[0:00] Once in a while, huh? Amen. Yeah. Do all hymns. Wow. That's old school. That's pretty, yeah. Thank you.
[0:10] Good. Today we conclude our study on spiritual gifts. And we are doing a review. So we're going to go over every single bit of it.
[0:22] No, we're not. We're just going to discuss and apply it. We have the information in your bulletin. You've got all the definitions, all the applications there. We want to talk about it.
[0:34] We want to discuss it. We want to apply this. How does this work? Why is this so important to Paul? Okay. So to start that, I'd like to read once again from Romans 12, which is foundational to not only our Christian life.
[0:52] Remember Romans 12, Paul begins with the big therefore. He's just talked about for 11 chapters all that God has done. God's work of justification, sanctification, work of the spirit, et cetera, et cetera.
[1:08] And then he gets to chapter 12 and says, therefore, how should we live? What difference does it make of that? All these mercies that God has shown us. Well, so chapter 12 is really fundamental.
[1:21] It's like the heart of our Christianity. And within six verses of chapter 12, he mentions the gifts. So to me, that just fascinates me. The spiritual gifts, though we seem to talk about them so little, they're fundamental.
[1:39] So with that, let's read the text, Romans 12, 1 through 8, and then we'll pray and we'll dig into it. So if you're able to stand as I read from Romans 12.
[1:52] I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your logical worship.
[2:14] Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
[2:29] Four, for by the grace given to me, I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment.
[2:42] Each, according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body, we have many members and the members do not all have the same function.
[2:56] So we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually members one of another, having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us.
[3:10] Let us use them. If prophecy, in the proportion to the faith. If service, in the serving. The one who teaches, in the teaching.
[3:21] The one who exhorts, in the exhortation. The one who contributes, in simplicity. The one who leads with zeal.
[3:33] And the one who does acts of mercy with cheerfulness. So reads the word. Let us pray. Father, guide us today as we discuss these things.
[3:44] Guide us in whatever direction you want us to here, Lord. We're looking for your leadership today as we simply discuss and seek to apply and answer some questions about this subject of gifts that Paul raises to us.
[4:02] Bring it home for us. Help us to understand what our gifts are that we might apply them in the way Paul discusses here.
[4:14] So give us your wisdom. We seek to do what this passage says. We seek, Lord, even in this moment, to present our body as a living sacrifice to you.
[4:26] It's all about you. We seek to fight off the tendency to conform to this world. And instead to intentionally continue to be transformed by your power as we renew our minds.
[4:43] So that, Lord, we might think soberly and not pridefully. So that as a church, we might do what you have designed us to do.
[4:56] This we pray in Christ's name. Amen. Please be seated. So as I was thinking about these things, the other night, I'm trying to lay down and go to sleep.
[5:11] I'm having trouble sleeping lately. I don't know. But this thought comes to me, and this is not normal. This thought comes to me is, why is it so important for us to gather together?
[5:23] Well, what's interesting is this thought came, I wasn't thinking about this already. I was thinking, I need to sleep. But then I thought about that we gather together, that we assemble.
[5:38] Why is that so important? Why do we personally need to assemble? Why is that a need for us? Not an option, but a need.
[5:50] Why has God designed it this way? He's designed us to be a body, to function together, and therefore to do the one anotherings. Right? We're present.
[6:01] So let me ask you that. Let's see what you think. Why is it important for us to gather together? Just kind of as you think about that. Why is that important?
[6:13] Daniel? Because men sharpen men like iron sharpens iron. Okay. Iron sharpens iron. Yes. We need each other to get sharper. No. We mature together.
[6:24] What else? What else? We pray for each other. We pray for one another. Right? All those one another's. Right? How do you do the one another's if you don't gather? You can't do the one another. What else?
[6:36] Pray for one another. Encouragement. Hmm? Encouragement. Encourage one another. Yeah. We're not meant to be alone. God built us to... We're not meant to be alone. No private... No...
[6:46] What is... Private ragers. I was going to say private... Help each other... Lone rager. That's what I said. Help each other praise the Lord. Help each other praise the Lord. That's really good. I'm thinking this morning as we're singing.
[6:57] You know, some of what we sing as you read the hymn, especially the hymns, are written intentionally in a way that either we're focusing on God or we're talking about God.
[7:09] So, in some of our hymns, we're reminding one another as we sing how great God is. Right? So, some... You ever notice how the hymns are written? Some about God.
[7:20] So, we're singing together. Right? And Ephesians 5 talks about that. That's part of being spirit-filled is we sing together. We teach each other through songs and hymns.
[7:30] With one voice. With one voice. So, we're confirming and confessing truth. You had your hand. Oh, I was just thinking of the gifts.
[7:41] And we all have different gifts. We're all different members. Yes. And in the human body, we have arms and we have legs and we have ourselves. Exactly. And you can't get along with just arms.
[7:52] Exactly. You got right to the point of what he's... Because he's talking about we're a body, but he has made us with different gifts. So, somebody's the hand, somebody's the arm, somebody's the foot, somebody's the appendix.
[8:05] I don't know. You know, whatever. Right? But all necessary. Part. To open our eyes. To open our eyes. To take and expand our experience beyond our own small slice. Okay. And include all our congregations, all the people with us.
[8:19] Yeah. Why do we need that? It broadens our horizon. It brings things out that at times you never think of. Right. And all of a sudden, my gosh, this is an education I never realized.
[8:31] And that's some of the things we've discovered in some of these gifts is that God gives some of these gifts when we're together. Like a word of wisdom, a word of knowledge.
[8:42] Right? Those just come because the spirit says, okay, time for Debbie to get this. Right? Or for Debbie to say something and somebody goes, oh, now I get it.
[8:55] Right? So, yeah, that's how God works. With him. We're, we can't hide behind, you know, when we're face to face, eye to eye.
[9:06] Yeah. You know, Susan looked at me first thing this morning. She's like, are you okay? Yeah. Like, are you all right? Yeah. And, you know, we can't, on the phone or whatever, you know, we need to be.
[9:20] And live streaming is as great as that is for some folks that they could actually participate because it couldn't otherwise. Right? But if we hide there. And we're in a culture that is more and more progressively privatized and disengaged.
[9:37] Right? We're disconnecting. And so God has designed us to be like that. So I wrote down two things. Just from Romans 12, verse 1, what's the focus?
[9:49] Focus is God. So why do I need to come? I need to come to worship him. I need to take time to worship him. One of my children years ago was struggling with, I don't want to go to church.
[10:02] I won't say who they are. But they're like, I don't want to go to church. And I simply asked, do you believe there is a God? Yes. Then do you believe that he's worthy of at least an hour of your week to give him thanks and to think about him and hear about it?
[10:24] Yeah. Yeah. That worked for that individual. But it's true. That's Romans 1. Right? People suppress the truth so that they don't have to give thanks to him.
[10:37] They don't have to acknowledge him, even though they know he exists. Right? But all the more for us. We absolutely know that. I need to come.
[10:48] And I love the way some of you expressed it. Even as we're worshiping and praying together, that's... I'm learning from you all as we do that together. I'm encouraged by what we sing together.
[11:00] What we're saying is true. What we're reaffirming. Right? And then the second reason we need to get together that you already mentioned is we need each other. I need to take time to engage with other believers in an intentional way.
[11:21] I need to do that. I need to serve. I need to not come to get. Sometimes I need to come to get because I'm really empty. Right? I get that. But in general, I need to come to give.
[11:33] Right? Because my go-to is to get. I come to give. To serve. To interact. To share our journeys together. I love that you shared what Susan said to you, Ann.
[11:44] And we share that. We share our journey together. We're in this together. How's your week going? Well... And hopefully as we get to know each other more and more, we don't just...
[11:55] How are you doing? Right? How do I answer that usually if you ask me? Fair to middle. Fair to middle. I'm trying to be honest. Right? And I want to just say okay because in some ways I'm not okay.
[12:08] In other ways I'm blessed. Right? Bart always says great. Great. I love that. I'm a little more feely.
[12:21] You know I've been depressed before. Right? So it's like... But I want to be honest with you because those of you that are close to me, I know you'll pray.
[12:33] Right? So... Okay. So Romans 12 gives us at least three battles. So you see... I'm kind of as we review, I'm thinking, so why does Paul write the way he does?
[12:45] Why... After everything he says about God, why does he start with... With living sacrifice? Right? Present your bodies as a living sacrifice.
[12:56] Why there? That's like... Wow. Why didn't he just kind of start a little softer and just say, you know, based on all that God has done, you should give him thanks.
[13:08] Right? He goes like several steps beyond that. No. Living sacrifice. Okay? And then verse two. Not conformed to this world, but being transformed. Verse three.
[13:18] Don't think more highly of yourself. So verse one. What's our problem? What if... If we're... If he calls us to living sacrifice, why do we need to be called to present our bodies as a living sacrifice?
[13:30] Self-centered. Because we're self-centered. All right. I mean, who wants to do that? In a natural sense. I don't naturally want to do that. Verse two.
[13:41] Why does he tell us to not conform to this world? Because we're conformists. Right? That's the easy road. That's the easy road. And then verse three.
[13:52] Why does he say not think more highly of ourselves? How dare him think that we think more highly of ourselves? Because we are prideful. So... And then he gets into body and gifts.
[14:04] So in other words... So I was trying to take a big picture of this. First... Gifts... Aren't going to happen... If you're... Not giving yourself as a living sacrifice. First of all.
[14:16] Because gifts aren't about me. Gifts are about serving other people. And then secondly... Gifts aren't going to happen... If I'm conforming to the world. And not renewing my mind.
[14:28] And then third... This one was what surprised me. Verse three. Pride. Pride will stop me. From using gifts.
[14:40] Why? Because... The tendency to... And then... The reason I asked the first question I asked. Why do we need to gather together? I think one of the greatest... Battles and challenges for the church today...
[14:53] Is people disengaging from the church. And if you're disengaged... If you're not involved... With the body.
[15:04] I don't mean just attending... Coming and going. I mean involved. I mean talking to people. I mean praying for one another. Encouraging one another. That kind of thing. If you're not doing those things... You will never use your gift...
[15:16] And you'll never know your gift. You can't use your gift... If you're not involved. And if you don't... So somebody says... Well I don't get involved... Until I know what my gift is.
[15:26] Good luck. Because you'll never know your gift... Until you're involved. The only way I discover what my gift is... Forget all the surveys... Because they're man-made.
[15:37] And Paul doesn't give us a survey. He just says... Do your gift. You'll know your gift... As you get involved. Because you'll start to see... Oh I kind of... Orient myself to task things.
[15:49] So I must be a servant. Or I like... I'm more oriented to people. I'm like... I got to help that person. I want to encourage them. Or I want to... You know they're broken. You know...
[16:00] Oh I might have mercy. I might have encouragement. See what I'm saying? Or... Man I'm... Pastor got that wrong. You know... You're really...
[16:10] You know... Maybe a teacher. I don't know. You'll figure it out. Okay. And the way Paul puts it...
[16:21] In chapter 12... Is... I do... I'm absolutely convinced... These are... Permanent gifts... That are given. Or at least long term.
[16:32] He could of course... Change our gift... In time. But the way he says... If your gift is prophecy... Then use it this way. According to the faith.
[16:44] Right? It's accountable. You don't get to just... Throw off something... Nobody can check on. If your gift is serving... What should you do? Get to serving.
[16:55] Focus on serving. Look for opportunities. If your gift is teaching... Guess what you should do? Retire. No. Now there's times...
[17:05] To take a break. Absolutely. I'm not saying... Never take a break. Take a break. I need sabbaticals... Every... 18 years or so. Right? Not say that...
[17:15] Because Jesus took retreats. Right? But in the... In the regular going flow... If your gift is teaching... Look for opportunities to teach. If it's encouraging... Look for those people... That need encouragement.
[17:28] So how do I know... If I have that gift? Well... When you're... As you're involved... How does that look? Kind of take a step back... In all your involvement...
[17:38] What... What happened? What kind of things... Are you drawn to? What kind of things... Stir you? What kind of things... Move you? You hear about a need. Oh... How can I help? I can...
[17:50] Maybe you're the... Servant... Maybe you're the sharer. Maybe you're the one... Oh... I got something. Right? Or we'll open our home... We'll share our home... For everybody...
[18:01] To use. Right? See what I'm saying? Okay. Enough of me. So... Let's talk about... Yes. How are they important?
[18:13] What... What are they? You have in your... In your bulletin... A list of the gifts... And the first page... Is the list... From Romans 12... And...
[18:24] I've described that... As formative... Serving gifts... Because... As I mentioned... The way Paul... Structures it... In Romans 12... He starts with...
[18:34] What's the foundation? I present myself... To God... It's me and God... First... I'm a living sacrifice... To God... If I do that...
[18:44] Genuinely... Then the rest should flow... A little easier... Like the not conforming... And transforming... And getting... You know... Working off of my pride...
[18:55] And then getting involved... So... Formative... In other words... That's how God forms the church... So what... What do you...
[19:05] What do you think? What have you learned? What... What... Has been challenging... Any thoughts changed? Any... Questions you still have?
[19:16] Wide open here... Right? What do you want... What do you want to discuss here? Where you got it all... You got it all figured out? I'm sorry. I appreciate the distinctives... Between the different gospels...
[19:28] The formative... Oh, okay. The spiritual... The spirit manifested... I haven't studied it before. Yeah, so Paul... In my mind... Paul...
[19:38] Romans is his... Right? His opus... His great masterpiece... Right? I mean... It's... You know... He started with Galatians... Got most of that down... When he came to Romans...
[19:49] He just... It's the whole... It's his gospel... It's everything... And so... To me... And Paul is deliberate... In everything he does... So the way he deliberately outlines...
[20:01] How we live today... Presenting our bodies... Living sacrifice... Transforming our mind... And then body life... Right? Using the gifts... And then in 1 Corinthians 12...
[20:12] It's a whole different perspective... And I think it's a whole different category... Because he calls... He doesn't call them gifts... He calls them manifestations... And I think those are not permanent...
[20:24] I think those really are temporary... Those are as the spirit leads... He gives this one... He gives this one... That's why healings aren't... Aren't permanent... Healings are...
[20:34] Sometimes he gives it... And sometimes through this person... Especially... He seems to bring healing... But not always... Right? So... Anyway...
[20:44] So what do you want to talk about? Yeah... Susan? So is that the difference... In between having a gift... And manifestation? So some of these you might... Step into... Because you feel led to...
[20:55] But not a continual basis? Faces? Yeah... So I would see Romans 12 gifts... Those seven gifts... That's... I would assume... The way Paul writes...
[21:06] Is that... And he's probably not being comprehensive... There's probably other gifts... But I think these are the main ones... We all have at least one of those... And then...
[21:18] How would we have multiple? Because it says a gift... Right... Right... And I think people have more than one... Okay... And it might...
[21:29] You might have a blend of a couple of them... You know... Yeah... Many times you don't even realize you have gifts...
[21:40] It's just the way you are... Right... The way you feel inside... Right... And you don't even realize it is a gift... Right... So... Is it absolutely necessary...
[21:51] That you know what your gift is? No... If you're involved... Will you be using your gift... Whether you know it or not? Yes... Yes...
[22:01] That's what's important... I think it will help you exceedingly... If you know what it is... Because then you know... Okay... If my gift is serving... That's what I need to focus on...
[22:12] That's my part in the body... That's why I think that's helpful... If you don't... Don't sweat it... Don't sweat it... Just stay involved... God will use you... Right...
[22:24] Everyone else will step back and go... Hmm... How did God use me... Interesting... God used me that way... I wonder... Why? He keeps using me this certain way... How come I'm always the one going around...
[22:35] Giving hugs and... Giving hugs and... You know... Encourging people... And... Huh... I wonder if that's my gift... I don't know... It's easy... Yeah... Diane... So... I find that...
[22:47] The Holy Spirit... I believe the Holy Spirit is constantly emerging... Yes... And moving... But I also find many times...
[22:59] I'm in the way of that... Yes... You know... Oh really... Should I... Do I want to... Yes... On the other hand... I find that he also...
[23:11] I don't suppress him... But I find that he also then... Puts me... I've seen a pattern... That he puts me in prayer...
[23:21] Hmm... And I pray on... Hmm... That... Without making my decision... And I let the Lord... Make the decision...
[23:33] And as we said here... Before you know it... You're either doing it or not... Yes... Because I... I also believe that... Everything is meant for us...
[23:44] To do... Oh absolutely... I like the way Ann said it... Earlier... The gentle... Working of the Lord... The Holy Spirit is very gentle...
[23:54] He draws... The convict... We've always said... There's a difference between... The conviction of the Holy Spirit... And guilt... And the work of the devil...
[24:05] Right... The devil will condemn you... And guilt you... And what will that do... In your relationship with God... It kind of pushes you away... Right... Holy Spirit will convict you...
[24:16] In a way that will draw... He's very gentle... Now that's why I take out... A four by four... Right... You know... Because you know... Okay you knucklehead... But usually...
[24:26] He's quite gentle... He's... He's wooing... Drawing... And he knows you... So he knows how to... Okay... If I just get her to here... Then she'll go to here...
[24:37] Right... What else? I appreciate the biblical clarification on tongues...
[24:48] Speaking of tongues... Oh... Tongues... How is it clarified? Can you interpret now? Well... Yeah... No... No... As I said before...
[24:59] You know... Earlier in my... Walk... I thought it was... A level that I should be able to get to... Yes... Or... Not as holy if I could...
[25:10] Right... Special experience... Yeah... And it's... It's... It's... It's... It's not meant... To be used for everybody... Yeah... Yeah... Paul's clear it's not for everybody... Yeah... Yeah... Um...
[25:20] There are some mysteries there... I... I... I couldn't explain... I... You know... I have... Family that... That... Speak in tongues... And... Like... Okay... They're blessed by that...
[25:30] Okay... Bye... Are you... But are you... Following what... Paul says in... 1 Corinthians 14... Because if you do speak or pray in a tongue... Paul commands you... Pray that you can interpret...
[25:41] So you know what you're saying... And that's why Paul... Paul says... I'll do it all the time... I... I speak in tongues all the time... But he also knows what he's saying... He doesn't do it in an unfruit...
[25:52] Where his mind is unfruitful... He's absolutely clear on that... So if you do that... Please be careful... Please follow his advice...
[26:03] Right... He's very clear... He's not... He does not forbid it at all... He's like... It's great... It's good... But it's to be in a... Structured way...
[26:14] So we know that God's doing it... Yeah... And then we saw... You know... The pattern in 1 Corinthians 12... Was that we saw those...
[26:25] Several are plural... Plural... Right... Kinds of tongues... Discernments of spirits... What else we got? Gifts of healings...
[26:37] Works of powers... Plural... Plural... Plural... Plural... Plural... And not all our translations... Carry that... Unfortunately... But Paul's very deliberate... And we dug into the grammar...
[26:48] And even Gordon Fee... Who's a... Pentecostal... Will tell you... Grammatically... That... Tells you that those... Those are from time to time...
[27:00] Those are not permanent gifts... The way that grammar... So... So gifts of healings... That's why sometimes there's healings... Sometimes there's not... Someone God uses... I...
[27:11] Right... Works of power... That's... As the spirit wills... He... Does some incredible things... Through people... Do you have an example...
[27:22] Of works of powers... Either from scripture... Or... You know... Just a light... Yeah... When we studied... In... So... So...
[27:33] The healings... And the power... And the miracles... Predominantly in the gospels... Right... The ministry of Jesus... And... And...
[27:43] So you have... What's the difference... Between healings... And miracles... Powers... Right... So... So... Healings are part of miracles... They're obviously a miracle...
[27:53] But powers seem to be... Well... How do we define it there? The sudden... Unprompted... Empowerments of the spirit... By extraordinary intervention... To or through others...
[28:04] Or deliverance from sufferings... Attesting to the witness of the gospel... By the church... In order to advance God's purposes... So... We see people... You know... Miraculously delivered from jail...
[28:16] Right... Yeah... That's a miracle... We see... Paul's shadow... Falling on people... And they're healed... Okay... That's not a normal healing... The healings are usually...
[28:27] There's a prayer... There's a suffocate... You know... Just... Shadow falling on somebody... Okay... And it's it... God's doing extraordinary works... Powers... Through Paul... As his shadow fall on their...
[28:39] Yeah... Or... Or... What was it? The... Some cloth that touched him... They took... And then they put it on the sick person... They were healed... Okay... What's that? That's not a normal healing...
[28:50] That's... That's something more extraordinary... If... Normal healings... As if normal healings are... So when the woman touched Jesus... Garment...
[29:01] The heal of Jesus' garment... I think so... Yeah... I mean... I don't know... We have to be... I mean... That's a healing and a miracle... I think... You know... It's...
[29:11] But she... And then the other thing is... We talked about... I did a thorough study of all the healings... And how many times was faith involved... Because some people will say...
[29:21] Well... If you don't have enough faith... You're not healed... Right? Well... That's baloney... Because I... What did I... I think I wrote it down... So... 58...
[29:32] Events of healing... In the Gospels... 21 times faith was involved... So... Not by at all... Faith was... Majority... Of those 21 times...
[29:42] Faith was involved... 14 times... Influenced... Seemed to influence the healing... In other words... You know... Jesus said... Your faith made you well... Or the woman who touched Jesus... She had... She believed...
[29:53] Right? There was... Her faith was instrumental in that... Of those 14 times... Seven times... It was the faith of the person who was sick... Seven other times... It was the faith of somebody else...
[30:04] Like... Remember... When... The paralyzed man... The people... The friends couldn't get to Jesus... So they... Went up on the roof... Cut a hole... And it said... Jesus saw their...
[30:15] Faith... Okay? Or the centurion... Yeah... Or the centurion... Right? Or the woman with the daughter... Who's demonized... Right? Right? So... So... Sometimes it's the faith of another...
[30:26] But the... But the bottom line is... By far... The majority of healings... Had nothing... Faith wasn't even mentioned... Jesus either just did it...
[30:37] Right? Or... Or just faith wasn't mentioned... So... So we can't... I mean... The... The man with the...
[30:47] Demonia... Remember the man... That had the legion of demons... I mean... He wasn't asking... Jesus just... Healed him... And remember...
[30:58] Demonizations... Or exorcisms... Were called healing... Were considered a healing... Right? They're delivered of that... And usually... Well... The... The...
[31:09] Demonizations... Always had a physical... Manifestation... Always had a physical... Manifestation... So it's not a demon... That makes you sin... It's your lust...
[31:21] But if you have an epileptic seizure... That might be a demon... What about mental health? Mental health? I... We wonder...
[31:32] Right? I'm sure... There's a lot of... Satan loves to... Hinder people... Hurt people... And if he can shroud it under... Oh...
[31:42] They just need a medication... Or they just... And nothing against medications... But... You know... Jesus seemed to heal people... That we would call... Mental disorders...
[31:53] The apostles did the same thing... No... Especially if it has a physical... Manifestation... Because demons like to hurt...
[32:08] Something should be somebody's testimony... Part of the testimony... What's that? Is that something... That's something that sounds like... We should be able to share with... Yeah... With everybody to...
[32:18] To give a testimony of it... To show God's power... Yes... That's what the demoniac did, right? Right... So when the demoniac was healed... Remember... It said he was clothed...
[32:28] And in his right mind... It's like... And then he wanted to follow Jesus... And what did Jesus say? No... No... You stay... And you go tell people...
[32:39] Go back to your hometown... Tell people what God did for you... Be a witness... What is witnessing? Simply telling people... What God did for you... That's our... That's our testimony...
[32:50] We just tell people... Tell people what God did for you... It's not some... You know... Weird... You know... Big monologue... It's just... What did God do for you? I think... I think also we each have...
[33:01] Right... Each one of us has... A testimony... Of God's power... Absolutely... And what's interesting is that phrase... Works of powers... In the New Testament...
[33:13] It's primarily used in reference to spiritual work... Right... What's the song? Same power... The same power that raised Jesus from the dead... Lives in you... Or works in you...
[33:24] Something like that... That's... That's Ephesians 119... The same phrase... Works of power... Same power that works... In you...
[33:36] Is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead... So... So... In other words... Whatever that phrase means... Works of power... It's not just physical... It has to do with how God works in us...
[33:49] Right... He is able to do... Abundantly... Right... There's several references... Paul talks about how he preaches... According to the power that works within me...
[33:59] Did you say Ephesians 3... Ephesians 119... And then... Where else... Ephesians 3...
[34:12] 7... 3... 20... Colossians 1... 29... 2 Corinthians 12... 9... Paul used it in reference to the thorn in the flesh... He experienced a work of power...
[34:22] When God didn't heal him... Right... He asked God to take the thorn away... Take this thorn away... This messenger of Satan...
[34:33] Right... And God said... Nope... For your good... My power... Miracle... Is perfected in your weakness...
[34:48] So God... That same word for power... Dunamis... That same miraculous kind of power... That works in us... Through suffering... Through hardship... Through temptation...
[34:59] Through testing... That's where I think we should look for it more... And as Ron's saying... That we should tell people... How God... Man... I was really... I'm really... Really... Well...
[35:09] I've told you about my depression... How God worked through that... Right... But I wouldn't have experienced that power... If I hadn't been... So humble... What else?
[35:22] To kind of piggyback on what you've been saying... And also what Diane said a little bit ago... Philippians 4.13 says... I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me... And Stephen Curtis Chapman...
[35:34] Has a song... Called... His strength is perfect... And I don't think that... When he wrote this... It was focusing... Turning it... Focusing on himself... But there's an honest statement that he makes...
[35:46] Because the song says... I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me... But sometimes I wonder... What God can do through me... What he can do through me...
[35:56] And I think that's where the gifts... Help define... And let you... It's something tangible... Even though you're not supposed to hang on to it...
[36:07] But it's something you can claim... For a testimony... To say... This isn't me... Right... The testimony is... Tell people what God did... Right...
[36:17] Right... What happened... What you experienced... Yeah... Not what you did... But yeah... That's a very... Very humbling statement... If you think about it... Sometimes... I wonder... What he can do...
[36:27] That maybe I'm not... Trusting for... Or... Right... So... Yeah... I'm... Got a barrier somewhere... Yep... Maybe I'm not willing to present my life...
[36:39] As a living sacrament... Well... And I think the Holy Spirit uses that time... Because you're... Okay... What... What is this all about? And the Holy Spirit says... Let's take a look...
[36:49] Yeah... Yeah... Yeah... Yeah... Yeah... If you're stuck... Right... What can we do? Right... Search me and try me, Lord... See what's...
[37:00] Where... Show me where I'm stuck... Show me what my... He'll show you... Yeah... Yeah, James... I like...
[37:10] I like... In Romans... How... He gets... Kind of gives you... A guideline... Not a guideline... But a... You know... If you're...
[37:20] If you're gift is mercy... Then do it with cheerfulness... Right... So... Right... If you're... If you're showing mercy... And you're not being cheerful... You might need to look...
[37:30] You might need to take a break... Right... You know... If you're leading... But you're not leading with zeal... Right... Then... You know... Maybe you need to... Look at your leading... And...
[37:41] You know... I... Yeah... I just think it's amazing... That... That he gives you... So much... To... And it's...
[37:51] It's a lot deeper than... It looks... I... I still don't know what my gift is... I... I wonder... And... You know... It's alright... You're using it... I have a lot of brothers and sisters...
[38:03] That tell me all the time... Right... But I don't feel it myself... Well... Let the Lord... You know... Ask the Lord to reveal it... When he wants you to reveal it to you...
[38:13] Right... If he wants... If he thinks that's enough... Yeah... Well... And then there's a question on that... Like... Does he... Does he have to? I mean... Does he have to know? Does... Yeah... I don't...
[38:23] Does God... My understanding is... God doesn't have to... Tell us... I think you have a lot of examples... Where it's... In the Bible... Where it's... Trust me... Yeah... I... I'm good on my promises...
[38:35] I show that... Oh yeah... My nature... You don't have to know... Trust me... Right... It's a little personal too... Because I don't... I never feel very spiritual... I... I feel more analytical...
[38:45] And that's... Oh... Weird... Yeah... Yeah... Is faith hard for an intellectual... Okay... I wouldn't know...
[38:57] Or... Put another way... Faith in one's self... Faith in something besides one's self... Right... Is very hard... And their processes... And their understanding... Is very hard for an intellectual... Assuming they... I don't want to...
[39:07] What are the thoughts... So I guess... Yeah... All right... Can we... To get the question... Does God have to...
[39:18] Have to... Let us know... Like... No... Of course he doesn't have to... You know... But the impression I get from Paul...
[39:29] Is that he assumes we know... So that we know how to apply it... If I have that mercy gift... I know I need to... That my... My...
[39:40] What do you call it? My boundary... My marker... My test... Is cheer... Right... So if I'm... If I've lost my cheer...
[39:50] Because a person with mercy... What are they going to do? They're going to... They got this huge heart... Right... And they're going to... They're going to... You know... They're going to go to everyone... Right... They're going to... They're never going to say no...
[40:01] Right... And they're going to burn out... So that's where I think... Paul's saying... Do a cheer... So that... If I can't cheer... That means I've probably overdone it... Even Jesus took retreats...
[40:12] Right... Doesn't it also... Run... Though... To the knowledge... As Zach was setting forth... Do you need to know... I think we need to know... That it is from the...
[40:22] Lord... And not from ourselves... Yes... Because it can become... It can be a question of... Genuineness... Yes... And motivation...
[40:32] And what are you really doing it for? Yes... Yourself... Yes... Your self-esteem... For other... As far as status...
[40:43] So I always think... For me... Careful... That it's not... Me and my bride... That... That's being satisfied here...
[40:55] Yeah... And I think... With these seven gifts he lists... The little... Modification he makes to each one... Are kind of checks... Yes... Right... So if my gift is prophecy...
[41:06] If God uses me to spontaneously... Give a practical message... Right... Not a new doctrine... But a new application... About how we should work... If I'm not... Checking that...
[41:17] Against... The faith... That's my temptation... Same thing... If my gift is serving... But I'm not serving... There's my check...
[41:27] Teaching... But not teaching... Encouragement... But not encouraging... Those are my checks... Are you doing it? Right... If you're leading...
[41:38] You know... Are you kind of just... Mailing it in? Or are you applying zeal? And if you can't apply zeal... That might mean... You need a break...
[41:48] Right... Or it means... Attitude check... That's where... You have to go to the Lord... And know what... What to do there... But... But I think those checks...
[41:59] Are good for us... Right... Bart... Some of the... Things are subtle... Not to go out...
[42:09] And do specific things... Or even know what you're doing... But to provide... An example... For others... Outside the church... Of this is the way I live...
[42:20] This is the way we live together... This is the way things are... And you may not even realize... That that's coming as part of a gift... But it's...
[42:31] An example... To others around... As well as in your own community... In your own church community... That this... This is an important part...
[42:42] Of... Of our criteria... Of our faith... Of where we live... Yeah... Jesus said... Right... What is our greatest witness? They will know you by...
[42:54] Your love for one another... How did the church in Acts grow? Because they saw... Look at these people taking care of each other... Look at these people loving each other... Some guy sold all his property...
[43:07] And gave the... You know... Who does that? What kind of people are these? Right? I mean that's... That's the witness... And of course... We also go out and talk...
[43:17] Right? But... But... The world's watching... Are you real? Are you genuine? Are you authentic? Or are you just going... You know...
[43:27] You're just kind of Sunday Christian? Or... Neighbors notice... You know... There's people from their church... Coming over... They're looking... They're taking care of them... Or... Whatever... Whatever...
[43:38] The world's watching... Your neighbors watch... They know you go to church... Right? What else? What else? Yes...
[43:48] Ed... No name Ed... No name... Thank you... I believe... That when we have... The alignment correct...
[44:00] With our Father God... We'll know that... Yes... He'll... He'll let us know that... Even though we're doing...
[44:11] I've found myself... Several times... This summer... Attending meetings... Some of them... That I established... And I'm saying... I just walk in...
[44:21] And say... Hi... Am I... Yeah... Yeah... What's God called me to do? But my first step...
[44:32] Is verse one... Right? God first... Surrender to Him... Right? Okay Lord... Everything I got is for you... Right? And I work on my thinking...
[44:43] Because my thinking... Needs a lot of transforming... Yeah... To James' point... His gifts...
[44:53] I think it's very... Valuable... Valuable to ask... Your brothers and sisters... Yes... Because they see a servant... Right... And they'll see you... Different than you do... And I don't know... How reliable... Your own assessment is...
[45:04] Right... Yeah... Well it's... Yeah... We're like... No... I'm not very good at that... Everybody else says... I'm good at that... But I'm thinking... I'm not... I'm terrible at that... Yeah...
[45:14] That's... Great point... Well... I've... Made it... In further... I've seen it... Where like... The spiritual gifts... Have like... Nothing to do with the person's...
[45:25] Um... General demeanor... Or like... Oh... Or like... Really... Um... What's it called? Introverted... Right... Quiet people... Have incredible gifts...
[45:35] Of... Preaching... Or counseling... Or... Right... Things like that... Right... I am not... I've shared this... I'm not naturally an upfront person... Naturally I'd be sitting in the back...
[45:47] Nice and quiet... So that you may not go... How in the world did I ever get up there? Right... Mama story saying... What's that boy doing? Yeah...
[46:02] So... But it can also coincide with what you... You have naturally gifts... Certainly... I mean... God can take a naturally... Really servant-oriented kind of person... And...
[46:12] Inject them with more gifts of service... So that's... Certainly true... Yeah... But what gives God more credit... Is if it's kind of not who you are...
[46:23] It's like... Wow... What... How'd you do that? Yeah... Any other thoughts? Questions? Answers? Changes?
[46:33] Reformations? Counter-reformations? Yes... Yes... And... And... It was... Regarding what Steve said...
[46:45] Maybe... Check with other people... Yes... See how it is... And if... If we feel like... We're led to do something... If we put that through... A series of checks...
[46:56] And the tasks... And... They don't... They might not have to be... A month-long series of tasks... But if we run that through those tests...
[47:07] And it's... Moved forward... Well then... If we don't act... Then it's on us... We're not acting... And moving forward... As we've been given...
[47:17] Yeah... I think that's very wise... Yeah... Yeah... Check with our brother... Trust the body... Do you trust the body... To be the body? Right?
[47:28] That can be scary... And risky sometimes... Yeah... You know... When I restarted the men's group... Years ago... I did it... And a total risk... Because I'd already been burned... But I believe...
[47:41] God works through that... And... He's been faithful... Right? You got it?
[47:54] Good? I think James' gift... Is poor and concrete... Poor and concrete? Is that... Is that sharing... Or is that... Mini... Yeah... Like...
[48:04] So leadership too... He leads... Right? We're gonna give you all the gifts here... James... We'll figure out some way or another... Right? Don't worry brother... It's true... It's really special...
[48:14] It's really fun... Don't worry... God's using you... That's for sure... Alright... Okay... Let us... Let us... My original question is...
[48:25] Why do we need to gather? We need each other to love God better... And we need each other to love one another better... That's kind of where it's at...
[48:36] Right? But we have to fight... Some of our natural tendencies... I've got to fight... That I don't want to sacrifice... I've got to fight... That I don't...
[48:46] I don't want to think different... Right? I don't want to think... Too tired... I don't want to think... And we certainly don't want to give up that pride thing... So...
[48:58] Recognize that... Invite the Holy Spirit to... Gently work on you... If you're stuck... If you're stuck...
[49:09] You know... Ask the Lord... Come... Please come... Jesus said... Come to me all who are... Weary... Heavy laden...
[49:21] I'm too laden... To be any more sacrifice... Jesus says what? I will give you... Rest for what? For your soul...
[49:33] For your soul... Yeah... Only he gives that... All right... Let's pray... Father... Thank you for your... Teaching through Paul...
[49:46] In Romans and Corinthians... And Ephesians... We thank you Lord... We thank you Lord... For the insights... We don't have it all figured out Lord... But... But Paul has given us...
[49:57] Some very clear... Outlines here... What we do recognize... Lord... In this whole thing... Of worshiping you... And loving others...
[50:08] Is that we can get in the way... And so help us Father... We invite you... We invite you... To... Pierce us...
[50:18] To change us... To transform us... Help us... To truly... Genuinely... Present... Our whole life... To you...
[50:29] As a living sacrifice... To be... To trust you that much... And then help us... Father... To get away from this conformity... To the world... And be subject...
[50:41] To your transformation... Of our mind... We desire... Oh God... For you to be honored... For you to be lifted up... We thank you for... The many ways...
[50:53] That you were lifted up today... That we heard... That we confessed together... That we... Gave amens to... And we pray Father...
[51:05] That you would develop us... Continue to develop us... I thank you for this flock... I thank you... For the way you work... Among us... I thank you for the ways... You're... You have the members... Serving and...
[51:15] Encouraging one another... I pray that you continue... To do that... Show us each Lord... Where we fit... What you've called us to do...
[51:29] And then Father... We pray that... That your name will be known... In this community... We pray that this gospel... Will be lived out... In this community...
[51:39] In our neighborhoods... That our neighbors will know... That our... Our extended family will know... That our co-workers will know... Not because we're preaching something...
[51:52] But because we're living something... And we do have an answer... For the hope that is within us... We ask this Father... That it might honor you... Because we know it's in the name of Jesus...
[52:04] We pray this... Amen... Amen.