WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.319 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:02.479 --> 00:00:07.040 We pray this message encourages you and provides the hope and light of Jesus Christ. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:08.640 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:20.879 --> 00:00:26.640 Well, it is great to be with you, and I love getting to be uh a pastor. 00:00:26.719 --> 00:00:30.480 I've done that for a lot of years, but you're always first and foremost a father. 00:00:30.719 --> 00:00:46.560 And I was watching, man, Ryan's got so many things going on, and he happened to be teaching on something that I'd done a lot of work on, and spiritual gifts is something we'd been uh launching as a ministry, and I thought, you know, maybe I could help out. 00:00:46.799 --> 00:00:48.640 I don't know about many of you. 00:00:48.799 --> 00:00:50.880 I did not grow up as a follower of Christ. 00:00:51.039 --> 00:00:54.240 I never opened the Bible until I was 18. 00:00:54.880 --> 00:01:06.400 And of all the things, when I got involved in beginning a relationship with God, spiritual gifts were like confusing, either confusing or people were arguing about them. 00:01:06.640 --> 00:01:14.319 I grew up in a church that didn't believe in the scriptures, and I think you'd call us a social church, so I never heard spiritual gifts. 00:01:14.400 --> 00:01:18.400 I came to Christ through FCA just before I left for college. 00:01:18.560 --> 00:01:23.680 And then I was discipled by a group that was very committed to the scriptures, very word-based. 00:01:23.760 --> 00:01:29.200 And so we would, I learned Bible study and memorized scriptures and met one-on-one in small groups. 00:01:29.280 --> 00:01:30.959 It was absolutely tremendous. 00:01:31.120 --> 00:01:34.640 And as I came home, my folks were like, boy, what happened to our son? 00:01:34.799 --> 00:01:37.439 And we we like it, but it's a little weird. 00:01:37.519 --> 00:01:40.560 You know, you're reading the Bible and your life has changed. 00:01:40.640 --> 00:01:42.400 My dad got very interested. 00:01:42.560 --> 00:01:54.400 And simultaneously, in our social church, uh, this was late 70s and mid-80s, a thing called the charismatic movement moved through a bunch of social churches. 00:01:54.719 --> 00:01:58.959 And it was people who believed more in sort of the more spectacular gifts. 00:01:59.120 --> 00:02:02.640 And my mom and dad came to Christ through the charismatic movement. 00:02:02.799 --> 00:02:12.000 And so, you know, my dad's in the garage speaking in tongues and dancing, and and uh, you know, I go to a couple services that are like, whoa, this is kind of blowing me away. 00:02:12.080 --> 00:02:13.599 I'm not I'm not used to all this. 00:02:13.680 --> 00:02:23.840 And and uh so then I go back to college and we're in the Bible a lot, and it was like this, God, what I mean, what's right, what's true, what's valid, what's not. 00:02:24.000 --> 00:02:26.560 I was just flat out confused. 00:02:27.120 --> 00:02:43.280 And so I'll fast forward and um I had a chance because I played basketball to play in a number of countries throughout South America and the Orient, and we met people from all kinds of different churches, you name it, uh Baptist, Pentecostal, and everything in between. 00:02:43.439 --> 00:02:52.879 And I met wonderful people in all backgrounds, and it sent me on a journey to figure out what the Bible actually says about spiritual gifts. 00:02:53.199 --> 00:02:56.080 And uh Ryan is we're way down the road. 00:02:56.159 --> 00:03:07.919 I I put some notes, if you'll pull those out, because what I've taken is uh is a message that is gonna be sort of background, you know, and I have uh all the gifts that Ryan has not yet covered. 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:14.560 I have a definition in your notes, but um at the very bottom of your notes there's a QR code. 00:03:14.800 --> 00:03:43.919 Because one of the things uh I have discovered, and I'll tell you why in just a minute, if you ever get serious, and not just discover your primary motivational spiritual gift, but then start to exercise and work at developing it, and you put it into practice, um, it will it will not only change your life, it'll change the life of a multitude of people around you. 00:03:44.879 --> 00:04:05.039 And and so um that little QR code, uh we spent about six or seven years and several hundred thousand dollars to create that in 15 to 20 minutes will give you a very good idea of your spiritual gifts, your core values, where you fit on a team, uh, your work style, uh, how you relate to other people. 00:04:05.199 --> 00:04:08.000 It's kind of like strength finders on steroids. 00:04:08.159 --> 00:04:16.720 And uh we'll we'll charge for that in 2023, but because my son and his wife go to awakening, I'm gonna give it to you for free. 00:04:17.040 --> 00:04:19.600 So uh, and our ministry would love to do that. 00:04:19.759 --> 00:04:47.120 Father, please speak to think that you died in our place, to ponder that you descended in the lower parts of the earth so that you would ascend and defeated sin and Satan and death, and the evidence is you led a host of captives free, and you gave gifts to men. 00:04:48.399 --> 00:04:54.639 Would you help us to grasp how serious and wonderful spiritual gifts are in Christ's name? 00:04:55.120 --> 00:04:55.759 Amen. 00:04:56.079 --> 00:05:02.240 With that said, let me give you uh five specific reasons why spiritual gifts matter. 00:05:02.480 --> 00:05:06.319 And um number one is direction and purpose for your life. 00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:14.639 You know, if you have certain skills, doesn't it make sense that if God wanted you to do something, he would give you an ability and some skills to do it. 00:05:14.800 --> 00:05:19.120 So when you discover your spiritual gift and gifts, super helpful there. 00:05:19.279 --> 00:05:23.199 Number two is freedom to embrace and enjoy who you are. 00:05:23.439 --> 00:05:29.759 We live in a world in a culture where most of us spend lots of energy trying to be like someone else. 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:38.240 When you discover your spiritual gift, you realize this is my family of origin, these are my natural strengths, here's my experiences, good, bad, and ugly. 00:05:38.399 --> 00:05:44.560 And I've been gifted, I can like me in a good way and be free to be me. 00:05:44.720 --> 00:05:48.399 Three is joy that results from impacting lives. 00:05:48.639 --> 00:06:08.720 Um, I got real clear direction about what to do and probably more about what not to do when I discovered how God wired me and then what my spiritual gifts were and the joy I've experienced of getting not to do something special, just do what he made me to do, and watching the ripples in other people's lives has been awesome. 00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:13.519 Fourth is affirmation of your victory in Christ. 00:06:13.839 --> 00:06:18.879 I kind of quoted part of uh Ephesians chapter four when I was praying. 00:06:19.199 --> 00:06:26.240 That when God delivered us, when sin was defeated, part of the evidence is your spiritual gift. 00:06:26.319 --> 00:06:32.079 And number five is accountability that we'll be held responsible for just the stewardship. 00:06:32.160 --> 00:06:37.279 I had a great conversation with a young man in between services, and we got talking about this and that. 00:06:37.360 --> 00:06:40.480 And out of the blue, he said, you know, I didn't think much about spiritual gifts. 00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:45.279 And as you walk through that, and I thought, he goes, This is really like a stewardship, isn't it? 00:06:45.439 --> 00:06:46.959 I said, like, yeah. 00:06:47.279 --> 00:06:58.720 So Matthew 25, I mean, not for our salvation, but every single believer is going to stand before Jesus for spiritual rewards, and he's gonna say, So, what did you do with the time I gave you? 00:06:58.879 --> 00:07:00.160 What did you do with the skills? 00:07:00.319 --> 00:07:03.279 What did you do with the talents I gave you? 00:07:03.439 --> 00:07:05.439 What did you do with the money I gave you? 00:07:05.680 --> 00:07:10.480 What did you do with the supernatural ability, the spiritual gifts I gave you? 00:07:10.639 --> 00:07:12.560 And we'll give an account for that. 00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:20.319 And so it's it's you know, I most of my early, first early years, I was a Christian, even hearing about spiritual gifts, it was kind of that's nice, sounds confusing. 00:07:20.480 --> 00:07:24.240 Hope someone can explain it to me someday, some way, but I'm not really into it. 00:07:24.480 --> 00:07:29.199 And some of the people we're gonna talk about argued about it, so I didn't want to get in an argument. 00:07:29.439 --> 00:07:35.360 And so I just like spiritual gifts was this, it would be nice to know them, but it probably doesn't really matter all that much. 00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:43.680 I'm here to tell you it doesn't matter all that much, it matters a lot, it matters a whole lot. 00:07:44.319 --> 00:07:52.800 You understanding, growing, developing, and then deploying your spiritual gift will literally change the trajectory of your life. 00:07:53.040 --> 00:07:56.079 This isn't a little thing that you would be nice to know. 00:07:56.240 --> 00:08:02.240 This is something you have to know, and then you have to grow it, develop it, deploy it. 00:08:02.800 --> 00:08:05.839 There's uh developing your spiritual gifts. 00:08:06.079 --> 00:08:12.480 We talked uh, and Ryan did last week about the three kinds of spiritual gifts, three types of spiritual gifts. 00:08:12.639 --> 00:08:19.279 Number one, every believer has one primary motivational gift from Romans chapter 12, 6 through 8. 00:08:19.519 --> 00:08:24.959 And we're to concentrate on discovering and deploying this gift, and I'll explain why in a minute. 00:08:25.199 --> 00:08:33.440 Secondly, this motivational gift, this drive or this ability, can express itself through a variety of ministry gifts. 00:08:33.600 --> 00:08:36.960 We'll show you a chart in just a minute to see how these things fit together. 00:08:37.120 --> 00:08:49.440 And third, when you and I exercise our motivational gift through our ministry gifts, the Holy Spirit determines what manifestation or impact or effect it's gonna have with other people. 00:08:49.679 --> 00:08:58.799 So if you'll open your notes now, and you'll notice uh that I've given you in this chart a paradigm, if you will. 00:08:59.039 --> 00:09:07.440 And so all I want to say is a lot of really smart, godly people have looked at the spiritual gifts from a lot of different lenses. 00:09:07.679 --> 00:09:13.679 This isn't from Mount Sinai, this is just like from Chip and some other smart people I know that I've studied. 00:09:13.840 --> 00:09:17.039 And it's just a practical way to look at spiritual gifts. 00:09:17.120 --> 00:09:20.559 And so I respect people looking at these in different ways. 00:09:20.879 --> 00:09:25.679 This has been the most helpful way, and I think it's pretty clear from Scripture. 00:09:25.840 --> 00:09:34.080 Uh you I put part of it in your notes, but if you turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 12, let me tell you where I get these three columns. 00:09:34.720 --> 00:09:37.120 He's talking about spiritual gifts. 00:09:38.879 --> 00:09:42.720 Beginning at verse 4, he says, now there are a variety of gifts. 00:09:42.960 --> 00:09:47.759 You know, Ryan told us charismata, but a variety, but the same spirit. 00:09:47.919 --> 00:09:52.000 There are a variety of ministries and the same Lord. 00:09:52.240 --> 00:09:57.759 There's a variety of effects or manifestations, but the same God who works all things and all people. 00:09:58.799 --> 00:10:04.960 But to each one is given a manifestation of the Spirit purpose clause for the common good. 00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:07.759 And then He gives some examples here. 00:10:08.080 --> 00:10:27.919 He says, To one is given a word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another, a word of knowledge according to the same spirit, to another, faith by the same spirit, and to another, gifts of healing by one spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, or to another prophecy, and to another distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another interpretation of tongues. 00:10:28.159 --> 00:10:30.000 And then verse 11. 00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:38.639 But the one and the same spirit works all things, distributing to each one individually, just as he wills. 00:10:38.960 --> 00:10:47.679 And so we're commanded to aspire to gifts and say, Lord, you know, whatever gifts you want to give me, I want to pursue the ones that help people the most. 00:10:47.919 --> 00:10:56.159 But the Bible says that God has assigned as He wills because He has a purpose for your life and He knows what you need or what I need to be gifted. 00:10:56.480 --> 00:10:59.200 And so you can see those three columns. 00:10:59.360 --> 00:11:01.279 Notice there's motivational gifts. 00:11:01.360 --> 00:11:02.879 We get that word charismata. 00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:05.120 And I love the way Ryan put it. 00:11:05.279 --> 00:11:14.320 Every one of us, last week we learned, you know, proclaiming God's word, prophecy, serving, teaching, encouragement, giving, leadership, mercy. 00:11:14.480 --> 00:11:27.519 We're all commanded to do that with some at some level in some way, whether with roommates or family or in a small group or church, but there's some of you that one of those things drives you, it really motivates you. 00:11:27.919 --> 00:11:35.200 What I've discovered over the years, rather than all these gifts, and I wonder which ones are mine, and for years I would ask people, what's your spiritual gift? 00:11:35.279 --> 00:11:41.519 And they go, I've got a little administration, I think I've got a little mercy and maybe a little bit of leadership, and I play the piano, and you know, what is it? 00:11:41.840 --> 00:11:42.480 Where's that one? 00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:44.720 And it didn't make any difference. 00:11:44.960 --> 00:11:54.159 And so I'm gonna tell you a little story, and as I tell this story, I want you to ask yourself, which one of these seven people would I be? 00:11:54.399 --> 00:11:59.200 And the only reason I'm gonna do this, this is sort of the anecdotal little way for you to start. 00:11:59.519 --> 00:12:01.679 Maybe that's my motivational gift. 00:12:01.840 --> 00:12:10.879 And then I want to talk about how that plays into ministry gifts and manifestations and sort of give you a picture and a package so that you would walk out of here. 00:12:11.039 --> 00:12:11.759 Here was my goal. 00:12:11.919 --> 00:12:16.000 My goal wasn't to explain every single gift, all the definitions are there. 00:12:16.320 --> 00:12:21.440 But my goal is that you would walk out of here and go, Whoa, this is really serious. 00:12:21.679 --> 00:12:28.159 Then you would say, Whoa, I'm not sure, but I think my motivational gift is probably this. 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:35.039 And as the lights come on, I need to study these other gifts to understand how that might work out. 00:12:35.279 --> 00:13:03.200 And then that you would go so far to say, I'm going to figure out a way and a time to talk with either a couple friends or some people that know me or my small group, and I want to get some genuine feedback, and I'm gonna take that little test and get some feedback, and then I'm gonna jump in the water, and I'm gonna start practicing what I believe my gifts are, and I will tell you, if that happens, and I'm not overstating it, you'll never be the same. 00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:05.360 Your Christian life will never be the same. 00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:08.639 Clarity, vision, direction, affirmation. 00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:11.120 So here's the here's the little story. 00:13:11.600 --> 00:13:17.360 Uh it's a imagine it's a church banquet, and there's you know all these round tables, and there's some big event. 00:13:17.440 --> 00:13:21.519 Maybe they're celebrating their 25th birthday instead of their 10th. 00:13:21.679 --> 00:13:27.600 And so they actually have a building and there's some carpet and there's round tables, and people have come to celebrate it. 00:13:27.679 --> 00:13:34.480 And so they have a meal and they've brought a special speaker and they're gonna talk about God's faithfulness looking back, which I always think is a great idea. 00:13:34.639 --> 00:14:06.720 And so everyone has done with their meals, and they have a group of people that are clearing the table, and then their guy is bringing out the desserts, and he has a big one of those big things that you have, and he's got like 12 desserts on it, and as he walks in, one person clearing the table turns this way, he's coming around the corner, he slips a little bit, the trays kind of slide, it crashes to the floor, it goes up like this, the speaker has junk all over the outside of his suit, crash everywhere, everyone gets up and wonder what's happening. 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:08.399 Now, what happens? 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:15.519 Now I want you to listen carefully to seven responses from seven different motivational gifts. 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:21.440 A person with a gift of prophecy says, I could see this coming a mile away. 00:14:21.679 --> 00:14:23.360 It was a mistake from the beginning. 00:14:23.440 --> 00:14:27.600 You can't take away the plates and bring dessert at the same time. 00:14:28.559 --> 00:14:29.519 Motivation? 00:14:30.320 --> 00:14:34.639 People with a gift of prophecy first see what's wrong and want to correct it. 00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:37.360 Second person is a gift of service. 00:14:37.679 --> 00:14:42.639 This person says, Let me help you with that, and begins to wipe them off and clean up the mess together. 00:14:42.879 --> 00:14:46.399 Motivation to fulfill a need with practical means. 00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:56.879 Person with the gift of teaching says, Well, the real reason this happened wasn't that we were taking away the plates and the desserts being served. 00:14:57.200 --> 00:15:00.559 I begin to analyze that waiter and the way he was carrying that. 00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:08.159 There were five desserts on the left side and seven on the other, and I noticed the kind of shoes he had that had leather soles instead of rubber. 00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:20.720 And the reason he slipped and fell was person with the gift of teaching wants to discover why something happened and educate everyone else on how not to do it or how to do it. 00:15:21.039 --> 00:15:24.720 Person with the gift of encouragement says, I have an idea. 00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:27.840 Next time, just serve the dessert with the meal. 00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:30.000 This is that person, par a kala'o. 00:15:30.159 --> 00:15:33.759 They come alongside to comfort and encourage and help people grow. 00:15:33.919 --> 00:15:41.840 And the idea is they're gonna come next to a problem or a situation, and what they want to do is they want to correct things and help people for the future. 00:15:42.080 --> 00:15:51.200 The person with the gift of giving jumps in, says to the speaker, takes off his sport jacket, here, give me that one, I'll have it cleaned, I'll have it back to you, or buy you a new suit. 00:15:51.279 --> 00:15:52.240 You can use mine. 00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:54.159 And hey, everybody, look at this mess. 00:15:54.320 --> 00:15:57.120 This carpet's been a junk for the last 10 years. 00:15:57.200 --> 00:15:58.480 I'll put in$5,000. 00:15:58.720 --> 00:15:59.519 Who joined with me? 00:15:59.600 --> 00:16:01.679 And we'll get new carpet for the church. 00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:06.639 The person with the gift of leadership says, Jesse, uh, find them up. 00:16:06.960 --> 00:16:09.360 Mary, can you uh get some paper towels and get this going? 00:16:09.600 --> 00:16:11.200 Ben, can you coordinate the waiters? 00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:12.399 We need to make some adjustments. 00:16:12.559 --> 00:16:15.200 Can you have the worship team go ahead and play a couple more songs? 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:18.480 Everyone needs to be ready in 15 minutes. 00:16:18.960 --> 00:16:23.519 Uh, that motivation is to get things back on track and to accomplish the attended goal. 00:16:23.679 --> 00:16:25.279 And then finally, I love this one. 00:16:25.360 --> 00:16:28.000 I'm married to someone with this ministry gift. 00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:31.840 Someone kneels down and says, Oh, don't feel bad. 00:16:32.159 --> 00:16:34.240 This is this could have happened to anyone. 00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:35.679 It's gonna be okay. 00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:43.600 It's a gift of mercy, and the motivation is to relieve the embarrassment and just help the person make it through. 00:16:43.840 --> 00:16:48.639 If you had to characterize yourself as one of those, who would it be? 00:16:49.440 --> 00:16:52.799 Which one did you just, I mean, first to connect with. 00:16:53.519 --> 00:17:12.799 And what I want you to know is that there's a motivational gift that you have, and then it gets expressed in these various ministry gifts, some which we already have been taught a couple weeks ago from uh Romans 12 and Ephesians 4, and then all the rest of the gifts I've listed there with a definition. 00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:14.720 And here's what I want to do. 00:17:14.880 --> 00:17:18.960 I just want to try and give you a paradigm to see how these work. 00:17:19.119 --> 00:17:20.799 Let me give you two or three examples. 00:17:20.960 --> 00:17:37.440 If you have a pen, pull it out, and I want you to circle in the left-hand column service, and then I want you to go to the second column where it says pastor teacher and circle it, and then go on down and circle the word administration, and then circle the word helping. 00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:39.839 It's it's a sort of an offshoot of the gift. 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:46.480 And then just from that one thing where it says service, I want you to draw lines to those three, and then I'll tell you a quick story. 00:17:46.640 --> 00:17:50.559 Uh, I've had a chance to observe this person for well over 20 years. 00:17:50.720 --> 00:17:53.039 Uh he came to church out of the Silicon Valley. 00:17:53.119 --> 00:18:02.960 He was an engineer, was a project manager for Cisco back in the day, later for Palm Pilot, his family of origin, uh some really tough stuff he came out of. 00:18:03.119 --> 00:18:08.400 And so he comes to Silicon Valley, is very successful in business, has this love for technology. 00:18:08.640 --> 00:18:11.119 His motivational gift is service. 00:18:11.359 --> 00:18:26.799 And so, in a church that I had an opportunity to pastor, he ended up recruiting all the servants for all the lights, all the technology, all the sound, got them all in small groups, because his other ministry gift was administration. 00:18:27.039 --> 00:18:28.799 He could organize anything. 00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:34.079 Then he's pastor teacher, so he didn't want just the lights to come on and the sound to be good. 00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:38.480 And, you know, we had a greeting team and a setup team and a teardown team. 00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:48.799 And so he got them all in various groups and being a pastor teacher, then he developed ways where even if they couldn't meet during the week, they met early and they prayed together and they began to build teams. 00:18:48.880 --> 00:18:53.759 Well, pretty much he had more people reporting to him, and so he eventually came on staff. 00:18:53.920 --> 00:18:56.720 And then when I moved, he eventually moved with me. 00:18:57.440 --> 00:19:01.920 Craig has a motivational gift he always wants to serve. 00:19:02.240 --> 00:19:12.640 He expresses it through organizing organizations and pastor teaching and providing specific help to individuals, especially when there's a problem. 00:19:13.759 --> 00:19:19.440 Now, if you would take some of those circles, then what you could do is put an arrow over to wisdom. 00:19:19.680 --> 00:19:24.559 People wondering, well, what should I do and what's my best role in this church or this organization? 00:19:24.720 --> 00:19:26.799 You could put another arrow over to knowledge. 00:19:27.039 --> 00:19:30.799 Oh, I didn't know this about me, or I didn't know this is how things worked. 00:19:30.960 --> 00:19:33.279 And then you could put an arrow down to discernment. 00:19:33.359 --> 00:19:37.440 Because one of the things he does for us is he works with our HR department. 00:19:37.599 --> 00:19:43.440 And he he watches, we go through such a process, it makes me crazy because of my gifts and personality. 00:19:43.680 --> 00:19:46.400 We take so long to hire people, it makes me nuts. 00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:49.920 Hey, they're a good fit, I think they'll do great, they got a great background, let's go. 00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:51.839 They don't do that where I work. 00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:58.240 They go through all this process, then they meet team members, then they go through more of a process, then they go through member multiple interviews. 00:19:58.400 --> 00:20:01.440 And Greg is always saying, it needs to be a fit. 00:20:01.599 --> 00:20:07.440 This is the season we're in, this is the season this person is in, this is how it fits together. 00:20:07.599 --> 00:20:12.799 And then over time, you know, if you're in an organization for a long time, the organization grows and people grow. 00:20:12.960 --> 00:20:21.920 And sometimes people keep up with the growth, or sometimes the organization grows, and what you hired them for, really they're not good at that anymore. 00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:25.359 Actually, they're actually good at something else that you learned. 00:20:25.599 --> 00:20:28.880 So he pastor teaches people through the organization. 00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:35.519 And some uh we just have a guy who came in, uh, he used to be in charge of all the fulfillment and ran a big warehouse. 00:20:35.680 --> 00:20:47.440 And the more we got to know him, what Greg discovered was he's got this heart, he has this hidden theological training, and what he wants to do is coach and help different pastors and people that call in. 00:20:47.599 --> 00:20:49.599 So we moved him out of that over to here. 00:20:49.759 --> 00:20:57.920 Other people, their season was different, they needed to be in another organization because they had more of a passion for evangelism or something that we're not as good at. 00:20:58.160 --> 00:21:10.000 All I can tell you is because he understands his motivational gift, what his ministry gifts are, the impact in the lives of people, it's amazing what happens. 00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:24.960 And when people ask him to do all kinds of things because he's good in technology and he's good in this and he's good at that, he has the freedom to say, thank you, but I need to say, everyone keeps wanting to promote him because he makes everything work. 00:21:25.200 --> 00:21:26.880 He says, No, no, no, you understand. 00:21:27.039 --> 00:21:30.000 I'm a manager, I understand leadership. 00:21:30.160 --> 00:21:44.319 Uh, in fact, at one point in time we had a major shift in the organization, and we brought in a consultant, and when he helped us develop a new strategic plan, he said, you know, I got to do this in a really big way over here, and I've been consulting, but I kind of helped you write this plan. 00:21:44.400 --> 00:21:46.559 I I'd actually like to lead it. 00:21:46.960 --> 00:21:52.960 I said, Well, but since you did the evaluation, I couldn't pay, I couldn't pay you half of what you've made anywhere else. 00:21:53.200 --> 00:21:55.279 And he looked at me and goes, Oh, that'd be okay. 00:21:55.920 --> 00:21:56.720 I said, What? 00:21:56.960 --> 00:21:58.240 He said, Yeah, that'd be okay. 00:21:58.319 --> 00:21:59.759 I I I just I just see the potential. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:00.720 You're here. 00:22:00.880 --> 00:22:04.480 And I had a little meeting with Greg, who was my chief operating officer at the time. 00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:08.559 He goes, you know, if we hire that guy, I need to report to him, not to you. 00:22:09.680 --> 00:22:14.720 So, see, in other words, what he got was, this is who I made to be. 00:22:15.039 --> 00:22:17.680 The role, the title's not important. 00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:19.759 I need to do what I need to do. 00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:20.960 We hired that guy. 00:22:21.119 --> 00:22:22.799 He's been with us for over 10 years. 00:22:23.039 --> 00:22:33.839 The organization exploded under his leadership, and Greg has maintained managing one of our offices and helping people in ways because he says, you know what brings me joy? 00:22:34.160 --> 00:22:35.920 Being in my sweet spot. 00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:38.480 What brings me joy is not what other people think of me. 00:22:38.640 --> 00:22:42.240 What brings me joy is not, you know, I got a, you know, a higher level. 00:22:42.400 --> 00:22:49.920 Now he's a senior VP, probably more because of all of his history, not because of necessarily the role that he has in the organization. 00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:54.079 But what he's done is he's understood this is where I serve best. 00:22:54.480 --> 00:23:04.000 My wife, if you put a box around the area where it says exhortation in the ministry one, that's a person who comes along to comfort and encourage people to spiritual growth. 00:23:04.240 --> 00:23:08.799 We get the same word for the Holy Spirit, peracleo, someone who's called alongside. 00:23:08.960 --> 00:23:15.279 She gets called alongside, usually hurting women, because God just doesn't use your gifts. 00:23:15.359 --> 00:23:17.680 He uses your hurts and your family of origin. 00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:20.960 And she's been through all kinds of pain and all kinds of rejection. 00:23:21.279 --> 00:23:32.960 So for 40-some years, I've watched people around our table be women, especially who hurting and struggle, rejection, been abused, been walked out on. 00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:49.440 And so she wants to come alongside, but her ministry gifts, if if you would put a box around that, you know, over here where it says encouragement, you could take her ministry gifts and you would put a box around teacher, and then you put a box around, actually has a gift of administration as well. 00:23:49.599 --> 00:23:52.079 And I think she has some gifts of healing. 00:23:52.400 --> 00:23:57.200 Now, now not in the not in the uh, we always think of the ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba. 00:23:57.440 --> 00:23:58.559 Now we've prayed for people. 00:23:58.720 --> 00:24:06.400 I'm gonna talk about healing in just a minute, but I've watched marriages heal, women's self-image heal. 00:24:06.559 --> 00:24:12.319 I've watched people that people had given up on, you know, living on the streets. 00:24:12.559 --> 00:24:21.119 And after time with my wife over time and bringing them into community and leading them to the Lord, and what you I watch healing occur. 00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:24.319 Well, the manifestations are, so you get the idea? 00:24:24.559 --> 00:24:27.599 I could just go through person after person after person. 00:24:28.079 --> 00:24:29.359 Can you imagine? 00:24:29.599 --> 00:24:30.240 Pause. 00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:37.759 Can you imagine what would happen if you knew for sure which of these seven is the driving factor? 00:24:38.079 --> 00:24:42.079 And by the way, as you go through this list, you realize at least two of them. 00:24:42.319 --> 00:24:47.839 You know, the prophecy is not only a motivational gift, but look at the second column. 00:24:48.079 --> 00:24:50.079 It can also be a ministry gift. 00:24:50.400 --> 00:24:55.680 A person, I have a good friend who's a worship pastor whose primary, are you ready? 00:24:55.839 --> 00:24:58.240 His primary ministry gifting is mercy. 00:24:58.480 --> 00:25:00.000 He just feels for people. 00:25:00.240 --> 00:25:01.759 He just feels for people. 00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:04.960 He so hurts for people that motivates him. 00:25:05.119 --> 00:25:13.200 But he creates experiences through music and through art and through video that proclaims boldly. 00:25:13.440 --> 00:25:20.319 But his motivation is not to be a producer, his motivation is he sees hurting people when he wants to help hurting people. 00:25:20.559 --> 00:25:28.480 When you get clear on these things, because if you're good at something, everyone will want to stick you in a box where you can be productive for them. 00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:53.119 And God instead has created you not with a box, but with a gift and with ministries and with ability that as you do those things, then what happens is people receive wisdom as you exercise your gifts, or people receive healing or knowledge or uh discernment about how to make a decision. 00:25:53.519 --> 00:25:56.240 And so that's how those three work together. 00:25:56.400 --> 00:26:05.519 Then you notice under this, it says, Now to each one, the manifestation of the spirit is given for the common good. 00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:16.400 This isn't um spiritual gifts, are not uh what what's what's a little thing you guys are into way more than me at this stage of my life? 00:26:16.480 --> 00:26:20.559 You know, you're I'm a two or I'm an eight, or there you go. 00:26:23.599 --> 00:26:29.599 I mean, there's like this, right, M MPI, and I mean, we are all fascinated, right? 00:26:29.680 --> 00:26:34.799 Almost all of us will take a test because this is this is human nature. 00:26:34.880 --> 00:26:36.319 This does not make us bad. 00:26:36.559 --> 00:26:44.000 If you walk by like glass that's reflective, or walk by a mirror, guess what you do? 00:26:45.519 --> 00:26:46.960 You do the same thing I do. 00:26:52.640 --> 00:26:53.279 Right? 00:26:54.160 --> 00:26:57.200 You can't walk by a mirror and not look at yourself. 00:26:57.599 --> 00:27:06.000 One of the challenges with all the inventories and tests that we have, we we have what I call the the gazing of the navel. 00:27:06.960 --> 00:27:16.000 I'm a two, I'm an eight, well, I'm a I'm a I'm a 7.3, well, I'm a D on the disc, but I'm an I over here, but on the NMP, I'm an introvert, well, I'm an extrovert, well, I'm a this one. 00:27:16.079 --> 00:27:18.559 I process, you know, and pretty soon we make it. 00:27:18.720 --> 00:27:19.359 Are you ready? 00:27:19.599 --> 00:27:21.519 All about us. 00:27:23.839 --> 00:27:26.240 And those inventories can be very helpful. 00:27:26.400 --> 00:27:31.279 In fact, I just gave you a QR code that's gonna help you in about five different areas. 00:27:31.839 --> 00:27:33.440 But this passage says what? 00:27:33.759 --> 00:27:36.640 For the common good. 00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:40.720 See, there's this weird principle that Jesus taught. 00:27:40.960 --> 00:27:44.480 He came, and you know, you've heard that word, the kingdom of God. 00:27:44.720 --> 00:27:46.720 He came, and there's the kingdom of this world. 00:27:46.799 --> 00:27:49.680 In other words, all that is is how life works here. 00:27:49.920 --> 00:27:54.480 Get, get, get, take, take, take, power, power, power, me, me, me. 00:27:54.720 --> 00:27:59.599 Now we we can spiritualize it, but the human nature, that's what it is. 00:27:59.759 --> 00:28:06.079 And he flipped it and he modeled, give and it'll be given unto you. 00:28:06.319 --> 00:28:10.559 For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve. 00:28:10.960 --> 00:28:13.359 And it's in giving that you receive. 00:28:13.440 --> 00:28:17.839 It's when you die to yourself that you experience real life. 00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:24.640 And so, what spiritual gifts are are an ability to be developed to serve and love others. 00:28:24.880 --> 00:28:29.680 And as you do that, their lives are touched and improved. 00:28:29.920 --> 00:28:36.319 And what happens is you receive this amazing joy as you give your life away. 00:28:36.720 --> 00:28:40.160 And so that's the whole point behind spiritual gifts. 00:28:40.319 --> 00:28:47.359 Now, there's a couple things that have been very uh confusing, controversial, and get people in arguments. 00:28:47.599 --> 00:29:00.000 And so uh if you went through them, like I've I've got mine open, if you go to the second page, uh miracles, healing, uh, not wisdom and knowledge, depending on how people uh describe those. 00:29:00.240 --> 00:29:04.240 Back page, distinguishing of spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues. 00:29:04.559 --> 00:29:09.119 There's there's there's probably three or four different views of all those things. 00:29:09.279 --> 00:29:22.079 But the two major views are one is all the really supernatural kind of things like healing or speaking in another language that you don't know, or understanding another language you don't know, or actual miracles. 00:29:22.319 --> 00:29:26.319 That happened in the first century with the early apostles, and it doesn't happen anymore. 00:29:26.480 --> 00:29:32.400 And the other view would be uh God does anything anytime and he can do it. 00:29:32.559 --> 00:29:45.359 In fact, but but over here is and it has to happen all the time, exactly the way it happened in the first century, and if it's not happening with the same regularity, it's because people don't have enough faith and it's all their fault. 00:29:45.599 --> 00:30:03.759 And I would say what the third and the balanced position is, and this is this is where God led me, all the definitions I gave you, uh I just studied every single one of the gifts, and I'm not the smartest guy in the world, but I looked at all the smartest people that I knew of, and then because of where I went to school, you had to learn all the languages. 00:30:03.839 --> 00:30:18.240 So, in all the original languages, I looked at every verse that had every one of these and came up with a definition that the Bible actually says, along with kind of checking my own air by some of the wisest people that I know. 00:30:18.480 --> 00:30:26.720 And here's what I've learned: what I've learned is that we need to be completely word-centered in anything about gifts or anything else. 00:30:26.880 --> 00:30:30.559 If it doesn't line up with scripture, it's not true and it's wrong. 00:30:30.799 --> 00:30:39.119 And second, we need to be open to whatever the Spirit of God would want to do, and that we're in fact a body. 00:30:39.440 --> 00:30:46.240 And the two major, I would just say, heresies that are killing the church and became so vivid over COVID. 00:30:46.480 --> 00:30:48.720 One is the prosperity gospel. 00:30:48.880 --> 00:30:54.640 This this is that God wants everyone to be healthy, wealthy, and wise, and Jesus came to make your life happy. 00:30:54.799 --> 00:31:04.160 And the pandemic happened, and we were with all these pastors in India and especially in Africa and parts of South America, and all the prosperity teachers were dying. 00:31:04.640 --> 00:31:07.599 And these poorest people had been giving their money to someone. 00:31:07.759 --> 00:31:10.480 If I give him a dollar, you know, I'll get$10 back. 00:31:10.640 --> 00:31:12.960 If I give$100, I'll get$1,000 back. 00:31:13.119 --> 00:31:17.599 And it was this whole give to get, just a corruption. 00:31:19.440 --> 00:31:27.759 And God says, no, we've been given gifts and we're to be generous with our time and our energy and money with no thought of return. 00:31:28.079 --> 00:31:35.839 And the expectations are that God will be with us through all things, but he doesn't promise to deliver us out of everything. 00:31:36.480 --> 00:31:38.000 I mean, think think about this. 00:31:38.240 --> 00:31:44.079 Um, you know, eleven of the 12 apostles were in the center of God's will. 00:31:44.240 --> 00:31:49.200 They preached the gospel, they literally turned the world upside down in one generation. 00:31:49.440 --> 00:31:52.240 Can anyone remember how their lives ended? 00:31:54.160 --> 00:31:56.240 11 of the 12 were martyred. 00:31:56.799 --> 00:31:57.519 What does that mean? 00:31:57.680 --> 00:31:59.200 They didn't have enough faith. 00:32:00.480 --> 00:32:03.839 See, suffering is a part of life. 00:32:04.880 --> 00:32:16.960 In fact, the end of Philippians 1, we're reminded it has been, the word is root word for grace, it has been granted to you not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake. 00:32:17.519 --> 00:32:19.519 And so our expectations are not. 00:32:19.680 --> 00:32:25.920 If we love Jesus and read the Bible and are generous with our money, our lives are going to be, you know, suffering free. 00:32:26.240 --> 00:32:29.119 God sometimes delivers us out of things miraculously. 00:32:29.200 --> 00:32:30.559 That's what I always pray. 00:32:30.720 --> 00:32:31.680 Option one. 00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:33.680 The more common is option B. 00:32:33.839 --> 00:32:37.279 He delivers us through things by perseverance. 00:32:37.440 --> 00:32:40.720 And sometimes he delivers us unto himself. 00:32:41.200 --> 00:32:50.400 There's some saints, very young and middle-aged and some old, that they are so precious to God, precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his godly ones. 00:32:50.640 --> 00:32:53.759 And so we need to have this eternal perspective. 00:32:54.640 --> 00:32:57.839 The second one is this the issue of the healings and miracles. 00:32:57.920 --> 00:33:05.519 And, you know, we have, you know, if you turn on the TV, you know, by the way, there's some really good Christian teaching on TV. 00:33:06.240 --> 00:33:10.640 But of all the Christian teaching on TV, the really good is about like this. 00:33:10.799 --> 00:33:13.279 And there's a lot of stuff out there. 00:33:13.839 --> 00:33:22.960 And a lot of stuff that, you know, I didn't become a Christian because when I turned on the TV, and there was only three channels back then, I thought, who are the idiots that would believe these people? 00:33:23.519 --> 00:33:26.160 I mean, money, money, money, gimme, gimme, gimme. 00:33:26.960 --> 00:33:32.559 And so the the danger, however, is is that the baby gets thrown out with the bathwater. 00:33:33.200 --> 00:33:38.319 And so what I what I want you to understand is this is God can do anything. 00:33:39.359 --> 00:33:51.680 But he doesn't do it just if you have faith, or the problem with any issue of not a miracle didn't happen or someone wasn't healed, the issue isn't just because someone doesn't have faith. 00:33:52.240 --> 00:33:58.079 This air that, you know, by his stripes we were healed there for healings in the atonement, that's absolutely true. 00:33:58.160 --> 00:34:00.319 But salvation is in the atonement as well. 00:34:00.559 --> 00:34:07.200 And salvation is there's some immediate results, and then there's some that won't be realized until we meet Jesus face to face. 00:34:07.599 --> 00:34:11.360 And so, yes, we're told to pray and to ask God. 00:34:11.599 --> 00:34:13.760 I've laid, I've laid hands on people. 00:34:13.920 --> 00:34:19.679 In fact, uh my my grandson saw a healing when they went down to Mexico that he shared just a few weeks ago. 00:34:19.920 --> 00:34:24.960 And I've prayed for people, and I've seen a brain tumor gone the next day. 00:34:25.039 --> 00:34:26.960 I I've seen miraculous things. 00:34:27.119 --> 00:34:33.199 But I've also prayed and have many friends, pastors here and all around the world, and people who love God. 00:34:33.519 --> 00:34:36.159 And two weeks later I buried them. 00:34:36.400 --> 00:34:38.800 Or three months later, I buried them. 00:34:39.039 --> 00:34:51.840 And and the sort of the word faith movement that you'll hear out there is if you just believe, if if you just believe, if in other words, if your cancer doesn't go away, if your leg isn't healed, if this doesn't happen, you don't have enough faith. 00:34:52.000 --> 00:34:55.199 And so all the onus is on the people out there. 00:34:55.360 --> 00:34:58.719 I've studied every single miracle in the New Testament. 00:34:58.880 --> 00:35:06.719 And I'd encourage you, if this is an issue, go through and look, go just go, every miracle, go through and just list it on an Excel sheet. 00:35:06.800 --> 00:35:09.840 I almost said a yellow pad that that would date me yet again. 00:35:10.079 --> 00:35:11.760 I did it on a yellow pad. 00:35:11.920 --> 00:35:14.960 And what you'll find is this is an unbeliever that has no faith. 00:35:15.119 --> 00:35:15.679 Be healed. 00:35:15.840 --> 00:35:19.039 They are over here, daughter, your faith has made you well. 00:35:19.199 --> 00:35:19.599 Boom. 00:35:19.760 --> 00:35:21.119 Over here, no faith. 00:35:21.280 --> 00:35:23.679 There is no formula whatsoever. 00:35:24.000 --> 00:35:26.000 Here's what I want you to know. 00:35:26.400 --> 00:35:34.239 We need to be men and women that soak our mind like the one group that I was around and memorize and meditate on the scripture. 00:35:34.400 --> 00:35:43.599 And then we need to be like my Pentecostal, my charismatic brother, and have the supernatural worldview and say, why don't we open all these things in Ethiopia and Africa and India? 00:35:43.679 --> 00:35:44.880 And why do we do it now? 00:35:45.119 --> 00:35:47.679 And conservative people say, because we don't have any money. 00:35:47.760 --> 00:35:48.880 Well, won't God provide? 00:35:49.039 --> 00:35:49.360 Yeah. 00:35:49.599 --> 00:35:51.199 Well, when we get the money, we'll go. 00:35:51.280 --> 00:35:56.639 And my Pentecostal brothers will say, Don't you have to put your foot in the water before the Red Sea parted? 00:35:56.719 --> 00:35:59.440 And they'll go, Yes, it does say that. 00:35:59.519 --> 00:36:05.920 And so my Pentecostal brothers, most everything we do around the world is because it's not how what they believe about gifts. 00:36:06.079 --> 00:36:09.760 They believe God wants to show up in supernatural ways. 00:36:09.840 --> 00:36:11.440 Here's the question do you? 00:36:14.079 --> 00:36:20.719 My more word-oriented men and women are saying, yes, let's learn from our Pentecostal brothers. 00:36:20.880 --> 00:36:26.320 And by the way, let's learn to worship like they do too, because we're so inhibited and they're so free. 00:36:26.639 --> 00:36:31.679 But if you listen to this side of it, sometimes everything's based on emotion or experience. 00:36:31.840 --> 00:36:33.679 Every group has their air. 00:36:34.079 --> 00:36:36.880 What we need to do is learn from the different groups. 00:36:37.199 --> 00:36:38.239 Multiple gifts. 00:36:38.400 --> 00:36:44.880 My reformed brother have this amazing high view of God, and they have such a central focus on the gospel. 00:36:45.519 --> 00:36:49.360 My dispensational brothers have such a sense of dividing the word. 00:36:49.760 --> 00:36:52.719 And some of you are saying, what's a dispensational brother and a reform brother? 00:36:52.880 --> 00:36:53.599 Don't worry about it. 00:36:53.679 --> 00:36:54.800 If you know about it, great. 00:36:54.960 --> 00:36:56.400 If not, forget it. 00:36:56.800 --> 00:36:58.639 But here's what I want you to get. 00:37:00.480 --> 00:37:04.239 We can learn from one another as we exercise our gifts. 00:37:05.599 --> 00:37:15.199 And I just cannot encourage you enough to recognize that you're so valuable to Jesus. 00:37:16.960 --> 00:37:28.559 And his stamp of affirmation that you matter, that you have a purpose, that you can be used by him to be a part of a transformation. 00:37:28.800 --> 00:37:34.320 And sometimes it's wisdom, sometimes it's knowledge, sometimes it's healing, sometimes it's insight. 00:37:34.559 --> 00:37:42.400 But you can be an instrument that can change the course of fellow believers and unbelievers' lives forever. 00:37:43.840 --> 00:37:49.360 But if spiritual gifts are, well, you know, it's kind of confused, and I heard people argue, I'm not sure that's big a deal. 00:37:49.440 --> 00:37:50.159 I got news. 00:37:50.800 --> 00:37:52.400 It's a really big deal. 00:37:55.440 --> 00:37:56.800 And you really matter. 00:37:58.400 --> 00:38:01.360 Can I encourage you to determine today? 00:38:02.000 --> 00:38:06.239 I'm going to discover a motivational gift. 00:38:07.519 --> 00:38:12.480 I'm going to take that test and find out sort of how God has wired me. 00:38:13.119 --> 00:38:27.199 And then I'm going to jump in the deep end of the pool, talk with a couple friends, maybe a small group, and I'm going to at least start trying some things that I seem to be gifted to do and see what God does. 00:38:28.400 --> 00:38:29.039 Sound good? 00:38:30.079 --> 00:39:08.480 Why don't you stand as Ryan comes and gives us a benediction to go forth and fulfill what God's made us to do and called us to do.com slash cards.