Spiritual Gifts, Spiritual Maturity 11-29-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. As I listen, I ask You to lead. … "Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God's Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:14). Lord, I want to be a spiritual Christian. I want to grow up into spiritual maturity. Give me the humility and grace to receive, understand, and discern the gifts of Your Spirit. This is not foolishness, but faithfulness. You have called us and commanded us to "pursue love and strive for the spiritual gifts" (1 Corinthians 14:1). And our sin of disobedience as a church has left us weak and immature, as we have traded our birthright of experiencing the presence and power of God through our lives in order to appear a little more acceptable and a little less foolish in the eyes of the world. Lord, forgive us. Let the conviction of Your Word and Your truth expose our sin and lead us to repentance and restoration of our calling and destiny in You. Let us no longer be a church who are lovers of the acceptance of the world "rather than lovers of God, holding to the outward form of godliness but denying its power" (2 Timothy 3:4-5). Your spiritual gifts have spiritual purposes. You want to fill Your church with Your Spirit to display Your presence, Your wisdom, and Your power through Your people on earth (Ephesians 3:10). You want our lives, as Your church, to be "a demonstration of the Spirit and of power" (1 Corinthians 2:4). And You want our lives, as Your church, to display the nature of Your Spirit, bearing the fruit of Your Spirit to a world who needs to know You and the power of Your grace -- "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23). Only in the power of Your presence and the gifts of Your Spirit can we truly be Your witnesses to the ends of the earth, as You have called us and commanded us as Your church (Acts 1:8). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, I would appreciate your prayers for me next week as I spend some time writing and continuing my education to keep learning how minister in the love and power of God's Spirit, not my own wisdom: http://www.globalawakening.com And I pray for you, as the Lord continues to equip you and empower you to live out your calling and destiny in Christ in our generation. I like to give away a double portion and more of all I receive and as the Lord wills. You might be interested in coming to join us for our next School of Spiritual Ministry being taught in two levels in Lexington in January, 2009. Subscribe free by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Please Click Here to Order our Ministry Resources On-Line Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com