The Gifts Part 8
Faith continued...
Although saving faith is a gift from God, we cannot confuse with the gift of faith which comes via the Holy Spirit. Saving faith is a gift from God in the sense that it is facilitated and enabled of God, but it comes via the hearing of the Word of God, or the hearing of the Holy Scriptures. The hearing of the Word of God is the vehicle, or the delivery system, by which the gift of saving faith is given to man, because as the selfsame word tells us, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:17, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Saving faith cannot be birthed in anyone’s heart independently, or in and of itself, it must be the result of having heard the word of God. What is born independently within the hearts of men, that which can appear in and of itself in those who have as yet not heard the word of God, is a vague and abstract notion of a divine force, but not an understanding of the one true God. Only by the hearing of the word of God can saving faith be birthed in men’s hearts, and this is why we must preach the word of God to those who are lost and dying.
We are not doing anyone any favors by omitting the word of God from our sermons; we are not doing anyone any favors by obfuscating what our responsibilities as children of God are and thereby rejecting the mandate to preach the gospel of Christ. In our ceaseless quest to spare feelings and make people feel comfortable and at ease within the house of God, we have ceased doing the one thing that is able to birth saving faith in their hearts, namely preach the word of God that they might hear it. No amount of self-esteem, no amount of self-worth, no amount of feeling good about one’s fallen state will bring a sinner to repentance or to the foot of the cross, only the hearing of the word and the stirring of saving faith in their hearts.
Our God gives us a living faith, He gives us a saving faith, it is the gift He gives to those who hear the Word and turn to Him with all their heart. It is in the word of God that we discover the Christ, it is in the word of God that we discover what Jesus did for us on the cross, it is in the word of God that we discover that we were bought with a price, and we are no longer our own.
It is also interesting to note that not all are given the same measure of faith, but that God deals to each one the measure of faith that He sees fit.
Romans 12:3, “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”
So what does this mean? It means that the same message, the same exact word, the same exact scripture reading will have a different effect on every individual. One might not react to the word in the same way, with the same passion, with the same brokenness, as his neighbor, or as someone sitting three rows behind him. To each is dealt a measure of faith, not because God is unjust, because He is not, but because everyone receives the word of God differently, even though the same word is spoken to all.
God gives to all in like manner, the abundance of His word is the same for everyone, but He cannot force you to receive more than what you are willing to receive, and in the end the measure of faith we are dealt is directly proportional to how much we are willing to receive.
Although saving faith is given to each one, in the measure that God chooses, the gift of faith, is given to some, or as Paul writes in Corinthians, ‘to another faith by the same Spirit’. By this distinction, by the fact that saving faith is given to all who receive the word of God, and the gift of faith is given to some, we realize that these are two different aspects, two different works of faith, one being general, the other being a gift imparted by the Holy Spirit to those whom He so chooses.
Although God deals to each one a measure of faith, it is possible to grow in faith as one matures and progresses in their walk with the Lord. Paul even went so far as to praise the church of Thessalonica, and thank God for them, because their faith was growing exceedingly.
Yes, we can grow in faith, we can grow in God, and we do so by hearing His word continuously, by cementing our relationship with Jesus, by spending time in prayer, and by walking on the narrow path that He has set out for us.
Saving faith not only grows us in God, it gives us the boldness and courage to knock on the doors of heaven with the expectation of receiving the promises of God.
Some time ago we discussed Jesus cursing the fig tree, and the disciples marveling at what He had done, and looking at them Jesus assured them that they would be able to do far greater things if only they had faith, and did not doubt. The faith, of which Jesus spoke, was not the gift of faith which comes from the Holy Spirit, but the saving faith which is given to all who hear and receive the word of God. So yes, there is great power in saving faith, there is great power in believing and not doubting, in standing on the promises of God, and living with the expectation of receiving all that He promised His beloved.
Matthew 21:22, “And all things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
These were not the words of men, but the words of Christ Jesus, who assured us, that whatever we ask believing we would receive.
At this juncture some might ask why I rail against the prosperity doctrine so often if Jesus promised that we would receive whatever we ask in prayer believing, and the answer is a simple one. If we are of Christ, we have been born again, renewed of mind and heart, renewed in our desires and wants, and when we pray believing, that which we pray for will not be material in nature, it will not be money and jewels and boats and cars, but rather that which we pray for believing will be the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the power of God, and the greater things to which the children of God have access to. The reason I rail against the prosperity doctrine is because due to its popularity a great many of God’s children settle for scraps, for worthless, trivial, passing things that do nothing to mature and grow them in the faith.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
The Holy Spirit: Power Presence and Purpose Part 102
The Gifts Part 7
Faith
We continue our discussion on the gifts of the Holy Spirit, with the gift of faith since it is third on Paul’s list in his letter to the Corinthians. No, these gifts were not itemized by Paul by order of importance, since all gifts which come from the hand of God are good and work together for the building up and the edification of the Body of Christ.
Paul does say that we ought to desire earnestly to prophesy, but he never implies or infers that the gift of prophesy is better than all the other gifts.
1 Corinthians 14:39, “Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues.”
Every gift of the Holy Spirit has a place and a purpose within the Congregation of God, every gift of the Holy Spirit has a place and a purpose within the household of faith and each one operates as the Holy Spirit sees fit, and as God wills.
Faith is a unique gift in that all the children of God can possess and must possess faith, we are even instructed to build ourselves up in our most holy faith, but it is also a gift of the Holy Spirit that can be poured out upon believers.
The word of God does an excellent job at defining faith, what it is, and how it has served the servants of God throughout the ages. It shows us that there is true power in faith, and that once we begin to build up our faith, once we begin to mature our faith, once we begin to grow our faith, we will begin to see the power and presence of God more thoroughly than ever before.
I realize this is a teaching on the gift of faith, but I would be remiss if I did not include the definition of faith as well, if only for those who are unaware of it.
Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
So now that we know what faith is, or at least what the Bible defines it as being, the obvious question is what is the gift of faith, and how is it used within the Body of Christ.
Galatians 3:2-5, “This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain – if indeed it was in vain? Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”
I wanted to begin our discussion on the gift of faith with this scripture passage, because it would seem we are reliving the times of the Galatians wherein men who began in the Spirit are reverting back to the flesh, believing as Paul suggests that they are being made perfect by the flesh. I also wanted to include this scripture passage because it highlights the fact that the hearing of faith is what activates the gifts of the Holy Spirit within a congregation, working miracles among the brethren.
Today I want to discuss the gift of faith, that faith that comes from God, that faith that is pure and righteous, although there are two other kinds of faith that we could talk about. The two other kinds of faith I am referring to is of course futile faith, a fruitless and purposeless faith in the most general sense, as well as the natural faith that men have concerning certain outcomes if they take a particular course of action.
As far as true faith is concerned, it takes on three distinct aspects that the Bible speaks of, three ways in which faith works among believers, which are in reality three branches of the same three, or three works of the same gift.
The first aspect of true faith that the Bible speaks of is what Paul refers to in Ephesians as saving faith.
Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
What we readily understand from this passage in Ephesians is that both grace, and faith are gifts from God, and we obtained both faith and grace not of ourselves, but from Him. We have been saved by grace, through faith which comes from God as a gift that no man might boast, that no man might lay claim to that which God freely gives.
So what is saving faith? In essence, at its core, saving faith is the certainty that no one can free us from the shackles of sin, no one can free us from the prison of death, and no one can free us from the pit of despair but for Christ Jesus the Son of God.
Having saving faith is paramount for all believers, of such import that although Jude desired to write the brethren concerning their common salvation, he found it necessary to write and exhort them to contend earnestly for the faith because of those who had crept in unnoticed, those ungodly men who turn the grace of God into licentiousness and deny the only Lord God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jude 3-4, “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Faith in anyone or anything other than Jesus is futile faith, it is vain faith, it is empty faith, it is a faith that will produce no results, because it is not anchored in Christ. Only faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is saving faith, and this is a truth that we must contend for, and earnestly so, because those who have crept in unnoticed, those who attempt to turn the grace of God into licentiousness are more numerous than we first imagined.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
Faith
We continue our discussion on the gifts of the Holy Spirit, with the gift of faith since it is third on Paul’s list in his letter to the Corinthians. No, these gifts were not itemized by Paul by order of importance, since all gifts which come from the hand of God are good and work together for the building up and the edification of the Body of Christ.
Paul does say that we ought to desire earnestly to prophesy, but he never implies or infers that the gift of prophesy is better than all the other gifts.
1 Corinthians 14:39, “Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues.”
Every gift of the Holy Spirit has a place and a purpose within the Congregation of God, every gift of the Holy Spirit has a place and a purpose within the household of faith and each one operates as the Holy Spirit sees fit, and as God wills.
Faith is a unique gift in that all the children of God can possess and must possess faith, we are even instructed to build ourselves up in our most holy faith, but it is also a gift of the Holy Spirit that can be poured out upon believers.
The word of God does an excellent job at defining faith, what it is, and how it has served the servants of God throughout the ages. It shows us that there is true power in faith, and that once we begin to build up our faith, once we begin to mature our faith, once we begin to grow our faith, we will begin to see the power and presence of God more thoroughly than ever before.
I realize this is a teaching on the gift of faith, but I would be remiss if I did not include the definition of faith as well, if only for those who are unaware of it.
Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
So now that we know what faith is, or at least what the Bible defines it as being, the obvious question is what is the gift of faith, and how is it used within the Body of Christ.
Galatians 3:2-5, “This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain – if indeed it was in vain? Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”
I wanted to begin our discussion on the gift of faith with this scripture passage, because it would seem we are reliving the times of the Galatians wherein men who began in the Spirit are reverting back to the flesh, believing as Paul suggests that they are being made perfect by the flesh. I also wanted to include this scripture passage because it highlights the fact that the hearing of faith is what activates the gifts of the Holy Spirit within a congregation, working miracles among the brethren.
Today I want to discuss the gift of faith, that faith that comes from God, that faith that is pure and righteous, although there are two other kinds of faith that we could talk about. The two other kinds of faith I am referring to is of course futile faith, a fruitless and purposeless faith in the most general sense, as well as the natural faith that men have concerning certain outcomes if they take a particular course of action.
As far as true faith is concerned, it takes on three distinct aspects that the Bible speaks of, three ways in which faith works among believers, which are in reality three branches of the same three, or three works of the same gift.
The first aspect of true faith that the Bible speaks of is what Paul refers to in Ephesians as saving faith.
Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
What we readily understand from this passage in Ephesians is that both grace, and faith are gifts from God, and we obtained both faith and grace not of ourselves, but from Him. We have been saved by grace, through faith which comes from God as a gift that no man might boast, that no man might lay claim to that which God freely gives.
So what is saving faith? In essence, at its core, saving faith is the certainty that no one can free us from the shackles of sin, no one can free us from the prison of death, and no one can free us from the pit of despair but for Christ Jesus the Son of God.
Having saving faith is paramount for all believers, of such import that although Jude desired to write the brethren concerning their common salvation, he found it necessary to write and exhort them to contend earnestly for the faith because of those who had crept in unnoticed, those ungodly men who turn the grace of God into licentiousness and deny the only Lord God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jude 3-4, “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Faith in anyone or anything other than Jesus is futile faith, it is vain faith, it is empty faith, it is a faith that will produce no results, because it is not anchored in Christ. Only faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is saving faith, and this is a truth that we must contend for, and earnestly so, because those who have crept in unnoticed, those who attempt to turn the grace of God into licentiousness are more numerous than we first imagined.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
The Holy Spirit: Power Presence and Purpose Part 101
The Gifts Part 6
The Words of Wisdom and the Words of Knowledge continued...
The gift of the words of wisdom differs from the gift of the words of knowledge in that it anchors itself in future time. The gift of the words of wisdom, are divine messages, delivered via the Holy Spirit concerning the future, whether immediate or far off.
Via the gift of the words of wisdom, there are two important things that the Holy Spirit transmits to the faithful, those two things being the plan of God, and the purpose of God in any given situation.
Although there are many scriptures within the Bible that show us the working of the gift of the words of wisdom and the gift of the words of knowledge individually, there is one particular passage that combines the two, and shows us these two gifts working simultaneously. There is nothing in the Word that even alludes to or insinuates that more than one gift of the Holy Spirit cannot be in operation at the same time, and as we discover in the Word of God, the gifts working in tandem or simultaneously are biblical.
Acts 9:10-12, “Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, ‘Ananias.’ And he said, ‘here I am, Lord.’ So the Lord said to him, ‘arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus for behold, he is praying. And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.’”
As I said, this is a fascinating passage, because we see the operation of the gift of the word of knowledge, wherein the Lord is telling Ananias what Saul of Tarsus was doing at that exact moment, namely praying, as well as the gift of the word of wisdom, wherein the selfsame Saul is seeing something that will occur at some point in the future.
There was no way that Ananias could have known that on the street called Straight, in the house of Judas, Saul of Tarsus was at that moment praying. No, there were no webcams, there were no cell phones, there were no instant messages, Ananias was unaware of Saul, of his presence in Damascus, or what Saul was doing at that particular moment. Saul was praying, God knew that Saul was praying, and via the gift of the words of knowledge, the Holy Spirit revealed this to Ananias.
The same gift was operating in Saul, who had been converted on the road to Damascus, and at the moment that the Lord was revealing Saul’s location, as well as what he was doing to Ananias, Saul was seeing this selfsame man named Ananias, who would come in and put his hand on him that he might receive his sight.
Acts 9:13-16, “Then Ananias answered, ‘Lord I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name. But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.’”
At first, as any man would be, Ananias was reluctant to go and meet with Saul of Tarsus, because he had heard many things about Saul, he knew him by reputation alone, and by the fact that he had caused much harm to the saints of Jerusalem.
It’s as if Ananias was asking ‘are you sure Lord? Are you certain that this is the man I’m supposed to go see, are you certain that this is the man that You want to heal by my hand? He’s not a nice guy; in fact he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name. Maybe you can pick someone else?’
It is at this moment that the gift of the words of wisdom begins to manifest, and God begins to reveal His future plans for Saul of Tarsus, informing Ananias that indeed, this persecutor of the brethren, this man who hunted the followers of Christ even as far as Damascus, was indeed a chosen vessel, one who would bear God’s name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.
None of this these had as yet occurred, at that moment Saul was nothing more than a blind man sitting in the house of Judas on the street called Straight praying, but the gift of the words of wisdom revealed what the future held for Saul, and via the Holy Spirit, God revealed the reality of what Saul would become to Ananias.
The gift of the words of wisdom is a practical gift, one that gives much comfort and encouragement, especially when God sets us on a course, or directs us toward a path that seems counterintuitive and even illogical to human reasoning. It is in such times, and in such circumstances that the gift of the words of wisdom is best utilized, because although we might not see the plan of God in its totality today, God knows the end from the beginning and He knows our destination long before we’ve taken the first step. In His goodness, He oftentimes reveals the reality of what the future holds for us if we remain in obedience, just as He revealed to Ananias what the future held for Saul of Tarsus, who we now know as Paul the Apostle of Christ.
Everything that God foretold concerning Saul came to pass, he truly bore the name of God and the saving grace of Christ to the Gentiles, to kings as well as to the children of Israel, and if we read all that he endured throughout his life, we also come to realize that truly he suffered many things for God’s sake.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
The Words of Wisdom and the Words of Knowledge continued...
The gift of the words of wisdom differs from the gift of the words of knowledge in that it anchors itself in future time. The gift of the words of wisdom, are divine messages, delivered via the Holy Spirit concerning the future, whether immediate or far off.
Via the gift of the words of wisdom, there are two important things that the Holy Spirit transmits to the faithful, those two things being the plan of God, and the purpose of God in any given situation.
Although there are many scriptures within the Bible that show us the working of the gift of the words of wisdom and the gift of the words of knowledge individually, there is one particular passage that combines the two, and shows us these two gifts working simultaneously. There is nothing in the Word that even alludes to or insinuates that more than one gift of the Holy Spirit cannot be in operation at the same time, and as we discover in the Word of God, the gifts working in tandem or simultaneously are biblical.
Acts 9:10-12, “Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, ‘Ananias.’ And he said, ‘here I am, Lord.’ So the Lord said to him, ‘arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus for behold, he is praying. And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.’”
As I said, this is a fascinating passage, because we see the operation of the gift of the word of knowledge, wherein the Lord is telling Ananias what Saul of Tarsus was doing at that exact moment, namely praying, as well as the gift of the word of wisdom, wherein the selfsame Saul is seeing something that will occur at some point in the future.
There was no way that Ananias could have known that on the street called Straight, in the house of Judas, Saul of Tarsus was at that moment praying. No, there were no webcams, there were no cell phones, there were no instant messages, Ananias was unaware of Saul, of his presence in Damascus, or what Saul was doing at that particular moment. Saul was praying, God knew that Saul was praying, and via the gift of the words of knowledge, the Holy Spirit revealed this to Ananias.
The same gift was operating in Saul, who had been converted on the road to Damascus, and at the moment that the Lord was revealing Saul’s location, as well as what he was doing to Ananias, Saul was seeing this selfsame man named Ananias, who would come in and put his hand on him that he might receive his sight.
Acts 9:13-16, “Then Ananias answered, ‘Lord I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name. But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.’”
At first, as any man would be, Ananias was reluctant to go and meet with Saul of Tarsus, because he had heard many things about Saul, he knew him by reputation alone, and by the fact that he had caused much harm to the saints of Jerusalem.
It’s as if Ananias was asking ‘are you sure Lord? Are you certain that this is the man I’m supposed to go see, are you certain that this is the man that You want to heal by my hand? He’s not a nice guy; in fact he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name. Maybe you can pick someone else?’
It is at this moment that the gift of the words of wisdom begins to manifest, and God begins to reveal His future plans for Saul of Tarsus, informing Ananias that indeed, this persecutor of the brethren, this man who hunted the followers of Christ even as far as Damascus, was indeed a chosen vessel, one who would bear God’s name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.
None of this these had as yet occurred, at that moment Saul was nothing more than a blind man sitting in the house of Judas on the street called Straight praying, but the gift of the words of wisdom revealed what the future held for Saul, and via the Holy Spirit, God revealed the reality of what Saul would become to Ananias.
The gift of the words of wisdom is a practical gift, one that gives much comfort and encouragement, especially when God sets us on a course, or directs us toward a path that seems counterintuitive and even illogical to human reasoning. It is in such times, and in such circumstances that the gift of the words of wisdom is best utilized, because although we might not see the plan of God in its totality today, God knows the end from the beginning and He knows our destination long before we’ve taken the first step. In His goodness, He oftentimes reveals the reality of what the future holds for us if we remain in obedience, just as He revealed to Ananias what the future held for Saul of Tarsus, who we now know as Paul the Apostle of Christ.
Everything that God foretold concerning Saul came to pass, he truly bore the name of God and the saving grace of Christ to the Gentiles, to kings as well as to the children of Israel, and if we read all that he endured throughout his life, we also come to realize that truly he suffered many things for God’s sake.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
Friday, November 11, 2011
The Holy Spirit: Power Presence and Purpose Part 100
The Gifts Part 5
Words of Wisdom and Words of Knowledge continued...
So what are the gifts of the words of wisdom and that of the words of knowledge, and why are they relevant for us today?
The first and most obvious answer is that these gifts are relevant for us today because they are indeed gifts of the Holy Spirit which He distributes as He sees fit. There is no such thing as a bad gift from God, there is no such thing as a bad gift from the Holy Spirit, and so whatever gift He chooses to impart we receive it with gladness of heart and with joy. What we must realize is that all the gifts of the Holy Spirit are reserved exclusively for the children of God, and although they are freely given to believers, there is no amount of money an unbeliever could offer that could purchase any of the gifts. There is something comforting in knowing that God reserves His best for His children, there is something reassuring in the fact that God will not sell for treasure to unbelievers what He freely gives His own.
Both the gift of the words of wisdom and that of the words of knowledge are revelatory gifts, and along with the gift of discerning of spirits they aid the Body of Christ in keeping themselves pure and undefiled from the various snares and deceptions the enemy places in our path.
The gift of the words of knowledge is a gift of insight, wherein God reveals something of an individual’s past or present, something that they must either be rebuked of, corrected of, or warned of.
When you hear the words ‘the Lord showed me that you are struggling with such and such a thing, or the Lord showed me that you need to repent of such and such a thing’ it is the gift of the word of knowledge that is operating through the individual at the time.
Too often we confuse the gift of the words of wisdom and the gift of the words of knowledge with the gift of prophecy, blending them all together in an unrecognizable hodgepodge wherein we label everything prophecy even though it might be the gift of wisdom or the gift of knowledge.
The gift of the words of knowledge operates in the past, and in the present. This gift reveals events, deeds, mysteries that have already taken place, or reveals the secret of one’s heart in the present.
My grandfather was a man that operated in the gift of the words of knowledge, and as his interpreter throughout his ministry in the United States I can readily tell you it is not an easy gift to carry with you and operate in.
There were countless times when my grandfather would point out someone in the audience for either smoking, abusing their spouse, or adultery, other times when he would pray for individuals and reveal to them the secrets of their heart, and all these were attributed to the gift of the words of knowledge.
One thing is certain, you must be bold to operate in this gift as it will most likely offend some, and outright anger others, because it strips them of any disguise they might attempt to keep on, or any hidden sin they might still be clinging to.
In essence the gift of the words of knowledge is knowing certain aspects of one’s life that the Holy Spirit reveals to you, it is seeing beyond the veil of the Sunday dress or the Sunday suit, beyond the niceties of singing from the choir book and reading the weekly scripture passage, to the heart of the individual, to those things which they’ve tried long and hard to hide and to mask.
I’ll be the first to admit that having this gift will not garner you many friends, especially if you operate in it consistently, but I believe with all my heart that it is a gift that ought to be more visible within the household of faith because the Christ is soon returning, and He is returning for a bride without spot or wrinkle.
I often wonder how empty many churches would be if the gifts of the Holy Spirit operated in them consistently. How many mega-churches would have to close down if the gift of the words of knowledge were embraced by the congregation, and if God would reveal the sins of their hearts on a regular basis?
One thing is certain, whether a great majority would leave, or a great majority would repent and turn from their wicked ways the church would be the better for it, and the righteousness of God would shine in it as it should.
The household of faith has been bathing in the pool of compromise and dining at the table of political correctness for so long that ‘men of God’ today are expected to be mealy mouthed appeasers, tolerant of every proclivity and perversity, going out of their way to be non-confrontational, non-offensive, and non-judgmental.
If anyone dare stand for truth, if anyone dare preach the unadulterated word of God, they are quickly marginalized and labeled as hateful, unloving, and unmerciful not by the world but by those who ought to have been laborers in the same harvest field, who by having defined themselves as Christians ought to have been standing on the same truths.
The grim reality is that a great majority do not want the gifts of the Holy Spirit in their churches because they would upturn the apple cart, they would upset the status quo, they would reveal what lies beneath the surface of manicured lawns, marble foyers, velvet pews, and gold leaf pulpits.
The Holy Spirit is not in the business of sparing feelings; He is in the business of equipping and preparing the Bride that it be ready for the Groom’s imminent return. The Holy Spirit is not in the business of cozying up to politicians, of garnering influence or power, He is in the business of imbuing true believers with power from on high that they might stand and fight and overcome the darkness that is encroaching upon the light.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
Words of Wisdom and Words of Knowledge continued...
So what are the gifts of the words of wisdom and that of the words of knowledge, and why are they relevant for us today?
The first and most obvious answer is that these gifts are relevant for us today because they are indeed gifts of the Holy Spirit which He distributes as He sees fit. There is no such thing as a bad gift from God, there is no such thing as a bad gift from the Holy Spirit, and so whatever gift He chooses to impart we receive it with gladness of heart and with joy. What we must realize is that all the gifts of the Holy Spirit are reserved exclusively for the children of God, and although they are freely given to believers, there is no amount of money an unbeliever could offer that could purchase any of the gifts. There is something comforting in knowing that God reserves His best for His children, there is something reassuring in the fact that God will not sell for treasure to unbelievers what He freely gives His own.
Both the gift of the words of wisdom and that of the words of knowledge are revelatory gifts, and along with the gift of discerning of spirits they aid the Body of Christ in keeping themselves pure and undefiled from the various snares and deceptions the enemy places in our path.
The gift of the words of knowledge is a gift of insight, wherein God reveals something of an individual’s past or present, something that they must either be rebuked of, corrected of, or warned of.
When you hear the words ‘the Lord showed me that you are struggling with such and such a thing, or the Lord showed me that you need to repent of such and such a thing’ it is the gift of the word of knowledge that is operating through the individual at the time.
Too often we confuse the gift of the words of wisdom and the gift of the words of knowledge with the gift of prophecy, blending them all together in an unrecognizable hodgepodge wherein we label everything prophecy even though it might be the gift of wisdom or the gift of knowledge.
The gift of the words of knowledge operates in the past, and in the present. This gift reveals events, deeds, mysteries that have already taken place, or reveals the secret of one’s heart in the present.
My grandfather was a man that operated in the gift of the words of knowledge, and as his interpreter throughout his ministry in the United States I can readily tell you it is not an easy gift to carry with you and operate in.
There were countless times when my grandfather would point out someone in the audience for either smoking, abusing their spouse, or adultery, other times when he would pray for individuals and reveal to them the secrets of their heart, and all these were attributed to the gift of the words of knowledge.
One thing is certain, you must be bold to operate in this gift as it will most likely offend some, and outright anger others, because it strips them of any disguise they might attempt to keep on, or any hidden sin they might still be clinging to.
In essence the gift of the words of knowledge is knowing certain aspects of one’s life that the Holy Spirit reveals to you, it is seeing beyond the veil of the Sunday dress or the Sunday suit, beyond the niceties of singing from the choir book and reading the weekly scripture passage, to the heart of the individual, to those things which they’ve tried long and hard to hide and to mask.
I’ll be the first to admit that having this gift will not garner you many friends, especially if you operate in it consistently, but I believe with all my heart that it is a gift that ought to be more visible within the household of faith because the Christ is soon returning, and He is returning for a bride without spot or wrinkle.
I often wonder how empty many churches would be if the gifts of the Holy Spirit operated in them consistently. How many mega-churches would have to close down if the gift of the words of knowledge were embraced by the congregation, and if God would reveal the sins of their hearts on a regular basis?
One thing is certain, whether a great majority would leave, or a great majority would repent and turn from their wicked ways the church would be the better for it, and the righteousness of God would shine in it as it should.
The household of faith has been bathing in the pool of compromise and dining at the table of political correctness for so long that ‘men of God’ today are expected to be mealy mouthed appeasers, tolerant of every proclivity and perversity, going out of their way to be non-confrontational, non-offensive, and non-judgmental.
If anyone dare stand for truth, if anyone dare preach the unadulterated word of God, they are quickly marginalized and labeled as hateful, unloving, and unmerciful not by the world but by those who ought to have been laborers in the same harvest field, who by having defined themselves as Christians ought to have been standing on the same truths.
The grim reality is that a great majority do not want the gifts of the Holy Spirit in their churches because they would upturn the apple cart, they would upset the status quo, they would reveal what lies beneath the surface of manicured lawns, marble foyers, velvet pews, and gold leaf pulpits.
The Holy Spirit is not in the business of sparing feelings; He is in the business of equipping and preparing the Bride that it be ready for the Groom’s imminent return. The Holy Spirit is not in the business of cozying up to politicians, of garnering influence or power, He is in the business of imbuing true believers with power from on high that they might stand and fight and overcome the darkness that is encroaching upon the light.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
This Weekend's Travels
Since a number of you inquired as to when I would be speaking in Wisconsin, I've decided to post this weekend's meeting schedule. Tomorrow we will continue with the series on the Holy Spirit discovering what it is that the gift of the word of knowledge and the gift of the word of wisdom truly are. For now, thank you to all those who continue to read this series, and if you are able I hope to see you at one or both of this Sunday's meetings.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
Sunday November 13, 2011 10:00 AM
Hillside Assembly of God
1501 North Pier St.
Merrill, WI 54452
Sunday November 13, 2011 6:30 PM
Pleasant Valley Christian Center
W1741 Easterson Rd
Eleva, WI 54738
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
Sunday November 13, 2011 10:00 AM
Hillside Assembly of God
1501 North Pier St.
Merrill, WI 54452
Sunday November 13, 2011 6:30 PM
Pleasant Valley Christian Center
W1741 Easterson Rd
Eleva, WI 54738
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
The Holy Spirit: Power Presence and Purpose Part 99
The Gifts Part 4
Words of Wisdom and Words of Knowledge continued...
Solomon knew in his heart he did not possess the requisite aptitude to judge over God’s people, or rule over them. At the time of this prayer he was a young man, yet he was mature enough in his thinking to realize that he needed wisdom in order to rule. So rather than ask for riches or wealth which could readily be squandered, rather than ask for the life of his enemies which would have been a selfish thing to ask for, rather than ask for long life which can become empty and void without knowing what you’re living for, Solomon asked for wisdom and knowledge which he realized would carry him throughout his days.
It so pleased God that Solomon asked for wisdom and knowledge, that not only did God grant him these things, He added riches and wealth and honor to the list of blessings He bestowed upon him.
Wisdom is something we can grow in, wisdom is something we can increase in, but the gift of the word of wisdom is something that must come from God through the Holy Spirit. Even the Son of God increased in wisdom, albeit in His early years, but it was an important enough point that it was included within the pages of the Bible.
Luke 2:52, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”
Moving on to the gift of the words of knowledge, one thing that it is not is a deep or profound knowledge of the Word of God obtained through diligent study. The gift of the words of knowledge is not, and cannot be the result of personal effort, or the result of diligence on the part of man. Since it is a gift, it is given of God; it is something that the Holy Spirit breathes into a chosen vessel, and not something that the man can accomplish through industry or exertion.
If we have indeed studied the Word of God with diligence as we ought, if we have meditated upon the Word of God as we ought, not for a day, or for a week, but for many years, and have accumulated knowledge of the Word and have perceived the deeper things of Scripture, it does not mean that we now possess the gift of the words of knowledge, it simply means that we were doing our duty in discovering Christ and the message of the cross through His word.
Yes, it is the duty of every believer to know the word of God, as is the duty of every believer to be diligent in presenting themselves approved of God. There is nothing more tragic than seeing professing Christians get stumped by unbelievers concerning certain Biblical truths. It is not something that happens once in a great while, but something that happens more frequently than we would like to admit, wherein men professing Christ have no knowledge of His word, and are unable to rightly divide it when they are called upon to do so.
From the ever famous preachers who attribute certain quotes to the Bible that were never in the Bible, such as the pastor who I heard say, ‘like the good book says, an apple a day keeps the doctor away’, or another who attributed Shakespeare’s ‘to thine own self be true’ to none other than Jesus, there are many so called representatives of the Bible who have no clue what the Bible really says concerning certain matters.
As I said, it is our duty to know the word of God, and be diligent in our study thereof, that we might rightly divide the word of truth, and present ourselves as workers who need not be ashamed.
2 Timothy 2:15, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
So to anyone that thinks they don’t have to study the Bible because when the time comes the Lord will give them a word of knowledge to put to shame those in opposition to their viewpoint, the Book that you’ve been putting off reading tells you that it is your responsibility to be diligent in presenting yourself approved of God, and to rightly divide the word of truth.
I can’t remember how many conversations I’ve had with believers who came up to me after church meetings, adamant that what I had said was not in the Bible until I would show it to them.
If you are going to talk about the Word of God, know what you’re talking about and don’t guess at it. Be diligent, take the time to read, to meditate, to understand and to accumulate the knowledge of the Word of God, and only when you have accumulated the requisite knowledge espouse on a certain topic, whether it be the seven seals, the seven bowls, or the seven trumpets.
No one can read the Scriptures on your behalf, no one can be diligent in seeking out truth on your behalf, no one can meditate on the deeper things of God on your behalf, it is you who must put in the time, it is you who must make the effort, and it is you who must be diligent.
Will God give greater insight if we meditate on His word, become diligent in the study thereof, and put in the time to know and understand scripture? Yes, because He is a good God, and when we seek Him we find Him, and when we knock He opens.
There is no such thing as a one sided relationship with God. We can’t expect God to perpetually attempt to draw close to us while we keep Him at arm’s length, nor can we expect Him to perpetually pursue us while we are constantly indifferent toward Him. If we truly love God, if we truly serve Him, if Jesus is truly Lord of our lives, then we will be diligent in discovering the entirety of Him in His word, and seeking out the deeper truths contained therein.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
Words of Wisdom and Words of Knowledge continued...
Solomon knew in his heart he did not possess the requisite aptitude to judge over God’s people, or rule over them. At the time of this prayer he was a young man, yet he was mature enough in his thinking to realize that he needed wisdom in order to rule. So rather than ask for riches or wealth which could readily be squandered, rather than ask for the life of his enemies which would have been a selfish thing to ask for, rather than ask for long life which can become empty and void without knowing what you’re living for, Solomon asked for wisdom and knowledge which he realized would carry him throughout his days.
It so pleased God that Solomon asked for wisdom and knowledge, that not only did God grant him these things, He added riches and wealth and honor to the list of blessings He bestowed upon him.
Wisdom is something we can grow in, wisdom is something we can increase in, but the gift of the word of wisdom is something that must come from God through the Holy Spirit. Even the Son of God increased in wisdom, albeit in His early years, but it was an important enough point that it was included within the pages of the Bible.
Luke 2:52, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”
Moving on to the gift of the words of knowledge, one thing that it is not is a deep or profound knowledge of the Word of God obtained through diligent study. The gift of the words of knowledge is not, and cannot be the result of personal effort, or the result of diligence on the part of man. Since it is a gift, it is given of God; it is something that the Holy Spirit breathes into a chosen vessel, and not something that the man can accomplish through industry or exertion.
If we have indeed studied the Word of God with diligence as we ought, if we have meditated upon the Word of God as we ought, not for a day, or for a week, but for many years, and have accumulated knowledge of the Word and have perceived the deeper things of Scripture, it does not mean that we now possess the gift of the words of knowledge, it simply means that we were doing our duty in discovering Christ and the message of the cross through His word.
Yes, it is the duty of every believer to know the word of God, as is the duty of every believer to be diligent in presenting themselves approved of God. There is nothing more tragic than seeing professing Christians get stumped by unbelievers concerning certain Biblical truths. It is not something that happens once in a great while, but something that happens more frequently than we would like to admit, wherein men professing Christ have no knowledge of His word, and are unable to rightly divide it when they are called upon to do so.
From the ever famous preachers who attribute certain quotes to the Bible that were never in the Bible, such as the pastor who I heard say, ‘like the good book says, an apple a day keeps the doctor away’, or another who attributed Shakespeare’s ‘to thine own self be true’ to none other than Jesus, there are many so called representatives of the Bible who have no clue what the Bible really says concerning certain matters.
As I said, it is our duty to know the word of God, and be diligent in our study thereof, that we might rightly divide the word of truth, and present ourselves as workers who need not be ashamed.
2 Timothy 2:15, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
So to anyone that thinks they don’t have to study the Bible because when the time comes the Lord will give them a word of knowledge to put to shame those in opposition to their viewpoint, the Book that you’ve been putting off reading tells you that it is your responsibility to be diligent in presenting yourself approved of God, and to rightly divide the word of truth.
I can’t remember how many conversations I’ve had with believers who came up to me after church meetings, adamant that what I had said was not in the Bible until I would show it to them.
If you are going to talk about the Word of God, know what you’re talking about and don’t guess at it. Be diligent, take the time to read, to meditate, to understand and to accumulate the knowledge of the Word of God, and only when you have accumulated the requisite knowledge espouse on a certain topic, whether it be the seven seals, the seven bowls, or the seven trumpets.
No one can read the Scriptures on your behalf, no one can be diligent in seeking out truth on your behalf, no one can meditate on the deeper things of God on your behalf, it is you who must put in the time, it is you who must make the effort, and it is you who must be diligent.
Will God give greater insight if we meditate on His word, become diligent in the study thereof, and put in the time to know and understand scripture? Yes, because He is a good God, and when we seek Him we find Him, and when we knock He opens.
There is no such thing as a one sided relationship with God. We can’t expect God to perpetually attempt to draw close to us while we keep Him at arm’s length, nor can we expect Him to perpetually pursue us while we are constantly indifferent toward Him. If we truly love God, if we truly serve Him, if Jesus is truly Lord of our lives, then we will be diligent in discovering the entirety of Him in His word, and seeking out the deeper truths contained therein.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
The Holy Spirit: Power Presence and Purpose Part 98
The Gifts Part 3
Words of Wisdom and Words of Knowledge continued...
Since the gift of the word of wisdom is first on the list, we will begin with it, and discover what this gift does not entail.
The first thing that the gift of the word of wisdom is not is a source of help or a source of wisdom concerning earthly issues or daily life. Having the gift of the word of wisdom will not help you better plan for your retirement, it will not help you better manage your finances, nor will it help you better remember your spouse’s or your children’s birthdays.
We cannot confuse natural wisdom, or earthly reason with a spiritual gift, nor can we hope to receive a certain spiritual gift to help us in our earthly pursuits. Are there some people who are better at planning for their retirement than others? Are there some people that are better at managing their finances than others? The answer to both questions is a hearty yes, but this has to do with natural wisdom rather than the supernatural gift of the word of wisdom.
If we are lacking in wisdom however, and we are wise enough to realize that we are lacking in it, the Word tells us that we can ask for wisdom of God and He will give it to us. Once again receiving general wisdom from God, and receiving the gift of the word of wisdom are two different things, and we cannot blend the two together just because it might seem simpler.
James 1:5-6, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.”
So if we are lacking wisdom in any particular area of our lives, and we realize that we are lacking it, biblically there is a remedy, that of asking God for wisdom, in faith, with no doubting, and He will give liberally and without reproach.
God is glad when we come before Him in faith and ask Him for wisdom, it brings joy to His heart to see His children desire to be wiser in certain areas of their lives, and He gives the desired wisdom without reproach, as long as we ask it in faith.
One of the areas that I was personally lacking wisdom in was managing my time. No matter how early I would wake up, or how late I would go to bed, there were still certain things I had planned to do that day, that never seemed to get done.
I realized I needed wisdom in this area, and as the word instructs, I asked God for wisdom in faith, and in His gracious goodness He gave me the wisdom I was requesting in this particular area. One day as I was in prayer, I realized suddenly that little things were consuming my time, and at least for me it was an epiphany. There was no drastic change in the way I approached my day, because seemingly no drastic change was required, but little things like turning off my telephone when I sit down to write, only checking my e-mails once a day, having an allotted time of no more than fifteen minutes to peruse the news in the morning after my prayers, added up to enough time that I now regularly finish doing everything I had purposed for that particular day.
Because of this wisdom, and I realize that for some of you it is evident and obvious but for me it was not, I’ve been able to post something every day for the better part of the past two hundred days.
As I said, in retrospect it seems obvious enough, but at the time, I didn’t realize just how many hours of the day I wasted with distractions, and how difficult it was to get my train of thought going again once an interruption occurred.
Whatever area of our lives we are lacking in, whatever area of our lives we need wisdom in, we need only ask it of God in faith, and He will give it to us, however this is not the gift of the word of wisdom which the Holy Spirit imparts.
The gift of the word of wisdom is not a general gift, it is not for everyone and this is why Paul the Apostle is quick to point out that ‘to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge trough the same Spirit’. So while the wisdom of which the gospel according to James speaks of is for all who ask it in faith, the gift of the word of wisdom is something distributed by the Holy Spirit as He sees fit.
There is an example in the Bible of one who asked God for wisdom, and because he asked for wisdom it was granted to him. I speak of course of Solomon, the man of whom God said would possess wisdom and knowledge as none of the kings that had come before him, nor would any after him have the like.
2 Chronicles 1:8-12, “And Solomon said to God: ‘You have shown great mercy to David my father, and have made me king in his place. Now, O Lord God, let Your promise to David my father be established, for You have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of Yours?’ And God said to Solomon: ‘Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches or wealth or honor or the life or your enemies, nor have you asked long life – but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king – wisdom and knowledge are granted to you; and I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings have had who have been before you, nor shall any after you have the like.”
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
Words of Wisdom and Words of Knowledge continued...
Since the gift of the word of wisdom is first on the list, we will begin with it, and discover what this gift does not entail.
The first thing that the gift of the word of wisdom is not is a source of help or a source of wisdom concerning earthly issues or daily life. Having the gift of the word of wisdom will not help you better plan for your retirement, it will not help you better manage your finances, nor will it help you better remember your spouse’s or your children’s birthdays.
We cannot confuse natural wisdom, or earthly reason with a spiritual gift, nor can we hope to receive a certain spiritual gift to help us in our earthly pursuits. Are there some people who are better at planning for their retirement than others? Are there some people that are better at managing their finances than others? The answer to both questions is a hearty yes, but this has to do with natural wisdom rather than the supernatural gift of the word of wisdom.
If we are lacking in wisdom however, and we are wise enough to realize that we are lacking in it, the Word tells us that we can ask for wisdom of God and He will give it to us. Once again receiving general wisdom from God, and receiving the gift of the word of wisdom are two different things, and we cannot blend the two together just because it might seem simpler.
James 1:5-6, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.”
So if we are lacking wisdom in any particular area of our lives, and we realize that we are lacking it, biblically there is a remedy, that of asking God for wisdom, in faith, with no doubting, and He will give liberally and without reproach.
God is glad when we come before Him in faith and ask Him for wisdom, it brings joy to His heart to see His children desire to be wiser in certain areas of their lives, and He gives the desired wisdom without reproach, as long as we ask it in faith.
One of the areas that I was personally lacking wisdom in was managing my time. No matter how early I would wake up, or how late I would go to bed, there were still certain things I had planned to do that day, that never seemed to get done.
I realized I needed wisdom in this area, and as the word instructs, I asked God for wisdom in faith, and in His gracious goodness He gave me the wisdom I was requesting in this particular area. One day as I was in prayer, I realized suddenly that little things were consuming my time, and at least for me it was an epiphany. There was no drastic change in the way I approached my day, because seemingly no drastic change was required, but little things like turning off my telephone when I sit down to write, only checking my e-mails once a day, having an allotted time of no more than fifteen minutes to peruse the news in the morning after my prayers, added up to enough time that I now regularly finish doing everything I had purposed for that particular day.
Because of this wisdom, and I realize that for some of you it is evident and obvious but for me it was not, I’ve been able to post something every day for the better part of the past two hundred days.
As I said, in retrospect it seems obvious enough, but at the time, I didn’t realize just how many hours of the day I wasted with distractions, and how difficult it was to get my train of thought going again once an interruption occurred.
Whatever area of our lives we are lacking in, whatever area of our lives we need wisdom in, we need only ask it of God in faith, and He will give it to us, however this is not the gift of the word of wisdom which the Holy Spirit imparts.
The gift of the word of wisdom is not a general gift, it is not for everyone and this is why Paul the Apostle is quick to point out that ‘to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge trough the same Spirit’. So while the wisdom of which the gospel according to James speaks of is for all who ask it in faith, the gift of the word of wisdom is something distributed by the Holy Spirit as He sees fit.
There is an example in the Bible of one who asked God for wisdom, and because he asked for wisdom it was granted to him. I speak of course of Solomon, the man of whom God said would possess wisdom and knowledge as none of the kings that had come before him, nor would any after him have the like.
2 Chronicles 1:8-12, “And Solomon said to God: ‘You have shown great mercy to David my father, and have made me king in his place. Now, O Lord God, let Your promise to David my father be established, for You have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of Yours?’ And God said to Solomon: ‘Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches or wealth or honor or the life or your enemies, nor have you asked long life – but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king – wisdom and knowledge are granted to you; and I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings have had who have been before you, nor shall any after you have the like.”
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
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