God’s Plan for Spiritual Gifts

Posted on March 21, 2014 by KD Manes under Service

You are a paintbrush. God uses the paintbrush in your hand (your gifts) to help change and transform others in the body of Christ. And God uses others in your life to make you like Christ.” – Chip Ingram

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God’s ultimate makeover is to produce the life of Christ

I found Chip Ingram’s analogy of spiritual gifts and paintbrushes interesting (Your Divine Design). This is my paraphrase:

Some believers’ gifts are like a paint roller. Although they may not be as personal, they are more effective in a large group setting with their broad paint strokes.
Some believers’ spiritual gifts are more like a refined artist, patiently painting detailed color and techniques on an individual’s canvas/heart.

You get the picture . . . . There are different paintbrushes for specific jobs; God uses different spiritual gifts for His specific purposes.

1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (NIV) says: There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

***Where* *does God do His extreme makeover?***

In His people—the church (Ephesians 2:18-22)

In the believer’s heart (Ephesians 3:14-19)

How does God do His extreme makeover?

Jesus’ victory over sin, death, and Satan is witnessed through spiritual gifts in His church (Ephesians 4:7-13).

10 Principles for Understanding Spiritual Gifts

(Source: Chip Ingram)

Every Christian has one or more spiritual gifts.
Many believers have received more than one spiritual gift.
Spiritual gifts are given the moment of regeneration, but they may lie undiscovered and dormant for a long period of time.
Spiritual gifts can be abused and neglected, but if they are received at regeneration, it would appear that they cannot be lost.
Spiritual gifts are not the same as the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Spiritual gifts are not the same as the fruit of the Spirit.
Spiritual gifts are not the same as natural talents.
Some spiritual gifts are more useful in local churches than others because they result in greater edification of the body.
Charismata literally means “grace gifts”. These gifts are sovereignly and undeservedly given by the Holy Spirit.
Gifts are God’s spiritual equipment for effective service and edification of the body [church].

Do any of these 10 principles surprise you? If so, which ones? Why?

God’s Plans—Where? How?

Posted on March 14, 2014 by KD Manes under God's Call

Last week we looked at Ephesians 2:1-10 to find the who, what, and why of God’s plan/purpose in giving believers spiritual gifts: Who and what we used to be without Christ, who and what we are in Christ, and why does God do an extreme makeover in us?

This second post will focus on where and how God does His extreme makeover as a background to spiritual gifts.

Where does God do His extreme makeover?

God does His extreme makeover in His people—the church

Ephesians 2:18-22 (NIV): For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone. In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.

God does His extreme makeover in the heart

Ephesians 3:14-19: For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom His whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. How does God do extreme makeovers?

Jesus’ victory over sin, death, and Satan is witnessed through spiritual gifts in His church

Ephesians 4:7-13: But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: “When He ascended on high, He led captives in His train and gave gifts to men. (What does “He ascended” mean except that He also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

According to Ephesians 2:18-22, what is the church?

Have you ever been helped by someone using their spiritual gift?

*Next week: Principles for understanding spiritual gifts.

God’s Plans—Who Me? What? Why?

Posted on March 7, 2014 by KD Manes under Sanctification

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” – 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

Rain Princess by By Leonid Afremov (Etsy.com)

God—master artist, architect, builder, designer—knows exactly where and how to apply His creative techniques on us, His canvas. I like Chip Ingram’s analogy (Your Divine Design, Living on the Edge): “Believers [in Christ] are in process . . . process of an extreme makeover.”

In order to understand God’s plan/purpose in giving believers spiritual gifts, we need to first understand the context.

Who? What?

Ephesians 2:1-3 explains who we used to be:

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts [prisoners of the world system]. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.

Ephesians 2:4-6 explains who we are now in Christ:

But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.

Why an extreme makeover?

Ephesians 2:7-10 explains God’s purpose:

. . . in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (vs. 10)

Is your life different now because of Jesus? How?

What work is God doing in you?

More to come: “Where and how does God do extreme makeovers?”

Bible Study–The Holy Spirit’s Role

Posted on October 4, 2013 by KD Manes under God's Call

The Holy Spirit is not merely a nice addendum to the Christian faith. He is at the heart and core of it. He is not merely a force or an influence. He is the third Person of the Trinity, God Himself.” – Tony Evans, The Promise

One of the Holy Spirit’s role is to illuminate Scripture—guiding believers to understand the meaning of the words that the Spirit Himself already inspired (2 Peter 1:20-2:1). This ministry of enlightenment is the process by which the Spirit enables believers to grasp and apply God’s truth in daily life.

1 Corinthians 2:10-16 (NIV) states: . . . . These are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

Abide in Christ

When we abide in Christ, the Holy Spirit translates God’s very thoughts to us! (1 Corinthians 2:16; 1 John 2:20-27) He acts as a transmitter to and through our human spirit (Proverbs 20:27). Although my mind can’t fully grasp all the workings of the Holy Spirit and the Trinity, I stand amazed by this mysterious truth.

The Holy Spirit Sheds Light

(Source: touchn2btouched)

The Holy Spirit, part of the Godhead, knows the deepest thoughts of God. We can trace His role of Illuminator back to Creation—hovering over the earth, dispelling darkness when God said: “Let there be light.”

Our natural minds don’t speak God’s language. Without the illumination of the Holy Spirit, our understanding is muddled. He desires to help us by clarifying spiritual truth.

Results of the Holy Spirit’s Illumination

Clarity, order, peace, faith, and hope dispel confusion, chaos, turmoil, fear, and despair when we communicate with the Holy Spirit.

Recall

Another aspect of the Holy Spirit’s illuminating work is the power of spiritual recall (John 14:26). This usually doesn’t mean remembering word for word passages (at least not in my case), but rather remembrance of a point or paraphrase of Scripture previously read. Countless times the Holy Spirit has counseled me–opening my “spiritual eyes” to His objective truth–helping me in various situations.

Qualifications to Receive Spirit’s Benefits

The promise of the Holy Spirit’s teaching and recall ministry is for all believers. What is Jesus’ condition for receiving the Spirit’s indwelling presence and His benefits?

Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” – John 14:21

Honestly, I struggle sometimes hearing the Holy Spirit speak through His Word. Sometimes He is quiet. But most often, there are competing signals—busy thoughts, worldly attractions, sin, Satan’s distractions, etc. So I have to ask: How is my spiritual antenna? Does God have my undivided attention? What signals might be jamming up the communication lines with God?

How’s your communication going with God? . . . . More to come: The Holy Spirit.

Why Study the Bible?

Posted on September 20, 2013 by KD Manes under God's Call

“If there is one terrible disease in the church of Christ, it is that we do not see God as great as He is. We’re too familiar with God.” – A.W. Tozer, Worship: The Missing Jewel

Growing up and regularly attending a Bible based church has truly been a blessing. But I confess, there have been times when I allowed my relationship with God to become too casual–viewing Him more as my buddy rather than the infinite, omnipotent King of Kings. A peruse of Job 38-41, however, quickly put things into proper perspective. 🙂

When we apply ourselves to Bible study we grow in knowledge, wisdom and truth (Proverbs 2:6).

The Bible–A Map to Guide Us

God knows we desperately need a map to point us in the right direction. On our own we are lost sinners. His inspired Word provides the guidance we need to acquire His perspective and principles for living (Psalm 119). No wonder King David penned, “you [Lord] have exalted above all things your name and your word” (Psalm 138:1-2).

Knowing God’s Commands

Matthew 7:1-13 records Jesus scolding the Pharisees for claiming to know God’s will in every detail of life. They created much confusion amongst the people by adding hundreds of their own petty rules and regulations to God’s laws. Jesus said, “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men,” (vs. 8).

Engaging Our Minds

Jesus used parables to explain spiritual truth, compelling listeners to think. He doesn’t want us to park our minds in neutral and follow Him in a blind free fall. He calls us to actively engage our minds in His Word (Matthew 22:37; 1 Thessalonians 5:21; 1 John 4:1; 1 Corinthians 10:15; 1 Peter 3:15).

Other Benefits From Bible Study

Knowing Jesus Christ and God the Father: His justice and mercy
Understanding how to receive eternal life
Knowledge of the beginning and the end (Genesis, Revelation)
Training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16)
Combatting temptation and spiritual warfare (Matthew 4:1-4; Ephesians 6:10-18)
Understanding God’s purpose of spiritual gifts and the function of His church
Discernment of false teachers

The Take Away

God wants us to not only listen carefully to His instructions, but also obey (Hebrews 2:1; James 1:22-25).

When we seek God through Bible study and prayer, He will come along beside us personally each day and help us carry out His principles. He will also grow our faith and bless our obedience.