The Giftings of the Holy Spirit

This week our Crossroads class is combined with the DTS class, which is essentially the same as what we're doing, but for the "younger set"...it's been fun to be combined with them, because I guess I'm just young at heart and like to get right in there with 'em! It's been fun to razz them and throw paper wads at the guys in front of us who like to tease us and give us a hard time.

Our lectures this week have centered around the giftings of the Holy Spirit, with the basic premise of "demystifying" the gifts. I admit that I've had that "oooh aaaah" feeling about the more "out there" gifts...the twilight zoney ones (you know...prophecy, speaking in tongues, healing, etc...). It's been good to bring them into the everyday, normal living sort of framework.

We started by talking about the "office" gifts....like evangelist, pastor, teacher, etc....the ones that are for equipping people to do what they've been called to do - those are pretty straight forward. Then we moved on to the motivational gifts, which are the gifts that we are created for - prophecy, helps, teaching, exhortation, giving, administration and mercy. As suspected, my gifts are in the area of mercy and hospitality (giving). These are all pretty easy to grasp.

Today we moved on to the manifestation gifts, which are tools that help you to fulfill the motivatinoal gifts....these are the ones that can seem a little "twilighty", but our teacher was really able to put them into an everyday context. For example, have you ever been talking with someone and as you're talking you say something and they are like "wow - how did you know that?" or "you don't even know how much that means to me, what you just said"...well, that would be the gift of a word of knowledge. Or, another example...say you are having a problem and trying to figure out a way to deal with it. Suddenly, an idea comes to mind of how to resolve it...that would be a word of wisdom. Pretty simple, huh? It sure made me see that I've had these gifts and used them, but never had identified them as such before.

One thing that was SO important to me personally was talking about when people abuse the gifts of the Holy Spirit - I have been so suspicious of people who do all that "voodoo" stuff and knock people over and get all wild and crazy, yelling and talking in tongues and the total chaos - I've been hurt by this personally, but I've also just seen such a negative impact it has. I think this has kept me from embracing the Holy Spirit - but it comes down to the fact that I was judging the Holy Spirit based on man, not on who God is. Well - as it turns out...when people are working in the Holy Spirit, they can become knowledgeable as to how to "tap into" that power, so to speak...and so then, even if that person starts going down the wrong road - with control or immoral behavior or manipulation or whatever...all the bad things we associate with people who misuse the name of God - well, they can STILL tap into that power...God doesn't take it away! In the Bible it says that the gifts are essentially non-returnable - so once you have them, you can continue to use them - EVEN IF you are not living out a Godly life. It comes down to the fact that God is so DESPERATE to communicate with us that he'll even use really screwed up people - I guess just like he used the donkey, huh? Haha. But, the bottom line is that we ALWAYS, ALWAYS need to test the spirits and we ALWAYS need to remember that just because someone can work within the power of the Holy Spirit and can use these gifts...it is NO reflection on their moral character! I really needed to hear that and keep that one in my mind, and it relieves me from feeling like I have to believe someone just because they "seem" powerful in the Lord...

Today we got into small groups and, once again, prayed over each other. I just love that so much - it's so awesome to get a word from God through someone else! It is always very encouraging. We got into our outreach group for Fiji...we have such a fantastic group - it's going to be so awesome!!! As I am listening to God more, and recognizing His voice, I'm getting all sorts of pictures in my head, and my art has really taken off!! I've started a journal just specifically for pictures I see, so it's cool.

One area I continue to be so blessed in and feel such privelege to be part of is to watch Sierra. It's just been amazing. As you might remember, she is just crying OUT for a daddy from the depths of her heart and we've been praying about this and also just talking about the fact that a human daddy will not meet all of her needs or make her life perfect and that he'll be flawed and imperfect, but that God still wants to meet that desire of her heart. God is her perfect daddy, and to learn to really lean on him and trust him and let him love her (sort of like me...and all of us!!). Anyway, as we are continuing through the school it is just so awesome to see her opening up to that and to see her stepping out in faith - she's been raising her hands in worship and praying really awesome and intense prayers - even with other adults and kids around! She and two of her friends have started a Bible study and devotional time after school and she is just thrilled to go to Youth Group on Thursday nights. She's been seeing visions and hearing God speaking to her, too! It's just awesome. It's also just such a privelege to have her in the ICS school here on base where the kids pray together and the teacher prays with them and over them and encourages them in their faith - it really is just an amazing thing.

We've been working on learning some sign language to songs and some skits...it's really fun!! That is definitely an area I will enjoy!!

Well - that's alll for now...hope all are well! God Bless!