The Ministry of the Spirit, By A.J. Gordon
Chapter 
Women's Bible Study Class

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This month's study, digs into the intimacy with the Spirit, and begins on Page 98.

"In his intimate union with his Son, the Holy Spirit is the unique organ (vessel) by which God wills to communicate to man his own life, the supernatural life, the divine life—that is to say, his holiness, his power, his love, his felicity (happiness). To this end the Son works outwardly, the Holy Spirit inwardly."—Pastor G. F. Tophel.

Our relationship to the trinity is more important and powerful than to one who is betrothed.  There is no room for another.

Romans 8:1-2
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.

Nothing is hidden from you if you have perfect (complete) faith (with no doubt) and the love of Christ.  These are the beginning and end of life. – Ignatius

Page 99
The word "communion"—choinônia—signifies the having in common. It is used of the fellowship of believers one with another, and also of their mutual fellowship with God.

But this having in common with the first two persons of the Godhead were only possible through the communion of the Holy Ghost, the third person.

As the Son while on earth communicated to men the spiritual riches of the invisible Father, so the Spirit now communicates to us the hidden things of the invisible Son; ……we should say that it is to make true in us that which is already true for us in our glorified Lord.

Pg 100
It will be our (the authors) endeavor in this chapter to count up our hid treasures in Christ, and to consider the Spirit in his various offices of communication.

1. The Spirit of Life: Our Regeneration. (Our salvation-primary)

​But when he rose from the dead and sat down on his Father's throne, he became the life-giver to all his mystical body, which is the church.

Christ on the throne is really the heart of the church, and every regeneration (one saved or renewed) is a pulse-beat of that heart in souls begotten from above through the Holy Spirit. The new birth therefore is not a change of nature as it is sometimes defined; it is rather the communication of the Divine nature, and the Holy Spirit is now the Mediator through whom this life is transmitted.
 
Pg 101
It has been the constant dream and delusion of men that they could rise to heaven by the development and improvement of their natural life (self-help; religion). Jesus by one stroke of revelation destroys this hope, telling his hearer that unless he has been begotten of God (born again) who is above as truly as he has been begotten of his father on earth, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

​Pg 102
In the opening of the Gospel of John we find the Son of God in holy fellowship (communion) with the Father. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was toward God", “pros ton theon”—not merely proceeding from God, but tending toward God by eternal communion. Conversion/salvation restores man to this lost attitude: "Ye turned to God, “pros ton theon,” from idols to serve the living and true God" (1 Thess. 1:9). Regeneration restores man to his forfeited life, the unfallen life of the Son of God, the life which has never wavered from steadfast fellowship with the Father.
 
Pg 103
By no process of evolution, however prolonged, can the natural man be developed into the spiritual man; by no process of degeneration can the spiritual man deteriorate into the natural man. These two are from a totally different stock and origin; the one is from beneath, the other is from above. There is but one way through which the relation of sonship can be established, and that is by begetting.

That God has created all men does not constitute them his sons in the evangelical sense of that word. The sonship on which the New Testament dwells so constantly is based absolutely and solely on the experience of the new birth, while the doctrine of universal sonship rests either upon a daring denial or a daring assumption—the denial of the universal fall of man through sin, or the assumption of the universal regeneration of man through the Spirit.

Universal sonship – universalism is ‘devoted to evil’ (anathema)
 
Pg 104
Here are the two streams of life contrasted:

1. The corruption in the world through lust.
2. The Divine nature which is in the world through the incarnation.

​Here is the Adam-life into which we are brought by natural birth; and over against it the Christ-life into which we are brought by spiritual birth. From the one we escape (the natural), of the other we partake (the spiritual). The source and issue of the one are briefly summarized: "Lust when it hath conceived bringeth forth sin, and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death." James 1:15 – NLT - These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.
 
Pg 105
He adds: "The words which I have spoken unto you are spirit and life." John 6:63  - NLT - The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. As God in creation breathed into man the breath of life and he became a living soul, so the Lord Jesus by the word of his mouth, which is the breath of life, recreates man and makes him alive unto God.

Pg 106
The life of God can alone beget the likeness of God; the divine type is wrapped up in the same germ (seed) which holds the Divine nature. Therefore in regeneration we are said to have "put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him" (Col. 3:10), and "which after God hath been created in . . . true holiness" (Eph. 4:24).
 
Pg 107

1. The Spirit of Holiness: Our Sanctification. (Process and progress)

"According to the Spirit of holiness" Christ "was declared to be the Son of God in power by the resurrection from the dead" (Rom. 1:4). How striking the antithesis between our Lord's two natures, as revealed in this passage, Son of David as to the flesh, Son of God as to the Spirit. And "as he is so are we in this world."  1 John 4:17 – NLT - And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. We who are regenerate have two natures, the one derived from Adam, the other derived from Christ, and our sanctification consists in the double process of mortification (shame and humbling) and vivification (giving of life), the deadening and subduing of the old and the quickening and developing of the new. In other words, what was wrought in Christ who was "put to death in the flesh but quickened in the spirit" is rewrought in us through the constant operation of the Holy Ghost, and thus the cross and the resurrection extend their sway over the entire life of the Christian.

Consider these two experiences.

This must be intentional in our lives.  It can only be achieved by daily prayer, time in the word of God, Bible Study, sitting under godly teaching, etc.  Sanctification is a process and will not happen if we are not intentional with it.
 
Pg 108
Mortification (shame and humbling) is not asceticism (self-discipline). It is not a self-inflicted compunction, but a Christ-inflicted crucifixion. Our Lord was done with the cross when on Calvary he cried: "It is finished." John 19:30 – NLT When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit..  But where he ended each disciple must begin: "If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  Mark 8:34 NLT Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.

These words, so constantly repeated in one form or another by our Lord, make it clear that the death-principle must be realized within us in order that the life-principle may have final and triumphant sway.

Deuteronomy 30:19 NLT
19 “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! 20 You can make this choice by loving the LORD your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the LORD, you will live long in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

We have a choice to make.  Death or life, blessings or curses.  It is our decision.
 
Pg 109
There are three deaths in which we have part:

1. Death in sin, our natural condition. 
2. Death for sin, our judicial (legal) condition.
3. Death to sin, our sanctified (ultimate goal) condition.

1. Death in sin, our natural condition - "And you . . . who were dead in trespasses and sins," "And you being dead in your sins" (Eph. 2:1; Col. 2:13). This is the condition in which we are by nature, as participants in the fall and ruin into which the transgression of our first parents has plunged the race. It is a condition in which we are under moral insensibility to the claims of God's holiness and love; and under the sentence of eternal punishment from the law which we have broken. In this state of death in sin Christ found the whole world when he came to be our Saviour.

Pg 109-110

1.   Death for sin, our judicial condition.  The sentence we deserve

"Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ" (Rom. 7:4). This is the condition into which Christ brought us by his sacrifice upon the cross. He endured the sentence of a violated law on our behalf, and therefore we are counted as having endured it in him. : "Because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died" (2 Cor. 5:14, R. V.). Being one with Christ through faith, we are identified with him on the cross: "I have been crucified with Christ" (Gal. 2:20, R. V.). This condition of death for sin having been effected for us by our Saviour.

Old Testament vs New Testament Issue:  Jesus fulfilled the requirements and consequences of that law for us.  However His work didn’t erase the OT requirements of righteousness and holiness, God’s desire for order, or His worship. This causes a lot of misunderstanding today.

1. Death to sin, our sanctified condition.

"Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 6:11, R. V.). This is the condition of making true in ourselves what is already true for us in Christ, of
 
Pg 111
(Powerful statement) It is the Spirit of God overcoming our fleshly nature by his indwelling life, on whom is our sole dependence. Our principal care therefore must be to "walk in the Spirit" and "be filled with the Holy Spirit and rest will come spontaneously and inevitably.

One cannot fail to see that asceticism (severe self-discipline and avoidance of all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons) is an absolute inversion (upside down or opposite) of the Divine order, since it seeks life through death instead of finding death through life.

Romans 8:1-2
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.
 
Pg 112
The indwelling of the Spirit can alone effect the exclusion of sin. This will appear if we consider what has been called "the expulsive power of a new affection." "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world," says the Scripture. 1 John 2:15 – NLT - Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.  But all experience proves that loving not is only possible through loving, the worldly affection being overcome by the heavenly.

The divine life is the SOURCE of divine love.
 
Pg 114
The author gives an example of the artist Raphael's painting, The Transfiguration.  Someone else could try and paint an identical copy, but the heart behind the work will not be there, as it was with Raphael. 

And this in a mystery is what is true of the disciple filled with the Holy Ghost. Christ, who is "the image of the invisible God," is set before him as his divine pattern, and Christ by the Spirit dwells within him as a divine life, and Christ is able to image forth Christ from the interior life to the outward example.  We are to re-image Christ.

Of course likeness to Christ is but another name for holiness, and when, at the resurrection, we awake satisfied with his likeness (Ps. 17:15), we shall be perfected in holiness. This is simply saying that sanctification is progressive and not, like conversion, instantaneous.
 
Pg 115
The disciple is required to be consciously and intelligently active (intentionality) in his own growth, as a tree is not, "to give all diligence to make his calling and election sure." 2 peter 1:10
 
It is possible that through a neglect and grieving of the Spirit a Christian may be of smaller stature in his age than he was in his spiritual infancy, his progress being a retrogression rather than an advance. Therefore in saying that sanctification is progressive let us beware of concluding that it is inevitable.
We can go backwards in our sanctification if we are not intentional.  We can become spiritually immature after becoming spiritually mature, if we allow the world to come in.  We can literally get to the point where we walk away from God if we aren’t intentional.
WARNING
Moreover, as candid inquirers, we must ask what of truth and of error there may be in the doctrine of "instantaneous sanctification," which many devout persons teach and profess to have proved. If the conception is that of a state of sinless perfection into which the believer has been suddenly lifted and of deliverance from a sinful nature which has been suddenly eradicated, we must consider  - 

A couple of weeks ago, I experience a rather concerning event.  Afterwards I heard the Holy Spirit say "How long will you tarry between two opinions?"

I knew this was regarding a particular person who seems to have waffled for over 25 years in their submission to the things of Christ.  Also, the reference was from the story of Elijah facing the Baal prophets in the Old Testament.​

1 Kings 18 (Elijah on Mt Carmel)
20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. 

I encourage you to read the entire story, but immediately Elijah told the Baal prophets to prepare their sacrifice and ask their god to burn it up.  Nothing happened.  Then Elijah offered his sacrifice and GOD burned it up.   Then Elijah killed the prophets and the Israelites repented.

You have to keep in mind that he was talking to the church folk...God's chosen people who had been wavering in their devotion.  He confronted them, they said nothing and it all burned up, came crashing down, all of the former idolatry collapsed around them.

"If" by Mark Batterson 
"You cannot be filled with the Holy spirit if you are full of yourself.  An emptying process needs to happen through confession and repentance.  And, like the infilling of the Holy spirit, it is not one word and done. 'Be 'Filled' is a verb meaning continuous action, so we have continuous responsibility."

When I left teaching this group last year, the very last meeting, the title of my teaching was Grow UP-No More Foolishness!  (see April 2025 Blog post)

Then in January, the Lord gave me the word ‘Chicanery’ for 2026.  That word means trickery, deception, foolishness, wrangling, or crafting.  When we choose not to ‘grow up’ in the Holy Spirit, we end up being foolish, sometimes manipulative, deceptive or ‘crafty.’  As Batterson said ‘we are full of ourselves.’

This is what Elijah was telling the children of Israel.  How long are you going to flip flop between God and ‘not God’ which is Baal?

Book Pg 67- We have maintained in the previous chapter that the baptism in the Holy Ghost was given once for all on the day of Pentecost, when the Paraclete (HS) came in person to make his abode in the church.  It does not follow therefore that every believer has received this baptism.  God’s gift is one thing; our appropriation of that gift is quite another thing.

My friend is moving into a house that has tarrazo tile throughout.  I mentioned that she needs to get one of those Roomba vacuum mop things…she told me she has one, has had it for a while but doesn’t know how to program it around the rug.  That is the act of ‘appropriating’ a gift. God may give the gift, but we still have to use it to experience its blessings.

Book Pg 67 - There is a doctrine somewhat in vogue, not inappropriately denominated by incarnation, which maintains that since God gave His son to the world all the world has the Son, consciously or unconsciously, and that therefore all the world will be saved. 

This is called Universalism today…the false teaching that everyone goes to heaven or that there are many paths to heaven.  Absolutely not true.

Book Pg 67 - It need not be said that a true evangelical teaching must reject this theory as utterly untenable since it ignores the necessity of individual faith in Christ.  But some orthodox writers have urged an almost identical view with respect to the Holy Ghost.

I must repent and apologize here because I actually did this same thing.  In many of my teachings I have said I believe everyone receives the Holy Spirit at salvation, at least a tiny measure of it.  I do believe it takes the presence of the Holy Spirit to draw us and help us recognize we need Jesus, but what I didn’t realize is that the infilling is a separate event, and we have a continual need of a fresh infilling very single day.  We cannot do anything without it. On the bottom of page 69, they address this a bit more, but you can read it on your own.

Pg 68 - It seems clear from the Scripture that it is still the duty and privilege of believers to RECEIVE the Holy Spirit by a conscious, definite act of appropriating faith, just as they received Jesus Christ.  Presumably, if the Paraclete is a person, coming down at a certain de4finite time to make his abode in the church, for guiding, teaching, and sanctifying the body of Christ, there is the same reason for our accepting Him for his special ministry as for accepting the Lord Jesus for His special ministry!

Pg 68-69 – For it is as sinners that we accept Christ for our justification, but it is as SONS that we accept the Spirit for our sanctification:

Galatians 4:6
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Acts 2:38
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
This passage shows that logically and chronologically the gift of the Spirit is subsequent to repentance.

On page 70 we see that Jesus proved it was a very separate action.

John 20:21-22
Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.

Page 71 tells us that ‘These texts seem to imply that just as there is a ‘faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, there is a faith toward the Holy Ghost for power and consecration.

Acts 19:1-6
1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

This passage makes clear that it is a very separate action that we all NEED!  This event was 20 years after the upper room outpouring and these men experienced the same thing.

Pg 71 -This passage seems decisive as showing that one may be a disciple without having entered into possession of the Spirit as God’s gift to believers. 

The author (and I agree with him) vehemently denies the teaching that these things ended when the apostles died - cessationism.  History has proven otherwise.  Many not only deny the Holy Spirit, but they also deny all the gifts are for today.

Pg 71 - Not only individual Christians, but whole communities of disciples are found who have been so imperfectly instructed that they have never known that there is a Holy spirit, except as an influence, and impersonal something to be vaguely recognized.

Page 74-In Acts 8:14-17 there were believers who had been baptized in water.  But this was not enough.  The baptism in the Spirit, already bestowed at Pentecost, must be appropriated.

Pg 75 – Let us observe that Christ, who is our example in this, as in all things, did not enter upon his ministry till he had received the Holy Ghost.  Not only so, but we see that all his service from his baptism to his ascension was wrought in the Spirit. 

Jesus needed the Holy Spirit and so do we?  

Bottom of pg 71 – Jesus was begotten of the Holy Spirit in the womb.  But when he would enter upon his public ministry, he waited for the Spirit to come upon him as he had hitherto been in him.  For this anointing we find him praying;
 
Luke 3:21-22
Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, 22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
 
Pg 76 We see here that He (Jesus) received the ‘seven-fold’ spirit.

Isaiah 11:1-2
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
 
So receiving the Holy Spirit isn’t just about speaking in tongues, boldness, or operating in signs and wonders…It’s about receiving
     Spirit of the Lord
     Spirit of Wisdom
     Spirit of understanding
     Spirit of counsel
     Spirit of might
     Spirit of knowledge
     Fear of the Lord (awe, reverence, etc.)
 This is also confirmed in Revelation

Revelation 3:1
And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. 

Pg 76 – Symbols and descriptions of the enduement of the spirit is applied both to Jesus and to his disciples.

1.  The Sealing of the Spirit 

Eph 1 - KJV
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
NLT
13 And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. 14 The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.

The author calls it a ‘Crown of Consecration’ put upon our faith.  We are sealed in HIM, and it proves we belong to God.

Pg 79 - God cannot put His signature on what is not His.  Hence (however), if under the sway of a worldly spirit we withhold ourselves from God and insist on self-ownership, we need not count it strange if God withholds himself from us and denies us the seal of divine ownership.

God is a jealous God.

Pg 79 - He graciously bestows it upon those who are ready to devote themselves utterly and irrevocably to his service, but he strenuously withholds it from those who, while professing His name are yet ‘serving divers lusts and pleasures.’

Back to what I was talking about at the beginning “How long will you tarry between two opinions?  I have prayed with so many people who want to receive the gift and power of the Holy Spirit, yet nothing changes in their life.  You have to let go of the world to receive HIS seal!

Exodus 39:30
And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like to the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.

This was the seal of the priest…this is also our seal!
 
Pgs 79-80
The possession of the Spirit commits us irrevocably to separation from sin.  A sanctified life is therefore the print or impression of his seal.  The body can only be sinless by uninterrupted communion with the Head; the Head will not maintain communion with the body except it be holy.

Eph 4:30
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Do you grieve the Holy Spirit? 

2. The Fullness of the Spirit

Luke 4:1
And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.

Acts 2:4 
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,

Pg 83 - This is the “enduement of power” the filling,

Acts 4:31
And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

Pg 84 - This infilling of the Spirit marks a decisive and most important crisis in the Christian life, judging from the story of the apostles conversion in Acts.

But as we have intimated, we are far from maintaining that this is an experience once for all as the sealing seems to be.  As the words ‘regeneration, renewal (and I add sanctification) used in scripture mark respectively the impartation of the divine life as a perpetual possession and its increase by repeated communications, so in our sealing there is a reception of the spirit once for all, which reception may be following by repeated fillings.  It is reasonable to conclude this since our capacity is ever increasing and our need constantly recurring, according to the beautiful saying of Godet (Frédéric Louis Godet (1812–1900) was a Swiss Protestant theologian and influential New Testament scholar.) “Man is a vessel destined to receive God, a vessel which must be enlarged in proportion as it is filled and filled in proportion as it is enlarged.” 

I’ve never understood this quite in this way.  The moment we ‘get saved’ we should begin to grow or mature.  If we do, then we will be introduced to the opportunity to receive this seal.  If we go after that, we will receive it and as we go about doing what God has called us to, then we will need to continually be in His presence, being refilled again and again.  This provides the signs and wonders, the boldness, the fruit of the spirit.

However, if we do not seek Him, and seek change, seek to know him more and more, we will be ‘less and less,’ and eventually walk away. 

There is a point where we have the opportunity to fully surrender to His Lordship or surrender to our flesh. 

This entire chapter is to helps us understand that this experience with Holy Spirit is separate from salvation, a separate act.  One of the problems the protestant church has had is that it has limited the understanding the infilling of the Holy Spirit to the gift of tongues and it is so much more than that.  The argument of what tongues are or are not has kept us from digging in and understanding that it is not about that, it is about the power, the understanding, etc.

Even Jesus explains it as a separate experience.

Luke 4:1
And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
Then
14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. 22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?

Pg 87 - That the filling of the Spirit belongs to us as a covenant privilege seems to be clear from the exhortation in Ephesians 5 ‘be not drunk with wine, but filled with the Spirit.  And when he has come and filled the believer, the result is a kind of passive activity as of one wrought upon and controlled rather than of one directing his own efforts.
 
3.  The Anointing of the Spirit 

Luke 4:18
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me…

Pg 88 - Throughout Scripture we see that the ‘Anointing’ was part of the call.  The priest was anointed in Lev 8:12, the King in 1 Sam 16:15. No servant of the Lord was deemed qualified for his ministry without this holy, sanctifying touch laid upon him.

Pg 89 - If we ask what this anointing is, the reply is obviously the Holy Spirit Himself.  As before he was the seal attesting us, so now he is the oil, sanctifying us – the same gift described by different symbols.

This anointing is what gives us the knowledge, the boldness, the actual ability to do whatever it is we are called to do.  Only the Holy Spirit can know and make known the teaching, the thoughts and revelations of God.

Pg 90 - In nothing does the enduement of the spirit more distinctly manifest itself than in the fine discernment of revealed truth which it imparts. 

There is a huge contrast between working in the power of the spirit and the energy of the flesh.  And guess what, people can tell.  You may not think they can, but they can.  They may not be able to articulate it, but they know something is off. 

Pg 91 - Christ is the image of the invisible God; the Holy Ghost is the invisible image of Christ.  As Jesus manifested the Father outwardly, the Spirit manifests Jesus inwardly, forming Him within us as the hidden man of the heart, imaging him to the spirit by an interior impression which no intellectual instruction, however diligent, can effect. 

The Gospels (yes, the entire Bible) but you especially see the power of the Holy Spirit operating through the authors of the gospels, when they tell the stories and recount Jesus words.  This is only done because the spirit is so deeply IN them, so full, that they can recount all of this.

Pg 92 - So now we have the enduement of the Spirit in 3 aspects
                Sealing
                Filling
                Anointing
All of which terms, so far as can understand, signify the same thing – the gift of the Holy Ghost appropriated through faith.  Each of these terms are connected with some special Divine endowment
                The SEAL with the assurance and consecration
                The FILLING with the power
                The ANOINTING with the knowledge
All of these are wrapped up in one gift. 

This gift is for all and all we need to do is believe and receive, just like at salvation. 

Pg 95 - When the spirit came at Pentecost, it was a new development of insight into the love of God.  It was a new contact, as it were with the inner and eternal movements of redeeming goodness and power, a new discovery in divine resources. 

The disciples had been with Jesus, and as in the Old Testament, the spirit came on them for specific tasks.  But Jesus knew they would need more to do this work without Him, so He sent the Holy Spirit.  

We can be saved, and think we have the Holy Spirit, but until we ask Him to come and fill us, and continue to fill us, we are doing it all on our own.  

Next week, we work on Chapter 6.  

I heard about a book that came out late last year and knowing I would be soon leading WRW, thought it would be good to dig into.  “Prophets, Politics & the Nation” by Emma Stark, put a perspective on our battle in America that I had not seen before.

For full disclosure, Emma is considered a prophet in Pentecostal circles and has had her share of controversy.  I had heard her story of growing up in Ireland, a pastor’s kid, and what is known now as “The Troubles,” but didn’t realize there was so many similarities with what America was and is going through currently.  It is a very good study on the subject.

In her introduction, she says “I grew up in Northern Ireland during the time of ‘The Troubles,’ a civil war that ran from the late 1960’s until Good Friday 1998.  Car bombs, violent kneecappings, terrorism, fear, and hatred were almost inescapable.  The deafening sound of the bomb that was planted near my father’s church, and which decimated our town center, will always live with me.  The more gravesides that we each stood beside, the harder it became for the nation to forget-or to find peaceful, forward movement. “

Emma goes on to describe the differences between the Protestant, unionist tradition and the Catholic, nationalists.   “Religion, faith, and politics were never separated.  You went to church to show which political side you were on.  We never questioned it.  You ‘saved’ the nation by voting, and for many it was literally a matter of life and death.”

In America, we have never been closer to a nationalist movement than we are now. 

As Christians, our first responsibility is given in Matthew 28:18-19 by Jesus telling his disciples, and us as followers “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

We are to build the church, the body of Christ.  Then, as conservatives, take the love of God and his principles into the marketplace, which includes the government.   Christians running for office and influencing legislation with biblical principles is a good thing. 

Proverbs 29:2 tells us “When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.”  We have seen that firsthand in recent years.  There are many scriptures speaking of ruling in righteousness and the benefits of having godly kings, or in our situation, godly leaders.  But if we take godly principles into the government and leave out the bottom line of love, salvation and discipleship, we become tyrannical by nature.

Further on in the book, Emma Stark says “to the extreme nationalist, political, righteous leaders are the saviors, and the end goal is a great nation with God’s righteous laws at its heart.  In this you can and will guarantee that one day you will be disappointed, because nations rise and fall (Job 12:23).  In biblical theology, Jesus is the (ONLY) Savior, and the end-time goal is His return and the ultimate fullness of His Kingdom, Heaven and earth reunited.”

Personally, I am seeing a ‘holier than thou’ spirit rise up in political arenas that is very concerning.  Language that insinuates that pastors and leaders are not doing their job if they don’t allow a particular class on citizenship taught.  If you vote for one over another, you are not really a Christian.  Even if both candidates attend and are actively involved in very strong, Jesus and Bible centered churches.

In 2019 we were all sickened by the Democratic Convention and its allegiance and worship of abortion and evil.  Now we have a spiritual line drawn where our church and values are strongly aligned with our political views.   Christian churches that have allowed 'choice' and ordained openly gay, trans, or other views as pastors, embracing the extreme liberalism and denying the Bible as their standard, have divided those who have remained on the conservative side of spiritual belief and have aligned with that evil political platform.  While pastors and churches who stand strongly on biblical truths are very much aligned with the Republican party.

Recently headlines were rampant with the news that the IRS had changed its stance allowing churches to endorse political candidates.  Texas Monthly on July 18th wrote, “Earlier this month, the new, Trump-appointed head of the IRS wrote in a court filing that the agency would not revoke the churches’ nonprofit status. The filing does not end the prohibition—and has already sparked at least one legal challenge—but some churches are celebrating what they see as a major victory that ends 71 years of religious persecution.”

Many churches today, however, were already endorsing.  One of the biggest issues with this is that churches are endorsing 1 candidate, when there may be many other good candidates running on the same platform during the primary.  This is done, falling in line with a big move by Texas money to take over and get candidates that are extreme, many are TEXIT candidates, and have an agenda that is directly set to divide.

Are we going the way of Ireland in the 60’s?  Possibly. 

Are we truly fulfilling Jesus Great Commission on our way?  Not even close.

Recently, while, sitting in a room full of Christian leaders, I had a sick feeling in my stomach when I realized that their agenda wasn’t about changing hearts and lives, but about pushing their religious/political ideology onto a particularly vulnerable group.   While the effort did not appear to be bad or wrong, it shifts closer to the divide.

While the term Christian Nationalism carries many definitions, what concerns me is when our nationalism takes precedence over our devotion to Jesus and our call as Christians.  And let me be clear, I love our nation.  

Our end goal should be “a great nation with God’s righteous laws at its heart” as Emma Stark states in her book.  As such our very first responsibility is to build the church, the body of Christ, and change hearts and lives, the eternity of everyone we meet.  Then secondarily take biblical principles into the world. 

On a side note, Emma Stark, was expelled by a group of ‘prophets’ for a prophetic word she gave at the time of the election last year.  So far, her prophecy has proven to be correct.  The end of it is yet to be seen but wouldn’t surprise me at all.  She has received a lot of negative backlash over her warnings that America may be going the way of Ireland, but she ain’t wrong!
 

If you have been in church for any amount of time, you have probably heard the story about David and Bathsheba from 2 Samuel 11.  It starts out with this statement ‘When Kings go to war’, then tells the story of King David staying home and doing something awful.

However, this same statement is also found in 1 Chronicles 20.  In this passage, it doesn’t talk about his sin with Bathsheba, but it does mention a victory won at Rabbah.  Both 2nd Samuel 11 and the story in 1 Chronicles, tell about Joab going to Rabbah, but here, we see that David actually joined Joab.  Let’s look at a portion of both passages for context.

1 Chronicles 20:1-3
1In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, Joab led the Israelite army in successful attacks against the land of the Ammonites. In the process he laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.
2 When David arrived at Rabbah, he removed the crown from the king’s head, and it was placed on his own head. The crown was made of gold and set with gems, and he found that it weighed seventy-five pounds. David took a vast amount of plunder from the city. 3 He also made slaves of the people of Rabbah and forced them to labor with saws, iron picks, and iron axes. That is how David dealt with the people of all the Ammonite towns. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem.
 
2 Samuel 11:1-2
1 In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.
2 Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath.

The rest of this chapter and into the next, we see that David sins, not only by laying with the wife of one of his most valiant warriors, but also, after finding out she was pregnant, manipulates to have him killed in battle.  Then because of the sin, and after David actually marries Bathsheba, unfortunately the child dies.  David repents and he and Bathsheba have another child, then we pick up at

2 Samuel 12:26-30
26 Meanwhile, Joab was fighting against Rabbah, the capital of Ammon, and he captured the royal fortifications. 27 Joab sent messengers to tell David, “I have fought against Rabbah and captured its water supply. 28 Now bring the rest of the army and capture the city. Otherwise, I will capture it and get credit for the victory.”
29 So David gathered the rest of the army and went to Rabbah, and he fought against it and captured it. 30 David removed the crown from the king’s head, and it was placed on his own head. The crown was made of gold and set with gems, and it weighed seventy-five pounds. David took a vast amount of plunder from the city. 
 
1 Chronicles 20 doesn’t tell the story of David and Bathsheba and I’m not sure why.  But in the middle of that story, the prophet Nathan goes and confronts David.

2 Samuel 12:7-12
7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! The LORD, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. 8 I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. 9 Why, then, have you despised the word of the LORD and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife. 10 From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own.
11 “This is what the LORD says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. 12 You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.”
As you read through other scriptures, you see that this prophecy came true in David’s lifetime.  All of this horror happened simply because David wasn’t where he was supposed to be.

During those times, the kings didn’t battle in the winter, simply because of the conditions.  The travel would have been treacherous due to the weather and the cold would have been hard to manage.  But a king wanting to take over a territory would usually wait until the conditions were more favorable in the spring to go and begin to battle. 

David sent Joab to attack Rabbah because they were Ammonites, one of their biggest enemies.  The actual battle and siege took almost two full years.  Joab had taken some of the soldiers initially, but imagine fighting for two whole years.  Then we see in 2 Samuel 26-30 (above) that Joab is requesting David’s help, so David gathers the rest of the army, goes and helps finish the job and takes the spoils, then they return to Jerusalem.

Back to the main point, David wasn’t where he was supposed to be.  But look at all of the consequences because he didn’t show up.

1. He sinned with Bathsheba
2. He had his friend, and one of his best warriors killed
3. He lost a child
4. It took 2 years of fighting before the battle was won
5. Joab had casualties during those 2 years
6. Nathan’s prophecy came true
   1. David’s family lived by the sword and David didn’t get to build the Temple because of it
   2. Two of his sons tried to usurp the throne
   3. One of those sons laid with his concubines in sight of everyone

But something Nathan says in the middle of this story is very hard to accept:

2 Samuel 12:7-9
7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! The LORD, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. 8 I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. 9 Why, then, have you despised the word of the LORD and done this horrible deed?

God had given David the highest authority in the land, that of King.  God saved him from his predecessor, gave him everything his predecessor had and would have given him more if he would have asked, and at the end of all of that, God says David ‘despised’ the word of the Lord by sinning so greatly.

All of this because he wasn’t where he was supposed to be.

When we don’t show up, we begin to get lazy about our responsibilities, then it opens the door for temptation.   It is as simple as that. 

Had David been leading this battle, they probably would have won it much quicker.  In that one act alone, he disdained his relationship with his commander Joab.  He allowed a battle to go on a lot longer than it should have.  Instead of sleeping on the battlefield, he walked around the roof of his house, lusting after someone else’s wife.

What has happened when you didn’t show up for something you were supposed to do, and it had consequences that affected others?

Most of us read the story of David and Bathsheba and only think about what David went through, but have you ever thought about those soldiers? 

You can’t have a voice in a room you aren’t in.  You can’t have an impact in a place you don’t show up to.
If you miss out on something, even something seemingly small, you may never fully know or understand the consequences of your absence.  But God does. 

​Don’t ever miss the assignments He has made for you, always show up.  It protects you and others more than you may ever know. 

Ruth and Naomi, by H. G. Theaker

​While you may not recognize that term or season, it is significant in the Jewish culture, and even more so in the Christian culture.

Shavuot is recognized by other names and is called the “Festival of Weeks” in Exodus 34:22 and Deuteronomy 16:10; “Festival of Reaping” in Exodus 23:16 and a “Day of First Fruits” in Numbers 28:26. This feast takes place seven weeks after Passover and, in later times became known as Pentecost. 

This is the time was when God gave the Law to Moses, a time to celebrate the first of the Harvest, and in the New Testament, in Acts 2, it became a time of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  These are all times where God came down to man and poured out.  His word, His blessings, and His Spirit.

In my daily Bible reading, I came to the book of Ruth yesterday.  I’ve read that book many times but didn’t realize there is a strong connection between the book of Ruth and this season.

The book of Esther is always read at Purim, in early spring.  That is because Esther is the story of the salvation of the Jews from an evil antagonist.  But the book of Ruth is about a famine and a couple of destitute women.  Please take time to actually read this book, it isn’t long.

After reading it, I did a bit of digging and found out some very interesting information that isn’t in the actual book of Ruth that we see in the Protestant Bible.  To find the different types of Bibles, go to What are the different types of Bibles?  

In the book of Ruth, we see a couple, Elimelech and Naomi who decide to leave their home in Bethlehem due to an extreme famine and travel to Moab.  They take their two adult sons and soon both get married.  10 years later, the father and his two sons die, leaving Naomi alone with these 2 daughters-in-law to care for. 

Naomi decides to move back to Bethlehem and the story really starts.  Ruth decided to move with Naomi and finds herself having to take care of them both.  I don’t want to tell the whole story here, again, I urge you to take time to read it to get the full impact of the points I’m about to make.
When studying, I like to dig into the Orthodox Jewish sites, to see information that may have been passed down through the Jewish sages.  This lends to some really great insight.

1. Famine?  What famine?  Apparently, the famine took place during the time of the Judges when the Israelites were disobedient.  Famine is a punishment for rebellion, so this took place during the time of the Judges, when much of Israel was in rebellion, however no famine is mentioned in the book of Judges. 
2. Elimelech and both of his sons die at young ages.  The Jewish sages say that this is because Elimelech should not have left his people and his homeland.  He was a wealthy man, and it is said that he didn’t want to spend all of his money to help others during the famine.  This was against God’s will, they were not to abandon their people, but pursue God’s solution to the problem which is total repentance and submission, returning to the law.
3. Who knew Ruth was a Moabite princess?  As you know, the children of Israel were not allowed to marry outside of their ‘family.’  So how could one of the sons marry a Moabite woman, and God still bless her?  Well, she was actually in the ‘family.’  She was a descendant of Lot.  After Lot and his family were sent out of Sodom, his wife became Salt (Genesis 19).  According to Jewish tradition, the daughters thought that the entire world had been destroyed and the only way to have offspring was through their father.   So, the oldest had a son and named him Moab and Ruth was a descendant of this union.  That in no way means God condones incest, however these two sons born of incest became two of the most aggressive and persistent enemies of the children of Israel throughout history.
   
4. She had complete devotion to God.  Ruth refused to leave Naomi and return to her birth family but chose to follow her back to Bethlehem.  Ruth 1:16 says that after Naomi begged her to stay in her own land, “But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.”  Ruth converted, as it were.  She surrendered to the one true God and to her role as caretaker of Naomi.
5. Ruth had Royal character.  The Jewish sages say that Ruth had a strong character, and it was obvious in the way she acted and carried herself.  This was from her upbringing as a princess, and in her training under her mother-in-law Naomi.  Remember, Elimelech was wealthy, so they were a family of means.  After Naomi instructs her in gleaning in the fields, she encounters the owner of the field Boaz.  So, we see here what Boaz thinks of her.  Ruth 2:10-12  Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. “What have I done to deserve such kindness?” she asked. “I am only a foreigner.”  “Yes, I know,” Boaz replied. “But I also know about everything you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers.  May the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done.”
6. But what about Boaz?  We know that Ruth and Boaz marry, however the sages say that he was probably around 80 years old, which is why he was so impressed that she would pay attention to him.  It is also said that after they married, she conceived on their wedding night and Boaz passed away the following day.  I don’t know if that is recorded somewhere, but that is the story.
7. History records that this union birthed Obed, who was the father of Jesse, who was the father of King David.  The book of Ruth was apparently written during David’s reign to record and trace his lineage.  However, while the traditional Jewish writings record that Ruth is in the lineage of the Messiah, they stop there and never address the fact that Mary, the mother of Jesus is traced back to David.  Joseph is listed in his lineage in Matthew, but we all know that Joseph wasn’t his blood father, just the one who took care of him on earth. 
8. This story is read every year at Shavuot in the Jewish community.  Just like the book of Esther is read at Purim, this book is read at the Festival of Harvest because the entire love story took place during the harvest.   This story isn’t only about celebrating God’s blessings, but about redemption.  Just like Jesus.

 
Shavout is actually coming soon.  June 1st – 3rd will be the Jewish celebration, while the protestant Pentecost Sunday is June 8th.  Regardless of when it is celebrated, remembering God’s goodness through the tough times, how He always pours out His word, his blessings, and His Spirit.  Reading this story is a wonderful way for us to be encouraged and inspired.  I hope you’ve read the book by now and Happy Shavuot!

To study more about orthodox Judaism, the traditions and teachings, go to www.Chabad.org or www.AISH.com.  

In my normal course of reading, I was in Leviticus the other day.  Our brains normally take a break at the chapters, but while reading the end of chapter 9, I felt strongly to just go on to 10, and read it all as one story.

Our brains, especially if you have been raised in church, are somewhat programmed to put a hard stop at the end of one chapter and the beginning of the next, like it is a separate statement, time, or incident.  However, that is not how the bible was written. 

The original books were written with no breaks.  The breaks were added much later.  Chapters were added in the 1200’s and verse numbers in the 1440’s for the Hebrew Torah, and 1500’s for the entire bible, including the New Testament.  These were done to make studying and reciting the passages easier to locate.
Because of that, we break it up, often ignoring how the event took place.  In this instance, it was all at one time.

To give this story context, Aaron and his sons, the priests, had been anointed, the tabernacle was built with all of the furnishings and vessels ready for use.  It was time to sacrifice the very first offering.  Then we see at the end of Chapter 9, Aaron blesses the people and presents the offering. 
Below is Leviticus 9:22-10:7 and I’m removing the chapters and verse numbers, to aid you in reading it the way it was originally intended.

After that, Aaron raised his hands toward the people and blessed them. Then, after presenting the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offering, he stepped down from the altar.  Then Moses and Aaron went into the Tabernacle, and when they came back out, they blessed the people again, and the glory of the LORD appeared to the whole community.  Fire blazed forth from the LORD’s presence and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When the people saw this, they shouted with joy and fell face down on the ground.

Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu put coals of fire in their incense burners and sprinkled incense over them. In this way, they disobeyed the LORD by burning before him the wrong kind of fire, different than he had commanded.  So fire blazed forth from the LORD’s presence and burned them up, and they died there before the LORD.

Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD meant when he said,
‘I will display my holiness
through those who come near me.
I will display my glory
before all the people.’”
And Aaron was silent.

Then Moses called for Mishael and Elzaphan, Aaron’s cousins, the sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel. He said to them, “Come forward and carry away the bodies of your relatives from in front of the sanctuary to a place outside the camp.”   So they came forward and picked them up by their garments and carried them out of the camp, just as Moses had commanded.

​Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not show grief by leaving your hair uncombed or by tearing your clothes. If you do, you will die, and the LORD’s anger will strike the whole community of Israel. However, the rest of the Israelites, your relatives, may mourn because of the LORD’s fiery destruction of Nadab and Abihu.   But you must not leave the entrance of the Tabernacle or you will die, for you have been anointed with the LORD’s anointing oil.” So they did as Moses commanded.
 
It's a little breathtaking isn’t it.  On the heals of what was a glorious thing, something horrible happens.  Holy fire consumed the sacrifice, and the same holy fire killed Aaron’s sons. 
There is so much here to unpack.

This was all brand new and the first time they had offered a sacrifice after the dedication of the tabernacle and ordination of the priests!If you go back and read the prior chapters, you will see that Moses had gotten the instructions from the Lord and passed them on to Aaron.  He and his sons, all of them, had just been anointed/ordained.  They had just completed the tabernacle.  This was the very first time they were going to do this thing God had commanded.

• What a glorious moment

9:22 After that, Aaron raised his hands toward the people and blessed them. Then, after presenting the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offering, he stepped down from the altar. 23 Then Moses and Aaron went into the Tabernacle, and when they came back out, they blessed the people again, and the glory of the LORD appeared to the whole community.

They blessed the people and the GLORY of the LORD appeared to everyone there.  I can’t even fathom what that must have been like.  I’ve been in some amazing worship services.  Those must pale in comparison to what happened here.

• Holy Fire

24 Fire blazed forth from the LORD’s presence and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When the people saw this, they shouted with joy and fell face down on the ground.

This is the first time holy fire had appeared in this manner.  They had seen the fire by night that guided them, but nothing like fire coming and consuming the offering. 

Sometimes the weighty presence of God is to much to stand, literally.  Just as in the garden with Jesus when the soldiers fell back, the people had to fall down because of the power of His presence.

• Zealous or Jealous

10:1 Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu put coals of fire in their incense burners and sprinkled incense over them. In this way, they disobeyed the LORD by burning before him the wrong kind of fire, different than he had commanded.   2 So fire blazed forth from the LORD’s presence and burned them up, and they died there before the LORD.

This act really hit me.  Every time I have heard this passage taught or preached, it was presented as arrogant sons overstepping.  But for the first time, I realized, they may just have been excited.  I’ve been there.  During an amazing moment of worship or during a service, where I felt I had to just DO SOMETHING.  I’m sure I have mis-stepped at some point and I’m so grateful that we don’t have to worry about that fire, and least not in my experience.  But we are moving into a time where God is reinstituting His Holiness in the earth, so who knows what we will see.

We don’t know the motivation for their actions.  Pride, ambition, jealousy, or just impatience, but whatever it was, it wasn’t God’s prescribed way. 

We forget that since they were the sons of Aaron, they were of the first prescribed priestly order.  They had seen all of the miracles of the plagues coming out of Egypt, witnessed the majesty of God’s acts on Mount Sinai, and even had the glorious dinner with God and the other elders in Exodus 24. 

When they grabbed the censors and put their fire in them, Gods fire consumed them immediately.  I’m sure that in that moment, they may have had the realization of their sin, but it was such a quick action, you know everyone was in shock.

The same fire that displayed God’s glory, no showed His judgment of these presumptuous priests.   This was the first instance we see of both God’s Holy fire and His fire of judgement. 
​
God’s fire occurs 12 times in scripture.  Six in a beneficial way, and 6 in judgement. 

God sent the first fire in that said, “I accept your sacrifice and approve of this priestly system.” This same fire then came from the LORD and devoured them, saying “I will not accept your man-based, fleshly attempt to imitate My fire; I will bring judgment.”

• Wise words for understanding

3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD meant when he said,
‘I will display my holiness
through those who come near me.
I will display my glory
before all the people.’”
And Aaron was silent.
 
While there may not be one specific verse that these words point back to, it was throughout much of what God had already instructed.  But we do see a very clear comment.

Exodus 19:22
Even the priests who regularly come near to the LORD must purify themselves so that the LORD does not break out and destroy them.”

Keep in mind, Moses and Aaron were brothers.  This had to hit Moses very hard and he knew exactly why God struck down his nephews.

Some versions state at the end of verse 3 ‘And Aaron held his peace.’ 

This is unimaginable.  He had no time to stop them, he had no time to speak, he had no time to do anything, but watch his sons, watch his legacy, succumb to the judgement of God.  The only thing to do was to submit to the holiness of God, amid his immense grieving.
 

• Time to Clean up

4 Then Moses called for Mishael and Elzaphan, Aaron’s cousins, the sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel. He said to them, “Come forward and carry away the bodies of your relatives from in front of the sanctuary to a place outside the camp.” 5 So they came forward and picked them up by their garments and carried them out of the camp, just as Moses had commanded.

Moses asked those who were not of the priestly line to carry them outside of the camp.  Aaron had other sons there, Eleazar and Ithamar.  We see later, where they are put into service.  So they were not able to help take their brothers away because it would make them unclean.  All they could do was stand and watch. 

• Do not grieve

6 Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not show grief by leaving your hair uncombed or by tearing your clothes. If you do, you will die, and the LORD’s anger will strike the whole community of Israel. However, the rest of the Israelites, your relatives, may mourn because of the LORD’s fiery destruction of Nadab and Abihu. 7 But you must not leave the entrance of the Tabernacle or you will die, for you have been anointed with the LORD’s anointing oil.” So they did as Moses commanded.

David Guzik’s commentary tells us “This perhaps was the hardest day of Aaron’s life. Two of his sons were suddenly killed under the judgment of God, and he could not mourn them. To mourn might have implied — even in the slightest way — that God was wrong in bringing this judgment upon Nadab and Abihu. Aaron or Moses could not communicate this; it would dishonor God.”

Remember that Aaron had done something much more grievous by building the golden calf in the wilderness, however, that was before he was anointed as priest.  Now the responsibility is much greater. 
My heart was broken reading this passage in this way.  I no longer saw Nadab and Abihu as awful priests like the sons of Eli (1 Samuel 2:12-4:11).  Now I realized that they had been waiting on this day for so long, where they would be anointed to serve as priests of the Lord. 

Remember that Moses had received very specific instructions from the Lord and passed them on to Aaron and his sons.  He may not have specifically mentioned not grabbing some coals from the other fire, but God was very specific that his rules were to be kept, which meant, no variance.  They should have known.
Unfortunately, we are seeing so much strange fire offered now, sometimes we wish we would see just a little fire of God.  So why don’t we?

After reading this, I was reminded of my blog from last week, Mercy and Truth.  We have the heralds before the throne to cry out to save us from the fire of judgement.  But weren’t they there when this happened?  I believe they were, but Nadab and Abihu ignored God’s prescribed manner and suffered the consequences.
Today though, we CAN approach the throne, knowing that if we mess up, Mercy and Truth will step in and take the fire for us.  Then gentle mercy of Holy Spirit conviction is there to protect and keep us from being burned up. 

While we should be eternally grateful for their protection, we must begin to get serious about our responsibilities before the Lord.  We are in a season where we are seeing fire, it just doesn’t look like what we expect. 

I truly believe that the word of God is full of strategies for everything.  We only have to pray and seek it out.  Sometimes the answer may come quickly, others may take a bit more prayer and even fasting, but it is there.  Then when you get that strategy and break it down into applicable pieces for your situation, then you are responsible to steward it.  That means, you must do it. 

Procrastination is a killer and one of Satan’s most effective tools.  When we receive and understand these strategies they may seem a bit overwhelming, but if we dig in, determine to do it, and not procrastinate or quit, we will see the overwhelming results.

But here is something that is a basis for a strategy that we need to explore. 

Psalms 89:14-18
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.
Unfailing love (mercy)  and truth walk before you as attendants.
15 Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship,
for they will walk in the light of your presence, LORD.
16 They rejoice all day long in your wonderful reputation.
They exult in your righteousness.
17 You are their glorious strength.
It pleases you to make us strong.
18 Yes, our protection comes from the LORD,
and he, the Holy One of Israel, has given us our king.
 
While this may not look like your standard strategy, let me dig in and explain.  But the key verse we are looking at is 14;
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.
Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants.
 
When studying this verse, the Matthew Henry commentary quotes Charles Spurgeon, saying “Mercy and truth are heralds, they are in the person of Jesus called to the front (of the throne) to deal with the guilty and mercy paves the way to avoid the swift destruction that would come from being in His presence.”
Mercy and Truth stand before the Throne for those who approach and pave the way, so the awesomeness of God doesn’t destroy them.

The Old Testament has many references that describe his awesome presence.  Moses knew he would die if he saw the face of God in Exodus and Jacob cried out that his life was spared when he saw God’s face. 

In Hebrews, we read about Christ’s sacrifice and what that does for us.
Hebrews 4
14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

But what does the verse in Psalms 89:14 really tell us?

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.
Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants.
 
Righteousness is rooted in morality, good character, and honor.  It is something we are, not something we do.  So righteous is who God is!  Perfect, blameless, without blemish.

Justice is something that comes from righteousness, doing the right thing.  It’s a legal term where a sentence is pronounced and carried out. 

These two attributes are the foundation of the throne so the one sitting on it must be the judge. 
As Charles Spurgeon tells us, mercy and truth are ‘heralding’ or attending the throne. 

In our humanity, we cannot go to the throne without encountering the thunder and lightning and awe of God, so how do we go boldy?  Through Jesus and his work on the cross and the truth of who He is, and the mercy of the Holy Spirit.  You see, we cannot get to righteousness and justice without going through these two.

I liken Truth to Jesus because He tells us

John 14:6 
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
We have to go through Jesus to get to the one on the throne.  But what about mercy.  Mercy is one of the gifts of the spirit we see in Romans.  I believe Mercy is one of the best representations of the Holy Spirit. 
You see mercy steps in, that unfailing love, that regardless of what we do will step in and show us that there is always hope.  The Holy Spirit calls you to him, essentially to Jesus.  That is mercy, something we do not deserve.

As we approach the throne, with whatever boldness we can muster, the mercy of Holy Spirit gives us the hope and the truth of Jesus brings revelation.  They herald or announce us to Father god and as we know, intercede on our behalf.

Romans 8:26
And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.

And then

Romans 8:34
Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

Now how is this a strategy?  Well first of all, when you need righteousness or justice, you go to the heralds.  It’s that simple, go to Jesus for truth, which will give you access to the righteousness and go to Holy Spirit, which gives us the mercy to receive the Justice of God, whether we deserve it or not.

Remember, righteousness and Justice are the foundations of the throne.  God is the judge.  So, like bailiffs in a court announcing who is next, Jesus and Holy Spirit as Truth and Mercy are announcing our approach and pleading on our behalf so His presence won’t wipe us out.  That is the only way to “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God” (Hebrews 4:16)

But the rest of Psalms 89 tells us what happens after:
 
15 Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship,
for they will walk in the light of your presence, LORD.
16 They rejoice all day long in your wonderful reputation.
They exult in your righteousness.
17 You are their glorious strength.
It pleases you to make us strong.
18 Yes, our protection comes from the LORD,
and he, the Holy One of Israel, has given us our king.

So there is no fear, no hesitation, just boldly going, knowing we will be accepted.   

Note:  I struggled with the last message I would bring to the monthly bible study.  But while studying in the book of Hebrews, I couldn't get away from this message.  It is as much for me, and anyone who reads this, as it is for the ladies in that room.    I pray you talk all of this to heart.

​There is a shift coming.  We were all looking towards The Great Reset a few years ago, and now the fullness of that shift is about to take place.  Some are prophesying some pretty rough times, others are saying it’s the rapture.  I’m not a fan of fear mongering, and at the end of the day, at the end of the book, we win.  But that doesn’t mean we won’t have to go through some struggles and tribulations.

What many don't realize because they are not taught, is that throughout history, Jesus has come to eart for many different reasons.

He was here throughout the Old Testament

• He was the Angel appeared to Hagar in Genesis 16
• He was one of the 3 strangers who visited Abraham in Genesis 18
• He was the Angel who kept Abraham from sacrificing Isaac in Genisis 22
• He was the Man who wrestled with Jacob in Genesis 32
• He was the Voice in the burning bush speaking to Moses in Exodus 3
• He was the cloud by day and the fire by night during the Exodus
• He was the Angel who told Samsons mother that she was with child in judges 13
• Isaiah 6 tells us "It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple."
• The Man in the fire with Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego in Daniel 6
• Then after his ascension, He appeared to Paul, Stephen, and Ananias telling him to go see Paul
• The historian Josephus records that many witnesses saw Jesus in the clouds with an army at the beginning of the Roman Siege of Jerusalem in AD 67

And throughout history, people have said they have seen him in difference circumstances.

However, due to the vastness of the rapture teaching, we tend to limit Jesus visits to earth as one last trip to take us to heaven, when in actuality, He can come and go whenever He wants.  I believe He comes especially during trying times here on earth, and even in people's lives.  

I came across a story of Johnny Cash’s great grandnephew attesting to grenades curving at the last minute and tanks never firing as a Marine Regiment, in Iraqi Freedom were going in to capture Saddam Hussein and take his palace.  He testified it was as if some supernatural force was stopping bullets. Unfortunately I can no longer find the link. 

Why do I say all of this?  Because we need to be ready for whatever is coming, or we may miss Jesus in the midst of it.   We often become so secure in our spirituality that we miss what Jesus is actually doing.   Look at the Israelites, longing for a Messiah for hundreds of years and they missed him because he didn’t come in the way that they thought He would.  And they paid a huge price for that.

I struggled with what to say for the final class, what I could leave you with.  In light of the coming shift, that I’m sure Jesus will be in the big middle of, I say, GROW UP.  

The book of Hebrews, I believe, was written by Paul.  My reasons are too many to include here, but I would be glad to explain if you reach out to me.   

Paul is writing to the Jewish people who had accepted Christ, in Jerusalem, but were struggling with the old structure, the old way of doing things.  The sacrifices and accoutrements were still in place, but they had come to know Jesus and wanted to follow the new way.  The old covenant and the new covenant.  That was a huge shift.  The entire book is trying to explain that God had fulfilled the old covenant and Jesus was the final sacrifice, so they need to shift fully into the new covenant.
 
The shift we are about to experience, is just as significant.  Even today, though, so many churches are so dead to what God is doing that they’ve already missed it, and it isn’t even here yet.

The Lord says, “No more foolishness.”
 
Have you ever read or studied the book of Hebrews?  We are going to study one chapter in this blog, but I strongly encourage you to dig in.  It will change some of the things you probably believe and have been taught for years.

Hebrews 12
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.  Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. 4 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.
5 And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said,
“My child, don’t make light of the LORD’s discipline,
and don’t give up when he corrects you.
6 For the LORD disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? 8 If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. 9 Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?
10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. 11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
12 So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. 13 Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.
14 Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. 15 Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. 16 Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. 17 You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears.
18 You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai. 19 For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking. 20 They staggered back under God’s command: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” 21 Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, “I am terrified and trembling.”
22 No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. 23 You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. 24 You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel.
25 Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! 26 When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” 27 This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.
28 Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. 29 For our God is a devouring fire.
 
Key verse for this message is
Verse 14 Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. 

I want to focus on the second command given here, living a holy life.  The Greek word Holy is G37 "hag-ee-ad'-zo" and it means holiness, or sanctification of heart and life.  It is the ongoing effect of a consecrated life.

A couple of other verses that use this word are:

1 Peter 1:2
God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.
May God give you more and more grace and peace.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-4
3 God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. 4 Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor— 

He isn't just speaking just of sexual sin… but all sin.  The root word of Holy in the Greek means to separate from profane things and dedicate yourself to God.  To purify, cleanse internally, to purify internally by renewing your soul.  It is the process of sanctification.

NO MORE FOOLISHNESS!
 
Let’s break all of this down.  What does this all mean?

Hebrews 12
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.  Others watching and cheering us on in our faith

1. Crowd of witnesses - He writes this immediately after writing the "Hall of Faith" in Chapter 11.  Where he names all of the hero's of faith and even explains that they didn't receive the fullness of their reward, but they didn't give up.  So these heroes, and many others that have joined since their passing, are cheering us on, watching, and praying we can achieve the same thing they did.  
2. Strip off every weight – the word weight, is also translated as encumbrance, burden, load, or mass. This Greek word, ‘ogkos' is only used here in this verse in Hebrews.
   1. That slows us down, so easily entangles us, which means to thwart, to prevent, to retard or slow down.
3. Especially the ‘sin,' the error, the offense, the bad action, that so easily trips us up (ensnares or keeps us from going forward).  The sin of offense is one of the worst and can totally highjack your faith.
4. Let us run with endurance – patience and steadfastness- the race he has set before us.  He is saying,
   1. Don’t give up, be constant, keep going
   2. The Race.  This means any struggle or contest, a battle, or action
   3. That is set before us - G4295 'prokeimai' which means appointed or destined; we are all appointed or destined to do something.  At the very least, we should be doing what Christ commanded in Matthew 28:19-20 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.  
   4. But let's look at what Paul had already written in Hebrews 5:11-14 11 There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. 12 You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. 13 For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. 14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.
5. We all have a destined purpose, and that purpose may shift and change as we grow and mature.  Sometimes it may be some big thing, others, it may just be doing the next thing the Lord puts in front of you.

But how do we do this?  Let's look at the first part of Hebrews 12:2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. 

1. By keeping our eyes on Jesus, champion and perfector.   As we follow Him and stay in relationship with Him, he will keep us going.  Eventually maturing us into his perfection.
2. Keep in mind that without Jesus we have no ‘faith’ or salvation.

 
Then back to Hebrews 12:2-3 Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.  3Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. 

1. Because of the joy?  That sounds antithetical to the crucifixion he was about to endure.  But the joy was what He was going to do, His race, destiny or contest and the outcome of it.  It wasn’t joyful during the process, but the outcome would be
   1. That He endured the cross
   2. He disregarded the shame, disgrace and dishonor
   3. He is now seated at the right hand of the Father
   4. He endured the absolute and utter disgrace, shame, and pain, then only to be immediately at the highest place of honor, seated next to the Father
2. The hostility He endured
3. The abuse from sinners (those devoted to sin, the wicked)
4. If you remember what he endured, then you won’t give up.  

Hebrews 12:4 4 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.

1. We haven't endured anything close 
2. He did it for you!

Hebrews 12:5-11 gives us alot more of the how.
And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said,
“My child, don’t make light of the LORD’s discipline,
and don’t give up when he corrects you.
6 For the LORD disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? 8 If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. 9 Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?
10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. 11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

Remember, there is a difference between conviction and condemnation.  Many churches have quit preaching convicting messages, exchanging them for the feelgood and lightweight.  This is actually giving the body of Christ a pass on their spiritual maturity, no longer requiring it within the body.

1. But verse 5 says ‘don’t forget the ‘encouraging words he gave you.'  Encouraging?  Really? Talking about discipline?
2. Don’t forget that God disciplines those He loves as his children
   1. Discipline is training, education, it cultivates the soul by correcting mistakes, curbing passions, is chastisement of evils, and instruction which aims at increasing virtue.
   2. It brings maturity
   3. Teaches responsibility
   4. Causes us to be productive in our walk with Him

 
Hebrews 12:12-13 – Speaks strongly to intentionality.
12 So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. 13 Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.

1. I love the wording of this in the NLT, 'take a new grip' - that is the antiquated way of saying 'Get a grip; get ahold of yourself; grow up.  Even though you may be tired and weak.
2. Stand up!
3. Make a choice!
4. Mark out a straight path – make a plan, be intentional in purposing your spiritual growth.
   1. So that what is lame, actually meaning, those things that have not progressed or have been strengthened will not cause a misstep but become strong.

Hebrews 12:14 Our Key verse - be intentional.
14 Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. 

1. Part of our spiritual maturity is being at peace with everyone.  The NKJV and KJV says ‘pursue peace with all people.'  Be peacemakers.
   1. I have allowed myself to lose my peace with people may times.  This causes me to look at those against me as bad, and not allow myself to have any relationship with them.  Even if they are Christians.  That is not at all what Christ wants us to do.
2. Work at living a holy life – back to that sanctification process.  We have to do this to grow up!
   1. We can say a prayer at the altar, or start going to church, but without intentionality in your spiritual growth, will you really become sanctified?
3. Without it, you will go backwards and eventually turned over to a Romans 1 mind…

 ​19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.
24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. 25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. 26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. 27 And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.
28 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done.  
This is why verse 14 says for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. 

Many people think this passage is just about the sexual sin, homosexuality, or anything like that.  But it is about continuing in any sin.  The people Paul is referring to here knew God...they knew the truth about God, but because they wanted to retain their sin, they began making excuses, trading the truth of God for a lie, making up foolish things about Him.  Aren't we seeing this today in many churches?  Twisting the truth to fit their current narrative. 

Currently, I'm in a series on my Podcast 'The Connector Podcast - YouTube on Galatians 5:19-21.  Beginning with Episode 21, I walk through each of these sins listed in the "Lust of the Flesh" list.  But the thing we all need to remember is that in Galatians 5:21, it clearly says that those who continue in those sins ‘will not inherit the Kingdom of God.'  

As I said at the beginning, we are in a kingdom shift, the Great Reset, and He is coming again.  Just as He has come many times throughout history, so don’t be mistaken into believing the talk of rapture is only about Him coming that one time. 

If you aren’t intentional in your spiritual growth, you WILL miss him, you will not be sanctified…it doesn’t just happen.  Remember, that is what happened to the Jews when Jesus came.  Many missed Him and even today, millions of Jews are still looking for their Messiah.
​
Hebrews 12:15
15 Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. 

1. We are to take care of each other, our brothers and sisters in Christ.
2. This is to ensure we or they don’t miss God’s grace.  Yes, we are our brother's keeper. 
3. This is a warning about apostacy, the turning away, especially if they are turned over as was spoken in Romans 1. 
4. The root of bitterness he refers to is what will lead to the apostacy 
5. If we aren’t intentional in our spiritual maturity, we can fall to apostacy, a turning away.  There are so many in church, every week, who think they are ok, but on a highway to hell because they have never purposed their spiritual growth, which causes us to lay aside the sin that holds us back.  They are like a lobster in water on a stove.  Not realizing that as the temperature rises, he’s dying.

 
Hebrews 12:16-17
16 Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. 17 You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears.

1. To confirm what he is talking about, Paul then gives an example of Esau.  He thought he had it all going on, growing up in Isaac's home.  But in a moment of flesh, he lost it all.  Then he and his descendants became corrupters.
2. Because Esau was never sincere in his relationship with God like his father was
3. He didn’t take his role and responsibility seriously, so he lost it all
4. This CAN happen to you, I’ve seen it too many times

Hebrews 12:18-21
18 You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai. 19 For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking. 20 They staggered back under God’s command: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” 21 Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, “I am terrified and trembling.”

1. Why did Paul remind them of this?  This book was addressed to the Jews in Jerusalem who had accepted Christ.  They knew all of the stories about the Israelites journey, so Paul was reminding them of what they experienced.
2. But why did God do this at Sinai?  He had already had issues with their fear and doubt, so gave them an example of His power.

Hebrews 12:22-24
22 No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. 23 You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. 24 You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel.
They are the assembly of God’s first born-Jews who accepted Christ, names written in heaven.  They are a unique group of people and he was able to connect the past to the future for them.

God brought them to:

1. God himself-judge of all.  Not a human mediator such as Moses.
2. Spirits of the righteous ones, who are perfected in heaven
3. Jesus, the Son, the mediator of the new covenant
4. The sprinkled blood of Jesus and forgiveness, not the blood of vengeance

God brought them to all of these things.

Hebrews 12:25
25 Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! 

1. Be careful that you don’t miss out, by refusing to hear or listen to God speaking. 
2. Their forefathers refused to listen to Moses and paid the consequences. 
3. There will be consequences if you refuse to listen this time.

Less than 10 years after this letter was written, Jerusalem was taken under siege by the Roman Army.  Many reports, and even Josephus reported that Jesus showed up with his army, in the sky.  The image below was made from stories in AD66.  The siege lasted for 3-4 years and everything the Israelites had worshipped and believed in, was destroyed.  In AD67, the sacrifices ceased, then in AD70, the Temple was desecrated and destroyed.  This event fulfilled all of the prophecies Jesus declared in Matthew 24. 

It was commonly understood and taught that the siege and utter destruction was judgement because that generation rejected Jesus.  That was taught well into the dark ages.  That generation paid a horrible price for missing Jesus.  The entire book of Hebrews is a warning from Paul, not to miss God again, because  Jesus was the final sacrifice.

Image of Jesus and a heavenly Army, AD66

Hebrews 12:26 -27
26 When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” 27 This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.

Here Paul is actually quoting Haggai 2:6-7
6 “For this is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: In just a little while I will again shake the heavens and the earth, the oceans and the dry land. 7 I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will be brought to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.

Paul warned them of an impending shaking, and it came.   

Most Christians believe that the ‘shaking’ refers to a onetime event, but there have been shakings throughout history.  The destruction of the First Temple and the exile; The attack written in the books of The Maccabees; The Second Temple in AD70; The Holocaust; WWI & WWII, Pandemics, and many other worldwide shakings.  It doesn’t happen only once, it has happened throughout history and will continue to happen until...

Hebrews 12:28
He does this so that the kingdom that we receive is unshakeable and we are to be thankful by worshipping him with a holy fear and awe…our God is a devouring fire and we don’t want to miss him.

1. God will shake and shake until only the unshakable remains
   
2. We are at the beginning of a shaking, a paradigm shift

 
Why do I say all of this?  Why is this my last message?

Because I don’t want you to miss Him in the midst of all of this.  For the past 4 years, I have taught many times on being in the word daily, having a daily time with the Lord, and spiritual maturity.  Now as we are separating, my heart is still in that same place.  Because no matter how long we walk with the Lord, we are still at risk of missing Him.
 
Remember what Paul said in Hebrews 5:12?
You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word.

Many of us have been believers for a while and complacency can take over. 

But how do we keep from missing Him?

Grow up!

Get in your Bible, not a devotion book, or a scripture a day type thing.  But dig in to the Word of God every single day.  Learn to study your bible and learn for yourself.  Make the sacrifice.  If you don't know how to study the bible, or just want a refresher, here's a link that may help. 

Bible Study Basics - MY SITE

Don’t depend on what you hear from a preacher on TV, a podcast, or even at your church.  So much of what is out there is either not deep enough to help you mature, and some of it isn’t even the truth.  I’m so shocked at the garbage I hear. 

Purpose to set aside the things that can jackknife your faith.  Spend time in prayer with him, worship, be serious, no more foolishness.

Remember what I said earlier, talking about my podcast series.  In the very last part of Galatians 5:21 says "Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God."

That means that you will not inherit the kingdom while here in this life, and even potentially in the life to come.  Why?  Let's look back to our key verse, Hebrews 12:14 for those who are not holy will NOT see the Lord. 

You can only be sanctified, or made holy, by being serious about your spiritual maturity and growing up in the Lord.  Start today!​

We have been talking about the Kingdom of God and the fact that it is here, now.  Then we began late last summer discussing the gifts.  But today, I want to talk about the biggest gift…Now Jesus and salvation was the best gift.  But if we only have that gift, the gospel of salvation, we can never go into the biggest gift, the gift of the Holy Spirit, the gospel of the kingdom.

John 14
15 “If you love me, obey my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. 18 No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. 19 Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. 20 When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”
 
Jesus asked ‘the Father’, Father God, to give us another gift, the gift of the Advocate, comforter, ‘parakletos’ an aid, to come alongside.   Jesus was leaving and they were concerned about who would lead them.  They were a group of people who would soon be without a leader.

We see a paradigm shift here.  Where a group of people who had a strong leader would soon be led individually by Holy Spirit, each on their own…now how is that gonna work?  Let me get back to that, later in the teaching.
 
John 16
1 “I have told you these things so that you won’t abandon your faith. 2 For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God. 3 This is because they have never known the Father or me. 4 Yes, I’m telling you these things now, so that when they happen, you will remember my warning. I didn’t tell you earlier because I was going to be with you for a while longer.
5 “But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. 6 Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. 7 But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 9 The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. 10 Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. 11 Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.
12 “There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14 He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’
 
Then, after the crucifixion, Luke caught us up on what happened in Acts.
 
Acts 1
1 In my first book (Luke) I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. 3 During the forty days after his crucifixion, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.
4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
 
Jesus knew they were scared.  They wanted to carry on the movement but wouldn't know what to do if Jesus had not given them a succession plan, but things were changing now. 

However, when Jesus ascended, Peter suddenly knew how this was going to work.  How?  We don’t see this discussed.  But they had all just received the Holy Spirit, maybe that was how
 
Acts 2:38
38 And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
 
But we see he calls it the "gift of the Holy Spirt.”  I think Peter knew it wasn’t about the tongues of fire they had all received, it was about the power when we receive Him-Holy Spirit. Again, Luke calls it the gift...
 
Acts 10
45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles.

Then in Acts 11, Peter is explaining to everyone about his vision of the sheet with the many animals and how all were clean. 

​Acts 11
15 “As I began to speak,” Peter continued, “the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as he fell on us at the beginning. 16 Then I thought of the Lord’s words when he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God’s way?”
 
They all, continually speak of the GIFT of the Holy Spirit…He is the gift.
But let’s look at the bad side of this whole thing.
 
Acts 8
9 A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great. 10 Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One—the Power of God.” 11 They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.
12 But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many men and women were baptized. 13 Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed.
14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God’s message, they sent Peter and John there. 15 As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit. 16 The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power. 19 “Let me have this power, too,” he exclaimed, “so that when I lay my hands on people, they will receive the Holy Spirit!”
20 But Peter replied, “May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God’s gift can be bought! 21 You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right with God. 22 Repent of your wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive your evil thoughts, 23 for I can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin.”
 
Was Simon truly saved?  Probably, but maybe he wasn’t fully surrendered because he thought he could buy the gift.  History records that he eventually fell to his death believing he could fly.  False beliefs are a slippery slope.

Many people believe that the gift of the Holy Spirit is tongues, but the Holy Spirit IS the gift.  The tongues, prophecy, boldness, etc., are all fruit of the gift of the Holy Spirit that Jesus gave.

The individual gifts that I’ve been talking about for a while now, are for ALL people and is first received at birth.  So when you are born, you are given the gift of service, hospitality, leadership, prophecy, etc.  You are even given the capacity to speak in tongues, and see the sick healed.

Then when you grow, and accept Jesus, they are empowered by further infilling of the Holy Spirit. 

As you mature, get in the word and ‘receive the full gift,’ the Holy Spirit himself, then you become supercharged.

Jesus had to go away in order for the gift of Holy Spirit to come.  It didn’t mean he left the disciples, but he wasn’t guiding their daily lives.  The same is true with you at salvation, Jesus may walk with you a bit, but at some point, and it can even be at salvation, depending on what belief system you were saved in, the Holy Spirit comes in you, but only if you let him.

Holy Spirt, as God and Jesus, are gentlemen.  They WILL NOT go against mans will. I’ve struggled with this a lot, because I have seen God intervene.  But stick with me for a moment. 

God chose to work through humans.  So, we get our gifts and they will work with or without Him.  Then when we make Jesus Lord, the power of Holy Spirit is available and even can work through us with conviction, revelation, etc.  But if we reject something He is showing us, then that ability for him to work is limited.  But as we grow, by reading the word, prayer, worship and godly teaching, then He begins to show us the power available to us.  When we ask to receive that power, either with help from someone else praying for you or just you alone, He comes in like a shot of jet fuel and supercharges everything in your life.

The lord showed me though that he will not intervene unless it affects his divine purpose.  So, let’s look at 9/11.  God was as grieved, if not more, than we were, but He could not intervene in man’s will. 

But remember all of the miracles.  A lot more people should have been killed in the towers.  Many were saved so supernaturally that only God could have been given the credit.  For many who died, we didn’t know their story and now their stories have founded many wonderful things…benefiting millions.  People buried in the rubble were saved physically and spiritually. 

A Muslim woman buried in the rubble was saved and pulled out by a man who apparently never existed.  She and her husband have since formed a ministry, traveling the world telling people about that day.

When she should have died, God intervened and used her to share Jesus will millions.

So even though we don’t understand tragedy, the ‘gift’ of the Holy Spirit himself will come alongside and one day we will see.

My own brother was killed in a horrific accident.  No one knew all of the amazing things he had done…he changed the lives of literally hundreds of kids who never knew his name.  After his passing, his wife changed her life, she and his daughter formed a foundation and now every year raise thousands to carry on the legacy of helping kids.

That is the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes we get so focused on the ‘gifts’ that we ignore the more important gift of the Holy Spirit himself.

When we have our own personal ‘Pentecost’ and receive the revelation of the Holy Spirit and invite Him to fill us, regardless of what He brings, then it is like a lightbulb that goes off in our lives with the revelation or realization of our His purpose for us.  It may not be immediate, but it does happen.

Holy Spirit gives the gifts we have talked about in 1 Corinthians Romans, but Jesus gave the 5 fold offices, in Ephesians 4.

So, we see a paradigm shift here.  Remember earlier, I talked about how there was a a group of people who had a strong leader that would soon leave them and then they would be led individually by Holy Spirit, each on their own…now how is that gonna work?

The offices and the gifts.  Paul does extensive teaching on the body, the physical body being an analogy of how the church is supposed to work.  The 5 fold, sort of lead and teach…eph 4…and the people come in with the gifts and do the work, and when humility is in place and everyone is operating in the fullness of their gifts, then a healthy church works like clockwork.  That is the entire purpose of all of this.  This is the only way we can fulfill the great commission in Mt 28, go ye therefore, making disciples.

We still need leaders, but Jesus knew that those men were leaders, so the hierarchy of replacing jesus with one person wouldn’t have worked, they would still be in Jerusalem, hanging out doing their thing.  Jesus left each one of them individually, the Holy Spirit to guide them into their leadership role fully so the gospel could be shared and you and I could be saved.

But what is the evidence of having the Holy Spirit in your life?

Galatians 5
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.
 
We need to quit looking for someone who heals, or prays in tongues, someone who preaches good, or sings and worships beautifully.  Look for this fruit…that is how you know that Holy Spirit resides in them. 

Can you imagine what would happen if we only elected our officials if they walked in that fruit?
 
Acts 2
1 On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
Entire denominations have spent many, many years believing that if you didn’t speak in tongues, then you weren’t spirit filled. 
Don’t ever lessen the importance of having the Holy Spirit in you, down to just being able to operate in one of the many gifts.

See not every instance of being spirit filled in the bible was about tongues.

Acts 4:31
After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.

They preached with boldness.  Now let's go back to where we started.

John 14
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 
17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.
26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
 
We see her that the Holy Spirit:
                Convicts
                Increases faith
                Brings direction
                Empowers
                Counsels
                Reveals truth
                But most of all – He reminds you!
 
1 Cor 13:13
Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
 
Holy Spirit empowers you to have faith, hope and love…the kind of love that is only given and received if the Holy Spirit is involved.

The Holy Spirit is in the entire bible.

We see Holy Spirit in Genesis 1:2
The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

Holy Spirit was there, bringing order to chaos.

Then in Revelations 22
1 Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.
 
Holy Spirit is that river with the water of life, flowing down to bring life and healing to all.

He is everywhere in scripture from beginning to end. 

Take time to pray for the Holy Spirit to fill you, fully.  

​To review, in August, I taught on the Gift of Tongues, then September and October, we looked at the Gift of Prophesy.  Then in November we looked at Discernment.   So now we will look at the list of gifts in both 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12.  

Remember, the gifts are for all of us and is received at birth, empowered by Holy Spirit at salvation and increased through use and continued fellowship with Holy Spirit.

We are the Temple, the Holy of Holies, the gifts and power flow through us.  When looking at the Holy Spirt, you can look at it like, If you drink a glass of water, it is in you.  That is like salvation.  But, if I jump in the ocean, that is spirit filled, then you are in it.
 
Romans 12 (NLT)
6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
 
1 Corinthians 12
7 A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. 8 To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. 9 The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. 10 He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. 11 It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.
 
In both of these passages, Paul uses the analogy of a physical body being able to work in concert.  That is how we have to operate, with each of us utilizing our particular gifts to accomplish the purpose.  This is what grows the body of Christ.

As I said earlier, the gifts are given at birth, but are developed as we mature, and empowered when we are saved.  Then they are turbo charged when we ask Holy Spirit to fill us and help us.  That is a continual need, because we are human and our problems, issues, false beliefs, hurts, etc., can deplete us.

Keep in mind that these are supernatural gifts, and they will operate if we know Jesus or not.  But when we know him and allow Holy Spirit full access, then they will operate at a supernatural level.  But it’s a matter of what we are connected to spiritually, Holy Spirit or the enemy.  Remember, there are only 2 kingdoms.  The Kingdom of God or kingdom of darkness.  We can be saved, but not fully surrendered which will keep one foot or more in darkness.

Below I have 2 charts of each passage, listing the gift, the original Greek word, the definition, and finally how the gifts operate when you are walking fully in God's kingdom, and how they operate when you aren't.  Remember I said the gifts work whether you are saved or not, and if you are saved but not allowing Holy Spirit to operate through you, then those gifts may be operating through the Kingdom of darkness.  

For instance, when you have the gift of prophesy fully submitted to Holy Spirit, it is a blessing, but when it isn't, it can be a curse.  Speaking death and doom, or fear instead of faith.

One of the things that is unique is that often people don’t realize they operate in a specific gift because it is second nature.  And often they think everyone has that gift. 

My husband loves to serve.  If he sees a need, he jumps in and helps.  But sometimes I just stand frozen, not sure what to do.  Sometimes he gets a little frustrated when other’s don’t serve in the same way, because he thinks everyone sees the need.  

Sometimes, people will become prideful in their gifts.  They gain recognition from others and it feeds their flesh.  So Paul told us how to deal with that.

Let’s look at how we are to live, according to Paul.

Romans 12
9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.  
14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!
17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the LORD.  20 Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”  21 Don’t let evil conquer you but conquer evil by doing good.
 
Regardless of how gifted we are, this is how we need to live, act, behave and be.  This keeps us in line with Holy Spirit, keeps our peace and joy intact, and allows us to further hone our gift.  Those that get out of line, too prideful, arrogant, or just too big for their britches, do so because they don’t follow these guidelines.

Paul knew that some of these gifts would get more attention than others, but this instruction, keeps them all on the same playing field.  

Please take the time to ask the Lord to show you what gifts you operate in.  Then begin to study scripture about it, begin growing it, spending time in prayer about it, allowing Holy Spirit to perfect it and look at others you know and see if you recognize their gift.  Some are easy, other’s may not be so visible.  But whatever it is, honor it because they Holy Spirit's gift to us.