Spiritual Gifts

"Now about Spiritual Gifts I do not want you to be ignorant"

"Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good"

"Now you are the body and each one of you is part of it"

"Eagerly desire the greater gifts"

Here are four verses from 1 Corinthians 12 - Paul is pretty clear we are not ignor the gifts but actually pursue them, everyone has one or more and that they are for the good of the church.
Do you know what your gifts are?  Do they come and go?
The more I read and explore on spiritual gifts the greater the mystery becomes...
Is that just me - or is it God?   Is there a difference between natural talent and skills and gifts? are they for all times in all places? are some more important than others?

This month as we continue to explore the Holy Spirit in and out of us - will you we willing to find out more about gifts - in particular what you may be gifted with?  Network's course are being run in most small groups and even if you are not in a SG we a running a class on Tuesday nights - why not join us!!

Have aread through 1 Corinthians 12-14 
Please be in prayer for the church as we seek God on this and ask for his gifts to be poured out on His church.
Be in personal prayer - learn more, desire more - and use them more - 

That means serve with them -  ie they aer not for you - They are for the good of the church!!!
What good is coming to the church because you are using your gifts??

CHURCH ALIVE  -    LIVE CHURCH

Holy Spirit - a mystery

What does the Spirit Do? His works are ineffable in majesty and innumeral in quantitiy. How can we even ponder what extends beyond the ages? What did He do before creation began? How great are the graces He showered on creation? What power will He weild in the age to Come? He existed; He preexisted; He coexiste with the father and the son before the ages. Even if you can imagine anything beyond the ages, you will discover that the Spirit is even further beyond"  St Basil

The more I read about, speak about, experioance the Holy Spirits work the more I realise I can not comprehend God. There are just more questions? more mysteries? more wonder as I discover His otherness.

This being said I desire to know Him more, I long for him to transform me more, I desire for His gifts to be manifest more, I groan for his peace, I long for His power. God - Holy Spirit work through me for the glory of your name!!!

Who is the Holy Spirit?

I am currently reading a book called "Forgotten God" which looks at the evengelical church's neglect of the Holy Spirit. The other side of the coin is that there has been elements of thechurch which have over emphasised the Holy Spirit, where He is almost treated as a seperate force from the trinity.

As we begin our sub theme of  "The Holy Spirit in and out of us" first we will begin with some of the basics:

The Hieldeberg Chatechism has this Q&A:
What do you believe concerning the holy spirit?
First that He as well as the Father and the Son is eternal God.
Second He has been given to me personally so that, by true faith, He makes me share in Christ and all his blessings, comforts me and remains with me forever.

From sunday we remember that The Holy spirit is God, He is a person (not an impersonal force) and is our counselor (the voice beside).

As we coinsider the Holy Spirit in light of the Trinity we understand that The creator of the Universe, the Almighty God - loves us enought to live within us - and allow us to have a personal relationship with him. That through Jesus we now become the dwelling place of God. So we may know him better

Will you speak & listen with the Spirit this week?
Will you worship God as trinity this week?
Do you have confidence?

Have a read tof Romans 8:1-17 for a glimps of what life with throughthe Spirit should look like.

What Should Church Look Like

As we read through the book of Acts can we look through these 3 glasses to see what the church should look like:    The Bible, History & Culture

As we use these three lenses it will help us keep a balanced view of the church.

What are some of the Major things that the early church focused on:

Community / care

Leadership / giftedness

Witnessing / preaching/ missions

Discipling / Nurture

Worship

How are you keeping these things central in your life?

Are there any minors that are getting in the way of the majors?