Gifts or Maturity

“He [the Lord] made known His ways to Moses; His acts to the children of Israel” (Psalm 103:7)

“ For forty years I was grieved with that generation, and said ‘It is a people who go astray in their hearts, and they do not know My ways.’ So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest’” (Psalm 95:10,11)

It sounds like in these verses there were two different categories of Israelites whom the psalmist is referring to: (1) those who know God and understand Him and His ways of doing things; (2) those who only know God by His “acts”—or miracles.

The Israelites always had to see miracles in order to believe in the God who had brought them out of slavery!! They didn’t really know God or how He accomplished His purposes. In other words, they thought that the only way God acted, no matter the situation, was by performing a miracle. Miracles were the answer to everything. Sound familiar?

As charismatics we are quick to defend the functioning of the Gifts of the Spirit. I would like to suggest that the Gifts are not the goal in our lives or of those lives to whom we minister. God is forming something. Not just “church”—or especially not “church growth”. But He is after maturity!! One could have 50 Gifts operating through him, and yet be immature! We can see this demonstrated in history. But, even more evidentiary are the letters Paul wrote to the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians, chapters 12-14.) He chastises them for having all the Gifts going on yet they do not have love. They were immature and needed to grow up in Christ.

God is raising up His Bride. I don’t believe His desire is for this little bride trotting along behind him like a Japanese wife of the last century. He is forming a mature Bride who can assist in managing His Kingdom. At the same time, in a different metaphor, He is growing mature “sons” who, when they have reached the appropriate maturity under his tutor, will be “adopted” into mature sonship and assist Him in the business of His Kingdom. 

You don’t get that maturity by knowing God only by His “acts”.

(Continued in next blog post)

"Only a Vampire Will Love You Forever!"

It’s Halloween time again. And, no I haven’t been reading vampire stories or seeing the latest vampire movies.  I don’t celebrate Halloween—and can remember when I no longer could allow my little children to go trick-or-treating. That was back in the early ‘70’s and there had been many reports of poisoned candy and of razor blades hidden in apples. It hurt me to disappoint my children, but we explained to them about the holiday, and tried to make up for it with other plans, including candy. Churches, at that time, did not hold alternate “Fall” celebrations.

A few days ago, however, as I was shopping at Walmart I spied a rack of girls’ tee shirts with the above saying scrawled across the front: “Only a Vampire will love you forever!” At first I was shocked, then grieved. Of course words from the Bible came to my mind:

…….“God is love” (1 John 4:8)

…….“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16)

……."For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38,39)

What can one say? Our society is so messed up that it sends messages to its young girls that eternal love comes from vampires! Young girls who may indeed be starved for love. You may think, “It’s only a fad. It will pass.” Perhaps. But the fact remains that for our young people the darkness can be very dark.

Let us pray, share love, and hold up a godly standard.