Saved to Serve

The phrase from Exodus 8:1 “let my people go, so they may serve Me” was on my mind all this week. As you know I’ve been somewhat pushy with the Spiritual Gifts discovery process during the last two months. To some may attitude may even appear to be limiting, excluding, especially for those who for some reason did not feel like taking the inventory.
Visiting people in the last couple of weeks and contemplating on your questions about this whole process I have to admit: we cannot limit the Holy Spirit to the bounds of some technical inventory. The Spirit gives Gifts as it pleases Him (1st Corinthians 12:11) You may receive a new gift tomorrow, which you did not have yesterday when you completed the survey.
Some of you asked a direct question about all this: how valid is this survey? How scientifically accurate is the analysis? What is the purpose of all this? Let me state my point officially:

1. Your willingness to share your giftedness would ease the work of the Nominating Committee.
   
2. It would give your pastor a better idea of your giftedness.
   
3. The most important reason: it causes you to question your calling, your giftedness, and how you use God given gifts.
   

And if this whole ordeal caused you to think for a moment about Spiritual Gifts in your life – mission is accomplished!!!
I encourage you to seek out your spiritual gifts and to use them for God’s glory and for edification of God’s people. If you don’t feel that the questioner was for you – just stop me in the hallway, or write me a note, or just tell someone on the Nominating Committee what is your area of interest, or at least pray that your peers would recognize that you have a ministry!
When you willingly declare “Here I am! Send Me!” – Holy Spirit will give necessary giftedness and send you into ministry. In the days of Apostles they did not have time to collect questioners. Recognizing urgent needs they laid hands and commissioned spiritual people to go, and as they went the Spirit moved and furnished them with all necessary gifts. They knew that they were saved to serve!
It is a high time in the Church when we come to pray and commission people to serve urgent needs and essential ministries. Share your gifts, and pray for more spiritual giftedness to be poured in our midst. And remember – we are saved to serve!

Do you serve? Are you saved?

Are You Manifesting ?

This past Wednesday night we were fellowshipping in prayer at the New Life Center @ 220 Adelaide when I was keyed up with the question from their pastor: Are You Manifesting? He was talking about the importance of the Spiritual gifts in the life of believer.
I am posing this same question to you: Are You manifesting?
There are few principles that Bible teaches about the Spiritual gifts:

• The Spiritual gifts are received by all who are baptized.
  
• The gifts are for service to others not ourselves.
  
• Individuals receive gifts according to their place & role in God’s plan.
  
• Gifts are supernatural character & are not the same as natural talents.
  
• Gifts are identified and defined in the New Testament
  
• They all contribute to the Church’s mission of evangelization.
  
• They are to be used in the work places and neighborhoods of the world where lay people live and not only in the church or among Christians.
  

As Christ forms His Body – the Church – he also enables it to function by equipping it through giving various gifts.
Apostle Paul writing to Romans (12:4-13) say we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of Christ’s Body of chosen people. A chopped-off finger, or a cut-off toe wouldn’t amount to much, would it? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s Body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t.
Live from the center of Who You Are, of who God made you to be. When we function from the Spiritual gifts we will not burn out, and will be always fueled and aflame.
It is only through the Spiritual gifts that Jesus can be made manifest in our mortal flesh. When we live out of the Spiritual Giftedness then the Fruits of the Spirit are produced.
The true and lasting love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control can be manifested only through the use of Spiritual Gifts. Paul says that we can walk in the Spirit only if we live in the Spirit, and vice versa.
When we live out our Spiritual Gifts we are not desirous of vain glory, we will not be provoking one another, or envying one another. (Galatians 5:22-26) I invite you as my fellowservants in the Grace of Gospel to discover your Spiritual giftedness, your place in the Body and manifest it!
Are you Manifesting?

City-wide Prayer meetings

For nine days some of us had made visits to other churches. As we planned for the Revival Prayer rotation in the city we prayed that the door of opportunity would be open for us to witness our faith. Attending different churches I watched surprise on people’s faces as they learn that the Seventh-day Adventist believers are praying with them. Those of us who attended had every chance to speak, pray and testify in most of the churches.
I have to admit that even I was not ready for the intensity of this event. I pray every morning, I keep my devotional time, I pray in the evening. Yet, to come every day and spend 2 hours straight in prayer, listening to others pray and dialoguing with God, listening to His voice, was a challenge!
As we increase the intensity of our coming together and chasing after God so we increase our opportunities for the Encounter with Him and His Blessings. I write this to encourage you to do the same – go and visit believers in the city, while the doors have been opened by God.
As I read the Spirit of Prophecy I am convicted that “much have been lost by neglecting to do this. It should ever be manifest that we are reformers, but not bigots. [We] should seek to become acquainted with the pastors of the several churches in the place. If our ministers show themselves friendly and sociable, and do not act as if they were ashamed of the message they bear, it will have an excellent effect, and may give these pastors and their congregations favorable impressions of the truth. Our laborers should be very careful not to give the impression that they are wolves stealing in to get the sheep, but should let the ministers understand their position and the object of their mission--to call the attention of the people to the truths of God's Word. There are many of these which are dear to all Christians. Here is common ground, upon which we can meet people of other denominations; and in becoming acquainted with them we should dwell mostly upon topics in which all feel an interest, and which will not lead directly and pointedly to the subjects of disagreement.” Review and Herald, June 13, 1912. (quoted in Evangelism 143).
In an appeal to the church in 1899 Ellen White wrote that “wisest, firmest labor should be given to those ministers who are not of our faith” Letter 72, 1899. (quoted in Evangelism, 562).
I remind you that we all are ministers, we are all priests, and there is no difference between us. We all are the People of God – the LAITY, and we all have been Called by God – the CLERGY.
The fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) will show when the Gifts of the Spirit are employed and at work. Live by the Spirit, walk in the Spirit, and let the Gifts of the Spirit be manifested in your life.