The God Of Possibilities: “Baptisms - Earth: Water, Wind and Fire” - Part 3a

Recap of 5/9/2011:
I cannot fully express my appreciation of how our God guides us to where He wants us to be - if we are willing to be led. I couldn't have imagined this course of study we've traversed during the last few months. My hat goes off to y'all as we've walked together in discovering even more of what He has in store for us.

We started our final segment of this study, “Baptism In Fire”, and what a start it was! In recap:

• We discussed the difference in our thinking, according to Romans 12:2 (NLT), when we view the “little red spot” on the larger white board. God is challenging us to “change the way we think” about us, our world, His engagement with us, etc.
• From there we covered a number of scriptures which talk about “fire”. Many were offered by members of our group and we concluded with several more grouped into the following “unofficial” categories (as mentioned, some of these scriptures can be in a few of the categories):

God's Appearances (Exodus 3:2, Deuteronomy 4:24, Daniel 7:9-11)

God Leads and Protects (Exodus 13:21-22, Exodus 40:38, Numbers 9:15-16, Exodus 19:18, Exodus 24:17, Deuteronomy 5:4-6, Deuteronomy 5, Daniel 3:19-27, Zechariah 2:5)

Judgment/Cleansing by Fire (Numbers 11:1-3, Leviticus 10:1, 2, 6)

Purification by Fire (Leviticus 6:12-13, Numbers 31:22-23, Zechariah 13:9, Malachi 3:2, Mark 9:49, 1 Corinthians 3:13)

Dedication by Fire (2 Chronicles 7, Isaiah 43:1-3)

Word of the Lord = Fire (Jeremiah 20:9, Jeremiah 23:29)

• The last thing we discussed at length was a proposed concept of “opposites”. We first played with a list of words and “popcorn” responded with the opposite (words such as after, black, good, kids, man, run, true, etc.). Some of the responses demonstrated that we have a variety of perspectives - which is a GOOD thing in my opinion, otherwise, we end up with a bunch of boringly-similar, mundane people trying to influence a VERY diverse world. Remember, the Apostle Paul states that “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” (1 Corinthians 9:22 NIV) … can we expect anything less of the church today?

I think where we left off was really beginning to challenge our thinking on the spectrum with “tests/trials” on one end and “God's will” on the other end. We got to the point, I think, where we were just starting to scrape off the delusion of “fulfilling God's will requires we endure tests/trials”. Don't walk away yet, we'll be scraping more away from this thought as we continue next week.



For 5/16/2011 (Our last meeting for this season!):
Brief: For our last meeting we will finish off “Baptism In Fire” along with discussing summer activities. Please put your minds to the task of the homework below and, additionally, what activity you'd like to have considered for group multi-voting and what you'd be willing to coordinate once we vote on the top activities!

Homework
Over the next several days, I ask that you consider the following points, see what scripture says about them, and come prepared to share your findings during our discussion. The points to muse are:

• In Hebrews 5:8 (NLT) it says “Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.” (thank you Bryan!) Consider what is meant here by suffering (when thinking of obedience and suffering, keep in mind that this is talking about the sinless Son of God).
• Formulate your thoughts (jot them down even) about what it takes to become child-like in your response to God as it's recorded in Matthew 18:3 (MSG) “… return to square one and start over like children …” and Matthew 11:25 (NIV) “you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.”
• Finally, what is your reaction to God's call to be holy as recorded in 1 Peter 1:13-16 (MSG, my version preference)?

“God formed Man out of dirt from the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life. The Man came alive—a living soul!”
-- Genesis 2:7 (MSG) --

The God Of Possibilities: “Baptisms - Earth: Water, Wind and Fire” - Part 2e

Recap of 5/2/2011:
We concluded with the remaining gifts of the Spirit. As a reminder, the purposes of spiritual gifts are:

• Equipping believers to share the Good News – Matthew 10:19-20; Luke 4:18; 1 Corinthians 2:13
• God confirmed the message of the Good News – Hebrews 2:3-4
• Strengthening the church to serve – 1 Corinthians 12:7; 14:26

Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church (1 Corinthians 14:12 NIV). It should always be remembered that one purpose of all the gifts is to strengthen and build up the church.


Listing of spiritual gifts (Part 2 for this week):

1 Corinthians 12:27-29

• gifts of administration (organizers) – able to keep things organized and in accordance with God's principles.
• able to help others – always having the desire and ability to help others, to do whatever it takes to get a task accomplished.

Ephesians 4:

• apostles – one sent by God with a holy mission to fulfill; and the supernatural power and spiritual gifts to fulfill the mission.
• prophets – one that speaks with divine authority, what God has made clear. Supernatural power and events to verify God has given the message.
• evangelists – one with the heart of God that all should come to the knowledge of the truth that God loves everyone.
• pastors – one with supernatural ability to love and care for the body, soul and spirit of many people at the same time.
• teachers – one with the divine mind of Christ to make the things of God easy to understand and live by in daily life.

Their responsibility is to equip (to furnish or provide with whatever is needed for use or for any undertaking) God’s people to do His work and build up the church.

Romans 12:

• prophesying – supernatural ability to receive a message from God to strengthen, encourage, and comforts the body of Christ or a believer. Supernatural ability to know the heart of God through a dream, vision or any divine encounter God would use to manifest Jesus Christ.
• serving - supernatural ability to do for others whatever needs to be done. Divine ability to carry another burden or task without notice or earthly reward.
• teaching
• encouraging – supernatural ability to motivate members in the body of Christ to do the works of Christ.
• giving – supernatural ability to give money or time where and when needed with a cheerful heart.
• leadership – supernatural ability to know when something needs to be accomplished, who can accomplish it and how it can be accomplished.
• showing mercy/kindness – supernatural ability to love and care for those who are not able to care for themselves. Divine knowing of who to help and when to help. Divine ability to care for those who no one else would care for.

Well!  This concludes the coverage of the Gifts Of The Holy Spirit - it took us awhile, but we made it. As a closure on this section of our study, let's do some important point recapping:

Do only select people receive spiritual gifts?
Are spiritual gifts given to an elite group of people? NO!! They can be given to anybody, anywhere, at any time of the Holy Spirit’s choosing.  “Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! All these gifts have a common origin, but are handed out one by one by the one Spirit of God. He decides who gets what, and when.” (1 Corinthians 12:7, 11 MSG) A major factor that plays into “who” gets “what” and “when” is, as Paul says: “earnestly desire the most helpful gifts” that would be appropriate for the circumstances at hand, again, motivated by love.

The use of all spiritual gifts is motivated by Love:
A tree is identified by its fruit (Luke 6:44 NLT). In other words, it's who you are, not what you say and do, that matters. When we have a desire to operate in the spiritual gifts, the spiritual fruit (Galatians 5:22-24) must first motivate us. There is a difference between spiritual gifts and fruit. Gifts are the Spirit’s manifestation through a person, but Fruit is the result of spiritual character. The Holy Spirit gives gifts as He desires; the Fruit is a by-product of the Holy Spirit’s influence and effect in our lives. In the natural, fruit is produced when a tree is fertilized, watered, and given sunshine. In the spiritual, Fruit is produced supernaturally when we are fed by the Word of God (having our mind changed and re-educated), watered by the Spirit (washed clean and our thirst quenched), and living in the Light (the illumination of God’s Word working with the power of the Holy Spirit showing us sin in our lives, leading us to repentance, and being renewed).

The Fruit of the Spirit is the display of the character of Christ. It has several attributes and, as Christians, we possess them all. We each can yield to the growth of the Fruit of the Spirit at varying rates. Spirituality isn’t measured by gifts, but by the evidence of Fruit. Though all of the Fruit of the Spirit is important – even critical to successful Christian living – we will focus primarily on the highest attribute of a spiritual person … love.

1 Corinthians 13 (often referred to as “The Love Chapter”) describes the action of love:

patient, kind, not jealous or boastful or proud, not rude, does not demand its own way, not irritable, keeps no record of wrongs, does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth, always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and endures through every circumstance.

Love is the greatest evidence of spirituality (1 Corinthians 13:13), without which, spiritual gifts cannot function effectively (1 Corinthians 13:1-2). Paul said we should have a desire for spiritual gifts, but it should follow the greater goal of love. “Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives,” (1 Corinthians 14:1 NLT).

When love motivates us as described in 1 Corinthians 13 in being available to the Holy Spirit’s use of spiritual gifts, it removes the concern and fear of this topic entirely and the end result is exactly what God intended and desires for His church.



For 5/9/2011:
Brief: We will move forward to our last segment: “Baptism In Fire”. Though this was a topic of concern for me as we started this journey, I've come to appreciate what the scripture has to say about this topic and welcome with an open mind, open heart, and open life. I trust you will find the same attraction to have and be ALL that God wants for you.

Homework
As part of our response to this learning, consider the gifts we've covered thus far and spend time with the Lord asking which of them are areas He wants to begin moving you into. If we have time, we'll spend some of it talking about this … don't worry, we have a few weeks to cover this part of the homework. So, we'll give it the time and space needed - as He leads.

“God formed Man out of dirt from the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life. The Man came alive—a living soul!”
-- Genesis 2:7 (MSG) --

The God Of Possibilities: “Baptisms - Earth: Water, Wind and Fire” - Part 2d

Recap of 4/25/2011:
We did a side-by-side comparison of tongues "the sign" and "the gift" and also a comparison of prophecy "the gift" and prophetic "the function/office". This comparison is not to say that one is better than the other, but, rather, to show when, where, how, and why they are different.  Here is a summary of the information we covered:

Tongues: The Sign

1. All may speak at one time (Mark 16:17)
2. All may speak at one meeting (Acts 2:4, 33)
3. No interpretation (Acts 19:6; Acts 10)

Tongues: The Gift

1. Only one speaker at a time (1 Corinthians 12:10)
2. At the most, three may speak (1 Corinthians 14:26-28)
3. Must be interpreted (1 Corinthians 14:5)

Now, when it comes to discussing the topics of prophecy "the gift" and prophetic "the function/office", it's important to understand that the prophet (function/office) is still necessary in the church today.  There is a thought stream that attempts to separate the Ephesian 4 ministries of apostles and prophets from the other ministries we have and allow today: evangelists, teachers, and pastors.  If we accept the latter ministries, we are compelled to accept the former (apostles and prophets).  The purpose of the Ephesian 4:11 ministries are given "until we all reach the unity in the faither and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13).  The responsibility of the Ephesians 4 ministries is to "to equip his people for works of service" (Ephesians 4:12).  In other words, "body ministry".  When the whole body is doing the work of the ministry and:

• we have reached unity in the faith
• we have unity in the knowledge of the Son of God
• we have become mature
• and have attained the whole measure of the fullness of Christ

then, and only then, will the Ephesians 4 ministries not be necessary any longer.  In light of this truth, here is a comparison of the prophecy "the gift" and prophetic "the function/office":

Prophecy: The Gift (1 Corinthians 14:3)

1. Strengthens
2. Encourages
3. Comforts

Prophet: The Function/Office (Acts 13:1; Ephesians 2:20; Ephesians 3:3-5; Ephesians 4:11-12; 2 Peter 1:21) (the prophet can be used in the "Prophecy: The Gift" as well)

1. Predictive (Acts 11:27-28; 21:10-11)
2. Rebuke
3. Directive

For 5/2/2011:
Brief: We will conclude with the remaining gifts of the Spirit - hopefully - and then move to the Baptism In Fire.  Once again, I count it a privilege to be working with you during this time of discovery and am VERY excited for what God has in store for you as a minister of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!!

Homework
As part of our response to this learning, consider the gifts we've covered thus far and spend time with the Lord asking which of them are areas He wants to begin moving you into. If we have time, we'll spend some of it talking about this … don't worry, we have a few weeks to cover this part of the homework. So, we'll give it the time and space needed - as He leads.

“God formed Man out of dirt from the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life. The Man came alive—a living soul!”
-- Genesis 2:7 (MSG) --