 Spiritual Gifts are some of Love's greatest "weapons" for advancing God's Kingdom (on earth as it is in heaven),"conquering" the world with kindness and bringing Peace. They were Weapons of Mass Salvation in the ministries of Jesus and the Apostles, and they are still available to us today! If Jesus and the original Apostles relied so heavily on Father confirming His Word with signs following, shouldn't we?
It is, however, of utmost importance that such "weapons" are not used to build personality cults and towers of Babel. Instead, they must be used to point all people to Father's Love..and to encourage ALL to exercise their right to "bear arms" (Lovingly function in Spiritual Gifts as the Spirit of Love instructs and enables). The Word, Good Doctrine, and Impeccable Theology will never demonstrate His Love and Beauty on a grand scale if they are not accompanied by the Gifts of Power which dispel the myth that the love of power is greater than the Power of Love. Men have, unfortunately, tried to replace the Supernatural Gold of His Manifest Presence and Power with the brass of self-help monologues, programs, and entertainment which scream, "The Emperor has no clothes!" My prayer for the Body of Christ is that we all awaken to deeper realities of Who Jesus is, who we are in Him, all that is available to us because of Him, and what He would have us to do with all that He has freely given and instructed us to freely receive. While I have seen many wonderful signs accompany God's Word in His ministry through me (to include medically verified miracles and healings), there is a strong, yet gentle cry within me saying..."There is much, much more!" Let us earnestly covet Spiritual Gifts for the benefit of others and the betterment of the world! 1 Corinthians 12 1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: 2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. 3 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. 4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. Blessings! ~Joe
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My Word to you for 2017: You are just as much in Christ as you have ever been or ever will be! He can't possibly Love you any more or less today than He did yesterday or than He will tomorrow! God IS Love! The same benefits that were yours in 2016 (and in all prior years) are still yours! Christ in you is still the Hope of Glory! Amongst many other wonderful things, He calls you His Wife, His Brother or Sister, His Body, His Friend, His Living Epistle, and the Apple of ...His Eye! You are loved, valued, accepted and blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ! Through Him you have access to all things that pertain to life and godliness! You no longer have to rely on your own performance by trying to produce the Fruit or Gifts of the Spirit; and there is no shortage or rationing of the New Wine! You are free to rest in HIS PERFORMANCE...as you function through HIS Faith, which works by HIS Love! Freely you have received, NOW...Freely give!
No rhymes, No limericks, No numerology, Nothing spooky, No fortune cookie messages, No Christianese horoscopes, No 'carrot & stick' words promising to give you what you already have or make you who you already are, and No words coming from a compulsion to perform prophetically, because a New Year is just around the corner. Just Truth! Regarding New Year's "Words": Trust the Peace of Christ to be the referee in your heart. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Shalom! ~Joe Religion denies our fixed position in Christ, tells us that we're still spiritually naked orphans and harlots in Jesus' future bride rehab program, offers us fig leaves to cover our perceived nakedness, attempts to impregnate our minds with thoughts of perpetual self-loathing and keeps us at a "crossroads"...waiting for the next season, formula, Christian celebrity, or prophetic word. This in no way resembles the ministry of Jesus, the first apostles or the First Century church.
Jesus already placed us in the rich, sweet center of heaven's jelly donut! We're not flies trying to navigate our way in! We're sons and daughters who can function from the In Christ realm...all day, every day. Through Christ, we have been seated in heavenly places and eternally inter-twined with the Trinity and each other! If you can only hear Him and live and function by His Spirit during certain special seasons and visitations...or after YOU have "righted" all of your wrongs...then you have a great excuse to walk "after the flesh" (carnal mindset). Such doctrines and mindsets demand it! The simplicity of Christ is absolutely beautiful! Shalom! ~Joe
Shalom! ~Joe Any teaching which implies that Faith can be humanly manufactured or earned is not the Gospel. God is our Faith...Who works by God...Who is Love. We can discover, apply, and enjoy Faith...but we can't manufacture Faith...anymore than we can manufacture God.
Faith is only OUR Faith, because we have been made one with the Spirit of Faith. Your Faith is only YOURS because it was given to you by your loving, heavenly Father; just like we give gifts to our children...and they ...become "theirs" to use, enjoy, and develop ("build up") their skills through practical application. While Faith is DISCOVERED through the Word, Faith is never "EARNED" by reading, studying and meditating upon the Word. Those are things that we do...because Faith, working by Love, compels us to discover, apply, and enjoy Who Faith is...FOR, IN, and THROUGH us! Gal 2:20,21 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." Again... You can't manufacture Faith anymore than you can manufacture God. Jesus is the Substance of things hoped for and the Evidence of things not seen under the Old Covenant! Shalom! ~Joe |
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