Spiritual Gifts: An Implication for Unanswered Prayer
John Piper
God is not one to speak in generalities. When He whispers from the pages of Scripture or confronts through a friend's words, the Father directly addresses issues in His children's lives. With that in mind, let's look at His three goals for communicating with believers—namely, for us to:
1. Comprehend the truth. God wants us to learn His ways and principles, to recognize our own frailty, and to identify the needs of others. He does more than offer this as head knowledge—He makes truth applicable to our lives. For example, the Lord assured Paul that His strength was sufficient to carry the apostle through anything (2 Cor. 12:9). Circumstances taught the apostle that God's Word was true.
2. Conform to the truth. Our lives are shaped by our belief system. What we hold as true influences our thinking. In turn, how we think affects our character, conduct, and conversation. God is determined to mold His children into Christlikeness so that they reflect His gospel to the world.
3. Communicate the truth. Every child of God is called to make disciples (Matt. 28:19). Believers can know the Lord and walk in His light but still fall short of this expectation. We must share the gospel by sharing God's truth with others and explaining how His words played out in our lives.
Notice that each goal builds on the one preceding it. Christians are a light reflecting God's glory to this world. We shine brightly by being attentive to God's voice and following His will. And when someone takes an interest in the source of our light, we are prepared to share the good news of Christ.
Our Divine Teacher
1 Corinthians 2:9-16
One of the reasons that many people—including believers—don’t read the Bible is because they can’t understand it. We would expect that to be the case for those who don’t know Christ, but why do so many believers fail to comprehend the truths of Scripture? Maybe it’s because they haven’t asked for help from their divine Teacher. One of the Holy Spirit’s chief responsibilities is to enable Christians to understand the things of God.
When looking at believers who know more than we do, we’ll sometimes think, I will never be able to reach that level. The issue, however, isn’t how much knowledge you have right now, but whether you are growing in your understanding. The Spirit will teach you what you need to know, not necessarily what others know. Because He wants to make us godly people, He’ll give us enough truth each day to change our lives. He will interpret the meaning and give an application designed specifically for each person.
The Spirit’s goal is not to fill your mind with information but to bring you to a deeper level in your relationship with the Lord. He wants you to understand the truth so you will fall in love with Jesus. Then you’ll long to spend time in the Word, thereby getting to know Him even better.
But all these treasures of God’s Word could remain out of reach if you never ask the Teacher to unlock them. Each time you read your Bible, ask the Lord for understanding. A wonderfully intimate love relationship with Christ awaits those who let the Spirit reveal to them the thoughts of God.
Our Incomparable Companion
John 14:16-18
Most of us don’t like being alone for extended periods of time. In fact, we are not designed to live in isolation. Even at the very beginning, God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone†(Gen. 2:18). But sometimes situations in life leave us separated from others. Or perhaps we simply feel lonely, even though we live with our mate or family. But whatever your situation may be, if you are a believer, you’re never alone.
Knowing His followers could feel abandoned after His crucifixion and ascension, Jesus promised to send them a Helper who would never leave them—the Spirit of truth. The same One who came to them at Pentecost still abides within every believer. He has been sent to walk alongside us as our comforter, enabler, and guide.
The Holy Spirit, unlike human companions, is perfectly adequate to meet our every need. Since He knows us intimately, He can comfort us in pain and loss when no one else can. Anytime we find ourselves in a quandary, He knows exactly what we ought to do. Since the future is laid bare before His eyes, He’s aware of all the details that concern us. What’s more, He promises to guide us each step of the way, calming our fears and overcoming our inadequacies.
Because we were created for God, only through His Spirit are we made complete. He is the ultimate solution to man’s aloneness: He’s always available and will never forsake or forget you. When others let you down, the Comforter is present to lift you up with the reminder that you’re not alone.
A Godly Heart
Trust in Him (v. 5). God is merciful, all-knowing, kind, and generous. You can trust Him with your hopes and dreams.
Rest in Him (v. 7). Resting in the Lord means trusting Him to answer prayers in His timing or transform your aspirations so they conform to His will.
Wait upon the Lord patiently (v. 7). Jesus waited three decades before beginning His three-year ministry on earth. According to His example, waiting is one of the key principles of Christian living.
John Piper
First, let’s just remind ourselves of some truths about spiritual gifts from 1 Corinthians 12. Then we will notice a simple implication for unanswered prayer.
1. God wants us to know about spiritual gifts.
“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed†(1 Corinthians 12:1).
2. Objective truths about Jesus govern subjective spiritual experiences.
“No one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says ‘Jesus is accursed!’ and no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except in the Holy Spirit†(1 Corinthians 12:3).
3. Different Christians have different spiritual powers given to them by the Holy Spirit.
“There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit†(1 Corinthians 12:4).
4. For example, these different spiritual powers include the following:
“Wisdom . . . knowledge . . . faith . . . healing . . . miracles . . . prophecy . . . ability to distinguish between spirits . . . tongues . . . interpretation of tonguesâ€(1 Corinthians 12:8–10).
5. The Spirit of God is sovereign over when and to whom he gives such powers.
“All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills†(1 Corinthians 12:11).
6. The aim of all the gifts is the common good of the church.
“To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common goodâ€(1 Corinthians 12:7).
7. The variety of gifts is like the variety of our body parts, such as eye and ear, hand and foot.
“For the body does not consist of one member but of many†(1 Corinthians 12:14).
8. Therefore, if a spiritual power is not used, it’s like the human body not hearing.
“If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing?(1 Corinthians 12:17).
9. Therefore, we should avail ourselves of the spiritual powers God gives us through others.
“The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’†(1 Corinthians 12:21).
Now consider the implications of this for unanswered prayer. There is more than one reason why we may pray for things and yet not receive them. Reasons may include 1) because we don’t trust God (James 1:6); 2) because the answer would not glorify Christ and sanctify us as much as something else (2 Corinthians 12:8–10); 3) because the answer is coming later than we think (Joseph waited 13 years before he saw the reason for his afflictions, Genesis 37–50).
But here is a reason we may not think of very often. God may intend to give us the blessing we long for not directly in answer to prayer, but indirectly in answer to prayer—through the spiritual gifting of another believer. And the reason we don’t receive the blessing is that we don’t avail ourselves of the power God intends to channel through the gifts of his people.
For example, the gifts Paul mentions include wisdom and healings and miracles. This implies that God intends that sometimes wisdom and healing and other sorts of miracles come into our lives through other believers ministering to us. If this were not true, there would be no point in spiritual gifts. They are one way God brings about the “common good†of the church.
If we pray and pray for some change we want to see, but we never consider seeking the ministry of a fellow believer, we are like the eye that says to the hand, “I have no need of you†(1 Corinthians 12:21).
So in your small groups (which is the most natural place for such ministry to happen), seek the fullness of God’s “good†(1 Corinthians 12:7), and minister to each other—and seek to be ministered to—in this way.
Seeking all his fullness with you,
Pastor John
"You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!" Isaiah 26:3 (NLT)
Frantically pushing my grocery cart through the parking lot, I glanced back and forth, trying to remember where I had parked the car.
The sun was blazing hot and as a bead of sweat dripped down my back, I couldn’t help but think of my hungry kids, waiting at home to consume the food I’d just bought.
It was way past lunchtime and knowing my family and some visiting relatives were waiting at home created anxiety in my heart. But I figured I would make things right by serving up a delicious pizza, freshly baked in the deli department.
As I continued to hunt for my car, the swirling aroma of mozzarella cheese, sweet basil, grilled garlic and fresh tomatoes was calling my name. I was tempted to snatch a slice, but decided to wait until I got home.
Besides, I could almost hear the cheers of approval as I imagined the moment I would place this scrumptious meal before my clan. Sure, it wasn’t homemade, but at this point anything edible would have been welcomed with open arms.
However, my thoughts came to an abrupt halt when my cart bobbled and suddenly stopped.
I glanced down, and there it was. My deliciously fresh stone-baked pizza — on the ground with a tire mark across the top of the box. Sure enough, I had rolled over it with my grocery cart.
You’ve got to be kidding! Honestly, who does that?
In my haste, I hadn’t noticed that the cashier placed my pizza carton on the lower rack of my cart due to the overflowing groceries.
With no time to have another one made, I rushed home with a car full of groceries, a smashed pizza and a very heavy heart.
I tried to fake a calm smile when I got home, but the house erupted in laughter when everyone saw my fumbled fiasco. As my younger son tried to scrape off the gooey cheese from the broken pizza lid, everyone else opted for sandwiches.
In situations like this, I need to be reminded of today’s key verse: "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!"
The whole pizza mess could have easily been avoided if I weren’t in such a rush and worried about my peeps back home. Sure, it’s important to take care of family, but when meeting their needs creates anxiety and stress, it’s an indication that something is out of balance.
Oftentimes, it’s not what my family asks of me — it’s what I demand of myself: I want everything to be perfect. I want to meet all my family’s needs. I want to please everyone.
But that’s not possible, and God doesn’t require it of me. Instead, based on Isaiah 26:3, He promises to keep me in perfect peace, despite any situation, if I willingly commit to doing these two things:
1. Trust God, instead of trying to master things on my own.
2. Keep my thoughts fixed on God, instead of worrying about what everyone else thinks.
Are you feeling rushed or anxious today? Would you like a slice of peace to calm your nerves and settle down the stress you’re experiencing? Jesus wants to offer you a holy deposit of His perfect peace that will last a lifetime — and not just satisfy you for a few hours.
Dear Jesus, You are the Prince of Peace. Help me to trust and focus on You every day, so I can be calm and stress-free in any situation. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
TRUTH FOR TODAY:
2 Peter 1:2, "May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord." (NLT)
2 Peter 1:2, "May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord." (NLT)
Philippians 4:7, "Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." (NLT)
"Only let us live up to what we have already attained." Philippians 3:16 (NIV)
Have you ever wanted to put your Christianity on a shelf and be as mean to someone as they were being to you?
Maybe not, because you are nice. And most of the time, I am too.
But recently, I had a moment where the mean girl inside of me wanted to be heard.
I was on a plane with two of my friends. We were talking in normal conversational tones when suddenly the couple in the next row up came unglued.
The man turned around and said, "Can you guys just QUIET DOWN already?"
It wasn’t a gentle suggestion. It was a harsh command.
A little stunned, we simply replied, "Sure, we just …"
Before I could finish my sentence, his wife whipped her head around and snapped, "Your constant talking has given me a migraine. So just HUSH, okay?"
My heart raced. My face turned red. And I thought of the perfect comeback to say. I won’t tell you what I wanted to say, but I can assure you it didn’t involve being kind or gentle.
This is the exact point where I had to make a choice.
A choice of whom I wanted to partner with in this situation … God or Satan.
If I’d chosen the route of anger, a harsh comeback and retaliation, I would have basically stepped into Satan’s camp and caused conflict escalation. If, however, I’d chosen the route of gentleness and grace, I would be partnering with God and would continue to make progress with my raw emotions. Like Philippians 3:16 reminds me, "Only let us live up to what we have already attained."
On my journey of improving my reactions, I have already attained more gentleness, more grace, more peace. Why would I want to trade all that for a few minutes of retaliating words? Words that will only leave me with a big ol’ pile of regret.
Now I can’t promise I’ve progressed to the point where my initial thoughts about this couple were nice. They weren’t. But, I chose to consider the reality that people who are that on edge must have a lot of stored up misery. Their reaction probably had a lot less to do with me and a lot more to do with another situation in their lives.
My job wasn’t to fix them or set them straight or prove how wrong they were acting.
My job in that moment was to keep everything in perspective. And simply give a gentle answer that could turn away their wrath.
While it felt hugely offensive when it was happening, it wasn’t huge. This wasn’t some sort of major injustice in my life. This was just a minor inconvenience. Why would I want to trade the peace of partnering with God for a few cheap moments of putting someone else in their place?
It’s all about perspective.
Because in all honesty, if this was the worst thing that happened to me that day, it was still a pretty good day!
Dear Lord, You are so good and faithful. Thank You for helping me keep things in perspective so I can work on having better reactions that honor You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
"The LORD will vindicate me; your love, LORD, endures forever — do not abandon the works of your hands." Psalm 138:8 (NIV)
If you are anything like me, you can become quite skilled at putting off your happily-ever-after. Maybe you’ve said things like …
"Once I get this work done" …
"When things slow down at work" …
"When this crazy month is over" …
"In just a minute" …
"When things slow down at work" …
"When this crazy month is over" …
"In just a minute" …
But once the work is complete, the minute has passed and the busy month has concluded, something else always comes up. Your "one more thing" has no end.
That’s when things start to happen: You drive into the intersection before it’s your turn because you’re tired and distracted … you scream at the ones you love the most because you’re stretched too thin … you wake up feeling irritable and unhappy despite the abundant blessings in your life.
Then you speak to a friend whose husband is fighting for his life and realize your happily-ever-after is slipping right through your busy, little fingers.
That’s how it played out for me. It was the slow deterioration of my highly distracted life that led me to pray for the Life Do-Over I once thought was impossible.
Let me show you what my do-over looked like:
At the height of my bulging social calendar,
at the height of my ability to "do it all,"
at the height of my perfectly orchestrated life, God gave me the strength to let go.
at the height of my ability to "do it all,"
at the height of my perfectly orchestrated life, God gave me the strength to let go.
I surrendered my plan, as well as societal expectations, in order for God to show me His plan. Each morning I designated 10 minutes to be still and listen. Once I began to hear God’s gentle voice, instead of the damaging demands of distraction, perfection and pressure, I was able to grasp what mattered most in life.
I told my inner drill sergeant perfection was not required on this journey. God nudged me when to let my children help prepare the meal … when to stay a few more minutes at the dinner table … when to stop hurrying and let my child set the pace. God showed me that accomplishing tasks perfectly and efficiently is less important than being present and connected to the people I love.
I told my harsh inner critic to stop sabotaging my joy. I stopped letting the bulge around my waist or the wrinkles around my eyes prevent me from jumping in the pool … dancing with my children … or voicing my life-long dreams. God showed me that in order to reach my full potential, I must stop letting the mirror or the number on the scale determine my worth.
I informed my internal over-achiever that I would no longer be everything to everyone. I realized that continually saying yes to everything outside the home meant saying no to the most important things inside the home. God showed me that in order to be joyfully fulfilled, I must choose to place my time and energy in what (and who) mattered most.
It has been five years since I began my Hands Free journey. When I lay my head down at night, there is no longer a list of unfinished to-do’s running through my head. I am no longer consumed with guilt over missed opportunities to live, love and laugh. Instead, I am filled with gratitude for the grace of God, a daily do-over gift available to all of us.
Dear God, Thank You for reminding me it’s not too late to live the life You have planned for me. Please help me discern what is important from the many distractions and time wasters in my life. Please nudge me when my loved ones are near, wanting me to listen to them, talk to them and love them. Lord, please help me see what really matters. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
"Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NASB)
"BOYS!!! GO TO BED!" I yelled.
Exhausted. That word describes how I felt in that moment and honestly … many other moments just like it for days. The boys were in their beds, giggling up a storm, and I knew if they didn’t go to sleep soon, we’d all pay for it in the morning.
Quiet reigned for just a few minutes, until I heard the giggling and silliness start again.
"BOYS!!!!!"
The quiet that came after was quickly broken by a pair of 6-year-old feet padding down the hallway.
"Mommy?"
"Yeeeeeeeeesssss?"
"Are you coming to pray with us before we go to sleep?"
I have to be honest. I was hoping the boys wouldn’t notice. I knew I had skipped prayer that night, but I was just so tired. I deliberately pushed the thought to the back of my brain because I figured the boys wouldn’t care anyway.
"Baby, I think we can skip prayer tonight. We’ve prayed a few times together already today anyway."
"No we can’t, Mom! Those were prayers for the daytime! We need a prayer for the nighttime, too. We have to thank God for the day and you have to ask Him to help me have good dreams! Come on, Mom! We just have to talk to God!"
There I sat, feet up on the couch, hand over my forehead, realizing I was actually trying to talk my child out of praying.
But my son, even at a tender young age, understood something with his childlike faith.
He understood how prayer offers an ongoing opportunity to talk to God and an open invitation for Him to talk with us. My son was not satisfied that previous prayers earlier in the day had been completed or checked off the list. Rather, he wanted to have yet another conversation with God where he could express thanks and ask God to intervene in his circumstances.
He understood God is not something to do, He’s someone to know, and prayer is how we engage fully in our relationship with Him.
And here I was, trying to talk my son out of doing just that.
We are told in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, to "pray without ceasing." For many of us this verse brings a bit of trepidation as we contemplate exactly what is required of us to pray and to "do it right."
We look at our busy schedules and think we don’t have time to do that much praying.
We rehearse our failures and decide God probably wouldn’t have much to say to us, or have much interest in listening to what we want to say to Him.
We let disappointment from one unanswered prayer keep us from asking again.
We let the seemingly well-done prayers of others push our spiritual confidence into a corner. There, the little desire we did have to pray sits, shrivels and grows smaller with each passing day as we hesitate to say something, anything, to the God who does not grade us on our rhetoric.
Neither our schedules nor our pasts should prevent us from talking to God about whatever concerns us. A previous disappointment or our current level of spiritual maturity shouldn’t get in the way of our willingness to speak freely and honestly about how we need Him or what we’re thankful for.
Prayer is simply open and honest communication with God. It involves our thanksgiving, repentance, requests and willingness to surrender to what He reveals to us in His Word and in our hearts.
It can be tempting to skip, forget about or even talk ourselves out of praying, but prayer is a key part of how we fully engage in our relationship with God Almighty.
Just like my son wanted to include conversations with God as a normal, ongoing part of his day, Scripture encourages us to pray and keep an open line of communication with God, talking to Him at anytime about anything.
Dear God, Thank You for the ongoing opportunity I have to talk with You. Forgive me for times when I have not made my conversations with You a priority. Please help me remember I can always communicate with You openly and honestly, as You already know what I think, how I feel and what I’ve done — and You love me anyway. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Why God Speaks
James 1:23-25God is not one to speak in generalities. When He whispers from the pages of Scripture or confronts through a friend's words, the Father directly addresses issues in His children's lives. With that in mind, let's look at His three goals for communicating with believers—namely, for us to:
1. Comprehend the truth. God wants us to learn His ways and principles, to recognize our own frailty, and to identify the needs of others. He does more than offer this as head knowledge—He makes truth applicable to our lives. For example, the Lord assured Paul that His strength was sufficient to carry the apostle through anything (2 Cor. 12:9). Circumstances taught the apostle that God's Word was true.
2. Conform to the truth. Our lives are shaped by our belief system. What we hold as true influences our thinking. In turn, how we think affects our character, conduct, and conversation. God is determined to mold His children into Christlikeness so that they reflect His gospel to the world.
3. Communicate the truth. Every child of God is called to make disciples (Matt. 28:19). Believers can know the Lord and walk in His light but still fall short of this expectation. We must share the gospel by sharing God's truth with others and explaining how His words played out in our lives.
Notice that each goal builds on the one preceding it. Christians are a light reflecting God's glory to this world. We shine brightly by being attentive to God's voice and following His will. And when someone takes an interest in the source of our light, we are prepared to share the good news of Christ.
Our Divine Teacher
1 Corinthians 2:9-16
One of the reasons that many people—including believers—don’t read the Bible is because they can’t understand it. We would expect that to be the case for those who don’t know Christ, but why do so many believers fail to comprehend the truths of Scripture? Maybe it’s because they haven’t asked for help from their divine Teacher. One of the Holy Spirit’s chief responsibilities is to enable Christians to understand the things of God.
When looking at believers who know more than we do, we’ll sometimes think, I will never be able to reach that level. The issue, however, isn’t how much knowledge you have right now, but whether you are growing in your understanding. The Spirit will teach you what you need to know, not necessarily what others know. Because He wants to make us godly people, He’ll give us enough truth each day to change our lives. He will interpret the meaning and give an application designed specifically for each person.
The Spirit’s goal is not to fill your mind with information but to bring you to a deeper level in your relationship with the Lord. He wants you to understand the truth so you will fall in love with Jesus. Then you’ll long to spend time in the Word, thereby getting to know Him even better.
But all these treasures of God’s Word could remain out of reach if you never ask the Teacher to unlock them. Each time you read your Bible, ask the Lord for understanding. A wonderfully intimate love relationship with Christ awaits those who let the Spirit reveal to them the thoughts of God.
Our Incomparable Companion
John 14:16-18
Most of us don’t like being alone for extended periods of time. In fact, we are not designed to live in isolation. Even at the very beginning, God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone†(Gen. 2:18). But sometimes situations in life leave us separated from others. Or perhaps we simply feel lonely, even though we live with our mate or family. But whatever your situation may be, if you are a believer, you’re never alone.
Knowing His followers could feel abandoned after His crucifixion and ascension, Jesus promised to send them a Helper who would never leave them—the Spirit of truth. The same One who came to them at Pentecost still abides within every believer. He has been sent to walk alongside us as our comforter, enabler, and guide.
The Holy Spirit, unlike human companions, is perfectly adequate to meet our every need. Since He knows us intimately, He can comfort us in pain and loss when no one else can. Anytime we find ourselves in a quandary, He knows exactly what we ought to do. Since the future is laid bare before His eyes, He’s aware of all the details that concern us. What’s more, He promises to guide us each step of the way, calming our fears and overcoming our inadequacies.
Because we were created for God, only through His Spirit are we made complete. He is the ultimate solution to man’s aloneness: He’s always available and will never forsake or forget you. When others let you down, the Comforter is present to lift you up with the reminder that you’re not alone.
A Godly Heart
The Lord promises to give us the desires of our hearts. But many people take this passage out of context, forgetting that their own mindset plays a vital part in bringing it to fruition. As my mother once said, "Where your mind goes, your feet go, so be careful what you think about."
What is your responsibility when it comes to claiming promises from God?
Delight yourselves in the Lord (Ps. 37:4). Christians should rejoice in God and desire to walk in obedience. The Lord must have first place in your life before you can claim the promise in this verse.
Commit your way to the Lord (v. 5). Allow God to change any aspect of your ambition that is not His will.
Remember that when He doesn't answer a prayer as you wished, it is for a reason.
Remember that when He doesn't answer a prayer as you wished, it is for a reason.
Trust in Him (v. 5). God is merciful, all-knowing, kind, and generous. You can trust Him with your hopes and dreams.
Rest in Him (v. 7). Resting in the Lord means trusting Him to answer prayers in His timing or transform your aspirations so they conform to His will.
Wait upon the Lord patiently (v. 7). Jesus waited three decades before beginning His three-year ministry on earth. According to His example, waiting is one of the key principles of Christian living.
Do your desires align with God's purpose and plan for your life? He longs to give His followers abundant blessings and fullness of joy. So allow your dreams to be conformed to the Lord's will, and follow His guidance faithfully. Only when you surrender to Him will you experience God's best for your life.
Line upon Line
“The word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.†(Isaiah 28:13)
“The word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.†(Isaiah 28:13)
This familiar passage (repeated mostly from Isaiah 28:10 just before it) is often cited in support of a detailed, verse-by-verse method of Bible study and exposition. However, the context is one of rebuke to the people of Ephraim (that is, the Northern Kingdom of Israel) in the days of the divided kingdom. Isaiah especially castigates the priests and prophets who should have been teaching God’s Word to the people, but who had instead become proud and then drunkards, leaving the people in great ignorance and spiritual confusion.
Therefore, cried Isaiah: “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts†(v. 9). Before they can really grow in the knowledge of God, they must be built up carefully, line upon line, for they are yet carnal babes in spiritual matters.
A very similar rebuke was administered to the early Christians and would be even more appropriate today: “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age†(Hebrews 5:12-14).
Such an admonition is greatly needed today, when Christian believers subsist almost entirely on spiritual milk—or even worse, on the froth that passes for evangelical literature in most Sunday schools and Christian bookstores today. We need to get back to the strong meat of the Word, lest we “fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.†HMM
The Dove and the New World
“And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.†(Genesis 8:11)
“And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.†(Genesis 8:11)
When the terrible Flood covered the whole earth in the days of Noah, the record says that “all flesh died that moved upon the earth. . . . all that was in the dry land, died. . . . and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark†(Genesis 7:21-23). And of those that were with Noah in the Ark, the very first occupant to touch down on the new land surface was the little dove which Noah sent out from the Ark to see if the face of the ground was dry. The dove, so to speak, had “discovered†the new world.
By an interesting circumstance, Columbus was the man God used to cross the vast waters of the ocean to “discover†the new world of the Americas, and the name “Columbus†comes from the Latin word for “dove.†Indeed, Columbus was himself a man of prayer and great faith, and he truly believed that he was on a God-ordained mission.
Whatever questions can be raised about his later relations with the natives and his other exploits, it does seem clear God must have protected and directed his voyage from Spain to America. The subsequent history of the colonies and especially of our own nation, so greatly blessed and used of God to spread the gospel of Christ worldwide, surely is evidence enough of that fact.
In a sense, we ourselves are part of his legacy. Christians are still under Christ’s commission to “be witnesses unto me . . . unto the uttermost part of the earth†(Acts 1:8). And as we go, He says, as to His first disciples: “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves†(Matthew 10:16). As gentle doves, perhaps, we may be used to bring back an olive leaf, so to speak, to our Savior. HMM
| Creator of All Things “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.†(Colossians 1:16)
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Head of the Church
“And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.†(Colossians 1:18)
The “head†is both “chief†and “source.†When the Lord Jesus had accomplished the work of reconciliation on Earth, God the Father “put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all†(Ephesians 1:22-23).
The church, of course, is the assembly of the Redeemer, constituted and commissioned to do “the work of the ministry,†operating on Earth under delegated leaders (Ephesians 4:11-12). Even though the human focus is the making of disciples (Matthew 28:19-20), there is a constant gallery of “principalities and powers in heavenly places†who need the display of “the manifold wisdom of God†that is only made “known by the church†(Ephesians 3:10).
Although there is a sense in which all of God’s twice-born are spiritually part of a “body†that is “knit together†by the Holy Spirit (Colossians 2:19), our participation is realized in the localized assemblies throughout the earth. One day the entire church will be completely assembled in heaven, a “general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven†(Hebrews 12:23).
Therefore, the head of the Church is preeminent and has all fullness, being the firstborn from the dead. He is “far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come†(Ephesians 1:21). The mission of the Church, commissioned over two millennia ago, embraces an ageless goal. Ultimately, He will “present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing†(Ephesians 5:27). HMM III
“And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.†(Colossians 1:18)
| Reconciled “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight.†(Colossians 1:21-22) |
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