GIFTS AND FRUIT

Time with Jesus - Wednesday, 03 October 2012

Hi all,

Today we have a look at the gifts and the fruit. Usually we add the words, “of the Holy Spirit” after those words. On this occasion I’ve deliberately decided not to do so. Instead I’ve used the title to describe the content of today’s meditation. It’s a huge topic and I’ve given a very basic overview. What I would like to draw to your attention is the attachment which I’ve found very helpful. Hopefully it will do the same for you.

If you would like a copy of the table, please leave a comment on this blog. 

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Wednesday, 03 October 2012			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
©	These devotionals are the intellectual property of Jim Strickland and copyright protected. You are welcome to copy and distribute them to anyone provided it is for non-commercial Christian purposes					©
	INTRODUCTION		DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	GIFTS AND FRUIT
When any of us speak about gifts from God, we somehow rush into some sort of theological minefield. People disagree with each other. It never comes to blows. Not as far as I’m aware. But the laundry bill after discussions about this topic get somewhat inflated. People get hot under the collar; this increases perspiration and makes for extra washing. Hence higher laundry bills. People tend to argue about which member of the Holy Trinity gives a particular gift. Frankly, this has never really troubled me. All three of them are God. Each of them appears to focus upon a certain aspect of the lives they created. James, the half-brother of our Lord Jesus Christ, adds clarity to this understanding. He wrote 17 Every good present and every perfect gift comes from above, from the Father who made the sun, moon, and stars. The Father doesn't change like the shifting shadows produced by the sun and the moon. James 1:17 GW We know that God created everything. Exactly how He did it, none of us really understand. Does it matter? Not really. I can’t imagine the three of them arguing about who did what. No doubt if you asked Them, each would say, “I did!” This is perfectly true. Sadly, those who are made in His image have opinions. The Lord may not be fussy about the question or the answer. But we are a contrary people. We love to fight for what we believe. He probably finds this intensely annoying but ends up writing it off to the sin nature we appear to so thoroughly enjoy! This will only change when Jesus comes again; so in the meantime please allow me to add something to this discussion which I’ve found helpful. Note that I wrote helpful! It is not intended to be God’s absolute and honest final revelation. Human beings seem to love categorising. You know what I mean. We file eggs under “E” and bacon under “B”. So we have taken the various gifts which all originated from God and have set them out neatly under various headings. Personally, I find this helpful. Others may not. The three categories are: We have A) the motivational Gifts of the Father. B) We seek the manifestation of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit along with the character of Jesus – the fruit of the Holy Spirit and C) so that we may become the ministerial gifts of God the Son. If this is as clear as mud, do not despair. One of today’s attachments presents this in a very understandable table format. If you take time to open and print the table you will find a diagram that can prove to be very helpful. Please note that I am not the author. It came to me some 11 years ago courtesy Rev Willie Liebenberg a minister in the Methodist Church of Southern Africa. I took one look at the table and decided to make use of it myself. I have found the table presents the various gifts and fruit of the Spirit of the Triune God in a thoughtful yet provocative way. My suggestion is to have a good look at the table. Revisit it from time to time and see if it hasn’t helped you clarify your ideas about the way it all “hangs together”. I love the way the table summarizes everything under the heading, “The Gifts of God”. The concept that this is what we have, this is what we seek and this is what we become, appropriately expresses that which God wishes to put in our hearts. Hopefully it will help us open our eyes to more of the wonders of the God we love to serve. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			5 There are different ways of serving, and yet the same Lord is served. 1 Corinthians 12:5 GW 25 These were all the commanders in charge of King David's property: for the royal treasuries - Azmaveth, son of Adiel for the goods in the fields, cities, villages, and watchtowers- Jonathan, son of Uzziah 26 for the farm workers in the fields - Ezri, son of Chelub 27 for the vineyards - Shimei from Ramah for storing wine that came from the vineyards- Zabdi from Shepham 1 Chronicles 27:25-27 GW 31 And over the flocks was Jaziz the son of Hagar. All these were the rulers of the substance which was King David's. 1 Chronicles 27:31 MKJV 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 1 Corinthians 12:28 ESV 11 All these gifts have a common origin, but are handed out one by one by the one Spirit of God. He decides who gets what, and when. 1 Corinthians 12:11 MSG 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies--in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:10 -11 ESV	There’s different ways of serving, the same Lord is still served. The gifts God gives to each of us, are not what we deserved. They come to us from heaven, they are His sovereign choice; There is no “birthday wrapping” and there is no invoice! We cannot pick and choose them. And here’s the reason why. They all come from Almighty God, Who reigns from way up high. We try to list them separately, to say what comes from Who. We do it for convenience; as we’re inclined to do. We put each in a category we can understand; And so we miss the very point, they came by His command. There is another factor, which sometimes we forget. The Holy Spirit filled us, the time when first we met! There is a further filling each time we overflow. And yet we’re never empty. It’s Him each time, you know. Now when His Spirit’s comes to us, it’s not in little bits. It’s all of Him in each of us. Don’t ask me how He fits! I also do not understand how all of Him’s in me. And all of Him’s in others! O Lord, how can this be? And yet it’s fundamental. It has to work that way. So favouritism’s not perceived by anyone each day. Now every good and perfect gift comes down from God above. James, the Master’s half-brother, speaks of His light and love. In chapter one he tells us and in verse seventeen, He doesn’t change or alter; it’s how He’s always been. Now every gift God gives to us is perfect, good and true. The Father, Son and Spirit, will not bamboozle you! We speak about each separately, so we can comprehend, Just what the Lord is doing with what He wants to send. The gifts for motivation, is what our Father gives; For serving and for speaking, to direct the way we live. The Son of God gives people; His ministers of grace; And they equip His people for what they have to face. The Holy Spirit gives us gifts, so we can manifest, The gifts for the occasion as only He knows best. He seeks to change our character, so we may all display, The sort of life the Master lived in each and every way. That is why we speak about the Holy’s Spirit’s fruit. To live a life for Jesus, that no man can dispute. But let’s not be too fussy, about Who gives us what. A man who walks with Jesus is never hard to spot. He’ll walk a path of holiness equipped by God above. And everyone he contacts, will know he walks in love. Jim Strickland – Written 3rd October 2012