The California Collection/TheCaliforniaCollection.cdr/his122/charis8.lzh/CHARIS8.TXT

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MOV:Spiritual Gifts, Are they for today?  (another view)

   HAVE SPIRITUAL GIFTS STOPPED?

   Please answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper
and mail them back so that we might "present everyone perfect" in
Christ, (Colossians 1:28)

   Acts 2:17-18 "`In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit
on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men
will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants,
both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they
will prophesy."

   [1] On whom did Peter say God would pour out His Holy Spirit? And do
we live in the "last days"?

   [2] What will be some of the things that will take place when this
happens?

   [3] So can we safely say, so far, that "dreams" and "visions" have
not stopped?

   Acts 2:39 "The promise is for you and your children and for all who
are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call."

   [4] The promise of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost is for whom?

   I Corinthians 12:4-7 "There are different kinds of gifts, but the
same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.
There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of
them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is
given for the common good."

   [5] Does God work His gifts in only the New Testament times? Or in a
selected group 12 apostles? Who actually works these gifts of the
Spirit?

   [6] It says here that "God" works these gifts in me, so do I need
one of the 12 apostles to lay hands on me?

   [7] According to verse 7 it says that to "each one" of us "the
manifestation" of the Spirit is given. Does that apply to you?

   I Corinthians 12:27-31 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one
of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of
all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of
miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help
others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in
different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all
teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all
speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater
gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.

   [8] What are you to "eagerly desire"?

   John 14:11-12 "Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the
Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles
themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do
what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these,
because I am going to the Father."

   [9] Does John 14 say that only a select few can do miracles?

   [10] What is required for miracles to work in your life?

   Luke 9:1-2 "When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them
power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and
he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick."

   [11] How many did Jesus appoint to do miracles here?

   Luke 10:1-2 "After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and
sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was
about to go. He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers
are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers
into his harvest field."

   Luke 10:17 "The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even
the demons submit to us in your name."

   [12] How many did Jesus appoint here?

   [13] Were they able to do miraculous things also?~

   [14] Jesus says the workers who have faith to be appointed are few.
Are you one of the few?~

   Mark 9:38-40 "Teacher, " said John, "we saw a man driving out demons
in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."
"Do not stop him, " Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name
can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not
against us is for us."

   [15] The teaching and attitude that says only the 12 apostles can do
miracles, is this a teaching that Jesus approves of?

   [16] If someone is truly doing miracles in Jesus are you permitted
to stop them?

   [17] Would you be permitted to stop someone from speaking in tongues
if they were doing it orderly in the Lord? (I Corinthians 14:39
Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid
speaking in tongues.)

   I Corinthians 12:11 "All these are the work of one and the same
Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines."~

   [18] Again, who gives spiritual gifts?

   THE PERFECTION TO COME

   Romans 12:6-8 "We have different gifts, according to the grace given
us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his
faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him
teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing
to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership,
let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it
cheerfully."

   MIRROR

   [19] If you say that miraculous gifts have stopped, what other gift
must we also say have stopped? (To assume that gifts have stopped we
must say all gifts have stopped i.e. teachers, evangelist, those able
to help others and those with the gift of administration. Are you
prepared to do this?)

   I Corinthians 13:8-13 "Love never fails. But where there are
prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be
stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in
part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect
disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a
child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish
ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then
we shall see face to

   face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am
fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the
greatest of these is love."

   [20] After reading the following passage explain what Paul means
when he says we shall see "face to face". In short, what is the
"perfect" that will come?

   [21] Is the "perfect" that is to come a Bible with ink, footnotes,
index and concordance? Is that what you consider to be perfect?

   COMMENT:

   This passage is not saying that when the "Bible" appears spiritual
gifts will stop. The perfection that is coming is Jesus! When we see
Jesus "face to face" then we shall no longer need spiritual gifts. The
Bible does not have a face. The Bible is not what your gospel is to be
about. That is, a Bible with ink. For as Paul says,~

   II Corinthians 3:3 "You show that you are a letter from Christ, the
result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the
living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts."

   One of the main reasons that churches and Christians do not believe
in spiritual gifts is because there religion is a matter of ink on
pages. Not contact with a living powerful God. What we "know in part"
is the living Word. And when we finally meet Him we shall see "him as
he is". At present, we see only in "part". The perfection has not come.
Read the following passages with this in mind.

   I John 3:2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we
will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears,
we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

   Colossians 3:1-4 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set
your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand
of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you
died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who
is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

   FACE

   II Corinthians 3:18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the
Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with
ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit

   You are being "transformed" and only know things in "part". But when
Jesus comes and you see Him clearly as He really is you shall be like
Him. As it is, our flesh, self and even churches distort who Jesus is.
We do not yet see or understand Him clearly at all. We desperately need
spiritual gifts in the Body to help us gain a deeper insight into who
Jesus is! Even the prophet Jeremiah knew that God never stops doing
miracles and giving gifts to men.

   Jeremiah 32:20 "Your eyes are open to all the ways of men; you
reward everyone according to his conduct and as his deeds deserve. You
performed miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt and have continued them
to this day, both in Israel and among all mankind, and have gained the
renown that is still yours."

   Luke 9:49-50 "Master, " said John, "we saw a man driving out demons
in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us."
"Do not stop him, " Jesus said, "for whoever is not against you is for
you."

   [21] Again, what is Jesus commanding you to do?

   CONCLUSION:

   Therefore, be assured spiritual gifts are very much needed and are
for today. They are to be used to build others up in the Lord*. So
begin to obey 1 Corinthians 14:1 that says, "eagerly desire spiritual
gifts".