I Peter 4:10-11 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let himspeak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Romans 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let usprophesy in proportion to our faith:
WHAT IS A SPIRITUAL GIFT?
A Spiritual Gift is a special divine empowerment bestowed on each believer by the Holy Spirit to accomplish a given ministry God's way according to His grace and discernment to be used within the context of the body of Christ. The Greek word for spiritual gift is ‘Charisma" from the root word
"charis" which means grace. A close relationship exists, then, between spiritual gifts and the grace of God.
When you operate within this definition, you will see the church grow as each member does his/her part according to...
Jesus, the Son of God, was sent by God to be the Savior of the whole world. Before he was born, an angel of the Lord announced that his name was to be Jesus and that he would be called “the Son of God Most High” (Luke 1.32).In Hebrew, the name “Jesus” means “the Lord saves.”
Why did he have to die?
Jesus told his followers that he came to earth as a servant to “give his life to rescue many people” (Mark 10.45) and that he would “suffer terribly,” be rejected and killed, “but three days later rise to life (Luke 9.22).The four Gospels in the New Testament tell about Jesus’ suffering and death. So, too, does "The Passion of the Christ" (2004), a film that portrays the last twelve hours of Jesus’ life.But the story doesn’t end there.
Let ’s start at the beginning.
When God created the world, everything God created was good. But the first two people, Adam and Eve, disobeyed God and their disobedience caused sin to enter the world.Adam sinned, and that sin brought death into...[More]0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink
July 8, 2009
The Focus Of Ministry
Ministry is ultimately about saving souls
(Luke 4:18 ) "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,
This was how Jesus summarized His ministry. It is about saving souls. Our ministry focus should be no different from our Lord Jesus.
(1 Tim 2:3-4 ) This is good, and pleases God our Savior, {4} who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
Ministry is servanthood
(Phil 2:5-7) Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: {6} Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, {7} but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
(Mat 20:25-28 ) Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. {26} Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must...
Hebrews 2: 1-4Drifting means to be carried along by currents of air or water. To move leisurely or sporadically from place to place, especially without purpose, To wander from a set course or point of attention; stray. To vary from or oscillate randomly about a fixed setting, position, or mode of operation. A gradual change in position.Gradual deviation from an original course, method, or intention. A. Drifting can be very dangerous because it can go completely unnoticed. B. Many Christians in their spiritual lives are drifting toward destruction.
I. SOME THINGS WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT DRIFTING.
A. It requires no effort.
1. To just stop oaring or tacking against the wind, one is free to drift.
2. This is why the Hebrew writer said, "We must give the more earnest heed."
B. It is an unconscious process.
1. It is possible to drift unawares. Example, in a boat on a lake.
Strong rip-tides or undercurrents are often unnoticeable from the surface.
2. Many individual Christians have slowly drifted away.
And now that you have found God (or should I say, now that God has found you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual powers of this world? (Galatians 4:9 NLT)
WHAT IS BONDAGE?
1] The state of one who is bound as a slave. 2] One who has lost liberty and has no rights. 3] A state of subjection to a force, power, or influence. 4] The practice of being physical restrained, as with cords or handcuffs. Are you a woman trying to cope with depression, anger, addiction, a painful marriage, or broken relationship? Do you feel weighed down, as if problem after problem is stacked on your shoulders so you can hardly stand? In one word, Are you in BONDAGE? How did it happen? Certainly not overnight. No, the problem increased its grip on you, tightening slowly like a vise (a clamping). Surely, had you known how to break its hold you would have. The good news is Jesus came to set the captives free. (Luke 4:18)
ARE YOU IN BONDAGE: Women and men are greatly valued in the kingdom of God,...
Intimacy With God: What Is It?" Many of God's people think they know the King, but they don't, and it's cost them their life. A]. I'm not talking salvation, but life...spiritual vitality, power, effectiveness, impact, punch, meaning, fulfillment! Jesus said He came to give us life, and life abundantly.The word "abundantly" means, overflowing. Not a dribbling...not up to the brim...but an over- flowing.
B] We know things about God, His word and His ways, but how many of us would say we know God? Don't confuse the two because there is a difference between knowing things about God and knowing Him. You say... well...what do you mean by "know"?
C] Define, "know" the hebrew word for "know" is yada, the greek word for "know" is ginosko. Both speak of an intimate knowedege gained by getting up close to something.
D] Which statement more closely describes your relationship with God: "I know a lot of things about God." or..."I know God personally, intimately. He's real to me. I enjoy God and have fellowship with Him." Most Christians claim the first statement instead OF the second. Jesus said: "And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God,...
1) Jesus claimed to be God - John 8:24; 8:56-59 (see Exodus 3:14); John 10:30-33 2) Jesus created all things - John 1:3; Col. 1:15-17 3) Jesus is before all things - Col. 1:17 4) Jesus is eternal - John 1:1,14 ; 8:58 5) Jesus is honored the same as the Father - John 5:23 6) Jesus is prayed to - Acts 7:55-60 7) Jesus is worshipped - Matt. 2:2,11; 14:33; John 9:35-38; Heb. 1:6 8) Jesus is called God - John 1:1,14; 20:28; Col. 2:9; Titus 2:13 9) Jesus is omnipresent - Matt. 28:20 10 Jesus is with us always - Matt. 28:20
11) Jesus is our only mediator between God and ourselves - 1 Tim. 2:5 12) Jesus is the guarantee of a better covenant - Heb. 7:22; 8:6 13) Jesus said, "I AM the Bread of Life" - John 6:35,41,48,51 14) Jesus said, "I AM the Door" - John 10:7,9 15) Jesus said, "I AM the Good Shepherd" - John 10:11,14 16) Jesus said, "I AM the Way the Truth and The Life" - John 14:6 17) Jesus said, "I AM the Light of the world" - John...
These are the words Jesus spoke to one of the most religious men of his day (John 3:1-8). Nicodemus had come to Jesus one night to inquire about His new doctrine. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews. He believed in God, he prayed, fasted, tithed, attended worship services, read the Scriptures and tried to keep high moral standards. Yet, with all these credentials, Jesus told him he had to be born again in order to enter the kingdom of God.
The Word and the Spirit
Jesus said, "... Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."(John 3:3). "... Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God' (John 3:5). Later in the book of John he said, "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you" (John 15:3). Paul wrote that Christ gave Himself to sanctify and cleanse the church with the washing of water by the WORD (Ephesians 5:26). Peter wrote that we are born again "... not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives...