Spiritual Birthdays - A Demarcation

Shalom Mishpachah (Family),

This Sunday, February 16, 2014, will be my 40th spiritual birthday.  As I've been thinking about it I couldn't help but think about the passage of time and how fast it's gone.  On the one hand it seems as though I've been a believer forever, and on the other hand, I can remember the day I received the Lord as if it were yesterday. I consider myself blessed to know the exact day of my salvation but I'm not sure that information is all that important.

As our spiritual birthdays come and go we can clock the years (putting notches in our belts), as if that, in and of itself, some how makes us more spiritual.  Sometimes we throw those dates and figures around thinking that it will impress somebody.  Sometimes we deceive ourselves by thinking that the passage of time really does make us something special.

I believe that it's important to count the years, but not for the sake of higher numbers.  I believe we should count the years of our walking with God and use it as a demarcation for growth!  So the question becomes, "How much have I grown in forty years, or, How much have I grown in the last year"?  We can then use the answer to that question to set our pace for the coming year.

The Bible tells us to "redeem the time" (Eph 5:16).  1 Cor. 9:24 says, "do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win".  "Redeeming the time" and "running the race" both speak of time as an important demarcation and a measurement tool to be used in measuring our spiritual growth.

All of us want to grow in the Lord and so I want to challenge you to use your "birthdays" as a type of starting line and a finish line in determining how much you are growing!  Don't end up like people who have known the Lord for 40 years but have the fruit of a 12 year old.

Shalom,

Pastor Bruce 

Gifts of the Spirit

Shalom Mishpachah (family),

The Bible tells us to earnestly desire the gifts in first Corinthians 12:31. Also in first Corinthians 14:39 we are admonished to both prophesy and speak in tongues.  In 1 Timothy 1:6 we are told to stir up the gift of God that has been imparted to us.  In these Scriptures and others like them, we can easily see that the Bible is teaching us that the gifts of the Spirit are for all believers today.

We have been preparing ourselves for over a year now, by learning things like preparing for his presence, creating a habitation, hearing the voice of God, and stirring up the fruit of the Spirit.  I have now started a new series entitled "the gifts of the Spirit" and I want to encourage each and everyone of you to hear as many of these teachings as  possible.  During our Shabbat meetings the leadership and I will be stirring up these gifts as I teach on them and I'm looking forward to you moving in new gifts and new anointing in the weeks and months ahead.  

Unfortunately, many in the body of Messiah have misunderstood the gifts, or been given wrong information concerning the gifts. Because of this, the Church has fallen into the trap of interpreting scripture from a replacement theology mentality.  This is unfortunate because without the gifts the church has become impotent and without power.

In the last days evil is going to abound, but Grace will abound all the more. The gifts, or grace let's, of the Spirit are exactly what we need to see the healing, the deliverance, and the salvation of our Lord in these dark times.  

Acts 1:8 says it best – "you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth".  

Shalom,

Pastor Bruce