November 21 - 1 Corinthians 11:2-13:13

Good morning everyone,

“Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.” Acts 21:1. So, you may be wondering how do we know we have a particular gift of the Spirit? Hmm, good question. Peter wrote, “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God”. No believer can say that they have no gift of the Spirit from God. God has given all believers gifts, some have several but everyone has these gifts. These gifts of the Spirit are given not for the believer but for the Body of Christ. That is important to remember, they are not intended to be self serving but to make the Body complete. Okay?

The gifts Paul talks about today are; 

1. Wisdom - someone who can understand and speak forth biblical truth in such a way as to skillfully apply it to life situations with all discernment.
2. Knowledge - Someone who understands truth with an insight that only comes by revelation from God.
3. Faith - Someone who has a strong and unshakeable confidence in God, His Word, His promises, and the power of prayer to effect miracles.
4. Healing - Someone who has the ability to heal another. 
5. Miraculous powers - Someone who could perform a supernatural event.
6. Prophecy - Someone who can interpret the purposes of God, or to make known in any way the truth of God which is designed to influence people.
7. Discerning of spirits - Someone who has the ability to determine the true message of God from that of the deceiver, Satan.
8. Speaking in tongues - Someone with the ability to speak in languages previously unknown to them.
9. Interpretation of tongues -  Someone with the gift of interpreting tongues could understand what a tongues-speaker was saying even though he did not know the language that was being spoken.

 Please note that the speaking of tongues is always followed by the interpretation of tongues because the speaker does not know what they are saying when prophesying in tongues. According to Paul, their words are useless without the interpreter. If you don’t speak tongues, that’s okay. Not everyone can. It’s a gift not a requirement.

Also, some would argue we no longer can heal or perform miracles, that that is something only the apostles could do. Hogwash I say! I strongly disagree. Matthew 17:20 says, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” We are so capable of doing anything that is the will of God. Too many times the problem is we don’t let go of anything long enough to let God work those miracles and healings through us. God absolutely loves when we exercise our faith and make ourselves available to be used as vessels for Him to show His mighty power. Are you available?

Other gifts would be; mercy, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leading, helping, but again, we need to know and remember that while we all have a gift of the Spirit, maybe even a few gifts, we as individuals do not possess every single gift. Right? That means we need each other. I love the analogy Paul uses.  We are the body of Christ and not everyone can be an eye or an arm or foot. We all have different talents, functions, gifts and we need to work together using them for the glory of God. It is a beautiful system our Abba has put into action. We just need to do what we have been called to do and watch it work. Make sense?

I know this is getting a bit long but I would be remiss if I did not mention chapter 13. Friends, friends, friends ….. we are called to love one another. To be selfless and to put everyone else before us. We are instructed, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” It begs the question, “Do you really show your love all of the time?” Honestly, I know I don’t. There are areas of trust that I am constantly having to work on. When I find that the enemy has subtly twisted this up in my head again I immediately go to this verse and force the father of lies to flee. I would encourage you to memorize this verse. Have it readily available in your arsenal for when the enemy puts someone in your path that is nothing less than a jerk. Someone who knows which buttons to push and does as often as they can. Or someone who flashes their bling when you barely have money for soup, or someone who has lied to you and is now asking for another chance. You know the people I am talking about, in fact, we all have been that person in one way or another ourselves. 

We need to be acting lovingly in our marriages, with our children, our friends, the people we work and associate with, but especially in our church family. We have got to be living 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 because love never fails. Right on? If you have trouble remembering scripture I would encourage you do try singing it. Everyone can remember a song. Sherri Youngward does a beautiful rendition of 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, I am including the page (I hope I don’t get in trouble). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okJzEMkV2R8  Check it out. Get to know these verses, call on them, sing them out when the enemy gets in your head and fills you with self and pride, then watch him flee. Because, 1 John 4:4, “You belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.” Amen?

Have a great day and to God be the glory.

God bless you all …..