NO REWARD
THERE IS NO REWARD FOR BEING BEATEN FOR YOUR FAULTS AND STUPIDITY OR DOING THINGS IN THE FLESH?
Luke 12:47 And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.
1 Peter 2:20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.
Consider The Lilies Of The Field
“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Matthew 6:28–29
You may think that you must work very hard to provide for yourself and get ahead in life. But God wants you to consider the lilies of the field — they do nothing. They toil not, spin not and struggle not. Yet, they grow and are clothed by God while simply resting and basking in the sunshine of God’s love! And when God clothes them, they look even more glorious than King Solomon, the richest king who ever lived.
Like the lilies of the field, God wants you to let Him take care of providing for your material needs, instead of you striving to do it yourself. When you let go and let Him, you will see Him bless you supernaturally, abundantly and generously!
This is what happened to one of our church members who had been looking for a job. Initially, he received only two calls for interviews after sending out 12 résumés. Refusing to be discouraged, he believed that God wanted to bless him not just with a job, but with a position of influence too.
God was faithful. This church member soon became the business manager of an engineering company even though he had no engineering background. He was offered a very attractive remuneration package and within his first week on the job, was asked to quote on two projects. He knew that this was God’s doing because it was difficult enough just to secure an appointment with contract managers to discuss projects, let alone be asked to quote on not one but two projects. Before long, he was offered the position to run the entire Singapore subsidiary with only one other business development manager. He was then only 25 years old!
My friend, God can do for you what He did for this person. Just believe that if God clothes the lilies and grass of the field, which are here today and gone tomorrow, how much more will He clothe you, His eternal and precious child, with beauty and riches! All He asks is that you cease from your striving, allow Him to take over and just flow with Him!
Thought For The Day
When you let go and let God, you will see Him bless you supernaturally, abundantly and generously!
The Parallel Flow of the Spirit
"Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant.... The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills" (1 Cor. 12:1,7-11).
This passage talks about the nine spiritual gifts of the Spirit, but there is a lot of confusion about "praying in the spirit" and the gift of "different kinds of tongues." Much of the reason is because of avoidance, fear, and ignorance on the subject. Paul said here that he did not want us to be ignorant concerning spiritual gifts.
The word ignore is the root word for ignorance and ignorant. When you ignore something, you become ignorant and walk in ignorance. Because of past abuses and because of incorrect teaching, many ministries, pastors, and teachers have chosen to ignore anything in the Word concerning speaking in tongues.
This avoidance has left the church void of one of the greatest spiritual tools provided to the Church today. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 11:3 that the gospel was not complicated, but was actually quite simple. Anything avoided or feared will seem complicated, but understanding and truth bring clarity. For this reason, we must search the Word, study, and understand what the Holy Spirit teaches us about tongues.
Generally speaking, there is a parallel flow of the nine spiritual gifts. One flow operates through the will of the Spirit-filled believer and the other is manifested by the will, desire, and timing of the Holy Spirit. For example, wisdom is obtained by asking God. (James 1:5.) The word of wisdom is a gift of the Spirit. Knowledge is obtained by study of the Word. The word of knowledge is a gift of the Spirit. (1 Cor. 12:8.) Faith is obtained by hearing the Word. (Rom. 10:17.) The gift of faith is a gift of the Spirit. Praying in the spirit is a result of your desire to pray God's will in tongues. The gift of different kinds of tongues is a gift of the Holy Spirit that is distributed as He wills.
For this lesson we will only focus on the parallel flow of tongues, but before we do, we need to understand something about praying in tongues. Praying in tongues is available to all Spirit-filled believers. This can be done anytime. Praying in tongues is subject to the timing of the one praying in tongues. The Bible calls this praying with the spirit. (1 Cor. 14:15.) You can do this whenever you want to.
We are also told in the Bible that when we do not know how to pray, that the Spirit enables us to pray in such a way that He is actually interceding for us. In fact, when we pray in the spirit, we are praying the will of God.
"Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God" (Romans 8:26,27).
The great thing about praying the will of God is, when we pray His will, we are assured that He hears us and also that when He hears us, that we receive our request.
So when you pray in the spirit, you can be assured that you are praying God's will and that He is committed to fulfilling that prayer.
"Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him" (1 John 5:14,15).
Although operating in the gift of different kinds of tongues may sound or even seem the same as praying in tongues, it is actually quite different. While you can pray in the spirit (in tongues) anytime you want and there does not need to be an interpretation, the gift of different kinds of tongues is given by the Holy Spirit as He desires. The gift of tongues requires interpretation of tongues (another gift) in order to benefit all. (1 Cor. 12:10,11.)
Some denominations and ministries teach against the gifts of the Spirit and seem to focus on what they call the error of tongues. Sadly, because they don't understand the parallel flow of the Spirit they lump praying in the spirit and speaking in different kinds of tongues together as the same thing. Until this basic difference is understood, the scriptures on the gifts will seem confusing.
Remember, praying in the spirit is something you decide to do. Operating in the gift of tongues is something the Holy Spirit decides you are going to do and you yield to His will and His gift.
THERE IS NO REWARD FOR BEING BEATEN FOR YOUR FAULTS AND STUPIDITY OR DOING THINGS IN THE FLESH?
Luke 12:47 And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.
1 Peter 2:20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.
Consider The Lilies Of The Field
“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Matthew 6:28–29
You may think that you must work very hard to provide for yourself and get ahead in life. But God wants you to consider the lilies of the field — they do nothing. They toil not, spin not and struggle not. Yet, they grow and are clothed by God while simply resting and basking in the sunshine of God’s love! And when God clothes them, they look even more glorious than King Solomon, the richest king who ever lived.
Like the lilies of the field, God wants you to let Him take care of providing for your material needs, instead of you striving to do it yourself. When you let go and let Him, you will see Him bless you supernaturally, abundantly and generously!
This is what happened to one of our church members who had been looking for a job. Initially, he received only two calls for interviews after sending out 12 résumés. Refusing to be discouraged, he believed that God wanted to bless him not just with a job, but with a position of influence too.
God was faithful. This church member soon became the business manager of an engineering company even though he had no engineering background. He was offered a very attractive remuneration package and within his first week on the job, was asked to quote on two projects. He knew that this was God’s doing because it was difficult enough just to secure an appointment with contract managers to discuss projects, let alone be asked to quote on not one but two projects. Before long, he was offered the position to run the entire Singapore subsidiary with only one other business development manager. He was then only 25 years old!
My friend, God can do for you what He did for this person. Just believe that if God clothes the lilies and grass of the field, which are here today and gone tomorrow, how much more will He clothe you, His eternal and precious child, with beauty and riches! All He asks is that you cease from your striving, allow Him to take over and just flow with Him!
Thought For The Day
When you let go and let God, you will see Him bless you supernaturally, abundantly and generously!
The Parallel Flow of the Spirit
"Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant.... The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills" (1 Cor. 12:1,7-11).
This passage talks about the nine spiritual gifts of the Spirit, but there is a lot of confusion about "praying in the spirit" and the gift of "different kinds of tongues." Much of the reason is because of avoidance, fear, and ignorance on the subject. Paul said here that he did not want us to be ignorant concerning spiritual gifts.
The word ignore is the root word for ignorance and ignorant. When you ignore something, you become ignorant and walk in ignorance. Because of past abuses and because of incorrect teaching, many ministries, pastors, and teachers have chosen to ignore anything in the Word concerning speaking in tongues.
This avoidance has left the church void of one of the greatest spiritual tools provided to the Church today. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 11:3 that the gospel was not complicated, but was actually quite simple. Anything avoided or feared will seem complicated, but understanding and truth bring clarity. For this reason, we must search the Word, study, and understand what the Holy Spirit teaches us about tongues.
Generally speaking, there is a parallel flow of the nine spiritual gifts. One flow operates through the will of the Spirit-filled believer and the other is manifested by the will, desire, and timing of the Holy Spirit. For example, wisdom is obtained by asking God. (James 1:5.) The word of wisdom is a gift of the Spirit. Knowledge is obtained by study of the Word. The word of knowledge is a gift of the Spirit. (1 Cor. 12:8.) Faith is obtained by hearing the Word. (Rom. 10:17.) The gift of faith is a gift of the Spirit. Praying in the spirit is a result of your desire to pray God's will in tongues. The gift of different kinds of tongues is a gift of the Holy Spirit that is distributed as He wills.
For this lesson we will only focus on the parallel flow of tongues, but before we do, we need to understand something about praying in tongues. Praying in tongues is available to all Spirit-filled believers. This can be done anytime. Praying in tongues is subject to the timing of the one praying in tongues. The Bible calls this praying with the spirit. (1 Cor. 14:15.) You can do this whenever you want to.
We are also told in the Bible that when we do not know how to pray, that the Spirit enables us to pray in such a way that He is actually interceding for us. In fact, when we pray in the spirit, we are praying the will of God.
"Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God" (Romans 8:26,27).
The great thing about praying the will of God is, when we pray His will, we are assured that He hears us and also that when He hears us, that we receive our request.
So when you pray in the spirit, you can be assured that you are praying God's will and that He is committed to fulfilling that prayer.
"Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him" (1 John 5:14,15).
Although operating in the gift of different kinds of tongues may sound or even seem the same as praying in tongues, it is actually quite different. While you can pray in the spirit (in tongues) anytime you want and there does not need to be an interpretation, the gift of different kinds of tongues is given by the Holy Spirit as He desires. The gift of tongues requires interpretation of tongues (another gift) in order to benefit all. (1 Cor. 12:10,11.)
Some denominations and ministries teach against the gifts of the Spirit and seem to focus on what they call the error of tongues. Sadly, because they don't understand the parallel flow of the Spirit they lump praying in the spirit and speaking in different kinds of tongues together as the same thing. Until this basic difference is understood, the scriptures on the gifts will seem confusing.
Remember, praying in the spirit is something you decide to do. Operating in the gift of tongues is something the Holy Spirit decides you are going to do and you yield to His will and His gift.
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