I am not completely sure of my Spiritual Gifts. Perhaps I have the gift of teaching... I sure enjoy it and relish the opportunity. One gift I do have is Prophecy!
This gift is not often understood. Prophecy is not all about telling the future, it is about calling the Church into accountability. Perhaps this strikes you as it did one of my friends 17-18 years back. On explaining that my "gift" was calling the Church into account, he quickly responded, "There's nothing in Scripture about criticizing the Bride of the Christ!"
Hmm, yes nothing except a large portion of the Foundational (Old) Testament. Think about the Major and Minor prophets. In fact the Jews of Jesus' day described the Foundational Testament as "The Law and the Prophets".
Think too, the FT prophets weren't always the most cheerful folks. Jeremiah, "The weeping prophet", spent time in the miry clay. None of them seemed especially welcomed by the local religious folk.
And also true today! I have asked several friends recently to describe the "average" Believer in the USA today. The key responses have been "nominal" and my favorite, "lukewarm". Hmm, Houston, we have a problem. The L^rd Jesus Christ suffers, bleeds and dies, and we are "Lukewarm"???
Seriously?
I attribute a lot of this to the way the US Christian Church does business. Maybe I am wrong, but set me straight. It annoys me that the best we can do is lukewarm.
So what's your hypothesis?
This gift is not often understood. Prophecy is not all about telling the future, it is about calling the Church into accountability. Perhaps this strikes you as it did one of my friends 17-18 years back. On explaining that my "gift" was calling the Church into account, he quickly responded, "There's nothing in Scripture about criticizing the Bride of the Christ!"
Hmm, yes nothing except a large portion of the Foundational (Old) Testament. Think about the Major and Minor prophets. In fact the Jews of Jesus' day described the Foundational Testament as "The Law and the Prophets".
Think too, the FT prophets weren't always the most cheerful folks. Jeremiah, "The weeping prophet", spent time in the miry clay. None of them seemed especially welcomed by the local religious folk.
And also true today! I have asked several friends recently to describe the "average" Believer in the USA today. The key responses have been "nominal" and my favorite, "lukewarm". Hmm, Houston, we have a problem. The L^rd Jesus Christ suffers, bleeds and dies, and we are "Lukewarm"???
Seriously?
I attribute a lot of this to the way the US Christian Church does business. Maybe I am wrong, but set me straight. It annoys me that the best we can do is lukewarm.
So what's your hypothesis?
My hypothesis is born out of my own misery...I think it's has a lot to do wirh how we (the U.S. church body) present Christ...Who is he? If every believer had a clear understanding of Romans 8:6-7...And also..2 Corinthians 4:11...There would be more hungering and thirsting (more fire) for what can't be produced any other way...My efforts in the flesh are always going to take me down and away from truth. So there must be a continual dying; for Spiritual life to happen. So can I get comfortable in your wonderful Sunday School class? Or should I only be at rest in the reality of his presents in and with me?...Religion is hard to shake, no matter how you paint it...Blessings dear friends...
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