In case you didn't know, the title is from a Rich Mullins song.
Secondly, this is indirectly about faith, not an entire post about faith.
So I'm currently reading a book, it's popular, though I don't really care for you to know what it is, because it really isn't necessary to know what I'm reading at the moment.
Here is the deal though, and I wrote about this two years ago, but in a different setting, so continue reading after the next paragraph, cause I promise you, this is different.
There are a lot of good books out there, however if we as Christians aren't actively seeking the Scriptures and putting them into practice, what makes us think that reading a book is going to change that?
Maybe reading a book is what will change your mind, give you that jolt to change. However, more than likely you are going to get a spiritual high, much like the church camp high and then four months later be looking for the next new book to put you back in line. That's why every four to six months some new book that is going to revolutionize your Christian walk comes out. But they are needed, because for some reason the current believers think that this is one of the few ways they will suddenly draw closer to Christ, that or through worship, or a dynamic speaker to name a few.
So what am I saying here really? Following Christ, this faith that we supposedly have, first off is a choice. We aren't going to experience one of those three things I have listed above and become a true follower of Christ. No something has to take place between those two things happening and that is known as a choice. We have to choose to change, and then stick to that commitment. But for some reason as Christians we don't want to. We may try for a little while, and maybe even reach a deeper walk with Christ, but then it's like we mark the notch in our belt and go back to our old lifestyle.
Here's the deal, we are called to a life of change. Not a moment of change. So in essence faith without works, it just isn't happening: meaning, it's not a one time deal, it's not going to the salvation army and making food boxes, it's not helping with disaster relief, it's not donating to a homeless shelter.
What it is, is taking what we read in the Bible (because it has to start there, you can't start with something you read from a book, after all, how do you know if what you read in that book is Bible based) and making it a part of your lifestyle. And technically it shouldn't even be referenced as your lifestyle it should be referenced as Christ's lifestyle that you are trying to live (as Christians that is).
So here's the deal, please don't rant to me about how amazing the book you are reading is and how it revolutionizes what you think, until A. You are living out what the Bible teaches and B. You actually show me how that book you have read has truly revolutionized your life.
Am I saying that I'm to that point? Where I'm living out the Bible, no not at all. But I can tell you that until you are living daily (that's the hard part for me) what the Bible teaches, everything that you read in outside books, will be worth a fraction of what its worth when you are truly living Christ's lifestyle.
Showing posts with label Faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Faith. Show all posts
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Monday, October 25, 2010
Spiritual Gifts
Some of you have heard this before, everyone has individual spiritual gifts and we are called to use them in unique ways tonight we will look at what spiritual gifts are and then talk about how to apply these gifts to our lives.
We will look at 1 Corinthians 12 to gain a better understanding of what spiritual gifts are.
1Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. 2You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.
4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.[b]11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
1. Wisdom 2. Knowledge 3. Healing 4. Prophecy 5. Discernment 6. Miracles 7. Faith 8. Speaking in Tongues 9. Interpretation of Tongues
Understanding which spiritual gift you relate to the best, as well as understanding how the others work, is integral to your relationship with Christ as well as your position within the body of believers. Very much like how you understand how to communicate with others, understanding these will allow you to assess how to further reach God’s Kingdom as a whole.
12The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by[c] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
14Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.16And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,23and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues[d]? Do all interpret? 31But eagerly desire[e] the greater gifts.
And now I will show you the most excellent way.
In the passage from Corinthians it mentions the use of tongues and interpretation of tongues. In our general theology (as Baptists) we see tongues as different languages. This meaning that a person speaks in their own language (such as english) and someone is able to understand in another language. The day of Pentecost at the beginning of Acts is where this is referenced.
As we can see in the passage of scripture read above, everyone has a part in the body of Christ. As we assess the topic of spiritual gifts the passage in Corinthians you may have heard the gifts mentioned differently than you have before and so now we will look at Romans 12 where they have also been mentioned.
3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his[b]faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
1. Prophecy 2. Ministry 3. Teaching 4. Exhortation 5. Giving 6. Leading 7. Mercy
You may be able after hearing these two different passages on spiritual gifts be able to understand where you fit amongst these. You may also be more lost than ever. There are several quizzes online built to help you understand what your spiritual gift may be. http://www.churchgrowth.org/cgi-cg/gifts.cgi
As you gain a better knowledge of spiritual gifts, try discussing which gift fits well where, and how group members have seen gifts used effectively before.
There are several places within the BCM even that you can connect and use your spiritual gifts, these areas include: Evangalism, OutReach, Missions (both International and Local), Noonday, FUEL, Discipleship, DNOW, Intramurals, Church Relations. As Followers of Christ we are called to be a part of a community of believers. So please don't hesitate to get connected to people in a ministry that uses your spiritual gifts.
We will look at 1 Corinthians 12 to gain a better understanding of what spiritual gifts are.
1Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. 2You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.
4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.[b]11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
1. Wisdom 2. Knowledge 3. Healing 4. Prophecy 5. Discernment 6. Miracles 7. Faith 8. Speaking in Tongues 9. Interpretation of Tongues
Understanding which spiritual gift you relate to the best, as well as understanding how the others work, is integral to your relationship with Christ as well as your position within the body of believers. Very much like how you understand how to communicate with others, understanding these will allow you to assess how to further reach God’s Kingdom as a whole.
12The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by[c] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
14Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.16And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,23and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues[d]? Do all interpret? 31But eagerly desire[e] the greater gifts.
And now I will show you the most excellent way.
In the passage from Corinthians it mentions the use of tongues and interpretation of tongues. In our general theology (as Baptists) we see tongues as different languages. This meaning that a person speaks in their own language (such as english) and someone is able to understand in another language. The day of Pentecost at the beginning of Acts is where this is referenced.
As we can see in the passage of scripture read above, everyone has a part in the body of Christ. As we assess the topic of spiritual gifts the passage in Corinthians you may have heard the gifts mentioned differently than you have before and so now we will look at Romans 12 where they have also been mentioned.
3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his[b]faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
1. Prophecy 2. Ministry 3. Teaching 4. Exhortation 5. Giving 6. Leading 7. Mercy
You may be able after hearing these two different passages on spiritual gifts be able to understand where you fit amongst these. You may also be more lost than ever. There are several quizzes online built to help you understand what your spiritual gift may be. http://www.churchgrowth.org/cgi-cg/gifts.cgi
As you gain a better knowledge of spiritual gifts, try discussing which gift fits well where, and how group members have seen gifts used effectively before.
There are several places within the BCM even that you can connect and use your spiritual gifts, these areas include: Evangalism, OutReach, Missions (both International and Local), Noonday, FUEL, Discipleship, DNOW, Intramurals, Church Relations. As Followers of Christ we are called to be a part of a community of believers. So please don't hesitate to get connected to people in a ministry that uses your spiritual gifts.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
"Have you found God yet Gump?"-Lt Dan "I didn't know I was supposed to lookin for Him."-Gump
So last night I had a program that I called "Bubba Gumps." I showed Forrest Gump and we ate shrimp in honor of Bubba. This was a diversity program, where we talked about all of the diversity that Gump encountered throughout the film.
I'm not going to write about diversity however. What really touched me was the line that I used as the title. This is just one of the many times where Gump shows his innocence in the film.
In Matthew 18:2-4 it talks about having Faith like a Child (those two links are the song and lyrics by Jars of Clay). Gump portrays this same innocence throughout the film. I really wish that we as followers would do the same thing. I truly believe that if we had this innocence, this faith like a child, that we would be able to change the world. We would see an effective change in the group of believers across the nation, that people would want to follow who we follow.
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