A change of focus

We have been exploring the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives through the various "gifts" he gives as we walk along with him.  As we have already established, there are a variety of "fruits" and "gifts" of the Spirit, but all come from exactly the same source.  Fruits are a result of growth IN our inner man as we walk with the Spirit, gifts are a result of the Spirit's working within us given to help each of us grow a little deeper in Christ.  The gifts of the Spirit are for the benefit of the entire Body of Christ - his church - your fellow believers.  The fruits of the Spirit actually impact you first, then they begin to reveal the nature of God's heart to the world around you.  We need both - one without the other is like bread without butter, potatoes without gravy, or cake without frosting.  I can eat bread plain, but there is something about the combination of butter slathered on the surface of a good bread which gives it just that much more pleasure when I take it in!  I think God may want us to find as great a pleasure in enjoying the presence of his Spirit within our lives as we do enjoying cake with frosting, bread with butter, and potatoes with gravy!  It is this "with" thing we need to understand if we are to understand the Spirit's purpose in the fruits and the gifts - for in being "with" us, indwelling us "with" his presence, we are made new, vibrant, and effectual in our ministry.

A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.  To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge.  The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing.  He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy.  He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit.  Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said.  It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts.   (I Corinthians 12:7-11 NLT)

Let's keep in mind all the spiritual gifts are for the purpose of helping each other.  They are given to "grow" the church - to help us become stronger in our walk, built up in our faith, and growing in unity.  You might have heard someone speak of the gifts in three categories:  the Teaching Gifts, the Service Gifts, and the "Sign" Gifts.  Loosely the various gifts outlined "fit" into these three categories as follows:

1. Teaching Gifts:  Evangelist, Prophet, Pastor, or Teacher - the explanation of these "speaking" gifts is found more thoroughly outlined in Ephesians 4, but in general, they are given to the Body of Christ for the express purpose of preparing the believers for their work of service (for all are to serve), the building up of the members of the Body (for all need to receive encouragement or edification), and to bring the Body to a place of unity (for unity will help us achieve maturity).

2. Service Gifts:  Administration, Giving, Helps, Hospitality, Love, Mercy, or Serving - you will find further teaching on these in Romans 12 and I Peter 4. In general, these gifts serve to "help" the Body of Christ.  For example, if you have the gift of Administration, you might find yourself fulfilling a leadership role in the Body, such as a deacon or elder in the church, lay minister, or other such role.  Those who function in the area of hospitality might actually be those who hold small groups in their homes during the week, opening both their homes and their hearts to others so they may grow in Christ in a safe, and trusted small group environment.

3. Sign Gifts:  Faith, Healing, Miracles, Discernment, Tongues, or the Interpretation of Tongues - there is really no better explanation of these gifts than to say they actually reveal God in some way which allows men and women to see evidence of God's working in their midst.

So, we have various "groups" of gifts, but it is not as important to put them into "buckets" as to understand the purpose behind the gifts - they all work to "grow up" the church and to keep us on track.  Without discernment, we might believe anything we are taught by anyone teaching it.  Without administration, the church might be lacking in organization and the necessary talent to further the "programs" and outreach work it is intended to accomplish.  All gifts are necessary - all gifts are for the Body benefit.  

Yesterday, we explored two gifts which seem to go hand-in-hand, the Word of Knowledge and the Word of Wisdom.  Look at the gift of Faith. Now, don't confuse this with the faith to believe in Christ as your personal Savior, the only Son of God, given to provide a means of reconciliation between us and God the Father.  This is also a "gift" to us, for we don't even possess the faith to believe, but the spiritual gift of Faith is a little different. It is the ability to believe despite the circumstances - it is almost the ability to see things as they "will be", not necessarily as they are.  People who might operate in the gift of faith might also operate in the gifts of healing, because the person has faith to see what "will be", not focus on the deformity or illness which is before them.  

As you can see, many of the gifts are interwoven with others.  None really stand alone.  Pastors are good with the gift of administration, but may not be as good with the gift of teaching - so they need others to fulfill this role in the church.  Teachers may actually use the gifts of teaching, mercy, knowledge, etc.  As they teach, their ability to present the teaching in a manner which reaches the hearts of those listening, to empathize with their condition of heart and to speak into their lives in a way which does not condemn or drive away is actually a manifestation of each of these gifts.  It is not as important to "pigeon-hole" yourself or another into a "gift" category - it is important to recognize they function together, often at the same time and through the same individual, because they are needed in order to build up, bring into unity, and to reveal Christ within us.

I have heard some say they wished they knew what "gift" the Holy Spirit was placing in their lives.  I would challenge you to think not so much about "a" gift, but the openness to be used as his "conduit" of edification (building up), exhortation (encouragement and correction where necessary), and expression (the revelation of Christ's love and mercy within you).  It isn't the "gift" you have - it is the person who indwells you that makes the difference in your life. Just sayin!

Wisdom AND Knowledge . . . we need 'em both!

If you stop long enough to see the display of God's amazing power, it will not take you long to realize it is everywhere you look.  The tiny ants crawling in and out of their intricately dug tunnels beneath the earth.  The beauty of the sun glistening off the freshly fallen snow and quickly frozen tree limbs.  The awe of a brightly painted evening sky at the setting of the sun.  The tiny miracle of new life held closely in your arms.  The radiant heat of the sun on a cold day.  The soft melody of the chirping bird enjoying the feeder in the yard. There are "signs" or "displays" of his power everywhere.  It does not stop in nature - it is within each of us, as well.  Scripture declares, "Each person is given something to do that shows who God is..."  We are each given some amazing way to express the power and greatness of our God - we sometimes just need to embrace this expression and go with it!

God’s various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful:  wise counsel, clear understanding, simple trust, healing the sick, miraculous acts, proclamation, distinguishing between spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues.  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.  (I Corinthians 12:4-11 MSG)

The Holy Spirit is at work "putting on display" what God has given to us to reveal who he is to this world we live in.  If you study the scriptures, you will find the Holy Spirit is spoken of as bringing into evidence nine "fruits" within our lives and making available to us the display of nine "gifts", as well.  These differ, but all come from God in order to put on display within our lives the evidence of who God is.  What better "canvas" for God to use than the lives of messed up, hurting, and broken people!  In the work he does within our lives, he is seen and he is understood.  Fruit is evidence of growth.  Gifts are evidence of who has provided the growth.  Each serves a purpose - to put God's power on display.

So, what are the nine gifts of the Spirit and how do they actually put God on display through our lives?  If we were to examine these individually, we might just begin to see how they display his power.  Today, I'd like to look at two of these gifts - the word of knowledge and the word of wisdom.  Depending on the translation you are reading from, these might be called something like wise counsel (word of wisdom) and clear understanding (word of knowledge). 

- Word of Knowledge:  We begin by understanding God's knowledge as infinite (omniscient) and ours as limited by a set of very finite learning opportunities.  We might understand gravity exists because we studied it and see it is a force which keeps us "grounded".  Yet, we don't understand how it exists.  God does, though, because he has infinite knowledge.  Some things can be "known" because we have this limited knowledge.  We might "know" two and two add up to four because we have taken two apples and added them to a bowl of two other apples and find we now have four.  We might "trust" the term "pi" to equal 3.14159265, but the "why" behind what "pi" equals might not be as clear.  We learned in school that it is a "constant" number which represents ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter.  I guess this is important if I want to go around measuring circles!  In my life, I don't use "pi" very often, but I know what it means.

There is a difference between the knowledge we have because we learn something and the knowledge God gives which "outreaches" our knowledge base.  We call this latter type of knowledge a "word of knowledge" or "clear understanding".  It isn't your own mind figuring something out - it is the Spirit within you giving you the knowledge into a matter at hand.  As far as when this gift might be manifest in our lives, it is usually when we need insight into a matter for which we really don't possess the ability to "know" the correct answer.  Now, don't get the idea this gift is for the times when we haven't studied for a final exam and expect God to "gift" us with the answer!  This gift is often given when we are facing a moment when we need insight - there is something not perceivable in "natural" knowledge, so we need the insight of God in order to fully perceive.  We definitely need this gift in our lives since our own knowledge is so "finite" and God's is so supernaturally "infinite".

- Word of Wisdom:  One person in scripture stands out as an example of using this gift to solve a very important matter - Solomon.  Two women come to him one day, in a terrible squabble over who actually "owns" a little baby - one claims to be the mother, the other makes the same claim (I Kings 3).  Now, if you have ever been in this type of circumstance, perhaps a time when your two children were each pointing fingers at the other and proclaiming neither of them "did it", you might have actually received a "word of wisdom" in helping you to get to the truth of the matter!  The word of wisdom is often given when we need "supernatural" knowledge and the ability to apply it as you should.  I often heard clearly from the Spirit when my kids weren't telling me the truth - knowing how to use this wisdom so I could bring my kids to a place of telling me the truth on their own was often a matter of "supernatural" wisdom.  

As you can see, these two gifts seem to go hand-in-hand.  You are correct. One may exist without the other, but they often exists side-by-side.  You receive insight you don't possess AND the ability to know how to apply or use it in the circumstances you are faced with.  Two gifts - each unique - yet often manifest together.  When you gain insight you don't naturally possess, this is a manifestation of his power and often of his grace!  When you know how to apply this insight, this is a manifestation of "wisdom" which supersedes your ability to "put two-and-two together", so to speak.  We need both - and it is good to know both are available to us through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  Just sayin!

Different, yet the same

Different carries the idea of being dissimilar in some way - to some, it even carries the connotation of something being inferior to another.  For example, when you can buy the name brand or the generic, some feel there is a clear difference between the two - one is inferior to the other.  While I sometimes agree with this when it comes to buying "the real deal" or the "knock-off", I don't think this applies to the gifts God bestows in our lives.  None of the gifts from God are "inferior" to another.  If they are "different", it simply means one stands as unique to the other.  They are distinct, not ordinary, and they vary.  In some respects, we may all possess the "same" gift, but we manifest it in a variety of ways - each unique to our personality, circle of influence, etc.  Spiritual gifts are never "inferior" or "superior" to one another - they are designed to be used by the one who possesses them in a manner honoring of the Giver of these gifts.

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.  (I Corinthians 12:4-6 NIV)

I think we will spend just a little time trying to unpack this passage today as it is the starting point for our discussion over the next couple of days.  The word "different" is used three separate times in this passage, but so is the word "same".  I think the writer is trying to get us to understand something important by the use of these two words.  Although there are differences, there are similarities in the gifts we possess, our service in the body of Christ, and the ways the believer finds Christ working through their lives.  To this end, let's unpack this passage:

- Differing gifts:  The gifts differ, but the one giving the gifts remains the same.  Spiritual gifts are often something people just don't understand - mostly because they don't really understand the giver of the gifts.  Then their is this problem we have of comparing one with another and wondering why someone might get the gift of knowledge and another the working of miracles. We don't figure out spiritual gifts with our natural intelligence.  God is Spirit - as such, he is the giver of such gifts.  We are "filled" with his Spirit at the time of our acceptance of Christ as our personal Savior - where the Spirit of God dwells also means the gifts dwell, as well.  We all have the capacity to see these gifts manifest through us at differing times - because the same Spirit indwells me as does you!  Our circle of influence may determine the "manifestation" of these gifts.  For example, when I am in a counseling situation, I find myself receiving little words of knowledge - being directed by the Spirit to "go somewhere" the other person may be having a hard time going to on their own.  In another circumstance, when taking the hand of a person who has just received a life-altering diagnosis from the doctor, I may find my prayers filled with the faith to see a miracle worked in their lives.  The gifts come from the same giver - the Spirit of God - yet I may not ever be in the position of giving the interpretation of tongues.  I hope you see where I am going with this - differing gifts, same giver.  Different times or seasons of operation, but the same giver.

- Different kinds of service:  The important thing to remember is this is a continuation of the previous verse.  Differing gifts, same giver.  Differing kinds of service, but the same Lord.  Here, we see the Spirit of God replaced with the term "the same Lord".  Why?  Service has to do with Lordship.  The one we place in the position of "owner" of our lives becomes the object of our service.  If the wrong "lord" is in the position of "owner" of our lives, the service will be all wrong.  We serve the same Lord - Jesus Christ.  Your service differs from mine in that you may be an usher, loving to greet people at the door, making them feel welcome and introducing them around to others.  Not my cup of tea!  I love to write and put my feelings into words - not your cup of tea!  We have different ways of serving, but the same Lord we serve!

- Different kinds of workings:  This is just another term to describe the "operation" of one gift or kind of service.  We all "operate" in the circle of influence we are in at the moment.  For some, this is right there in your own homes and families.  Your acts of service gravitate toward those you serve on a daily basis and those in your extended family, such as your neighbors.  For others, your influence is in the community at large, such as the nurse who travels from home to home ministering to those who need end-of-life care. Each has a work to perform, but the same God is at work in our lives.  He is orchestrating the moments "within our circle of influence" where he will be able to manifest himself through us - in our service, our "work", and in our examples of his love.  He "works through" humans to touch the lives of other humans.  Why?  We relate best to flesh and blood.  We need examples.  We need to touch and feel.  He knows this important part of our make-up, so he uses us to be the instruments of his grace, his love, and his power in the lives of others.  Different ways of working through us, but the same God at work in all of us.

Different, yet the same.  Seems a little bit like an conundrum, right?  It is a bit of a riddle if we try to understand this with our "minds" and not our "spirit", because these gifts are spiritual - they are not "intellectual".  We miss so much of what God has for us because we focus on needing to understand it perfectly before we will believe it and operate within it.  Here's the truth - what God gives, he asks us to use.  What we use has the potential of touching the lives of many.  What we squander because we simply don't understand it is simply shameful.  We have been given the same Spirit, serve the same Lord, and see the same God at work in our lives - if we have accepted the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ on our behalf.  We have the Spirit of God indwelling us with all power - isn't it time to put to use even a little of that power?  Just sayin!