Lent 23 Gifts of Administration Part 3
When you sit down to work out a puzzle you find a box full of pieces cut in different ways, shapes and colors that take time to fit together. You are usually given a picture of the finished product. You try and put it all together by matching lines, colors and shapes. Apply the same idea to a congregation of people. Everyone has a unique personality, different ideas, skills and behaviors. If they are believers they have different spiritual…
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Added by HKHaugan on March 29, 2010 at 1:21pm —
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"The weather’s right. Ain’t time for speculatin.’ It’s time to choose. It’s time to get in the boat. It’s time to fish or cut bait. “
It certainly was no coincidence Jesus picked four fishermen to be His first disciples. It was not only their occupation that would set up the symbolic parallel to catching people but also its structure and equipment necessary to get it done. Let’s look at that before we get into the specifics of administration in the Body.
Obviously three…
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Added by HKHaugan on March 29, 2010 at 10:15am —
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Lent 21 The Gifts of Administration---Part 1
“And in the church God has appointed…those with gifts of administration…(1Cor.12:28).”
Three questions stand out immediately when administration is mentioned, what is its meaning, use and application?
First, its meaning. The Greek word is ‘kubernaseis’. Properly defined it is translated as ‘governings’ in the KJV. It involves overseeing and organizing activities in the Body of Christ.
Second, its use. In Jesus’ day it was widely…
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Added by HKHaugan on March 27, 2010 at 5:00pm —
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When we look at Scripture the Greek word for pastor is ‘poimen’ meaning shepherd. Further it is used in conjunction with ‘didaskolon’---teacher, as in Eph.4:11. So technically, it refers to congregational leaders who are called to ‘shepherd’ the ‘flock (Body of Christ).’ Jesus refers to Himself as the ‘Good Shepherd (Jn.10:14),’ the good pastor-teacher, who cares for the ‘sheep.’ He is the example of the kind of attitudinal approach marking the pastor-teacher.
But we also have Paul…
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Added by HKHaugan on March 25, 2010 at 4:59pm —
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“Don’t ask me to lead or to speak. They make me uncomfortable. But if you have something you would like to get done I will be glad to help.” That particular attitude can be the result of a lack of confidence, a lack of faith or it may be a true reflection of a gift that is necessary to get a job done. The gift of helps (1Cor.12:28) emerges when someone in the Body is anxious to serve the Lord and just appears whenever a project starts. They don’t want to be noticed, praised or rewarded. They…
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Added by HKHaugan on March 25, 2010 at 8:32am —
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“7But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it…11 some to be evangelists…(Eph.4).”
“I don’t do street corners or push my ideas on others. Religion is a private thing. I know I’m not an evangelist. I leave all that to the ‘Billy Graham’ types.” I bet you’ve heard ‘that’ too or maybe even felt that way when asked to be part of a team visiting newcomers or being in the midst of others who are talking about what it means to be a Christian. Did you ever consider…
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Added by HKHaugan on March 24, 2010 at 3:20pm —
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“Sounds like gibberish to me” “What kind of noise is that?” “That’s weird” And you’ve heard those before I’m sure. So just what is ‘speaking in tongues?’ This opens the door to one of the most sensitive spiritual issues among Christians today. It has been the source of division in many denominations. In fact several denominations have been founded on the need for acceptance of this gift as a central tenet of faith. ‘Pentecostal’ and ‘charismatic’ are terms usually used to describe the movement…
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Added by HKHaugan on March 22, 2010 at 12:27pm —
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‘Everything has to go her way’ ‘He has a controlling spirit’ ‘Something’s wrong here. I can feel it in my bones’ ‘The hair rose up on my neck’ 'That was the eeriest thing I’ve ever seen’ These and many other expressions indicate something real is happening, you just can’t see it. There is a discernment of some dominating force motivating an action, a reaction or a simple observation. Paul nails it when he says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against…
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Added by HKHaugan on March 20, 2010 at 8:57am —
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Lent 15 Miracles
‘It’s a miracle!’ You’ve heard and said that phrase many times I’m sure. When miracles are discussed they invite both cynical speculation and joyous affirmation. There is usually no middle ground. It’s one or the other. Just what is a miracle? Do they really happen? How do we approach the subject?
For those who follow Jesus as the source of truth Scripture points the way. There the bottom line always is where God leads us to, through and by faith. Scripture…
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Added by HKHaugan on March 18, 2010 at 9:00am —
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“Be Healed!” is the cry of the TV icon as he lays hands on the bowed figure before him. The eyes of the viewer are then transfixed. Was he or wasn’t he healed? This gift is the most debated, most doubted and most desired of all the gifts. No one is without some issue that pleads for its benefit.
Physical, emotional and spiritual conditions of various kinds plague people and have since Adam and Eve. First, from massive pandemics to simple acne an individual’s sense of temporariness…
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Added by HKHaugan on March 15, 2010 at 2:03pm —
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‘Gee, if only I had that guy’s faith.’ ‘My faith is weak.’ ‘I try to be faithful but I’m just not there yet. Maybe someday.” Heard those before? Most likely. It is just these kinds of statements that need addressing. Because we know even in our best moments we are not really as faithful as we’d like to be. Everyone has moments of absolute weakness and troubling doubt. These are the product, proof and projection of the imperfection of sin lying in every heart. We have doubts about God, others…
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Added by HKHaugan on March 6, 2010 at 6:54pm —
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Of the three kinds of knowledge, heart, intellectual and faith, it is the third one that delivers something special when it comes to knowledge. The gift of knowledge brings us into a dimension of faith where what is perceived comes from the Holy Spirit, not just speculation or experience. It comes in order to emphasize how personal and immediate is the presence of God when it comes to imparting personal insight. God wants to be known personally, wants to be involved personally and wants to…
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Added by HKHaugan on March 5, 2010 at 9:42am —
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‘I just know that I know that I know, I know in my heart.’ That is an expression that indicates the kind of knowing that goes beyond the intellectual. It is an experiential, self-proclaiming conclusion that leapfrogs reason and explanation. It points to the first of three kinds of knowledge, heart knowledge or knowledge based on experience. The second is intellectual knowledge that fills our minds with information and concepts. The third is spiritual knowledge wherein we amass knowledge based…
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Added by HKHaugan on March 4, 2010 at 4:52am —
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“We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God's wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (1Cor.2:6-8).”
If we look carefully at 1Cor.2:11-16 Paul shows us wisdom comes down seven avenues: knowledge,…
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Added by HKHaugan on March 2, 2010 at 7:11am —
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Lent 9 Wisdom
What does it mean to be wise? What is wisdom? We look to people who seem to have that internal confidence and assurance when confronted with decision-making. Whether it is age, experience or studied response that has developed them, people with a reputation for being wise are held up, looked to and searched for. But before we can look at the gift of wisdom we need to see what wisdom is.
Scripture tells us that there are two kinds of wisdom, human wisdom and…
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Added by HKHaugan on March 1, 2010 at 9:22am —
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