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Hello Friends. Recently I read an excellent article on the five ministry gifts of Ephesians 4:11 and began to ask why years of such teaching has produced so little fruit. At times there even seems to be an obsession with finding our ministry gift. The thinking being that if I know what gift I am, I will be that gift. Or worse, if I announce what gift I am, I will be received as such. This leadership by declaration may work in some Christian cultural ghettoes but in the real world nobody cares what title is on your business card.
Certainly knowledge is power to release technological breakthrough after technological break through but it does not work that way in the Kingdom of God! You are not an ipod or a computer chip.
There are two principles of knowing mentioned by Jesus. We know by obedience (John 7:17) and we know through revelation based in humility (Matthew 11:25- 30). This is offensive to rationalism and individualism. It is also offensive to most bible schools, seminaries and teaching ministries who want you to buy their books and attend their conferences for more and more teaching! We want to know through the rational exercises of accessing all the information and weighing all the options since that leaves us in control and free of risk. Knowledge through humility/obedience and humility/revelation is knowledge through a living, working relationship with Jesus. Jesus is the Truth that sets free.
How we know is more important than what we know. Do we know through partaking of the tree of knowledge of good and evil? Do we know through our intellect and its relationship to information? Or do we know through our love and faith relationship with Jesus, the Tree of Life? Jesus did not start a bible school, hand out study notes and hide behind a podium. He took his disciples to the streets and into the lives of people.
Jesus mentions one principle of being known. We are known by our fruit (Matthew 7:16- 20). Often ministry gifts are defined in such a way that the focus is on performance and stage presence rather than character and transformed lives. It is not the feeling of the moment but the fruit of a lifetime which defines us!
Success is in the grandkids!
If you have fruit it does not matter what people call you or who criticizes you!
If you have no fruit it does not matter what people call you or who praises you!
Every blessing
Steve & Marilyn