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The Gift of Ministry or Serving

2/27/2017

One of the greatest wonders concerning the gifts of the Holy Spirit are not in how many gifts are available, but how they are used within the body of Christ. As we learned previously, all gifts are for building up the church. The gift of prophecy being one of the best (according to Paul) in edifying the church. But another gift that is just as important is the gift of ministry or serving.

The word “ministry” comes from the Greek word diakonia and literally means “servant”. You often hear people within church circles say endearingly, “He (or she) has such a servant’s heart” and in truth people with this gift really do! They love to serve others. They take great joy in it. In fact, the first people to be recognized with this gift were those appointed in Acts 6:1-7.

Now this word “ministry” should not be confused with what a pastor does. The gift of “pastor” is different than the gift of “ministry”. While a pastor does “serve” his congregation, his main gifts would be prophecy, teaching and exhortation (although I’m sure they have more). But as the Apostles pointed out in Acts 6:2, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables,” so like the apostles, a pastor would be more concerned in shepherding his flock. He “serves” the congregation better, by exhorting from the Word of God and not having to worry about the administration aspects of running a church.

However, one would usually find that the two go hand in hand. For if the word “ministry” literally means servant, than a pastor could not do his job if he did not also have the gift of ministry. So, to keep things simple and less confusing, for the rest of this post I will refer to the gift of ministry as the gift of servanthood or serving.

In Acts 6:1-7 we see the qualifications for someone with the gift of servanthood as given by the apostles:

•   They must have a good reputation.
•   They must be full of the Holy Spirit.
•   They must be wise.

It is from this passage in Acts 6 that most people believe we get the office of deacon or deaconess. Mainly because this particular office employs the gift of serving. But we must not mistake an “office” or “position” in the church as a gift, as they are two completely different things. Gifts are given directly through and by the Holy Spirit. Whereas an office or position in the church, such as a deacon or elder, is a man-made position which is blessed with the laying on of hands by those with the authority to do so (usually a pastor). While the office of deacon employs the gift of serving, it is not actually a gift of the Holy Spirit. To see a complete list of character traits necessary to become a deacon read 1 Timothy 3:8-13.

Opportunities to Serve

Those with the gift of serving are usually very easy to spot in church circles. They are the ones who are usually right in “the thick of things”. For example, my best friend’s husband is a very good cook and so he is our church “chef” so to speak. He plans meals for hundreds of people and dozens of events each year. He shops regularly for the best deals in town, often travelling to many different places for those deals. And while he has a church budget to use to get all the necessary food items, and is reimbursed for gas, he spends a great deal of his time serving in this way. And from what I’m told, it is a full-time job. He is retired so he doesn’t mind, but he is also very sick and he still goes out to do his weekly shopping runs. He has a true servant’s heart.

There are many opportunities for those with a “servant’s heart” to minister in the church – visiting the sick in hospital, as a deacon or deaconess, in the nursery, or as a Sunday school teacher, to name a few. There are also ways to employ the gift of serving outside the church - helping in the community, volunteering at hospitals or even just reading to children after school.

I have another friend who, many years ago, was our church janitor. He had the qualifications to be an ordained minister. He spoke three languages. Had even received his Master of Divinity degree and more, but instead he chose to serve as our janitor. At the time he served our church, he was more qualified in credentials than our own pastor! But he loved to serve, more than he loved to preach. Why? Because he had the gift of serving. He loved to study the Bible and so he thought his calling was to preach, but he discovered that even with all his degrees, he could not dismiss the gift God had given him – that of serving others. And so he made the decision to use his gift of serving by becoming our janitor, and our church was the better for it. For his gift shined on Sunday mornings when members came into the church and could see how well taken care of it was – and this dear man still managed to serve as a Sunday school teacher and wherever he was needed. He had a true gift of serving.

Are you always looking to the needs of others, putting them before your own? Do you seek to please God, by serving in ways that may be “behind the scenes” where you might not get appreciated or even thanked for what you do? Then you may have the gift of serving.

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What is the Gift of Prophecy?

2/20/2017

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The Apostle Paul once said, “Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy” (1 Corinthians 14:1, NKJV). Why did he stress the importance of the gift of prophecy? He answers in 1 Corinthians 14:3 when he says, “But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.” From that verse alone we see three important aspects of prophecy that make it an important gift:

Edification
Exhortation
Comfort

The word “edification” comes from the Greek oikos, meaning “a home,” and demo, meaning “to build”. So it literally means to “build up” and is used figuratively in regards to the spiritual body of the church. To prophesy then, is to build up the church body or edify it.

“Exhortation” comes from the Greek words para, meaning “beside”, and kaleo, meaning “to call”. The meaning being that of “calling to one’s side,” offering words of comfort, encouragement and aid. The NIV translates exhortation into the word encouraging.

The word “comfort” comes from the Greek para, meaning “near”, and muthos, meaning “speech”. It literally means “speaking closely to anyone”. It has the connotation of offering practical comfort and encouragement to another. So it is an “act” of helping or meeting a need.

All three of these aspects of prophecy – edification, exhortation and comfort should be present in those who prophesy. Why? Because the main reason behind prophecy, indeed behind all spiritual gifts, is to build up the church (Ephesians 4:11-16).

Are There Prophets Today?

The word prophecy itself means to speak forth the mind and counsel of God. It comes from the Greek pro meaning “forth” and femi meaning “to speak”. But what does that entail?

In the Old Testament there were many prophets who received messages from God. Some of these messages were given directly to the prophet. Others were given through dreams or visions and still others were used by God as an example, or lesson for the people to learn something from (see the book of Hosea). No matter how the prophets were used, what they had to say usually came with a warning, followed by a promise if the people obeyed. Unfortunately, more often than not, a prophet's warnings were not heeded and the warnings turned into judgements from God.

The book of Jeremiah is an excellent example of a prophet of God who warned his people of God’s coming judgments if they did not repent and return to God. The book of Revelation speaks forth both warnings of judgments to come and promises of a bright future. However, one thing is clear about all the prophets of the Old Testament and the New Testament, not one of them was appointed by man to be a prophet. No individual or organization can enable a man or woman to become a true prophet. A church can ordain and install an evangelist or a pastor, but no one can become a prophet in the full meaning of the word unless God chooses to give him a message with orders to pass it on.

So how do we tell if someone is a prophet? Anyone can say they had a message from God or that they are a prophet of God, but how does one tell if they are speaking the truth or just delusional? The only way to confirm whether or not someone is a true prophet of God, is if their prophecies come true (Deuteronomy 18:22). But what if their prophecies are far into the future, how are people to know if the prophet is really from God? The Lord Himself says that if a person calling himself a prophet of God was not from God – they would die (Deuteronomy 18:20). This would more than likely be a spiritual death or eternal separation from God. That in itself should be a deterrent for people calling themselves prophets of God.

Sadly, the word “prophet” is being abused in the church today to the point where everyone thinks they have a message from God and so they call themselves a prophet of God. I don’t know about you, but when someone introduces themselves to me as a prophet, my Spidey senses kick into high gear, mainly because they are using the term “prophet” as a title worn with pride.

What Are the Traits of a False Prophet?

They will contradict Scripture. The best way to guard yourself against false prophets is to know the Word of God. 2 Timothy 2:15-16 says we need to be diligent so that we are rightly dividing the Word. We are not to listen to idle babblings. Too many people love to say, "The Lord revealed to me..." or "The Lord told me..." and gullible people accept what they are saying as fact. Check everything against Scripture!
They will deny Jesus’ divinity. Anyone who denies that Jesus is God, who downplays His sacrificial death on the cross, or who rejects Jesus’ humanity is a false prophet. 1 John 2:22 says, “Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist—he denies the Father and the Son.”
They will puff themselves up. They will precede their name with the title of “prophet”, thus making themselves seem important. Galatians 6:3 says, “For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” And 2 Corinthians 10:17-18 says, “But ‘he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.’ For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.”
They will avoid controversy. True prophets of old spoke the truth no matter how harsh and no matter the consequences to their well-being. They would not couch it with half-truths, nor would they be “politically correct”. If the Lord has a word of warning, it will be direct and straight to the point. A true prophet of God will not be able to hold God's message within themselves, but will feel compelled to speak it (Jeremiah 20:9), even if it means persecution for themselves.
They will talk about their dreams, visions and “special revelations” from God. They will concentrate and expound on something that can’t be proven. Staying clear of the Bible. They will say flippant things like televangelist Joyce Meyer said once in one of her broadcasts, “The Bible can’t even find any way to explain this. Not really. That is why you have got to get it by revelation. There are no words to explain what I am telling you. I have got to just trust God that he is putting it into your spirit like he put it into mine.”[i] Meyer puts the onus on the listener, blaming them for not being “spiritual” enough to hear what God has told her.
They will “prophesy” only on what people want to hear. Real prophets of old pointed out sin and preached repentance, obedience and confession to God. Real prophets sounded warnings, followed by blessings if people would repent and turn back to God. Today’s “prophets” preach prosperity, healings, and promises of blessings from God, for no other reason than the famous line we hear all the time, "God wants to give good gifts to His children." This line is used frequently by people like prosperity teacher Joel Osteen. It is Scripture that is twisted into a lie, by leaving out the important aspects of what has to happen before God gives good gifts to His children. Namely, our repentance and confession. 2 Timothy 4:3 says, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.”
Their prophecies will not come true! Often they will preface their “prophecies” from God with the line “the Lord has revealed to me…” Benny Hinn does this. A lot. So far, his “prophecies” have yet to come true. To get an idea of some of his “revelations” from God visit this link. Be very sceptical when someone begins a sentence with “The Lord revealed to me” or “The Lord told me” or "I have a word of knowledge from the Lord" especially if what they are saying can’t be backed up with Scripture.

Does the Gift of Prophecy Still Exist?

Jesus confirmed that all Scripture was fulfilled in him (Matthew 5:17-18). With the canon of Scripture complete, we have the advantage of being able to see throughout history where prophecies came true. Even the book of Revelation gives us an advantage on the signs of what to look for in regards to coming judgments and Christ’s return. So, does the gift of prophecy still exist? Is there still a need for it? Yes! It does exist, but in a much simpler form.

Ephesians 4:12 says there are two reasons for spiritual gifts - to equip us for ministry and to edify the body of Christ. And Ephesians 4:13 tells us how long those gifts will be available:

Until we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God.
Until we are perfected.
Until we measure up to stature of the fullness of Christ.
Until we are no longer children who are tossed to and fro with every kind of doctrine.
Until we speak the truth in love, growing up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ.

Clearly, the gift of prophecy is still available and needed today, but it is only available as a means to edify, exhort and comfort the body of Christ. If the purpose of a prophet in Biblical times was to reveal truth from God, why would we need prophets today when we have the completed revelation of God in the form of the Bible? All the warnings to repent are in Scripture, followed by the promises of God to those who turn to Him. All the prophecies in regards to future events are also found in the Bible. But, those who teach or exhort from the Word of God, who seek to edify the church and who encourage the lost to repent, using Scripture as their foundation, would qualify today as those having the “gift of prophecy”. They are not “prophets” in the sense that they have something new to say that God has not revealed to anyone else. He no longer needs to do this because we have the Bible and the Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth (John 14:26; John 16:13; 1 Corinthians 2:10). However, God does still use prophets to expound on His warnings written in Scripture. He uses them to edify the church (from Scripture) and He uses them to encourage and comfort the church through His promises. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:39, “desire earnestly to prophesy” for the plain and simple reason that it is to help the church grow.

Today God uses those with the gift of prophecy by showing them, through Scripture, insights and wisdom that they share with the rest of the body of Christ to build them up and encourage them. And what greater gift could one give back to the church than to build them up in the Lord?

[i] URL http://craigbrownsreformedtheology.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/clip-2-joyce-meyer.mp3

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A Look at Spiritual Gifts

2/13/2017

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I don't usually like to pick one topic and expound on it. I much prefer reading an entire book of the Bible and going through it verse by verse. You learn so much more that way. However, there are several topics within the Bible that deserve our attention. One of these is the subject of Spiritual Gifts. So for the next little while we will be looking closely at the gifts God gives us. We will examine how they are supposed to work within the body of Christ and since so many new Christians (and sometimes older ones) question whether they have any gifts at all, I think it is important to have a proper understanding of not only what gifts God has given us, but how we are to use them. And we will also examine the touchy subject of whether or not some gifts no longer exist. While some say they all currently exist, others say they don't. So I hope you will join me on this journey as we look at what the Bible has to say about Spiritual Gifts.

Let us start by listing all the Spiritual Gifts available to us as listed in Romans, 1 Corinthians, and Ephesians and 2 Peter.

Prophecy (Romans 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:10; 1 Cor. 13:2; 1 Cor. 14:1; 2 Peter 1:19-21)
Ministry or Serving (Romans 12:7)
Teaching (Romans 12:7; 1 Cor. 14:6; 1 Cor. 14:26)
Exhortation (Romans 12:8; 1 Cor. 14:3)
Giving (Romans 12:8)
Leading (Romans 12:8)
Mercy (Romans 12:8)
Word of Wisdom (1 Cor. 12:8)
Word of Knowledge (1 Cor. 12:8)
Faith (1 Cor. 12:9)
Healing (1 Cor. 12:9)
Miracles (1 Cor. 12:10)
Discernment (1 Cor. 12:10)
Tongues (1 Cor. 12:10, 28)
Interpretation of Tongues (1 Cor. 12:10)
Helps (1 Cor. 12:28)
Administration/Governing (1 Cor. 12:28)
Evangelists (Ephesians 4:11)
Pastors (Ephesians 4:11)
Apostles (1 Cor. 12:28-29; 2 Cor. 12:11-12; Eph. 4:11)

If I have left any out, please let me know! But this is a very good list to start with, don't you think? And aren't you amazed when you look at this list, over all that God gives us to carry out His mission here on earth? I don't know about you but it absolutely boggles my mind! We are so blessed.

Now, you may be wondering which gift you have and if you have more than one. Be assured that every Christian has at least one or more of the gifts above. What gifts do you think you have? I'd love to know and perhaps throughout this study you will learn if you have more than you thought!

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The Armor of God

2/6/2017

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Read Ephesians 6:10-18

And so we come to the end of our study on Ephesians. Throughout the book of Ephesians Paul has encouraged and warned the new pagan converts on several issues. He has shown them the spiritual blessings they now have in Christ and the meaning of spiritual wisdom. He has explained to them why good works will not save them, and how Jesus' sacrifice unites humanity. He showed them how they should live in light of their salvation. He also explained to them the importance of Spiritual Gifts and what it means tosubmit to one another. So far, it would seem, everything Paul has shared in this letter is to help the Ephesians understand who they are now in Christ and what their lives should look like in light of that. But he has one final word of warning for them.

To put on the full armor of God.

And like a commander calling his soldiers to war, Paul uses a Roman soldier's armor as a tool to help them remember how important it is to always be on their guard, ready to do battle with the evil one.

With that in mind, the first thing Paul exhorts the Ephesians (and us) to do, is to "be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might." What does that mean exactly? Being "strong in the Lord" is all about how much we trust Him and how much we will obey Him and resist the devil. Taking every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5) to make it obedient to Christ. Without that basic trust and obedience we have no armor to put on! Being strong in the Lord means our faith and obedience to God reside solely in His power, His might, and the knowledge that He is God. He is our strength. He is our power. He is our Saviour. He is the one who is most trustworthy in all the universe, who deserves our allegiance - our obedience. So we are to be strong in Him. Rest and abide in Him. Trust Him!

So the first important step for the Ephesians and us is to remember who we have placed our trust in and why. The why, Paul explains, is so that we can "stand against the wiles of the devil." Keep in mind who Paul is talking to - Gentile converts from the idol capital of the ancient world. Where the dreaded Nicolaitans (Revelations 2:6) had snuck in and were preaching a false doctrine that promoted the belief that you could worship God and idols at the same time. Keeping the entire letter of Ephesians in context we see that once again Paul is emphasizing the struggle the Ephesians had to face in regards to their new faith in Christ - the lure of idol worship and the temptation to sin.

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12, KJV).

In the NIV the above verse takes on a completely different meaning and reads: "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." In the NIV the reader is lead to believe that our battle is with evil spiritual forces in the heavenly realms. This idea of doing battle with invisible evil forces is where we get the concept of Spiritual Warfare. A topic I will not touch here today as it needs its own book! But if we take the above verse in context with the rest of Ephesians and the Torah (Old Testament), it is my belief that the "high places" (Leviticus 26:30; Numbers 22:41; Numbers 33:52; Deuteronomy 12:2; 1 Kings 3:3) referred to here are more likely not in reference to anything in heaven, but are instead in reference to the places of idol worship that were scattered throughout Ephesus and around the ancient world. In fact, most temples sat in high places where they could be seen by the populace. The temple of Artemis (Diana) was one such place in Ephesus. It's structure was large enough and high enough that it could be seen from any vantage point in Ephesus. Even the temple of God in Jerusalem was built in this manner - on a high place for all to see. So in my opinion the verse above is not in reference to evil forces in heaven, but in reference to the wickedness that took place in the high places. This makes even more sense when we think of the temple in Jerusalem and the wicked acts of the Roman emperors who tried to install their own idols there, as Caligula did when he tried to install a statue of himself in the temple in 40 A.D.

"Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand" (Ephesians 6:13, NKJV).

The word "day" in Greek is hēmera and is a reference to time as opposed to a specific day. So it could be translated as "hour, time or season". Again, this makes sense when we look at the surrounding context. Paul is urging the Ephesians to be ready for those times when the adversary will deceive, tempt them to sin, or try to destroy their trust and faith in God.

How to Dress for War

With each piece of armor Paul reminds the Ephesians what he has discussed with them and why. The first piece of armor he encourages them to take up is the belt of truth.

"Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness" (Ephesians 6:14).

A Roman soldier strapped a belt around his waist that was sometimes made of leather and sometimes made of metal. It protected his lower regions, but it was also used to hold his sword and other weapons. Basically, this belt held everything in place. This is an excellent analogy Paul uses for the Ephesians because it drives home the point that they must "gird" themselves with the truth. If their faith is not founded on the truth that eternal life and salvation can be found in no one else but Jesus Christ, then they will falter in their faith. That basic truth holds all the other pieces of armor in place.

It is followed with the breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate protected the heart and internal organs of the soldier. This piece of armor was crucial to staying alive and because of its weight and how it was put together, Roman soldiers had to help each other put these breastplates on.

Our righteousness comes from Jesus Christ and Him alone. We cannot be good enough, or do good enough to attain this righteousness on our own. The analogy of the breastplate is crucial then as it helped to cement in the mind of the Ephesians that they were forgiven of their sins and were now made righteous in God's sight - but only because of Jesus. His "armor" now protected them from a life separated from God.

'...and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace" (Ephesians 6:15).

Hetoimasia means preparation or readiness in Greek, but it also has the meaning of "firm footing" as in foundation. What an excellent example Paul uses here, to show the Ephesians once again how to withstand the wiles of the devil - by being prepared - at the ready - with the Gospel of peace. Giving the believer a firm footing that he (or she) might walk in a worthy manner.

"...above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one" (Ephesians 6:16).

A Roman soldier's shield was about four feet long and two feet wide. When held in front of their body it protected them a great deal. It was their first source of protection against actual fiery arrows. Likewise, our faith in Jesus is our first line of defence against fiery darts from the evil one.

"And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17)

Each piece of armor had a purpose in protecting the soldier and Paul uses them to show us how to protect ourselves from the enemy. The helmet of salvation protects our minds from deceit, temptation, worry and doubt that the devil loves to throw at us. We bear it like a crown or seal upon our heads that we receive because of Jesus. Without it our minds are unprotected. When we put on the helmet of salvation it reminds us to "take every thought captive" (2 Corinthians 10:5).

The Sword of the Spirit, Paul points out, is the Word of God. And it is the Word of God that Jesus used against any arrows the devil flung at him, so we should always be learning it.

Paul finishes by reminding the Ephesians of the importance of prayer.

"...praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" (Ephesians 6:18)

Supplication means making your needs known and we do this for not only ourselves but for the needs of others as well. When we pray, we are conversing with God and so our entire being is insulated and protected from head to foot as we clothe ourselves in Christ, ready to face the day.

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​Unlocking God's Word

The Gift of Ministry or Serving

Opportunities to Serve ​

Do You Have a Faith-Based Blog? ​Share your link below. ​

What is the Gift of Prophecy?

Are There Prophets Today? ​

What Are the Traits of a False Prophet? ​

Does the Gift of Prophecy Still Exist? ​

Do You Have a Faith-Based Blog? ​Share your link below. ​

A Look at Spiritual Gifts

The Armor of God

Read Ephesians 6:10-18

How to Dress for War ​

Archives

Unlocking God's Word

Opportunities to Serve

Do You Have a Faith-Based Blog?
Share your link below.

Are There Prophets Today?

What Are the Traits of a False Prophet?

Does the Gift of Prophecy Still Exist?

Do You Have a Faith-Based Blog?
Share your link below.

How to Dress for War