Rob Wilton

Thanks everyone for another amazing Sunday. I’m gonna let Pastor Brick write a blog about the Mardi Gras outreach. Big time thanks to Temple Baptist for serving with us today.

In regards to my sermon this week. I know that we had quite a few out because of Mardi Gras. Please go back and listen to the podcast. This is an important message for our church.

I have been asked to post the questions that one should ask as they consider these gifts. I got this idea from Mark Driscoll as he preached through this Text. I love that so many of you are studying, praying, and believing that God is going to give you clarity about your gifts. Read through this list and then pray the prayer my Uncle Buzz gave us last week.

I love you guys and I love being your pastor!

Rob

I Corinthians 12:8-11
8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

4 Groups of Spiritual Gifts:
*These gifts are not EXHAUSTIVE (not the super-list, might be others), EXCLUSIVE (not independent, might be a mix), or EXTENDED (not all the time, might be a moment)

WISDOM
Purpose: ability to take the principles of God’s word and practically apply them to the decisions of life.

Do you find practical application out of God’s Word fairly easy?
Do you help others practically apply the Word?
Do people come to you when needing some advice or next steps?
Do you receive quick wisdom from God as you counsel people?

KNOWLEDGE
Purpose: ability to research, remember, and make an effective use a variety of information on a number of diverse subjects in God’s Word.

Do you clearly understand God’s Word?
Do you love to study and can you retain large amounts of information?
Do you care deeply about right Doctrine?
Do you enjoyed helping the confused work through difficult teachings?

FAITH
Purpose: ability to envision what needs to be done and to trust God to accomplish it, even though it seems impossible to most people

Do you see obstacles as opportunities?
Do you always boast in the power of God?
Do you get motivated by new ministries?
Do you get aggravated by people who say “can’t”?
Do people come to you for hope?
Do you have a prayer ministry?

HEALING
Purpose: ability to call on God to heal the sick through supernatural means for the purpose of revealing God.

Do you have a burden for the sick?
Do you have a deep conviction that God can and does heal?
Do you enjoy praying for people who are sick?
Do you know of people being healed after you have prayed for them?

MIRACLES
Purpose: God shows up in some extraordinary way through you and you can’t account for it, it’s just God.

Do you truly believe that God can do the impossible?
Have you seen God perform miracles?
Do you have a passion for the miracles in Gods Word to be lived out today?

PROPHECY
Purpose: Ability to receive and share different visions and warnings that build up the church and glorify God.

Do you receive visions & warnings about the future that have come true?
Do you constantly live in the future, and thus are constantly frustrated by the present?
Do you boldly share with people when you see that they are headed in a bad direction?

DISCERNMENT
Purpose: Ability to determine what is from God and what isn’t from God, what is right and wrong, what is healthy and unhealthy.

Do you have a track record of making wise judgements with people and situations?
Do you recognize a false teacher or teaching?
Do you know of people who have listened to your counsel and have avoided a major problem?

TONGUES & INTERPRETATIONS
Purpose: Ability to speak and interpret a language for the purpose of building up the church.

Do you speak in an unknown tongue while you pray (home or church)?
Do you understand or have you had someone interpret this language when you have spoken it and then understood it?
Do you interpret with clarity someone’s spoken tongues?
Whether spoken or interpreting, has it built up the church?

Let’s pray and believe that the Holy Spirit desires to empower us:

Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus by the ministry of the Holy Spirit I believe in my heart that God has raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus you are Lord. Thank you for the authority that I have to live by your resurrection life through the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, I welcome your presence in my life and invite you to work in me and through me for the Glory of God. In Jesus Name, let it be so.