifted up, or encouraged in the heart of a person when they praying tongues - perhaps something akin to taking a spiritual vitamin.
In addition, tongues is useful in situations when your unclear exactly how to pray, or when you’re prayed out over a situation and running on empty. This can be especially useful when passing the scene of an accident on the freeway, or pulling over for an ambulance racing to the hospital. I have personally noticed that my spiritual discernment seems to sharpen after I have spent time praying in “the Spirit.” This is especially helpful just before I lead worship or pray for others.
The first time I prayed in tongues it happened in a far-a-way field near the college I was attending and under the cloak of darkness...
At that time I didn’t believe in the gift of tongues but did believe, if tongues were real, that God was big enough to give them to me if I asked.
As mentioned earlier, I had also had substantial Bible teaching telling me that the gifts of the Spirit had died out when the Bible had been written. So, by asking God for the gift of tongues, I was fearful that I would get a gift of satan instead. It was all a bit spooky for me. So, with no one around (and when the airy cloud moved mysteriously crossed over the face of the full moon), I prayed. “God, I’m going to try this. But, if it’s not your will, I pray you will shut my mouth. Guide my tongue because here I go.” Then I started talking in make-believe.
Within a milli-second two distinct things happened. First, my mind was barraged with all manner of thoughts of personal condemnation, telling me I sounded like a full-fledged idiot - and that I was a “lousy, illogical witness for the cause of Christ.”
Within a milli-second of the first milli-second, the Spirit of God got a hold of my tongue and I took off - speaking be in a new, heavenly language! Just like that.
It wasn’t nearly as difficult, or strange, as I had made it out to be. In a distant way, it seemed almost normal. It was quite a powerful experience, though. I experienced a immediate sense of the presence of God and a corresponding surge of joy. In fact, the presence of God became so intense that I had to ease back on it. I had never had such an intense physiological experience with the the Lord before then. I got up from the field, looked up at the stars and said, “Wow, I guess tongues are still around.”
After an experience like that one would think I’d become fluent in the language and use it every day. But that wasn’t the case. In fact, in the years to follow I rarely revisited the gift and pretty much forgot all about it. Indeed, within a short period of time, I essentially talked myself out of the gift of tongues altogether.
About two years later found myself living on a kibbutz in Israel. One particular Saturday morning, I was in church when the pastor led the congregation into of time of “free-form singing in the Spirit.” It was beautiful. The entire place turned into a most holy place. The presence of God was all over the place - not unlike that night in the field. As the praises increased I heard a particular someone singing a magnificent praise to the Lord. Though I couldn’t make out the language, I knew it was glorifying God in an almost angelic language. It was so beautiful that I had to open my eyes to see who it was singing these beautiful song. I opened my eyes, traced the melody with my ears and – lo and behold – it was coming from me. It was a hallelujah moment.
That did it. From that day since (some 28 years) I have used this gift almost every day - when praying for others, when worshipping, or when simply clearing the pipes in my head before I teach. It’s never led me astray and - quite to the contrary - it has blessed others.
While tongues can build up an individual in the faith, they can also serve to edify a church, or a gathering of people. I believe there are at least two types of tongues. The first are those that are angelic, or other worldly. This is the type I was singing that day in Jerusalem. It is an intimate expression of praise, worship, intercession, and/or prayer, said in faith, mixed with love, and directed to God. These languages can be said simultaneously with others who have this gift in corporate settings because they are directed to God and are not intended as a prophetic gift for the gathered.
A second type of tongues manifest as actual languages of the world - like Spanish, Dutch, Finnish, or Indian. They are unknown to the user but are understood by anyone in the general vicinity who could understand what’s being said. These are given to impart a prophetic message - a word of encouragement and (sometimes direction) - to the people gathered. This type of gift is readily understood because it is heard from natives of the country of the tongue. When non-believers hear the words of the Lord in their own language, and additionally see that the tongue-talkers aren’t even from their own country, it is a tremendous testimony to God.
There is a use of the gift of tongues which is also prophetic in nature. They sound like angelic tongue - a language that is not of this world - yet their application takes the on the form of a prophetic word to those gathered. In these situations another spiritual gift must come into play - the interpretation of tongues - so that everyone can know what the person with the gift of angelic tongues is saying.
There is a danger in tongues. Tongues are fun. It’s the kind of gift that can be abused. Paul really came down hard on the church at Corinth because, each time they gathered, they did nothing but speak in tongues. The danger was that no one understood what was being said. So, if you have the gift of prophetic tongues, ask the Lord to give you an interpretation so you can follow your pronunciation in a known language – or ask the Lord to give someone else the interpretation. Or else, don’t do it at all.
What about the gift of tongues? Is it for you? As I mentioned a few chapters back, the big gift is the Holy Spirit himself. And, as I said, if you have the Holy Spirit in you then you have the potential for all the gifts of the Spirit - including tongues.
Could you speak in tongues? Most likely. I believe God would have Christians speaking in tongues much, much more than they do now. we are currently doing. Can you imagine that - waiting for a bus somewhere and speaking the marvelous praises of God in the precise language and dialect of the Muslim standing there next to you? The gift of tongues is a powerful form or prayer, intercession, spiritual warfare, and prophecy – and boy, in our day, do we need it.
If the Holy Spirit is in you – which He is – why not try it? Why not place this blog aside, sit back right now and ask Him to release the gift of tongues in your life? You don’t have to sneak away somewhere under the cloak of darkness. You can ask him to release the gift in your heart right here, right where you are now.
After you ask for it, give it a moment of silence and, when you feel the peace of the Lord resting upon you, simply start talking. It may sound like gibberish at first - no, let me correct that... It will sound like gibberish at first - and you will have your sincere doubts. But within a milli-second, the Spirit will get a hold of the water of your words and change them into the wine of a holy, heavenly language.
He may not do it - not now, anyway. But he just may. You’ll never know, until you ask.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
7 Listening
The revelatory gifts have got to the most misunderstood gifts of the Holy Spirit – and rightfully so. They can be misused. They can be manipulative. They can be creepy, unpredictable, abusive, and downright rude. In short, they can ruin a life.
Yet, in spite of all that, Jesus used them, the apostles used them, and the church fathers used them. They’ve been the centerpiece of every revival in history, and – as I mentioned in an earlier chapter – a vast majority of the worldwide Body of Christ in this day and age actively engages in the gifts of the Spirit - all of the gifts of the Spirit, including the revelatory/supernatural gifts. Why? The revelatory gifts are powerful avenues wherein God blesses, heals, equips, and anoints his followers to shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.
So how do they work? How does a prophet hear God’s word so he can share it with the gathered? How does a vision come, a word of knowledge, a dream, or a healing? In short, how does God speak?
Variety is the Norm. For starters, it is a very individual thing. Different people get it different ways. That’s the beauty of our God. In addition, different ways can be made manifest in the same person. And to raise our faith, no ministry situation is the same as the last ministry situation.
Physical pain. One way people have heard the “voice” of God is though physical pain in the body. Sounds weird, but it’s true. It’s almost as if God allows them to feel what the ailing person is going through as a form of prayer, or intercession.
That happened to me once. I was speaking on the subject of healing at an ALPHA course in Switzerland, Florida, and, as I was asking the Lord how he would minister that evening, I felt an intensely sharp pain in my lower gut – like a needle. It was very painful and, after a second thought, I concluded it must be a word of knowledge for someone in the group. So I said, “I believe the Lord would like to minister to a person having trouble with a gallbladder.”
Just then a slight stirring happened at the back of room and, within a few minutes, I found myself praying for a woman who came forward at the urging of her husband. She told me she didn’t believe in healing and I mentioned that it may not be for her healing – only that God singled her out for prayer of any nature. We prayed, she left, and I went home.
A few weeks later I saw this woman at a party and learned that, since the prayer, she had been completely healed. (She also mentioned she still didn’t really believe in healing, but couldn’t argue with the medical results.) She was slated to have surgery when we met but didn’t need it when she went in to the doctors’ offices later that week. All that happened as a result of me getting a pain in the place where I thought a gallbladder should be.
The mind. God shares his will for us and gives revelatory insight through thoughts, as well as other normal operations of the brain. Visions, for example, come through one’s imagination, sort of like dreams. Visionaries actually see a segment of something notable, describe what they’re seeing, and pray into it. Words of knowledge can flow from verses that we have memorized. Not everything that comes to our imagination is of the Lord, of course. The point here is that visions appear on the same “screen” that everything else in our imagination appears on.
Emotional Feelings and the Past Memories. Other ways God can reveal himself are within the avenues of emotion and memory. If, for example, you are praying with a person and a certain memory emerges from somewhere out of the blue, don’t discount that. It very well may be a word of knowledge for that other person. With that memory you’ll need to ask for wisdom on what to do with what God has just revealed. Just because a person gets a vision doesn’t mean it’s an automatic shoe-in. It could go any number of directions - all of which demand the ongoing discernment and reliance upon the the Spirit. Do you share your vision? Do you share the learning experience you gleaned from the experience, perhaps couching it in a prayer, or full-blown exhortation? Does the memory include the name of a person? If so, is that a name of someone in the life of the person within you’re praying? Should you voice this name? The year of your memory’s conception? You see what I mean? All these questions are open turf and demand the wisdom of the Spirit before you step into articulation of the word.
In the same manner, I have prayed for people and have been overwhelmed by emotions - sometimes grief; other times joy. Chances are, whatever you’re experiencing is something that God is doing, or wanting to do, under your humble hands.
As I close this chapter two things come to mind. First, is the increasing trend on multiple ministers in this area. Gone are the days where one super-Christian knows it all. God likes it when a couple of people get together and decipher what God is up to.
Just last week a woman and I were praying with someone else. In a time of silence I saw the exoskeleton of an insect that had recently discarded its “shell.” It was beige in color and transparent, left hollow on a gravel mound. At the same time, the woman with whom I was ministering saw this person dancing, twirling with delight. We apparently received the visions at about the same time because we interrupted each other when sharing what we were getting from the Lord! After hearing both sides of the same reality, the woman broke into joy and said that’s exactly what the Lord was doing in her life! She had recently made a define decision to leave the past behind and, in her newfound joy and freedom, was now dancing for the Jesus. This completely affirmed what was going on this woman’s life! Sometimes it takes more than one person to decipher what the Lord is doing.
The other thing that comes to mind as we close out the chapter is this: Remember - it’s all about faith. Faith is needed in every situation (whether revelatory or not) with ministry is happening. Even a famous faith healer is, on some level, working on faith - the same the same level of faith that we normal people work on when we’re praying for lesser things. Without faith it is impossible to please the Lord. To be sure, different people have different levels of faith. One person could never have the faith to raise the dead, but - for them - it takes all their faith to pray aloud at Outback. Either way, a person raising the dead is operating in the same proportionate “challenging vacuum of faith” as the person grace. Same faith, same challenges - and sometimes the same nervousness associated with stepping out for God. Sure, the pros may make it look easy but don’t be fooled, they are trucking along, riding the highways of faith, just like the rest of us.
So, in summary, we’ve seen the way God speaks to a person is as varied and as magnificent as the Person we serve. Our minds, emotions, and bodies are all fair game - fair avenues wherein the Spirit can reveal the will of the Father in order to evangelize and equip the followers of Jesus.
The walk-a-way here is to know that God is always working, always speaking, always up to something. And he uses us to get it out into the mainstream.
Of all people - us.
Yet, in spite of all that, Jesus used them, the apostles used them, and the church fathers used them. They’ve been the centerpiece of every revival in history, and – as I mentioned in an earlier chapter – a vast majority of the worldwide Body of Christ in this day and age actively engages in the gifts of the Spirit - all of the gifts of the Spirit, including the revelatory/supernatural gifts. Why? The revelatory gifts are powerful avenues wherein God blesses, heals, equips, and anoints his followers to shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.
So how do they work? How does a prophet hear God’s word so he can share it with the gathered? How does a vision come, a word of knowledge, a dream, or a healing? In short, how does God speak?
Variety is the Norm. For starters, it is a very individual thing. Different people get it different ways. That’s the beauty of our God. In addition, different ways can be made manifest in the same person. And to raise our faith, no ministry situation is the same as the last ministry situation.
Physical pain. One way people have heard the “voice” of God is though physical pain in the body. Sounds weird, but it’s true. It’s almost as if God allows them to feel what the ailing person is going through as a form of prayer, or intercession.
That happened to me once. I was speaking on the subject of healing at an ALPHA course in Switzerland, Florida, and, as I was asking the Lord how he would minister that evening, I felt an intensely sharp pain in my lower gut – like a needle. It was very painful and, after a second thought, I concluded it must be a word of knowledge for someone in the group. So I said, “I believe the Lord would like to minister to a person having trouble with a gallbladder.”
Just then a slight stirring happened at the back of room and, within a few minutes, I found myself praying for a woman who came forward at the urging of her husband. She told me she didn’t believe in healing and I mentioned that it may not be for her healing – only that God singled her out for prayer of any nature. We prayed, she left, and I went home.
A few weeks later I saw this woman at a party and learned that, since the prayer, she had been completely healed. (She also mentioned she still didn’t really believe in healing, but couldn’t argue with the medical results.) She was slated to have surgery when we met but didn’t need it when she went in to the doctors’ offices later that week. All that happened as a result of me getting a pain in the place where I thought a gallbladder should be.
The mind. God shares his will for us and gives revelatory insight through thoughts, as well as other normal operations of the brain. Visions, for example, come through one’s imagination, sort of like dreams. Visionaries actually see a segment of something notable, describe what they’re seeing, and pray into it. Words of knowledge can flow from verses that we have memorized. Not everything that comes to our imagination is of the Lord, of course. The point here is that visions appear on the same “screen” that everything else in our imagination appears on.
Emotional Feelings and the Past Memories. Other ways God can reveal himself are within the avenues of emotion and memory. If, for example, you are praying with a person and a certain memory emerges from somewhere out of the blue, don’t discount that. It very well may be a word of knowledge for that other person. With that memory you’ll need to ask for wisdom on what to do with what God has just revealed. Just because a person gets a vision doesn’t mean it’s an automatic shoe-in. It could go any number of directions - all of which demand the ongoing discernment and reliance upon the the Spirit. Do you share your vision? Do you share the learning experience you gleaned from the experience, perhaps couching it in a prayer, or full-blown exhortation? Does the memory include the name of a person? If so, is that a name of someone in the life of the person within you’re praying? Should you voice this name? The year of your memory’s conception? You see what I mean? All these questions are open turf and demand the wisdom of the Spirit before you step into articulation of the word.
In the same manner, I have prayed for people and have been overwhelmed by emotions - sometimes grief; other times joy. Chances are, whatever you’re experiencing is something that God is doing, or wanting to do, under your humble hands.
As I close this chapter two things come to mind. First, is the increasing trend on multiple ministers in this area. Gone are the days where one super-Christian knows it all. God likes it when a couple of people get together and decipher what God is up to.
Just last week a woman and I were praying with someone else. In a time of silence I saw the exoskeleton of an insect that had recently discarded its “shell.” It was beige in color and transparent, left hollow on a gravel mound. At the same time, the woman with whom I was ministering saw this person dancing, twirling with delight. We apparently received the visions at about the same time because we interrupted each other when sharing what we were getting from the Lord! After hearing both sides of the same reality, the woman broke into joy and said that’s exactly what the Lord was doing in her life! She had recently made a define decision to leave the past behind and, in her newfound joy and freedom, was now dancing for the Jesus. This completely affirmed what was going on this woman’s life! Sometimes it takes more than one person to decipher what the Lord is doing.
The other thing that comes to mind as we close out the chapter is this: Remember - it’s all about faith. Faith is needed in every situation (whether revelatory or not) with ministry is happening. Even a famous faith healer is, on some level, working on faith - the same the same level of faith that we normal people work on when we’re praying for lesser things. Without faith it is impossible to please the Lord. To be sure, different people have different levels of faith. One person could never have the faith to raise the dead, but - for them - it takes all their faith to pray aloud at Outback. Either way, a person raising the dead is operating in the same proportionate “challenging vacuum of faith” as the person grace. Same faith, same challenges - and sometimes the same nervousness associated with stepping out for God. Sure, the pros may make it look easy but don’t be fooled, they are trucking along, riding the highways of faith, just like the rest of us.
So, in summary, we’ve seen the way God speaks to a person is as varied and as magnificent as the Person we serve. Our minds, emotions, and bodies are all fair game - fair avenues wherein the Spirit can reveal the will of the Father in order to evangelize and equip the followers of Jesus.
The walk-a-way here is to know that God is always working, always speaking, always up to something. And he uses us to get it out into the mainstream.
Of all people - us.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
6 Myths of the Super-Saint
Most of the gifts of the Holy Spirit look familiar. We see them every day - people administrating, teaching, sharing hospitality, showing compassion, and serving. When choosing a life vocation the ideal is to wind up in a profession that integrates one’s gifts with one’s work.
A teacher, for example, may or may not have the gift of teaching. Yet when a professional teacher has the spiritual gift of teaching it is a win-win for everyone: the students really grasp the content in a deep way and the teacher is fulfilled in his or her chosen profession.
While many of us may believe in the more so-called “dynamic” gifts of the spirit, few of us have seen these gifts in action. Many of us have seen these gifts used in abusive or satirical situations. There are abuses with all the gifts. With the revelatory gifts, however, there seems to be more a a stigma involved. A Mad-TV episode will much more readily take a shot at a faith healer than a person who sits around all day crunching numbers. A bit of that stigma has crept into the church as well. We need to be cautious not to through the baby out with the bath-water!
So let’s spend some time taking a close look at the operation of the revelatory gifts - specifically how they work. We’ll look at a few myths associated with them and try to even them out on a level plane with the other gifts of the Spirit.
The revelatory gifts are called, “revelatory,” because their operation depends solely on information that is given, or “revealed,” by God in order for the gift to work. Revelatory gifts include words of knowledge, visions, dreams, prophecy, the interpretation of tongues, wisdom, and discernment of spirits. People with a revelatory gift(s) often tend to have complementary, or accompanying, gifts in the areas of healing, miracles, and exorcism. God works through the revelatory gifts in powerful ways to get under what is seen, to address the heart of the matter - whether it be a nation, a group of people, or an individual.
Let’s take a look at two myths commonly generated about the revelatory gifts of the Spirit.
Myth #1: People who have revelatory gifts are superhuman. They have it all together. Rainbows follow them wherever they go.
While I have always believed that God reveals insight, visions, directions, and other supernatural directives to people, I have always also believed that the person receiving these directives had to be some sort of super-Christian. You know, the kind of person who fasts 40 days twice a year, never watches T.V., and never dances.
But that isn’t true. Like all spiritual gifts – indeed, even as the Grace of God itself – we are working within the realm of gifts, unmerited favor, and nothing that we can strive to attain or even deserve. (That’s why highly gifted people can do equally highly creepy things.) Of course we can grieve that Spirit to point where we become dull and hard of hearing. But, the gifts of God are irrevocable and have a reputation of leaking through us, even in spite of our humanity.
It’s very easy to see a person who is praying for the sick, for example, as a superhuman kind of guy. There he is, eyes shining, sharing words of knowledge that no one else in the world could ever know, laying hands on you and filling you with divine electricity – after which you from the floor and return home literally shaking in your shoes. You stare at yourself in the mirror because you can’t believe you’re the same person you were when you left earlier that evening for the service. You float into your bedroom and fall to the bed into a deep, peaceful slumber that night, knowing you’ve had a life-changing encounter with the Almighty God of the Universe.
Days pass and you see this same Divine Faith Healer – no, let’s just say it this way...“You see this guy who has the gift of healing” at Target. At once you want to worship him. But, as you rub your blurry eyes to see the real picture, you see a much different man. There he is, hunched over the counter at the register, shirt half-way hanging out of his torn blue jeans, patting down his pockets looking for his reading glasses, fumbling around with loose change which is clanging on the floor and rolling in every conceivable corner of the room - all the while holding up a long line of frustrated shoppers.
What’s with that? Wouldn’t you think someone you linked you with the Almighty God of the Universe and spoke into the very threads of your spiritual DNA would have known how much money his shopping would cost and would have somehow supernaturally arranged his cash-flow before he even walked into the Target department store?!!
No. Not really. Not really at all.
Remember: A person’s personalty, skills, and mental state - can be quite different from that same person’s spiritual gift. Contrary to popular belief, people who operate in the revelatory gifts do not have a corner on the spiritual market. They are just ordinary people like you and me. Sure, they’ve been graced with gifts that perhaps seem more extravagant than the others, but they are using their gifts in the same proportion of faith that someone else may have when using their gifts, say the gift of helps, for example.
Let that level the field.
Myth #2: A person with revelatory gifts can look through your vulnerable eyes, peer into the deepest chambers of your soul, and know everything about you - past, present, and future. They know your secret sins. They know about that time in high school when you and whats-his-name locked braces at Walden Pond. And, then, there was that other thing...
They know everything.
This is another common stigma associated with these guys - akin to Myth #1. It sounds something like this, “If this mighty man of God is so accurate in addressing this particular issue in my life, then they must know every particular issue in my life.” This is easy to believe - as God shoots for the bulls-eye every time - and hits it. People gifted in revelation speak with such pinpointed, prophetic, accuracy that it is easy to assume they know all about everything.
Again: simply not true.
When I minister in the revelatory gifts, for example, it’s not like I look into the eyes of the victim and do perform a Spock-like mind-meld of the spiritual interior of the person – as if I was a mechanic looking over the inside of an engine – and then, after filtering though all the gunk, determine what’s best and move in to pinpoint the precise cause of the problem. It’s nothing like that at all.
This how it works: God will show me a picture of something - one thing - one thing only. I share with the person what I think I’m getting, and we pray. It’s always very limited. It’s the only thing seen. There are times I need to really look at the vision for a while and seek to decipher and sort of piece together what it all means before I say anything. Other times, I get something and share what I’m getting and - in the process of speaking what I’m getting - the picture fills in and the interpretation of the revelation sort of forms on my lips as I’m describing it in faith.
God rarely violates spiritual integrity and preciousness of one of His children - even when it would be easy to do so. If he does, it’s usually done in private. He’s not out to embarrass us, only to heal, encourage, deliver, and bless us.
In this chapter we’ve looked at two myths regarding those who have revelatory gifts and a bit on how the gifts work in a ministry situation. Next chapter we’ll talk a bit more about how a person discerns what God is doing or saying in any particular ministry situation.
For now we need to understand that revelatory gifts are no greater, or lesser, than any of the other gifts of the Spirit. There are no more, or no less, “extravagant” gifts of the Spirit. All gifts are equal in footing and require proportional amounts of faith to do them. We’ve seen that people who can have life-changing gifts fumble around at cash registers and even struggle with their own issues. Some even have their laundry aired on prime time television.
After all, they are only human.
Next chapter we talk about the business of “how a person can discern what God is doing or saying in any particular ministry situation.”
A teacher, for example, may or may not have the gift of teaching. Yet when a professional teacher has the spiritual gift of teaching it is a win-win for everyone: the students really grasp the content in a deep way and the teacher is fulfilled in his or her chosen profession.
While many of us may believe in the more so-called “dynamic” gifts of the spirit, few of us have seen these gifts in action. Many of us have seen these gifts used in abusive or satirical situations. There are abuses with all the gifts. With the revelatory gifts, however, there seems to be more a a stigma involved. A Mad-TV episode will much more readily take a shot at a faith healer than a person who sits around all day crunching numbers. A bit of that stigma has crept into the church as well. We need to be cautious not to through the baby out with the bath-water!
So let’s spend some time taking a close look at the operation of the revelatory gifts - specifically how they work. We’ll look at a few myths associated with them and try to even them out on a level plane with the other gifts of the Spirit.
The revelatory gifts are called, “revelatory,” because their operation depends solely on information that is given, or “revealed,” by God in order for the gift to work. Revelatory gifts include words of knowledge, visions, dreams, prophecy, the interpretation of tongues, wisdom, and discernment of spirits. People with a revelatory gift(s) often tend to have complementary, or accompanying, gifts in the areas of healing, miracles, and exorcism. God works through the revelatory gifts in powerful ways to get under what is seen, to address the heart of the matter - whether it be a nation, a group of people, or an individual.
Let’s take a look at two myths commonly generated about the revelatory gifts of the Spirit.
Myth #1: People who have revelatory gifts are superhuman. They have it all together. Rainbows follow them wherever they go.
While I have always believed that God reveals insight, visions, directions, and other supernatural directives to people, I have always also believed that the person receiving these directives had to be some sort of super-Christian. You know, the kind of person who fasts 40 days twice a year, never watches T.V., and never dances.
But that isn’t true. Like all spiritual gifts – indeed, even as the Grace of God itself – we are working within the realm of gifts, unmerited favor, and nothing that we can strive to attain or even deserve. (That’s why highly gifted people can do equally highly creepy things.) Of course we can grieve that Spirit to point where we become dull and hard of hearing. But, the gifts of God are irrevocable and have a reputation of leaking through us, even in spite of our humanity.
It’s very easy to see a person who is praying for the sick, for example, as a superhuman kind of guy. There he is, eyes shining, sharing words of knowledge that no one else in the world could ever know, laying hands on you and filling you with divine electricity – after which you from the floor and return home literally shaking in your shoes. You stare at yourself in the mirror because you can’t believe you’re the same person you were when you left earlier that evening for the service. You float into your bedroom and fall to the bed into a deep, peaceful slumber that night, knowing you’ve had a life-changing encounter with the Almighty God of the Universe.
Days pass and you see this same Divine Faith Healer – no, let’s just say it this way...“You see this guy who has the gift of healing” at Target. At once you want to worship him. But, as you rub your blurry eyes to see the real picture, you see a much different man. There he is, hunched over the counter at the register, shirt half-way hanging out of his torn blue jeans, patting down his pockets looking for his reading glasses, fumbling around with loose change which is clanging on the floor and rolling in every conceivable corner of the room - all the while holding up a long line of frustrated shoppers.
What’s with that? Wouldn’t you think someone you linked you with the Almighty God of the Universe and spoke into the very threads of your spiritual DNA would have known how much money his shopping would cost and would have somehow supernaturally arranged his cash-flow before he even walked into the Target department store?!!
No. Not really. Not really at all.
Remember: A person’s personalty, skills, and mental state - can be quite different from that same person’s spiritual gift. Contrary to popular belief, people who operate in the revelatory gifts do not have a corner on the spiritual market. They are just ordinary people like you and me. Sure, they’ve been graced with gifts that perhaps seem more extravagant than the others, but they are using their gifts in the same proportion of faith that someone else may have when using their gifts, say the gift of helps, for example.
Let that level the field.
Myth #2: A person with revelatory gifts can look through your vulnerable eyes, peer into the deepest chambers of your soul, and know everything about you - past, present, and future. They know your secret sins. They know about that time in high school when you and whats-his-name locked braces at Walden Pond. And, then, there was that other thing...
They know everything.
This is another common stigma associated with these guys - akin to Myth #1. It sounds something like this, “If this mighty man of God is so accurate in addressing this particular issue in my life, then they must know every particular issue in my life.” This is easy to believe - as God shoots for the bulls-eye every time - and hits it. People gifted in revelation speak with such pinpointed, prophetic, accuracy that it is easy to assume they know all about everything.
Again: simply not true.
When I minister in the revelatory gifts, for example, it’s not like I look into the eyes of the victim and do perform a Spock-like mind-meld of the spiritual interior of the person – as if I was a mechanic looking over the inside of an engine – and then, after filtering though all the gunk, determine what’s best and move in to pinpoint the precise cause of the problem. It’s nothing like that at all.
This how it works: God will show me a picture of something - one thing - one thing only. I share with the person what I think I’m getting, and we pray. It’s always very limited. It’s the only thing seen. There are times I need to really look at the vision for a while and seek to decipher and sort of piece together what it all means before I say anything. Other times, I get something and share what I’m getting and - in the process of speaking what I’m getting - the picture fills in and the interpretation of the revelation sort of forms on my lips as I’m describing it in faith.
God rarely violates spiritual integrity and preciousness of one of His children - even when it would be easy to do so. If he does, it’s usually done in private. He’s not out to embarrass us, only to heal, encourage, deliver, and bless us.
In this chapter we’ve looked at two myths regarding those who have revelatory gifts and a bit on how the gifts work in a ministry situation. Next chapter we’ll talk a bit more about how a person discerns what God is doing or saying in any particular ministry situation.
For now we need to understand that revelatory gifts are no greater, or lesser, than any of the other gifts of the Spirit. There are no more, or no less, “extravagant” gifts of the Spirit. All gifts are equal in footing and require proportional amounts of faith to do them. We’ve seen that people who can have life-changing gifts fumble around at cash registers and even struggle with their own issues. Some even have their laundry aired on prime time television.
After all, they are only human.
Next chapter we talk about the business of “how a person can discern what God is doing or saying in any particular ministry situation.”
Friday, February 20, 2009
5 All in Us
As we’ve seen, all of Jesus’ followers – those whom He has sealed with His Spirit for eternity – have, by default, the potential to have all the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the big gift. All gifts lie resident in him. From his Fountainhead all rivers flow.
The idea that every disciple of Christ carries the inner potential for all the gifts can be a bit humbling. For the person who yearns to be totally surrendered to God’s will on a moment by moment basis, it can even be a bit unnerving. God has the prerogative to call forth any gift he deems fit for any situation of warrant. In other words, we shouldn’t be surprised if, from time to time, we find ourselves in uncharted territory; we find ourselves being called to step into gifts that are foreign to - that lie outside of - our normal gift mix.
Talk about adventure!
I was once in a church when the Pastor invited the congregation to share any words, images, visions, and so on that would serve to edify the assembly gathered. “When the Lord prompts you, just stand up, there where you are, and share what you’re getting from your seat. Be sure to speak up so everyone can hear you,” he said.
At once I had a vivid impression which I knew was from God. With that came the knowledge that He was wanting me to stand up and share the impression with the 250+ other people in the room – which was completely out of the question for me. In fact, the whole idea of standing up and saying a “thus saith the Lord,” just sort of freaked me out. Up to that point I had never done anything like that before. “Besides,” I argued. “You don't understand, Lord. Prophecy isn’t my spiritual gift.”
A long period of silence followed, during which I went through intense internal tension. It seemed like everybody in the room was waiting for me to stand up and share “the word.” I resisted. Still we waited. It was excruciating. I sat there thinking, "Lord, you're just going to have to get somebody else to do this thing because I'm not going to move." More time passed. Peoples’ shoes were beginning to scuffle on the floor. Others began to cough and let out long sighs.
Just when I could take it no longer – and much to my relief – the man next to me squirmed in his chair uneasily, let out a long sigh, slowly rose to his feet, and awkwardly shared a prophetic word. I could tell he was as uncomfortable as I was. But he did it. And the clincher was his word carried much of the same elements of the vivid impression that God gave me to share - all of which was followed by a number of "Amens" and Hallelujahs," I might add!
I was unnerved. "Dude - you could have done that!" And, as the service continued, I found myself realizing I has lost out on a wonderful opportunity - the opportunity to do something big for God - all because I “didn’t have that gift.”
So much for human reasoning.
Since then I’ve noticed that God will call me into situations that warrant action that I am either ungifted or uncomfortable with. When I see the same thread of love flowing through me I understand that God is God - he can use me in anyway he deems fit. And afterwards, when I see fruit, I am awestruck all the more because I know, without a doubt it wasn’t me. It was God in me.
Lesson learned: Know your gifts; and know who’s the Lord over all the gifts. Be on the lookout: God has the right to call out any gift at any time needed. If we choose (like I did) to quench the Spirit's leading, it;s not like we’ll loose our salvation or anything - only the privilege of being an instrument and giving glory of the Lord. We’re not going to hold him up. With or without us he's going to get His word out anyway. If we say, “No thank you, Lord - not today, I have a headache,” he'll just move around the room until He finds someone more available to his leading.
Are you ready for that?
It’s risky business - to be sure. But I’m convinced that the great adventure rides on the crest of this type of openness. This is where little people do big things for God. Maybe you don’t think of yourself as someone who could do big things for God. And you are not. Perhaps, better said, you are somebody wherein God can use to do big things for others.
So this short chapter’s summary comes in the form of a gentle admonishment to maintain a posture of openness to the Holy Spirit. When you sense the leading of the Spirit in anything - and I mean in anything - why not take the risk and step up to the up to the plate?
The idea that every disciple of Christ carries the inner potential for all the gifts can be a bit humbling. For the person who yearns to be totally surrendered to God’s will on a moment by moment basis, it can even be a bit unnerving. God has the prerogative to call forth any gift he deems fit for any situation of warrant. In other words, we shouldn’t be surprised if, from time to time, we find ourselves in uncharted territory; we find ourselves being called to step into gifts that are foreign to - that lie outside of - our normal gift mix.
Talk about adventure!
I was once in a church when the Pastor invited the congregation to share any words, images, visions, and so on that would serve to edify the assembly gathered. “When the Lord prompts you, just stand up, there where you are, and share what you’re getting from your seat. Be sure to speak up so everyone can hear you,” he said.
At once I had a vivid impression which I knew was from God. With that came the knowledge that He was wanting me to stand up and share the impression with the 250+ other people in the room – which was completely out of the question for me. In fact, the whole idea of standing up and saying a “thus saith the Lord,” just sort of freaked me out. Up to that point I had never done anything like that before. “Besides,” I argued. “You don't understand, Lord. Prophecy isn’t my spiritual gift.”
A long period of silence followed, during which I went through intense internal tension. It seemed like everybody in the room was waiting for me to stand up and share “the word.” I resisted. Still we waited. It was excruciating. I sat there thinking, "Lord, you're just going to have to get somebody else to do this thing because I'm not going to move." More time passed. Peoples’ shoes were beginning to scuffle on the floor. Others began to cough and let out long sighs.
Just when I could take it no longer – and much to my relief – the man next to me squirmed in his chair uneasily, let out a long sigh, slowly rose to his feet, and awkwardly shared a prophetic word. I could tell he was as uncomfortable as I was. But he did it. And the clincher was his word carried much of the same elements of the vivid impression that God gave me to share - all of which was followed by a number of "Amens" and Hallelujahs," I might add!
I was unnerved. "Dude - you could have done that!" And, as the service continued, I found myself realizing I has lost out on a wonderful opportunity - the opportunity to do something big for God - all because I “didn’t have that gift.”
So much for human reasoning.
Since then I’ve noticed that God will call me into situations that warrant action that I am either ungifted or uncomfortable with. When I see the same thread of love flowing through me I understand that God is God - he can use me in anyway he deems fit. And afterwards, when I see fruit, I am awestruck all the more because I know, without a doubt it wasn’t me. It was God in me.
Lesson learned: Know your gifts; and know who’s the Lord over all the gifts. Be on the lookout: God has the right to call out any gift at any time needed. If we choose (like I did) to quench the Spirit's leading, it;s not like we’ll loose our salvation or anything - only the privilege of being an instrument and giving glory of the Lord. We’re not going to hold him up. With or without us he's going to get His word out anyway. If we say, “No thank you, Lord - not today, I have a headache,” he'll just move around the room until He finds someone more available to his leading.
Are you ready for that?
It’s risky business - to be sure. But I’m convinced that the great adventure rides on the crest of this type of openness. This is where little people do big things for God. Maybe you don’t think of yourself as someone who could do big things for God. And you are not. Perhaps, better said, you are somebody wherein God can use to do big things for others.
So this short chapter’s summary comes in the form of a gentle admonishment to maintain a posture of openness to the Holy Spirit. When you sense the leading of the Spirit in anything - and I mean in anything - why not take the risk and step up to the up to the plate?
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
4 Graced in Ministry
In the New Testament there are hallmark Scriptures regarding the gifts of the Spirit. Perhaps this is the time to look at them. They are:
1 Corinthians 1.7;12.1-14.40
Romans 1.11; 12:3-8
Ephesians 4.7-16
1 Timothy 4:14
2 Timothy 1.6
Hebrews 2.4
1 Peter 4:10-11
As you read through the lists you will soon sense a couple of things. You’ll see each gift is proactive and has its part to play in the general scheme of things. Conversely, each gift provides an avenue wherein the others experience and receive the work of God in their lives. When a person is operating in his or her gifts it is a win-win situation: work gets done and God gets revealed.
There is a lot of proactive work being done in the church today. People are so very busy doing very important things. Like busy beavers, or scurrying ants, the activities of the faithful can sometimes take on a level of business never intended by our Lord. True, we are a motivated people group - with a a wondrously urgent message for the world to hear. But many of us are wrung out, drop dead tired. Why is that? We figure, if we don’t do “it” nobody else will. The truth is that nobody else can do it because we are doing it all for them.
The followers of Christ have the dangerous potential to be the most codependent group of people on earth - and all for good reason, I might add. We’ve been gifted. We’ve been called. We’ve been commissioned by Christ himself to get the good news out in every which way, shape and form. It’s a high calling.
But why are we so busy, so consumed, so drained of the abundant life that Jesus died to give us? Are we are working off guilt from the past? Are we still working for our salvation, seeking to be justified before a holy God by the things we do? Are we seeking to establish God’s reputation to others by how we painstakingly articulate our theology - and correct others who can’t do so? Do we think that if we fail God, God himself fails? What’s with all the strife? Why are we so very, very driven? Weren't the nails driven in far enough for me?
It’s almost as if we have exchanged the old laws of sin and death - the rules and regulations we were first forced to obey, now have been replaced by God’s amazing grace - with a new law which really doesn’t look too much different than the old law. We have clothed ourselves within such a high standard of Christian responsibility, action, and behavior - let’s call it a “ministry work ethic” - that the well-defined line between salvation by grace and salvation by works has been blurred.
It’s a hard line to walk - that of Grace and working out a heart of thanksgiving for the Grace received. Our new nature is “love.” So we instinctively want to help each other, do the work of the church, share God’s love, go the second mile, jump into endless activities for the sake of “the call,” and whatnot. These are all good works and stem from pure motives. The danger, of course, is when we commit to ministry, regardless if the ministry lies within the range of our spiritual gifts, or not.
It has been said that, “The need is the Call” – meaning that if you are aware of a need (anything from global warming to a squeaky door in the woman’s bathroom) it is your duty to respond to it. I don’t agree with that. I don’t see it outlined in Scripture, either.
Look at Jesus. If anyone was aware of the unmet needs around him certainly he was. Did he heal all the lepers, raise all the dead people back to life, bless every child he saw? Did he give money to all the poor? Of course not. He sought to remain true only to what he saw God, doing. Through it all He stayed true to only that which God was calling Him to. That meant, for Jesus, the need wasn’t the call. His call was was what God needed him to do, and nothing else. (How freeing!) As he resolved to look beyond the tyranny of the urgent Jesus was able to fulfill our greater need by going to the Cross and securing our salvation.
LIke Jesus, our real need is to foster the ability to hear God’s voice. When we hear his voice he will tell us what to do. Then we need to be obedient to that - only that - regardless of all the other needs that are everywhere around us.
This brings us to an amazing fact: God doesn’t give any one person all the gifts. He doesn’t expect one person to do it all. On the contrary, he gives a couple of gifts to me and a couple of gifts to you. That’s so we wouldn’t get burned out doing everything all the time. He’s also mixed it up that way so we’d learn to depend/rely on others. This not only teaches us humility but reveals God’s wondrous glory within the interaction of the mystical “Body of Christ.” When others bring their gifts to the table God is reflected and we see Jesus.
The other wonderful thing is this: If I only do what I’ve been gifted to do, and you only do what you’re gifted to do, then everything will get done. I really don’t think I have to do the things you’ve been called to do. You’ll have to do those things yourself. I’ve got enough on my plate, thank you very much.
Well then, the question beckons: If God wants us to only do the things that lie around the general area of our giftedness, how can we discern our general area of our giftedness? In short, how can we know our spiritual gifts?
Here are some things to look at:
1. Remember When. Pause for a moment and recall a time in your life when you were particularly struck with the Presence of God. Got it? Alright, for starters, get back to that.
Do today what so captured your heart then. Think a bit deeper about the activities surrounding that event. What was stirred in you? What was being done around you? Who was doing what when you so powerfully encountered Christ? Find a place like that in your present day life and invest in that.
2. Your Dream Gift. As you consider the list of gifts from Scripture, or as you have observed the gifts in action, ask yourself, “What gifts create a real buzz in my soul?” Which gifts do I dream about doing? What gifts - when I see other doing them - do I find myself thinking, ‘I would love to be able to do that?’”
Why not ask God for it? Read about it. Go to a seminar about it. Become friends with someone who has it. Contrary to popular belief, God is not a celestial killjoy. He actually has been known to give someone the desire of their heart.
3. Fruit Inspection. Take a good look at the fruit that is being generated by the activities you are currently engaged with. What is growing? What is dying? Do things that install growth.
4. Consider the Streets. Go unrestricted; not all gifts are to be used in church. You may be using your gifts very nicely indeed in the workplace – which actually works quite well.
I know of a woman, for example, who has the gift of compassion. Guess what she does in real life? She is a social worker. I know others who work in the oil business – one of which has the gift of evangelism. Of course, he doesn’t stand at the water cooler and pass out Bibles. But, you can be sure, that in every conversation he has one ear tuned to the gentle of leading of Christ and, if so invited, will share the Lord at the drop of a hat. These are situations where one’s spiritual gift leaks through the vocation of the individual. That’s okay. Spiritual gifts are for the evangelizing and edification of the followers of Jesus. And they (the potential and actualized followers of Jesus) are everywhere.
5. Listen to Others. What do they see in you? Other followers of Jesus oftentimes see things we cannot and often have uncanny discernment into our lives.
Shortly after I had “crossed-over” to Christ, I remember speaking quite emphatically to a friend one evening. I’ll never forget it. We were sitting on our sofa and I spent about an hour sharing with her how I came to Christ and pleaded her to do the same. “Just check him out,” I said. “What have you got to loose?” She just stared at me. Afterwards she said, “You’re good. Bill, you ought to be a pastor.” At the time, that was the last thing I wanted to hear. Today... well, today I am a pastor.
So, in summary, we’ve looked at the gift-lists as outlined in Scripture, noted that - thankfully - not everyone has the all the gifts, seen that God is seen by others through our gifts, and have gotten a few ideas on how to discern our own spiritual gift(s), and have been encouraged to spend some time in silence, reflecting and praying over your specific gifts.
In the next chapter we’ll take a look at God’s prerogative to call us into any and all gifts of the Spirit - depending entirely upon any given need at any given time. As a friend of mine says, “I guess he thinks he’s God!”
Perhaps now would be a good time to place the blog aside and reflect upon the five items mentioned above. Inventory your experience, the desires of your heart, your fruitfulness, and what others have seen in you.
1 Corinthians 1.7;12.1-14.40
Romans 1.11; 12:3-8
Ephesians 4.7-16
1 Timothy 4:14
2 Timothy 1.6
Hebrews 2.4
1 Peter 4:10-11
As you read through the lists you will soon sense a couple of things. You’ll see each gift is proactive and has its part to play in the general scheme of things. Conversely, each gift provides an avenue wherein the others experience and receive the work of God in their lives. When a person is operating in his or her gifts it is a win-win situation: work gets done and God gets revealed.
There is a lot of proactive work being done in the church today. People are so very busy doing very important things. Like busy beavers, or scurrying ants, the activities of the faithful can sometimes take on a level of business never intended by our Lord. True, we are a motivated people group - with a a wondrously urgent message for the world to hear. But many of us are wrung out, drop dead tired. Why is that? We figure, if we don’t do “it” nobody else will. The truth is that nobody else can do it because we are doing it all for them.
The followers of Christ have the dangerous potential to be the most codependent group of people on earth - and all for good reason, I might add. We’ve been gifted. We’ve been called. We’ve been commissioned by Christ himself to get the good news out in every which way, shape and form. It’s a high calling.
But why are we so busy, so consumed, so drained of the abundant life that Jesus died to give us? Are we are working off guilt from the past? Are we still working for our salvation, seeking to be justified before a holy God by the things we do? Are we seeking to establish God’s reputation to others by how we painstakingly articulate our theology - and correct others who can’t do so? Do we think that if we fail God, God himself fails? What’s with all the strife? Why are we so very, very driven? Weren't the nails driven in far enough for me?
It’s almost as if we have exchanged the old laws of sin and death - the rules and regulations we were first forced to obey, now have been replaced by God’s amazing grace - with a new law which really doesn’t look too much different than the old law. We have clothed ourselves within such a high standard of Christian responsibility, action, and behavior - let’s call it a “ministry work ethic” - that the well-defined line between salvation by grace and salvation by works has been blurred.
It’s a hard line to walk - that of Grace and working out a heart of thanksgiving for the Grace received. Our new nature is “love.” So we instinctively want to help each other, do the work of the church, share God’s love, go the second mile, jump into endless activities for the sake of “the call,” and whatnot. These are all good works and stem from pure motives. The danger, of course, is when we commit to ministry, regardless if the ministry lies within the range of our spiritual gifts, or not.
It has been said that, “The need is the Call” – meaning that if you are aware of a need (anything from global warming to a squeaky door in the woman’s bathroom) it is your duty to respond to it. I don’t agree with that. I don’t see it outlined in Scripture, either.
Look at Jesus. If anyone was aware of the unmet needs around him certainly he was. Did he heal all the lepers, raise all the dead people back to life, bless every child he saw? Did he give money to all the poor? Of course not. He sought to remain true only to what he saw God, doing. Through it all He stayed true to only that which God was calling Him to. That meant, for Jesus, the need wasn’t the call. His call was was what God needed him to do, and nothing else. (How freeing!) As he resolved to look beyond the tyranny of the urgent Jesus was able to fulfill our greater need by going to the Cross and securing our salvation.
LIke Jesus, our real need is to foster the ability to hear God’s voice. When we hear his voice he will tell us what to do. Then we need to be obedient to that - only that - regardless of all the other needs that are everywhere around us.
This brings us to an amazing fact: God doesn’t give any one person all the gifts. He doesn’t expect one person to do it all. On the contrary, he gives a couple of gifts to me and a couple of gifts to you. That’s so we wouldn’t get burned out doing everything all the time. He’s also mixed it up that way so we’d learn to depend/rely on others. This not only teaches us humility but reveals God’s wondrous glory within the interaction of the mystical “Body of Christ.” When others bring their gifts to the table God is reflected and we see Jesus.
The other wonderful thing is this: If I only do what I’ve been gifted to do, and you only do what you’re gifted to do, then everything will get done. I really don’t think I have to do the things you’ve been called to do. You’ll have to do those things yourself. I’ve got enough on my plate, thank you very much.
Well then, the question beckons: If God wants us to only do the things that lie around the general area of our giftedness, how can we discern our general area of our giftedness? In short, how can we know our spiritual gifts?
Here are some things to look at:
1. Remember When. Pause for a moment and recall a time in your life when you were particularly struck with the Presence of God. Got it? Alright, for starters, get back to that.
Do today what so captured your heart then. Think a bit deeper about the activities surrounding that event. What was stirred in you? What was being done around you? Who was doing what when you so powerfully encountered Christ? Find a place like that in your present day life and invest in that.
2. Your Dream Gift. As you consider the list of gifts from Scripture, or as you have observed the gifts in action, ask yourself, “What gifts create a real buzz in my soul?” Which gifts do I dream about doing? What gifts - when I see other doing them - do I find myself thinking, ‘I would love to be able to do that?’”
Why not ask God for it? Read about it. Go to a seminar about it. Become friends with someone who has it. Contrary to popular belief, God is not a celestial killjoy. He actually has been known to give someone the desire of their heart.
3. Fruit Inspection. Take a good look at the fruit that is being generated by the activities you are currently engaged with. What is growing? What is dying? Do things that install growth.
4. Consider the Streets. Go unrestricted; not all gifts are to be used in church. You may be using your gifts very nicely indeed in the workplace – which actually works quite well.
I know of a woman, for example, who has the gift of compassion. Guess what she does in real life? She is a social worker. I know others who work in the oil business – one of which has the gift of evangelism. Of course, he doesn’t stand at the water cooler and pass out Bibles. But, you can be sure, that in every conversation he has one ear tuned to the gentle of leading of Christ and, if so invited, will share the Lord at the drop of a hat. These are situations where one’s spiritual gift leaks through the vocation of the individual. That’s okay. Spiritual gifts are for the evangelizing and edification of the followers of Jesus. And they (the potential and actualized followers of Jesus) are everywhere.
5. Listen to Others. What do they see in you? Other followers of Jesus oftentimes see things we cannot and often have uncanny discernment into our lives.
Shortly after I had “crossed-over” to Christ, I remember speaking quite emphatically to a friend one evening. I’ll never forget it. We were sitting on our sofa and I spent about an hour sharing with her how I came to Christ and pleaded her to do the same. “Just check him out,” I said. “What have you got to loose?” She just stared at me. Afterwards she said, “You’re good. Bill, you ought to be a pastor.” At the time, that was the last thing I wanted to hear. Today... well, today I am a pastor.
So, in summary, we’ve looked at the gift-lists as outlined in Scripture, noted that - thankfully - not everyone has the all the gifts, seen that God is seen by others through our gifts, and have gotten a few ideas on how to discern our own spiritual gift(s), and have been encouraged to spend some time in silence, reflecting and praying over your specific gifts.
In the next chapter we’ll take a look at God’s prerogative to call us into any and all gifts of the Spirit - depending entirely upon any given need at any given time. As a friend of mine says, “I guess he thinks he’s God!”
Perhaps now would be a good time to place the blog aside and reflect upon the five items mentioned above. Inventory your experience, the desires of your heart, your fruitfulness, and what others have seen in you.
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