20 May 2010

Greatly Desiring » Part 1

Teaching, Week in Review Jeff Gates | Comments Off

Greatly desiring.

Does that describe you and me?

Does that describe Living Hope Church?

Paul opens chapter 14 of his first letter to the church in Corinth (though to him it was just the continuation of a letter) with these words, “Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.” 1 Corinthians 14:1.

It is now Monday morning and I am still thinking through, meditating on and praying through the teaching given to us from our friend Tim Chambers this past weekend. I hope you are also.

Just a few practical follow-up notes…

  1. If you were able to attend part of the seminar but not all, we will email you when the audio is available by private link for you to download. Since it was a seminar/teaching we will not post it to the public side of our website.
  2. You should be receiving an email soon, asking you to send us the 3 spiritual gifts that you are earnestly desiring through prayer, study and action. We will be praying for you, LHC and our community so that through the faithful use of these gifts we might all be built up for the common good and the glory of Jesus.

My quick hits

Warning: If I misquote or misrepresent any of Tim’s points in any way, it is completely my fault. I was taking notes as fast as I could!

  1. We now serve a speaking God. Previously we served mute idols that were unable to give us an answer – though other spirits often communicated through them (1 Corinthians 12:2).
  2. Gifts of the Spirit (hereafter referred to as Spirit gifts) have everything to do with the manifest (here & now) presence of God! The first purpose of Spirit gifts is that we hear His voice – He declares His own presence.
  3. Spirit gifts are not a way for me or you to discover our identity – it’s not about us! Our identity must stay firmly rooted in Jesus (Psalm 84:10). If we limit the Spirit, we limit how much we hear from God; we diminish His manifest presence.
  4. The Holy Spirit always exalts Jesus! Yes, Always!
  5. Content of genuine prophecy will be Christ-honoring and exalting.
  6. Jesus said the Spirit would testify (just like a witness in a courtroom) about Him (Revelation 19:10). When receiving prophecy we are looking for both content as well as intent.

Throwing out the baby with the bathwater

  1. Great damage comes from confusing principles of order with principles of source.
  2. In his letter to the church in Corinth, Paul never says the gifts are not from God – Paul just speaks of getting in order. Let’s not forget this. A corpse is orderly!
  3. Bodily manifestations (shaking, falling, etc.) don’t prove or disprove anything. God knows He’s working with and through humans – He made us after all.
  4. Disorder has to do with context.
  5. God desires order in a meeting so that when He speaks everyone can hear His voice and know He speaks. It’s His meeting, isn’t it?

Stay tuned for Part 2…

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