Thoughts From The Vineyard

Where has the last year gone?

2011-01-18T10:30:00.000-08:00

It is mid-January. The cold, dark, dreary days have returned. Its time once again for the pruning of the grape vines in the vineyards. The cutting away of the old to make ready for the new growth and fruitfulness. The solemn, lonely hours spent in the vineyard - working on one plant at a time - trying to give each one the best chance for abundance in the season to come. A time for contemplation.

Where has the last year gone? It has been almost a year since I last posted on this site. A year spent trying to fit the right amount of time in for my wife, kids, church, coaching, sports, work - the list could go on and on for each of us. For me, it has been a year of transition - a year of frustration - a year of obedience. Time can definitely be our stumbling block and the enemy wants to take it away from us so that we are ineffective for the Kingdom.

I set a plan in place a few years ago to transition my time and work. At the time I knew life was going to get tougher before it would get better during the transition time. In hindsight, I underestimated how much it would get tougher before it got better! But I think I am on the other side now and have tried to keep this verse in mind:

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
1 Corinthians 10:13

If you are in one of the tough spots in you life, keep striving forward in obedience. The season will change from the dark, cold, dreary days. The season of vibrant growth with the bright sun will come in His time and the dark, tough days will have strengthened you for the future.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace."

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

God as our Parent

2010-02-01T11:55:00.000-08:00

There are so many correlations in our lives as parents to our spiritual lives with Christ. The more it seems that I discuss these similarities, many more come to mind. One such incident was set firm within me this last weekend.

My two older boys have enjoyed the sport of wrestling over the last several years. They have competed for their school, and also for a local wrestling club, in matches throughout the metropolitan area. This last Saturday was the final League Jamboree Tournament for all of the teams in Northwestern Oregon and Southwestern Washington.

We all got up early Saturday morning and traveled to the tournament in Gladstone, Oregon. My older son, who is in his last year of this league, did not draw his first match until about 11 am that morning. I was taping the match with our video camera and at the same time attempting to coach him through the first round. Right in front of me, the other boy got a take down towards the end of the round, taking the match to the mat. Too quickly it seemed, my sons opponent was able to roll him over onto his back - virtually into a pinning position. At that point I could see the look on his face - something was wrong - the match was stopped. As I moved onto the mat and over my son lying on his back, I could see his right shoulder was not in a good position. He calmly told me that on the take down he had heard his collarbone snap, but thought he could make it until time ran out in the round.

As parents, I am sure many of you can image the pain I felt as I knelt beside my son trying to figure out how to help him in the quickest and most efficient manner. Seeing your child in this situation and in this kind of pain, just turns your stomach and emotions up-side-down. As a dad, you just wish you could take the injury away from your son and put it on your own body.

After too many times in the last couple of days, replaying the events of this injury over in my mind, the thought struck me that this is very much like what God must feel with us. When we, his children, are in physical pain - I am sure He feels the great pain of a parent. But I probably can't imagine the pain He feels when we are living outside of His will -in sin.

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that come by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood."
Romans 3:23-25

While I as a dad, grieving over an injury to my son, did not have the power to transfer his injury to my body and be a substitute in his place - God does have this power. Even before we knew the consequence of our sin (our injuries), God sent Christ to be the substitute for our iniquities and the punishment we deserved. All of our sins (our injuries) were transferred onto the body of Christ, and through faith in this act, we no longer have to live with the pain of our confessed sin. What an incredible Parent!

"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned away; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

Isaiah 53:5-6

What will 2010 bring us?

2010-01-06T10:29:00.000-08:00

The year 2010 is upon us and 2009 is now just memories and behind us. What an interesting and often anxious time to be living here on earth. It sometimes seems that the world is going sideways in a hurry with fears of economic collapse, wars, terrorism, the breakdown of the family, famine, natural disasters - the list can go on and on. The thoughts and concerns over this overwhelming list could tend to break us down if we let it. What are we as Christians to do or think?

First we shouldn't be surprised. Jesus tells us in Matthew 24:4-14, "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nations will rise against nations, and kingdoms against kingdoms. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."

Seems like a fairly accurate description of our world doesn't it. But Jesus tells us "see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen". He also tells us that the times he describes are "the beginning of birth pains". Using this analogy although, what happens immediately after the birth pains - a wonderful and glorious creation is revealed to the mother! When the birth pains are over, the restored and glorious creation of our God will be revealed to us.

When we hear of the mocking and hatred of Christians and Christianity from college professors, talk-show hosts, the media and even government officials; remember, Jesus did tell us "the love of many will grow cold". Luckily, we know the end of the story - Jesus wins - we win.

"Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the place where I am going". John 14:1-4

Max Lucado states "All things, big and small, flow out of the purpose of God and serve his good will. When the world appears out of control, it isn't. When warmongers appear to be in charge, they aren't. When ecological catastrophe's dominate the day, don't let them dominate you. Let's trust our heavenly Father".

Why - because "God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7

Pruning Has Begun

2009-12-29T11:39:00.000-08:00

Here in Southwest Washington we have had a cold December with many freezes. The freezing has caused the vines to go into their dormant season. The flow of sap has ceased. The leaves have all fallen and have been blown away by the wind. Last years new branches stand stark and stiff through the trellis. It is time to prune away the excess. If I were not to prune away all of the excess, the vine would not be able to handle all of the new fruit it would try to produce next year and the fruit would wither and die off. At this time of year approximately 90% of the branches must be cut off, piled on the ground, and then run through the chipper for mulch. But the most important question is; which branches will be chosen to remain?

Pruning is one of the jobs that I really like to do myself. By choosing the correct branches to remain, the best chance is given to each plant to produce the best fruit next year. When pruning is complete, the vine will have one branch going each direction, that is tied down to the lowest wire on the trellis. Last years fruiting branches have the greatest chance of producing the best fruit for next year with 6 or 8 buds on each remaining branch.

The first way I relate this pruning activity is to our individual spiritual lives. God certainly knows best what needs pruned away in our lives. He knows what needs to be removed. Just like I do in the vineyard, things are pruned away that are unhealthy, broken or weak first. Then the focus changes to what will produce the most and best fruit in the coming season. Does the branch always agree that it needs to be pruned away - absolutely not - I have been slapped in the face many times by an unruly, stiff old branch during this work in the vineyard. But unlike me, God is the master pruner, He takes away exactly what needs to be removed and at the correct time.

The second way I relate pruning is to the church. Does your church have ministries that have been hanging on for years and have produced no fruit? No branches like this remain in the vineyard. Are the fruitless ministries still going so that the organizers feelings don't get hurt? Pruning does cause some temporary pain; it is not a comfortable process for the vine. Just like in the vineyard, God cuts away the clutter in our lives and in our church. Maybe the reason a certain ministry is not fruitful is that it is not longer connected to the vine? Unlike the vineyard, we have the free will to stay connected to the vine or not. The only way to produce the most and best fruit is to stay connected to the vine and let the vineyard pruner choose what needs to go away.

The Dormant Season

2009-12-02T11:25:00.000-08:00

In the vineyard, the glory of harvest is over. The fruit is gone, the celebration is over. The leaves have turned yellow and are now completely gone from the Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris plants. The old fruiting vines appear like dead sticks interwoven in the trellis wires. Some of the vines have broken off, while others are split from being bent and twisted during the harvest of the fruit. The branches have done their job for the season, they have produced some wonderful fruit. From the exterior, the plants appear to have no signs of life - it seems barren and dead. But something is going on underground, the roots are growing and storing up the necessary energy for the next growing season - culminating in next years harvest. But right now, this is the dormant season - the season of rest.

Does this description of the dormant vineyard seem like your spiritual life right now? Do you not see any fruit being produced? Do you feel not connected to God? Do you feel no warmth, is there nothing going on?

Maybe you are in a dormant season - a season of rest. Maybe this is your time to let the celebration of the harvest and the fruit you previously produced go. Although nothing appears to be going on in your life from the outside, maybe this is your time to get deep with God. Just you and God, sinking your roots deep and growing them, so that you have the energy and endurance for the change in season to come. The production of the very best fruit and the harvest in the vineyard cannot happen without the dormant season. The future production of fruit and the glorious harvest cannot happen in your spiritual life either without the dormant season - the season of rest and recovery.

Seasons in ministry and seasons in the vineyard are not open-ended. Remember, He is in charge of the seasons - embrace them and stay connected to the vine.

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing"
John 15:5

Do We Always Understand God's Plan ??

2009-08-19T07:48:00.000-07:00

Do we always understand God's plan? Definitely not! There is no possible way our simple, finite minds could even attempt to believe that we could understand the plans of our Creator - the Creator of the universe. We certainly do sometimes when it is clearly revealed to us.

Recently, here in my current town of Ridgefield, Washington, we lost four new high school graduates in a car accident. Two of the kids went to our youth group and one of them was the daughter of a good friend of mine. Is there anyway the parents of these kids could understand why this happened. No, but we all must continue to trust in the plan of our Creator even if we don't understand it.

By knowing the daughter of this friend of mine, I have full confidence that she is standing before her Creator in awe, starting to search out the expanse of the New Jerusalem and is filled with joy and comfort in the presence of God. There is no pain and frustration left for her.

The feelings are quite opposite on this side of Heaven. There is quite a bit of pain and frustration. We don't understand why God called her so early. The pain and frustration is not for her, but for those left behind. For any friends and family who have put there trust in Christ that he died on the cross to wash away your sins - you will be re-united with her and all other Christians who have went before you when God calls you home. The separation is only temporary, but I would speculate, it "feels" like eternity when you are a parent who lost a child.

What does God want us to do during this separation? God wants us to do His work. God wants has given us special gifts and skills and He wants us to put them to work to glorify is Son and his eternal kingdom. While we still have time this side of heaven, because we don't know when we will be called home, God wants to use us to bring more into eternal fellowship with Him. We mourn our loss, celebrate those who get to experience heaven before us and continue to do the work God equipped us to do.

Is this a time to be safe?

2009-05-07T13:03:00.001-07:00

Is this a question you have asked yourself lately - Is this a time to be safe? These are very uncertain times. Should we be hunkering down and in to withstand the storm? What about in a spiritual sense, is this a time to be safe?

I do not believe this is a time to be safe spiritually at all! That would be the easy thing to do, wouldn't it. It would be easy to lock yourself inside the house and block off the world. But this is not a time to play it safe. Many, many doors are being opened to the Christian community if we would just look around and see them for what they are. We need to be literally jumping off of our couches; running through our doors and through the doors God has opened for us. Governmental agencies, schools, secular community agencies ..... are for whatever their particular reason, are reaching out to the Christian community for answers and help. The doors have swung open and what are we going to do about it. This is not a time to play if safe in the middle, but to be out on the edge for Christ and the Kingdom. Is it sometimes risky or uncomfortable to be out on the edge? Absolutely it is, but the reward and the harvest can be huge.

On this National Day of Prayer, we should all be praying fervently and with great expectation. But what is prayer without action? The book of James 2:14-17 says, "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is dead."

We obviously need to pray in all situations, but more importantly, we need to get out and do something about it.

- have your neighbors or friends over for dinner, regardless of how your house looks.
- the person with the dead battery in the parking lot, get out your cables and jump his car.
- let the person beside you on the freeway in your lane when his blinker comes on.
- loan out your tools and your labor in your neighborhood, even proactively.
- give some money to some missions work that your hear about, make your lunch this year
instead of going out to cover the cost.
- work on the local community or missions projects and turn off the TV.
- look at each encounter with people as an opportunity that may have been placed in front of
you.

Lets not live comfortably and safe in the middle right now, lets get out and do something for Christ and the Kingdom - love them until they ask why!

Community Service - Why??

2009-04-12T19:08:00.000-07:00

Community service, why would we want to do that? Why would the Faith community want to serve others in our general community?

Maybe to be more Christlike in our continued efforts for conform our character to His. Matthew 20:28 says, "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many". 1 Timothy 3:13 says, "Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus."

Maybe the answer to these questions is that the Faith community is commanded to show our love for our general community through humble servant hood. Galatians 5:13-14 says, "You, my brothers were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself.""

Maybe we need to consider our Heavenly rewards that God has in store for us for our good works done in His name - pushing our reward forward to the other to our eternal life beyond our short life on this earth. Ephesians 6:7 says, "Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free."

Maybe we should serve our community because we all have been given gifts from God that we are required to share with others for the overall good of the Kingdom. 1 Peter 4:10-11 says, "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. In anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ."

Obviously, the answer to the questions is - all of the above, and much more. We stand at a very interesting time in history regarding governmental leadership, community involvement, and the entitlement society. I have worked for the last 11 years with an organization called the Luis Palau Association. The LPA has been putting on evangelistic festivals around the world for many years. In the last decade, extra focus has been put on festivals in the United States. Last year, here in the Portland, Oregon area, a festival brought in over 200,000 people and many found the saving grace of Christ. Part of that festival was a Season of Service, which happened in the months leading up to the festival, in which the Faith community served our greater community in projects that were beneficial for everyone and showed our love for the people and place in which God has placed us. Cities from around the United States and the world have asked if the LPA could host a festival in their city! Can you imagine, local governments asking an evangelistic association if they could partner with them to make their city a better place! Locally, churches are working with each other and partnering with their mayors and other governmental officials, to serve the greater community.

We, as the faith community, have a the door being opened wide. We need to gather in His name and in His strength to show our love for each other and our communities. We need to do this humbly and without strings attached - but in the back our minds, we know people are going to be asking why we would consider such a service - and the harvest of souls in Christs name will be bountiful.

Fellowship of the Unashamed

2009-03-16T08:29:00.000-07:00

Are any of you feeling discouraged or defeated lately? Has anybody been knocked down and are weary to get up and get charging forward again? I have had my share of these feeling recently. But we must all remember - one day we will stand humbly before the Lord Jesus with no ability to go back and change the way we have lived. What words do we want to hear at that time standing before the Lord - "Well done good and faithfull servant" or "Depart from me for I never knew you" ?? The choice is ours right now, isn't it!

I recently came across this pledge written by Bob Moorehead entitled, "Fellowship of the Unashamed" and was compelled to share it.

I, (insert your name here), am part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed. The die has been cast. The decision has been made. I have stepped over the line. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense and my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap giving and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, love with patience, live by prayer and labor with power.

My face is set, my gate is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable, and my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won't give up, shut up, let up, or slow up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up and spoken up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go until He comes, give until I drop, preach until all know and work until He stops me.

And when Jesus comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My banner is clear - I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed!

Love Your Neighbor ??

2009-02-24T15:06:00.000-08:00

As recorded in the Book of Mark; when Jesus was asked, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" - "The most important one, answered Jesus, is this: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these."

Love your neighbor as yourself? Do we really do this? How many more people could be reached for Christ if we really did this? In most of the 128 evangelistic encounters of Jesus in the Gospels, He ministered to the needs of people before actually bringing forth the message of salvation. He was concerned for, cared for and loved every individual person - He Loved His Neighbor!

Do we see people though Jesus' eyes:
- do we see each encounter with someone as an opportunity?
- do we carry preconceived ideas into encounters with certain types of people?
- do we keep in mind the eternal goal of life with Christ our Savior?
- do we rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us as needed when we encounter people?

To do what Jesus did:
- we need to go where the lost are.
- we need to show value, love and action over words.
- we need not to be condemning - that is the work of the Holy Spirit.
- we need to be sacrificial.

Whether we are willing to accept it or not, the truth is that the harvest is made up of people. Jesus came to reach all kinds of people. He touched the poor, the sick, the lost, the abused, the accused, and the accursed. He hung out with sinners, ate with them, and even went to their homes. He died for sinners, including you and me! The lost of this world are not looking for some polished presentation of religious facts; they are looking for someone who is real, who can meet them at their level, feel their pain, and help them bring resolve to their situation. We are all sinners, and we all fall short of God's glory. If it weren't for the grace of God, each of us would burn in the same eternal fire as the prostitute, the murderer, or the thief.

- Marc Estes, Jesus Today

Here is a story I have read in many places. This story encompasses what I have been writing about today.

In 1921, Lewis Lawes became the warden at Sing Sing Prison. No prison was tougher than Sing Sing during that time. But when Warden Lawes retired some twenty years later, that prison had become a humanitarian institution. Those who studied the system said credit for the change belonged to Lawes. But when he was asked about the transformation, here's what he said: "I owe is all to my wonderful wife, Catherine, who is buried outside the prison walls."

Catherin Lawes was a young mother, with three small children, when her husband became the warden. Everybody warned her that she should never set foot inside the prison walls, but that didn't stop Catherine! When the first prison basketball game was held, she went, walking into the gym with her three little kids and sitting in the stands with the inmates.

Her attitude was, "My husband and I are going to take care of these men, and I believe they will take care of us! I don't have to worry.

She insisted on getting acquainted with them and their records. She discovered that on convicted murderer was blind, so she paid him a visit. Holding his hand in hears, she said, "Do you read Braille?"

"What's Braille?" he asked.

Then she taught him how to read . Years later he would weep in love for her.

Later, Catherine found a deaf-mute inmate in the prison. She went to school to learn how to use sign language. Many said that Catherine Lawes was the body of Jesus that came alive again in Sing Sing from 1921 to 1937.

Then she was killed in a car accident. The next morning, Warden Lawes didn't come to work, so the acting warden took his place. It seemed that almost instantly the prison knew something was wrong.

The following day, Catherines body was resting in a casket in her home, three quarters of a mile from the prison. As the acting warden took his early morning walk, he was shocked to see a large crowd of the toughest, hardest criminals gathered like a herd of animals at the main gate. He came closer and noted the tears of grief and sadness. He knew how much they loved Catherine. He turned and faced the men. "All right men, you can go. Just be sure and check in tonight!" Then he opened the gate and a parade of criminals walked, without a guard, the three-quarters of a mile to stand in line and pay their final respects to Catherine Lawes. And every one of them checked back in that night. Every one!

What would happen if we lived life as Jesus did, with great love and compassion? We might become the Dangerous Church (check out the latest blog at http://www.brettaljets.com/ ).

A Couple Of Things I Don't Understand

2009-01-27T09:12:00.000-08:00

Since I did not become to faith in Christ until I was 30 years old, there are a few things that have just never made since to me about the church. While driving the other day a couple of these things that I do not understand bounced around in my mind - one of the is very minor, the other one is more substantial.

The minor one first -worship. More explicitly, the term worship and how it is used in the church. It seems it is common practice in the faith community to use the term "worship" as a definition for the time we spend in song or music praise to God during our services. When I first heard the term worship used in this way as a relatively young christian - I didn't know what people were talking about. I thought worship was the entire package - the heart felt singing, prayer, discipleship, teaching, listening to sermons, bible study, accountability and on and on. It seemed very strange to me that worship in the church seemed to just refer to the song aspect. I looked up the word worship in the "New Bible Dictionary" and following is part of what it states: "WORSHIP - originally referred to the action of human beings in expressing homage to God because he is worthy of it. It covers such activities as adoration, thanksgiving, prayers of all kinds, the offering of sacrifice and the making of vows. Nowadays, however, 'worship' is used for any kind of interaction between God and his people, expressed in (but not confined to) cultic or formal activity by a religious group or individuals." The definition in the book I quoted says much more about worship, but above is the main points. Anyway, it still seems odd to me 15 years later when I hear the term worship applied only the time of praise in song.

For the second and more substantial item - the church being the church. What I mean by this, is the church being unified among believers and divided into small and separated congregations. When I became a believer in Christ, it made sense to me that I was tied in a special way to other fellow believers - and that is what Scripture told me. What I came to find out was that denominational and congregational separation was much greater than I could comprehend. Because of this realization, I have always been a proponent of a unified body believers in Christ and the church being all of the church! I sincerely believe that if the body of Christ - who believes he was God in the flesh, that we have a sin nature and he died to cover our sins, and that he rose again on the third day to take his eternal spot in heaven - agreed to disagree and some other issues that are not primary to salvation, a powerful revival would occur around the globe! I have been very fortunate to have a pastor and many friends who feel basically this same way. I sincerely hope that many others who have faith in Christ can be unified by the primary issues and work together for the Kingdom and break down many of those denominational and congregational barriers.

"Signs & Wonders"

2009-01-10T08:12:00.000-08:00

The thoughts and ideas of "Signs & Wonders" has captured my attention for a couple of weeks now (actually for a few years, but lately for a couple of weeks). The Signs & Wonders described in scripture are remarkable events or powers that are so strange that people stop to watch and observe, or they may be remarkable events yet to happen. It is obvious from scripture that the first century believers were given these powers by the Holy Spirit.

"The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people."
Acts 5:12

"Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the poeple."
Acts 6:8

"Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it."
Mark 16:20

So at the time of Pentecost (the ascending of Christ and the receiving of the Holy Spirit) the first century believers were given the power of signs and wonders. The scripture says at Pentecost the apostles (and probably the 120) were granted the ability to speak in tongues.

"All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."
Acts 2:4

Later it appears that the first century Gentiles in Ephesus were given the ability to speak in tongues by the Holy Spirit though Paul.

"When Paul placed his hands on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied."
Acts 19:6

You might be wondering where this is all going. Here is the point - I have personally never spoken in tongues or even heard anyone speak in tongues. I have never personally been able to heal anyone on the spot with the laying on of hands. I have never personally been given a vision of prophesy of the future. To the extent I am aware, God has never spoken out loud to me.

So why is this? As you can tell, there are more questions being raised than I am currently able to answer. I have a Pentecostal or Charismatic ministry acquaintance who speaks to me about how God talks to him and the visions he has received. A few years ago when I first me this man, I wondered why I haven't had any of these encounters with God. For a period of the few months I prayed for God to give me a sign, a vision, anything that would help me understand or believe that these kind of encounters were real from the people I was hearing them from. To the extent I am aware, no sign or vision was given.

From Paul's first letter to the people in Corinth, it appears that each believer is given a manifestation of the Spirit.

"Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Holy Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the Holy Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophesy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues."
1 Corinthians 12:7-10

So from this passage maybe I have been given the gift of wisdom, knowledge or faith for the common good of the body of Christ and not the gift of healing, miraculous powers, prophesy, distinguishing of spirits, tongues or the interpretation of tongues?

Finally, here are a list of possible answers to these questions that have been swirling through my mind the last couple of weeks. I would love for anyone who feels compelled to comment at the bottom of this blog with your thoughts!

- signs, wonders and tongues were just a gift given in the first century when miracles confirmed the word of God. Would this mean that those who I hear about signs and wonders from are deceived or deceitful?

- signs and wonders today only occur on the foreign mission field where miracles confirm the work of God. In the U.S. we have much access to the word of God and have either chosen to listen or not.

- I don't personally have enough "faith" in the reality of signs and wonders.

- I was given by the Holy Spirit a different manifestation (wisdom, knowledge or faith) and that the other manifestations are real today in the body of Christ, just not in me.

- I have not truly received the Holy Spirit. I don't believe this one based on my changed life, but it has to be listed as a possibility.

SafeGuards

2009-01-04T13:22:00.000-08:00

Those of you that know me, and as others can tell by this website, I operate a vineyard and winery. I have many opportunities to taste wine during the production and aging of the wine we make, and have many other opportunities simply to enjoy wine. I sincerely believe wine is a gift to us to be celebrated and enjoyed in moderation. There are many gifts that God has given us (such as wine, food, sex, sports - to name a few) that can offer great enjoyment in our life if used within God's perfect will. If these same gifts are used "outside" of God's perfect will, they can be enormous stumbling blocks into sin.

"Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit."
Ephesians 5:18

Because I choose to enjoy the gift of wine, I have to be careful to keep the enjoyment of this gift within the will of God. One of the safeguards I have set in place to help ensure this is that I do not taste of drink any wine during the month of January. I have set this time aside to make sure that I have not made an "idol" out of wine. We definitely have the capacity within us to make an idol, that comes before God, out of any of the gifts that He has given us. We all have different tendencies for sin due to our nature and hopefully we all know what our individual ones are. Therefore, we have to guard ourselves against them and not put ourselves in situations of temptation.

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
1 Corinthians 10:13

Anyway, we all hopefully know the tendencies of our sin nature. Set up some safeguards in your life to help ensure that enjoyable gifts from God are a blessing to Him. Try to avoid situations that you know will provide temptation, but if you are tempted, look quickly and adamantly for the back door that He will provide you

What is your "calling" or "gifting" ??

2008-12-29T10:01:00.000-08:00

While recently reading some books on what the church should look like from a scriptural perspective, the ideas of a persons "calling" has captured my attention. Paul states in Ephesians 4:7-8 the following-

"But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ appointed it. This is why it says: "When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men." "

Then on to verse 11 -

"It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."

When Christ ascended to heaven, he sent the Holy Spirit to His believers. Part of this gift is the enablement for us to carry out the work for the Kingdom that He has set aside for us to do. On our own, we don't have the tools necessary to carry out the tasks we have been assigned. That is the wonderful thing about the grace of God, we don't have or deserve the necessary skills on our own - but the Holy Spirit makes it all possible for us! Remember that Paul, Peter and the other first century apostles - they were laughingly not even close to being able to carry out the Good News of Christ prior to the gifts they were given by God.

But what is our individual calling or gifting from God? Has God spoken it out loud directly to you? God has never spoken out loud directly to me, but maybe he has to you. I think God usually speaks to us in this Church Age by the inner convictions we may have, especially during meditated prayer with Him. So do we act strictly on our inner convictions that we may truly believe are directly from God? I think we must first test those convictions against the Word of God. He has given us 66 books of scripture that those inner convictions cannot contradict.

"All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work"
2 Timothy 3:16-17

Also, he has given us the Body of Christ - our trustworthy brothers in Christ - what do they have to say about our inner convictions or "calling"?

With the gifts that each one of us has, we cannot function as the Body of Christ without working with each other. By joining together as the Body of Christ we can accomplish great things for the Kingdom of God - exponentially more that we can on our own! Paul states in 1 Corinthians 12:14-19 -

"Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be."

And continuing in verse 26 -

"If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it."

To conclude, what is your calling and gifting for God? Seek it out, pray for the inner conviction of your gifting. Check out your inner conviction with Word of God and with your christian brothers - then put your gifting to work with others in the Body of Christ. We all will be held accountable for the use of whatever gifts God has given us!