GIFTS AND FRUIT

Time with Jesus - 3 Oct 2013

Hi all,

From “My Fair Lady

Hear a Yorkshire man, or worse, Hear a Cornishman converse, I'd rather hear a choir singing flat. The Scotch and the Irish leave you close to tears. There even are places where English completely disappears. - In America, they haven't used it for years! – Why can't the English teach their children how to speak? Norwegians learn Norwegian; the Greeks have taught their Greek. Arabians learn Arabian with the speed of summer lightning. And Hebrews learn it backwards, which is absolutely frightening. But use proper English you're regarded as a freak. Why can't the English, Why can't the English learn to speak?

Written by Allan Jay Lerner & Frederick Loewe

The vast majority of people who read this message are English speaking. 

Julie Andrews as Eliza

There are one or two friends who speak Afrikaans at home. However, their English is so impeccably spoken; you’d think their home language is English. I should say, “Queen’s English”. A visit to various parts of the UK would convince you that what you are listening to is a different language. 

The Original LP Cover

The Scots speak English in an immediately recognisable “dialect”. In the delightful Stage Show, “My Fair Lady”, which also became a “Hit Movie”, Professor Henry Higgins had a “conversation” with Colonel Pickering and Eliza. It was all about “bad” English. Nothing has really changed since then!

Rex Harrison - Audrey Hepburn
& Wilfred Hyde-White

Indeed, as Henry Higgins said, An Englishman's way of speaking absolutely classifies him. The moment he talks he makes some other Englishman despise him!

I submit that in the Christian Church today, we have a similar problem. We tend to classify each other in terms of the things we say and do. It’s a great tragedy. In the church we have two streams; “Charismatics” and “Evangelicals”. 

Both streams undoubtedly love the Lord Jesus. Both have a passion for the Word of God; perhaps the Evangelicals more so than the Charismatics. In the main, the Evangelicals are in Baptist, Anglican, Roman Catholic and Methodist churches. 

The Charismatics are mostly in the Independent churches such as IFCC, Vineyard and Pentecostal Church. Sadly, these two streams tend to take “pot-shots” at each other. The issue is usually the gifts of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. 

Evangelicals say these passed away with the last of the apostles. The Charismatics say they are as much “alive” today as they were ±2000 years ago. Personally, I don’t want to fight over this issue. 

We have some beautiful friends in both camps. However, what I would like to know from either camp is this. “How did the people in the book of Acts know others were filled with the Holy Spirit? For instance, did their eyes go all funny? How did Peter and Paul know if someone had been filled with the Holy Spirit? 

Did they suddenly have a “masonic type” handshake? How did Peter know Cornelius and members of his household had received the Holy Spirit? Was it a sudden desire to only eat kosher food? 

How did Philip know the new converts in Samaria had not received the Holy Spirit? Whatever it was, it must have been something seen and or heard!

Those who received the Holy Spirit didn’t look different. Reading the accounts of what happened, it seems it was nothing they saw. It was something they heard! 

What was that? Was there a “voice” from Heaven saying they were now filled? Of course not! The fact is those converts spoke in tongues. What does that mean? Well the Samaritans and the Jews had a common ancestry. 

It’s reasonable to assume that even if they spoke in the vernacular, Philip would understand. In which case, it would not be speaking in tongues. 

But Philip heard nothing! He knew they had not been filled with “Holy Spirit”. How did he know? The logical answer is because they did not speak in tongues! That happened later under the ministry of Peter and John. 

How did these two apostles know? Because they heard them speaking in tongues! They may well have spoken in an unknown language. But how would Philip, Peter and John know? 

They wouldn’t. Not unless they heard them overflow in “glossolalia” or something similar they would recognise. Otherwise, all these incidents make no sense.

What has this got to do with the gifts and the fruit of the Holy Spirit? Everything! According to David Pawson, historically, being filled by the Holy Spirit can be traced back from today to the time of the apostles. 

Furthermore, since God doesn’t change, what happened back then can be expected today. That’s exactly what Phyllida and I have both experienced and seen in others. The only real difference is in time, people and clothing.

Phyllida was “born again” in 1951. It was only in the latter 1970’s that she was filled with the Holy Spirit and overflowed in tongues. It’s a wonderful story which we can’t go into now. 

I was “born again” in October 1960. It was only in April 1981 (21 years later) that I was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a sense, our experience was similar to that of the Samaritans. For both of us, the experience was life changing. A passion for Jesus was “birthed” in us in a way we still don’t understand. Frankly, we don’t care if we never understand! Understanding it will not make it more real.

In a way, we were empowered by the Holy Spirit” to be “more” than we had been previously. Phyllida suddenly had a passion for the Bible and to teach God’s Word, initially to single women. I was blessed with an ability to write poetry. If you think its mere doggerel, that’s fine. John Newton wrote, “I once was blind, but now I see”. For me, once I couldn’t write that way. Now I can! He gave this gift to me. Why? I don’t know. It also doesn’t matter. I must continue writing until I die.

Eliza & Prof Higgins

Today in our meditation, 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. 

Stanley Holloway

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 MS Excel attachment, which I’ve found very helpful. Hopefully it will do the same for you.

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – 3 Oct 2013			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 13 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 it 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	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 Lord’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 Oct 2012
			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