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Boys and Girls Teacher and Students The Wise and the Foolish King and Subjects Landlord and Tenants Mentor and Mentee The Rich and the Poor Immature or Mature Horizontal or Vertical Rule Shrewd or Reckless Ordered or Chaotic Extroverted or Intuitive Logos and Sophia |
Unlike our natural talents and genetic giftedness from birth, the nineteen or so spiritual gifts described in the New Testament are supernatural endowments given to every Christian when that person is spiritually born and adopted into the household of God. The purpose of these gifts is to facilitate Body Life—the high calling of Christ’s one true church.
The listed spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit fall into two categories: Teaching and Serving. The life of Jesus poured out from Jesus through His church falls into these two categories. We emulate teachers and leaders in the church but often ignore those who serve, help, pray behind the scenes. The simple life style Jesus lived when He was here ought to wake us up big time. Are we, as a Body representing our Head holistically?
God is a lavish Giver: it’s not unusual for him to equip his children with several gifts. (The Apostles seem to have had all the gifts). Discovering one’s unique spiritual gifts is not actually too difficult. Any man or woman, boy or girl seeking to be used by Jesus is probably already using his or her gifts naturally. We are not suppose to strain to do things others are gifted for. Off-times some of our gifts may be evident later after we learn how to walk with Jesus for a season. The term “body life” is fitting as a descriptor for the nature of Christ’s church: we are an organism, not an organization!
By the way, Lone Ranger, solo spokesmen and spokeswomen for God, lacking the balance of accountability and the complimentary qualities of the church — don’t usually last long in the world. Many new converts with obvious gifts believe they are specially called by God to a task or mission in life. All too often such men end up “empire builders” or "loose cannons." (1989) From a list of the spiritual gifts given to each and every follower of Jesus.
“He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.” (Matthew 10:40-42)
But not every form of “Love” is kosher. This subject “goes to motive” as lawyers say in the courtroom.
One of the most effective ways to hate a person is to ignore him--this is especially serious if that Person wants to make you whole, complete, and fulfilled, in this life and in the next. It is a more serious matter if you are unaware that the man Jesus owns the whole cosmos and sits in place of supreme authority over everything. (See Hebrews 1 for instance.)
Along with increasing concern for the many truly lost outsiders to the faith, many of us are coming to realize that all sorts of people who think they are safe in the family of God--are not. They have been misinformed, deceived, and/or lied to. Is it not important for everyone to stop what preoccupies them and see if Jesus is who He says He is? In fact, if you go directly to Jesus He will personally respond to you.
If you have experienced real love at all in your life, it is coming to you directly or through people from God who IS Love.
No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him." (1 John 4:12-16)
The word love has been thoroughly paganized and bastardized in the Western world over the centuries. The best way to recover what God's love is all about is to look up the uses of the Hebrew word Chesed in a good lexicon. Talk to Jesus directly so He can deepen your understanding of giving and receiving love.
Some Bible scholars believe chesed is difficult to translate but I strongly disagree! Most of us Gentiles need to become more Jewish! Wikipedia is helpful in enlightening all who are willing to study. (I recommend Wikipedia highly and consult them frequently. When I was a boy all we had, at the local library, in bound form that is, was The Encyclopedia Britannica.)
From Wikipedia: Chesed (Hebrew: חֶסֶד, also Romanized ḥesed) is a Hebrew word.
In its positive sense, the word is used of kindness or love between people, of piety of people towards God as well as of love or mercy of God towards humanity. It is frequently used in Psalms in the latter sense, where it is traditionally translated "lovingkindness" in English translations.
In Jewish theology it is likewise used of God's love for the Children of Israel, and in Jewish ethics it is used for love or charity between people. Chesed in this latter sense of "charity" is considered a virtue on its own, and also for its contribution to tikkun olam (repairing the world). It is also considered the foundation of many religious commandments practiced by traditional Jews, especially interpersonal commandments.
Chesed is also one of the ten Sephirot on the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. It is given the association of kindness and love, and is the first of the emotive attributes of the sephirot. (Note from Lambert: There is a dark side to the Kabbalah to be avoided by us novices, similar to the cults and isms of Christianity.)
The root chasad has a primary meaning of "eager and ardent desire," used both in the sense "good, kind" and "shame, contempt". The noun chesed inherits both senses, on one hand "zeal, love, kindness towards someone" and on the other "zeal, ardour against someone; envy, reproach". In its positive it is used of mutual benevolence, mercy or pity between people, of piety of people towards God, as well as grace, favour or mercy of God towards people.The translation of loving kindness in KJV is derived from the Coverdale Bible of 1535. This particular translation is used exclusively of chesed used of the benign attitude of YHWH ("the LORD") or Elohim ("God") towards his chosen, primarily invoked in Psalms (23 times), but also in the prophets, four times in Jeremiah, twice in Isaiah 63:7 and once in Hosea 2:19. While "lovingkindness" is now considered somewhat archaic, it is part of the traditional rendition of Psalms in English Bible translations. Some more recent translations use "steadfast love" where KJV has "lovingkindness."
Note Added from Dave Roper:
Lambert, it occurred to me recently that the plural of chesed is, as you know, chassedim, the word used of the pious.
More properly it should mean, "The company of those who love and are loved by God." David & Carolyn Roper
God is not a "respecter of persons." Neither should we be!
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord GOD,
“That I will send a famine on the land,
Not a famine of bread,
Nor a thirst for water,
But of hearing the words of the LORD.
They shall wander from sea to sea,
And from north to east;
They shall run to and fro,
seeking the word of the LORD,
But shall not find it.“
(Amos 8:11,12)
Paradoxically,
There are bad people who know the Bible well
and good people who know very little but obey Jesus and walk humbly.
He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?
(Micah 6:8)
Do we not all need to learn to submit to legitimate authority in life? There are rewards for good behavior but penalties for rebellion!
“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? “Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: “He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. “But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.” (Luke 6:46-49)
I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ's appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen." (1 Timothy 6:13-16)
1. "Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord... "
2. "Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God." (Colossians 3:20, 22)3. "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake." (Romans 13:1-5)
4. "Slaves, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth
who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." (1 Peter 2:18-25)
Bishop: episkopos, an overseer: the presiding officer, manager, superintendent director, of any assembly:
so of Christ the Head of the church.
5. "But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:14-17)
Job Openings for Domestic Servants
