But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills (1 Corinthians 12:11 NKJV).
As He wills – so then it is God’s decision what gifts He is going to give you. We get so caught up on looking at the list of gifts and deciding which ones we hope we have, wish we had, or – in some cases – pray we never have. Yet, all the while, it really is not in our court to make that call. God has already preordained who you are, what you will do, and what you will need to do it. He knit you together in your mother’s womb with a specific plan in mind and based upon that plan, He then assigned spiritual gifts so that you could fulfill the purpose for which He created and designed you.
When we consider the matter of spiritual gifts from that mindset, it becomes overwhelmingly obvious that we need to pay serious attention to what we do have in order to figure out what we are supposed to be doing with our life. If I have a healthy dose of evangelism, there is a more than good chance that I will be called by God to evangelize. If I score high on mercy, then I better be looking at what vocations will require a high degree of mercy.
We are taught in the Westminster catechism that the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. What better and more perfect way would we ever glorify God than by accomplishing the purpose for which He created us with the gifts and talents He gave us? And the only way we are going to truly enjoy God is to walk in full unison and harmony with our Creator and Father in the course He uniquely designed for us.
Today, I need to zero in on my spiritual gifts so that I can make sure I am walking completely and fully in them. In that way, I will glorify God and enjoy my day.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
The Fruit of Proper Balance
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:7 ESV).
There is a definite theme when it comes to the life of believers that has to do with unity and what is best for the group, rather than the individual. Yet, God’s Word does not deny the importance of each individual’s contribution and clearly paints a picture of how unique the Lord has created each and every one of us.
It is no wonder, when you note the balance God places on unity and individuality, that it would be safe to assume that when we see an imbalance towards either side, there is a disconnect from the heart of God. When we become consumed with our individuality, we end up self-focused, self-absorbed, critical, and useless for ministry. However, on the same slippery slope of extremes, when we get too concerned over the group and neglect the individuals who make up the group, we create the perfect storm for conformity and cults.
To maintain a healthy balance, then, seems to be the goal of the spiritual gifts. It is important to develop our unique and personal gifts, but it is equally important to make sure we are using them for the common good of the Body of Christ and not just for our own promotion or agenda.
In order for me to operate within the delicate balance of individuality within a group, I must have two very important pieces of the puzzle always in front of me – what gifts I bring to the table and what needs are among the group that my gifts will be able to service.
Today I need to review the list of my gifts and then be open for Jesus to point out where I need to use them.
There is a definite theme when it comes to the life of believers that has to do with unity and what is best for the group, rather than the individual. Yet, God’s Word does not deny the importance of each individual’s contribution and clearly paints a picture of how unique the Lord has created each and every one of us.
It is no wonder, when you note the balance God places on unity and individuality, that it would be safe to assume that when we see an imbalance towards either side, there is a disconnect from the heart of God. When we become consumed with our individuality, we end up self-focused, self-absorbed, critical, and useless for ministry. However, on the same slippery slope of extremes, when we get too concerned over the group and neglect the individuals who make up the group, we create the perfect storm for conformity and cults.
To maintain a healthy balance, then, seems to be the goal of the spiritual gifts. It is important to develop our unique and personal gifts, but it is equally important to make sure we are using them for the common good of the Body of Christ and not just for our own promotion or agenda.
In order for me to operate within the delicate balance of individuality within a group, I must have two very important pieces of the puzzle always in front of me – what gifts I bring to the table and what needs are among the group that my gifts will be able to service.
Today I need to review the list of my gifts and then be open for Jesus to point out where I need to use them.
What Does the Lordship of Christ Look Like?
Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3 NKJV).
This is an interesting statement in light of how many Americans claim to be Christians and yet, it is pretty obvious that this is not the case. So, how do we rectify the discrepancy between this verse – which clearly says that you cannot say that Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit – and all those people who claim to be Christians, but live like Hell?
The gap between their proclamation and the reality of their life choices can be immediately closed when we take into consideration the age old problem of the multi-faceted understanding of what something means. For instance, when we say we love our mother, we love ice cream, or we love football, we certainly don’t mean love in the same way or capacity. When people say that they are a Christian, many of them believe that what makes them a Christian is because they go to a Christian church, they are not Buddhists or Muslims, and they totally look at Jesus Christ as the person they pay homage to when they are at church, or in their own private world.
It does not take too deep of a study into Scripture to know that sitting in a church week after week is not what makes someone a Christian any more than sitting in a garage makes them a car. In fact, their misunderstanding of what it means to have Jesus as Lord is clearly seen when Jesus tells them:
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV).
It is makes perfect sense, then, that if this is the prerequisite to being on the same page with Jesus about what constitutes the meaning of “Lord,” to Him, it would require the indwelling of the Spirit of God to have the power to not just do the will of the Father, but to actually know the will of the Father.
Today, I am thankful for the indwelling Spirit of God, because He is my guarantee of being able to live a life for the glory of God. I just need to pay close attention to what He says and do it.
This is an interesting statement in light of how many Americans claim to be Christians and yet, it is pretty obvious that this is not the case. So, how do we rectify the discrepancy between this verse – which clearly says that you cannot say that Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit – and all those people who claim to be Christians, but live like Hell?
The gap between their proclamation and the reality of their life choices can be immediately closed when we take into consideration the age old problem of the multi-faceted understanding of what something means. For instance, when we say we love our mother, we love ice cream, or we love football, we certainly don’t mean love in the same way or capacity. When people say that they are a Christian, many of them believe that what makes them a Christian is because they go to a Christian church, they are not Buddhists or Muslims, and they totally look at Jesus Christ as the person they pay homage to when they are at church, or in their own private world.
It does not take too deep of a study into Scripture to know that sitting in a church week after week is not what makes someone a Christian any more than sitting in a garage makes them a car. In fact, their misunderstanding of what it means to have Jesus as Lord is clearly seen when Jesus tells them:
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV).
It is makes perfect sense, then, that if this is the prerequisite to being on the same page with Jesus about what constitutes the meaning of “Lord,” to Him, it would require the indwelling of the Spirit of God to have the power to not just do the will of the Father, but to actually know the will of the Father.
Today, I am thankful for the indwelling Spirit of God, because He is my guarantee of being able to live a life for the glory of God. I just need to pay close attention to what He says and do it.
Don't Wander Away From the Word
Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed (1 Corinthians 12:1 TNIV).
It is hard not to be confronted by the irony of this statement. God, through the Apostle Paul, is making His heart known about something in which He feels we should be informed. Yet, if there is one thing in the Body of Christ that is beyond question a topic of misinformation, it would be this subject of spiritual gifts. We go from the extreme of they don’t exist at all today to the opposite end of the spectrum in some circles of Christianity that look a lot like a three-ring circus. The disparity between the two ends of this chasm begs the question – how did we get so far apart on a topic upon which God unequivocally called us to educate ourselves and gave us very specific information in Scripture to do so.
Well, that is the problem – we have become “informed” by sources other than the Bible and when we have actually used the Bible as our source, we have read into it our own interpretations based upon our biases, fears, expectations, pride, and even personal agendas. How sad that we have missed the very heart of what God intended to be a great blessing and catalyst of unity for the Body of Christ and ended up with some of the greatest divisions in Christ.
It is important when God calls us to be informed on a subject – whether it be spiritual gifts or any other aspect of our Christian experience – that we stick to what is written and not wander into the uncharted territory of someone else’s opinion. While the Bible does say that there is safety in the multitude of counsel, God expects us to seek His counsel first. Then we will have a barometer by which we can verify if the counsel we are getting lines up with what is written or strays into those murky waters of pet doctrines that lead to division.
I will make a personal commitment to always seek answers from the Lord alone first and then run it by trustworthy believers who hold the same convictions about truth that I do.
It is hard not to be confronted by the irony of this statement. God, through the Apostle Paul, is making His heart known about something in which He feels we should be informed. Yet, if there is one thing in the Body of Christ that is beyond question a topic of misinformation, it would be this subject of spiritual gifts. We go from the extreme of they don’t exist at all today to the opposite end of the spectrum in some circles of Christianity that look a lot like a three-ring circus. The disparity between the two ends of this chasm begs the question – how did we get so far apart on a topic upon which God unequivocally called us to educate ourselves and gave us very specific information in Scripture to do so.
Well, that is the problem – we have become “informed” by sources other than the Bible and when we have actually used the Bible as our source, we have read into it our own interpretations based upon our biases, fears, expectations, pride, and even personal agendas. How sad that we have missed the very heart of what God intended to be a great blessing and catalyst of unity for the Body of Christ and ended up with some of the greatest divisions in Christ.
It is important when God calls us to be informed on a subject – whether it be spiritual gifts or any other aspect of our Christian experience – that we stick to what is written and not wander into the uncharted territory of someone else’s opinion. While the Bible does say that there is safety in the multitude of counsel, God expects us to seek His counsel first. Then we will have a barometer by which we can verify if the counsel we are getting lines up with what is written or strays into those murky waters of pet doctrines that lead to division.
I will make a personal commitment to always seek answers from the Lord alone first and then run it by trustworthy believers who hold the same convictions about truth that I do.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Unity from Diversity
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them (1 Corinthians 12:4 TNIV).
It is very important to notice two things in this verse. The first is that the gifts are different. As we can see from the passages that follow, the gifts are diverse and useful in varying situations. From the gift of discernment to that of helps and everything in between, by virtue of the gifts themselves, we are different. God used the gifts as part of the fabric that makes us unique individuals who share one thing in common – God’s Spirit. And it is God’s Spirit that makes us one.
The second important truth this verse holds is that it is the Spirit who distributes the gifts. That means that whatever giftings you may have, they have nothing to do with you. They were given by God’s Spirit to match God’s calling for God’s purpose. So there is really no place for pride when exercising the gifts.
Consider these three scriptures collectively and you will see how this tapestry comes together from God’s vantage point:
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10 NIV).
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose (Philippians 2:12-13 NIV).
So, the bottom line on gifts is – they equip you to execute the Ephesians 2:10 good works that God prepared for you before the foundation of earth, which are part of God’s Jeremiah 29:11 plan for your life – all of which Jesus expects you to work out in fear and trembling because He is co-laboring with you in your Philippians 2:12 salvation.
When you consider all of the intricacies of how God orchestrates this providential tapestry, you have to realize that He is the ultimate Mastermind of all times. And because His final goal is unity out of all this diversity, He gives us the crowning and final word on spiritual gifts -
Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel (1 Corinthians 14:12 NKJV).
All gifts – no matter what they might be – are for the building up of the church. If they don’t accomplish that purpose, then they are simply the clanging gongs and noisy cymbals of 1 Corinthians 13.
Today, I need to use my spiritual gifts to build up others so that my life might rhyme in sweet harmony with Heaven.
It is very important to notice two things in this verse. The first is that the gifts are different. As we can see from the passages that follow, the gifts are diverse and useful in varying situations. From the gift of discernment to that of helps and everything in between, by virtue of the gifts themselves, we are different. God used the gifts as part of the fabric that makes us unique individuals who share one thing in common – God’s Spirit. And it is God’s Spirit that makes us one.
The second important truth this verse holds is that it is the Spirit who distributes the gifts. That means that whatever giftings you may have, they have nothing to do with you. They were given by God’s Spirit to match God’s calling for God’s purpose. So there is really no place for pride when exercising the gifts.
Consider these three scriptures collectively and you will see how this tapestry comes together from God’s vantage point:
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10 NIV).
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose (Philippians 2:12-13 NIV).
So, the bottom line on gifts is – they equip you to execute the Ephesians 2:10 good works that God prepared for you before the foundation of earth, which are part of God’s Jeremiah 29:11 plan for your life – all of which Jesus expects you to work out in fear and trembling because He is co-laboring with you in your Philippians 2:12 salvation.
When you consider all of the intricacies of how God orchestrates this providential tapestry, you have to realize that He is the ultimate Mastermind of all times. And because His final goal is unity out of all this diversity, He gives us the crowning and final word on spiritual gifts -
Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel (1 Corinthians 14:12 NKJV).
All gifts – no matter what they might be – are for the building up of the church. If they don’t accomplish that purpose, then they are simply the clanging gongs and noisy cymbals of 1 Corinthians 13.
Today, I need to use my spiritual gifts to build up others so that my life might rhyme in sweet harmony with Heaven.
Friday, January 6, 2012
A Call To Greatness
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called (Ephesians 4:1 NKJV).
The Bible says that many are called, but few are chosen. As we consider Paul’s admonition to walk in a manner worthy of the call, it is important to realize that Paul also adds the qualifying statement, “to which you have been called.” If he had left it at a manner worthy, it would be implied that the manner worthy would be the same for each believer and it would correlate to the model in which Jesus walked. On the one hand, that’s true. But on the other it is much more personal. It is not just a call to holiness, but to greatness.
Considering that we are knit together in our mother’s womb, that God has a specific Jeremiah 29:11 plan for each of us, and that there are Ephesian 2:10 good works we are to walk in that were created for us before the foundation of the world, then it seems that the Holy Spirit is helping us to see that the only way to attain true greatness in this life is to align ourselves in complete congruence with all of these things – how we were created, the plan for which we were created, and the exact works that make up that plan.
It is more than a little disconcerting to realize that I can just be a good Christian all my life – dotting my “i’s” and crossing my “t’s” and still miss the mark. If I am not playing full out in pursuit of the destiny God specifically designed for me, then I am living a life of compromise that is not worthy of the calling to which I have been called.
This sobering truth is overwhelming when we consider the consequences of getting it wrong. However, God never gives us something to do that He has also not given us the way to do it. The key in this case lies in the Ephesians 2:10 good works. When we seek the Lord daily, we will not miss the things He has for us to do that day and we will be empowered with the grace to do them. Then, at the end of our days, we will look back and see the Jeremiah 29 plan unfolded in hindsight and realize that our daily steps of obedience led to a lifetime of worthy walking and a legacy of greatness.
Today, I will seek God for the eyes to see what He sees as important and not get caught up in the mundane and meaningless trap of the unworthy and non-essential details of my day.
The Bible says that many are called, but few are chosen. As we consider Paul’s admonition to walk in a manner worthy of the call, it is important to realize that Paul also adds the qualifying statement, “to which you have been called.” If he had left it at a manner worthy, it would be implied that the manner worthy would be the same for each believer and it would correlate to the model in which Jesus walked. On the one hand, that’s true. But on the other it is much more personal. It is not just a call to holiness, but to greatness.
Considering that we are knit together in our mother’s womb, that God has a specific Jeremiah 29:11 plan for each of us, and that there are Ephesian 2:10 good works we are to walk in that were created for us before the foundation of the world, then it seems that the Holy Spirit is helping us to see that the only way to attain true greatness in this life is to align ourselves in complete congruence with all of these things – how we were created, the plan for which we were created, and the exact works that make up that plan.
It is more than a little disconcerting to realize that I can just be a good Christian all my life – dotting my “i’s” and crossing my “t’s” and still miss the mark. If I am not playing full out in pursuit of the destiny God specifically designed for me, then I am living a life of compromise that is not worthy of the calling to which I have been called.
This sobering truth is overwhelming when we consider the consequences of getting it wrong. However, God never gives us something to do that He has also not given us the way to do it. The key in this case lies in the Ephesians 2:10 good works. When we seek the Lord daily, we will not miss the things He has for us to do that day and we will be empowered with the grace to do them. Then, at the end of our days, we will look back and see the Jeremiah 29 plan unfolded in hindsight and realize that our daily steps of obedience led to a lifetime of worthy walking and a legacy of greatness.
Today, I will seek God for the eyes to see what He sees as important and not get caught up in the mundane and meaningless trap of the unworthy and non-essential details of my day.
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