First, let me exclaim that after reading varies post on this segment of the forums as of late...getting a sense of the "heart" of "believers" as well as their strong convictions of who and what the Son of God means to them...after walking and having a personal relationship with Christ for the last 20+ years of my life...what name He should go by, where He was born or what "festivals" I should or should not celebrate, is very insignificant to me when I think of who He has been, what He has done and what He's kept me from, by His Spirit, thus far in mine and my families life journey with Him! So for those who would want to criticize my beliefs...God bless you, but you'll be of ill effect here(smile)!!
Now with that said and before I get into the meat of my forum topic, I am by no means a biblical scholar as most who've contribute here and I truly respect the time, effort and research most put into their forum topics and input:bow:!! So please bare with me as I try to explain my thoughts based on the insight given to me by The Holy Spirit of His Word:
Ephesians 4:7-16 KJV---But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8) Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9) (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of earth? 10) He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11) And he gave some apostles; and some, prophets; and some, pastors and teachers; 12) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13) Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: 14) That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15) But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16) From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Now by God's Word I'm led to believe that we as believers have ALL been given a ministry gift by The Holy Spirit to be used for God's glory in this earth to spread His gospel and to help lead souls to salvation! A gift that obviously can ONLY be inspired by The Holy Spirit! We as believers, IMO, should be aspiring to know what our ministry gift is, to then operate in that gift...effectively!! I now know I have been anointed to evangelize...to encourage! I, by The power of The Holy Spirit, try my best to operate in my gift! What I'm trying to get at here brethren is this...if we all aspire to know and operate in our "gift", we may not be as "tempted" to step outside of our gift, criticizing the gifts/anointing of others!
We all have an extraordinary part to play in God's plan for the redemption and restoration of those whom He, before time, has called His own! Based on world events and the time line of His Word, there's not a whole lot of time left for this to happen! Having differences in faith, doctrine, beliefs, etc., to me doesn't seem to be the real issue amongst us who do believe! The real issue or question is...can we come together in our differences, or I'd like to say "gifts", to get God's work done? To me, at the end of the day, nothing else really matters! What say you...
"The real issue or question is...can we come together in our differences, or I'd like to say "gifts", to get God's work done?"
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What is God's work?
Our Messiah set an example for God's work. He claimed to be the truth.
I believe that we cannot do God's work without the truth.
Yahshua claimed to come to bring division.
I believe that that division already existed, as men strayed from YHWH's law, and corrupted YHWH's word.
I believe that the division that Yahshua spoke of, was to call out those who were willing to receive the truth, from those who choose to reject, or to pervert, the truth.
I am so Bursting with JOY with and for you sister Joy!!! :yay:..To discover your personal Gift of Evangelism and Encouragement from our Papa God is a most marvelous experience. (((SMILE))) God continue to Bless you in this for HIS Glory!!!
You asked ~ The real issue or question is...can we come together in our differences, or I'd like to say "gifts", to get God's work done? To me, at the end of the day, nothing else really matters! What say you...
*** Yes!...I believe so and is already being done....we just done see enough of it in this dark and fallen world. Those that have the Gifts the LORD has so blessed them with what ever they be...use them for HIS Glory as the Holy Spirit directs, leads and guides. Example....Those that plant the seed of the Gospel may never see the result of the planting or the effect of it bringing Glory to our FATHER. I know that all the nit-picky differences can be set aside for one common good...the LOVE of the Father and HIS children...One small word or act of kindness...goes a long way to bring that LOVE into this fallen world. And I agree that at the end of the day...Nothing Else really matters and I say YAY !!! :yay: !!!
Hark--the "work" of God would be using what HE's instilled in us eg. our "gifts", in this earth to fulfill HIS redemptive and restoration plan within the lives HE's already called HIS own!
GodsJude--Heaven and I celebrate with you my sister!! All I've ever wanted to do is to be in His will...used by Him! May we all make ourselves available vessels for and to His glory! God's blessings to you!
HISJOYMYPEACE: ....if we all aspire to know and operate in our "gift", we may not be as "tempted" to step outside of our gift, criticizing the gifts/anointing of others! We all have an extraordinary part to play in God's plan for the redemption and restoration of those whom He, before time, has called His own! Based on world events and the time line of His Word, there's not a whole lot of time left for this to happen! Having differences in faith, doctrine, beliefs, etc., to me doesn't seem to be the real issue amongst us who do believe! The real issue or question is...can we come together in our differences, or I'd like to say "gifts", to get God's work done? To me, at the end of the day, nothing else really matters! What say you...
Very good topic Joy:applause:... My thughts takes me back to what Paul has to say in Romans 12, we bring in the bidy of Christ have many callings and gifts, and God has given us the different gift according to who we are in Him, our personalities, and our abilities, and most importantly according to OUR FAITH! The things that is necessary is for EVERY Christian believers to operate within the gift (s) God has given him/her and stay out the other person's LANE... When believers are able to stay in their OWN LANES (calling/gifts) work in the ministry will get down more effectively. Paul also points this out in ICorinthians chapters 12 and 14, and we find God exericising this principle in the book of Acts with the Apostles He sent forth to minister the gospel, each one had their OWN calling or gifting for certain groups of people, this is why God sent Peter to one group,and Paul to another group,becuase these two men had callings in their gift to communicate effectively what had need be to the people. The again, they had teachable spirits to be taught by the Holy Spirit and trained in their gifts, in God discipleship program...
My other thought is as Jesus so speaks in Mark chapter 3, a HOUSE OR KINGDOM DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF CANNOT STAND... In Ephesians 4, Jesus Himself placed SPIRITUAL learned people WHO WERE ANOINTED AND GIFTED WITH THE HOLY GHOST IN THE WORD, in those areas of the Gospel He KNEW would be effective in delivering the gospel to the people... BECAUSE GOD DOES NOTHING WITHOUT PURPOSE... therefore, with reason and purpose God placed these people in in the church ministry with gifts as pointed out in this chapter 4:And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head�Christ� from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
THE PROBLEM LIES IN THE FACT THAT NOT MANY ARE ANOINTED OR GIFTED WITH THE HOLY GHOST OR CALLED BY GOD, WHO ARE TRYING TO DO MINISTRY WORKS GOD HAS NOT CALLED OR ANOINTED THEM TO DO... They are not SOUND, ROOTED OR GROUNDED in JESUS OR HIS WORD OF TRUTH. YET,they try to TEACH AND PREACH their own gospel truths using Scriptures as their support therefore there is no unity, main part of the gifting that is MISSING IS THE GIFT OF GRACE! NOTHING DONE CAN BE EFFECTIVE WITHOUT GRACE! Yes we ALL have been gifted by God in different callings and gifts to the edifying and spiritual grown of the church,and Jesus determines both what gift each believer is given and what amount of this gift is given based on, back to Romans 12, the MEASURE (amount) of faith AND GRACE that works in the person when that person is SUBMITTED TO THE INFLUENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Some people are gifted with all the gifts because of their FAITH AND GRACE...
Glad to hear you know your gift and calling as an Evangelist, I to am an Evangelist for over 32 yrs. old, and as you know God has gifted and called us to GO! and for the most part we are as Abraham, going without knowing, because God never says where to GO, He just says GO! at least this has been the cases for me, He just point me north, south, east or west,and I GO!.. and not sit around wondering what to do or where to go... :laugh:
A bit LONG, could have been longer :ROFL:...but I thought its best to cut it short :laugh:
OH, DEAR... CORRECTIONS: My THOUGHTS takes me back to what Paul has to say in Romans 12, we BEING in the BODY of Christ have many callings and gifts, and God has given us the different GIFTS according to who we are in Him, our personalities, and our abilities, and most importantly according to OUR FAITH! The things that ARE necessary is for EVERY Christian believers to operate within the gift (s) God has given him/her and stay out the other person's LANE... When believers are able to stay in their OWN LANES (calling/gifts) work in the ministry will get DONE more effectively. Paul also points this out in I Corinthians chapters 12 and 14, and we find God EXERCISING this principle in the book of Acts with the Apostles He sent forth to minister the gospel, each one had their OWN calling or gifting for certain groups of people, this is why God sent Peter to one group,and Paul to another group, BECAUSE these two men had callings in their gift to communicate effectively what had need be to the people. THEN again, they had teachable spirits to be taught by the Holy Spirit and trained in their gifts, in God discipleship program..
ET my sister...my consciences exactly!! Until this "truth", as our brother Hark might have been trying to elude to...is adhered to and executed as you stated "in faith", the difficulties we face in reaching the lost today will only become more and more challenging!! Thank you for your valued input! In Jesus Name...
Someone has been lying to you, and the Christians by telling them they have only 1 gift from the Holy Spirit.
I would suggest that you learn to translate the Word of GOD to find what He says, instead of listening to SINFUL MEN which do not tell you the truth.
Do yourself a favor and read that section of the Scriptures all over again, asking for wisdom and understanding.
If you start telling others they have only 1 gift of the Holy Spirit you will be misleading the people, just as those which call themselves 'church' leaders.
Grace---"gifts" my friend "gifts"(plural)!! And the only truth that can combat any LIE is in Jesus my Savior and Lord...whom I know lives within me! So no lies here my brother! Sorry to disappoint you!
And Grace...whom Christ does anoint with more than one gift...Amen and blessings to them!! Whom much is given, much is required! That would be no ones decision but HIS!
