Friday, April 1, 2011

You can have the power

1 Corinthians 12

There is a lot of controversy about the gifts of the Spirit. Some say they do not exist any longer, some say they not only exist, but thrive. Some attribute anything out of the ordinary to a gift of the Spirit. Some believe only the apostles were to be able to possess these gifts. What do you think? This chapter answers those questions.

Paul is writing to the general populous of the church in Corinth explaining to them about the use and purpose of the gifts. This chapter is not written to an apostle or two who might be living in Corinth but all the people in the church in Corinth. The Corinthians people were well acquainted with spiritual gifts. Problems began to arise because the either had forgotten or had not been taught that the gifts were not an end to themselves but for the purpose of bringing people under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit’s gifts are under conscience control, unlike pagan rituals were the person is caught in some wild compulsive acts. He is gentle like a dove and empowers us to accomplish the Father’s will. The gifts of the Spirit also glorify, bless, honor, and focus on, Jesus. What the gifts of the Spirit do always harmonizes with the truth about Jesus.

The Holy Spirit gifts are also encouragers of unity in the Body of Christ. There are many gifts but the same Spirit, many ministries but the same Lord, different activities but the same God. We need to grasp the idea that the gifts are for today in order to bless the body of Christ, honor the Lord, and help to show Jesus to a world that doesn’t yet believe.

Paul list many of the gifts in this passage. Rather than go into the gifts specifically I would like to just encourage you to take time to do a search of the scripture on any of the gifts of which you may have an interest. All the gifts have been used by the early church, by all people; I believe they are still in use today. Hebrews 13 says that Christ is the same yesterday today and forever. Malachi 3:6 states that the Lord does not change. If Christ is the same and God does not change and the Trinity is one, then therefore the Holy Spirit is the same as well.

There is a need today to show people that God does know them and care for them. There is a need to show like Moses did that our God is greater than the God of this world. There is a need to show like the three Hebrew boys did in the fiery furnace that our God still does miracles. God is going to use you and I to make that happen as we surrender to the Holy Spirit’s leading and guiding. Part of the Holy Spirit’s job is to lead us into all truth and today He will do that just as he did the disciples two thousand years ago.

As you will read this weekend all of these gifts are measured by love. I believe the greater we walk in love the greater the gifts will flow through us. God is love! God has given us great gifts so as we flow in love, so we will flow in the gifts.

Read 1 Corinthians 13, 14 this weekend and we will be back Monday with chapter 15.

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