Gift

Dear Friend,
How are you? I’m well.
 
Have you ever been confused with what the gift of the Holy Spirit is all about, when you see something uncomfortable in the lives of the believers? For many years, I’ve been wondering why some believers live a life that I would not see even in unbelievers’ lives. I’ve seen anger, pride, rebellion, selfishness, lies and so forth in some believers who were baptized in the Holy Spirit. And I wondered why, and I sometimes noticed some people in the world have better characters than the so-called Spirit-filled believers.
 
After listening to the Lord’s faithful servants and reading their books, I think now I understand why, and I know what I must do.
 
In the sermon, “Protection from Deception”, Derek Prince mentioned, “The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable,” (Romans 11:29) and I recalled Pastor R. T. Kendall also explained this in his book and sermon.
 
Imagine that you have a daughter who recently went to a university, and you bought her a car as a gift. Then, one day, she did something that made you unhappy. But because of that, you wouldn’t take the car back from her,  because it was a gift for her. You didn’t give it to her, as she deserved it. She didn’t earn it, but you wanted to give her a present. Maybe she might continue to do something that would make you unhappy. You would still be unhappy, but you wouldn’t take back the car from her. Neither would our Father. He would not take back the gifts He has given to us, such as Tongue, Prophecy, Gifts of Healings, Miracles, and so forth, even if we made a mistake or did something wrong. We didn’t earn them from the outset, but they were the gifts from Him.
 
So, even if I yelled at mom, He wouldn’t take back His gift from me. Even if you didn’t love your wife, He wouldn’t take back the gift of Tongue from you. And even if some prophets did something wrong, they could still hear what He says and see what He shows. And they could still prophesy over individuals, nations, and so on.  So, I think we would need wisdom and discernment, and should not be deceived just because someone can prophesy or heal the sick and cast out demons. And even when, we ourselves have the gift from the Lord, we should not be proud. We didn’t earn it nor deserve it.  On the Judgement Day, He would say to those who cast out demons and do signs and wonders, “I never knew you, depart from Me, the workers of lawlessness!”
 
I found David Pawson’s teaching on wheat and tares interesting. When the servants asked the owner whether they would uproot the tares, the owner said, “No, leave them together until the harvest. At the time of harvest, I will say to the reapers to gather the tares together and burn them.” And David said pastors want only wheat in their churches, but evangelists want all to come. So, I think it’s necessary that we have tares in church, and we shouldn’t be blinded. And in some sermons, David said we should understand the context of Jesus’ parables and warnings. He said some of the warnings and parables were for His disciples, not to unbelievers.
 
So, I believe we must pray for the Spirit of discernment especially when we live in the last days. And more importantly, we make sure we listen to and obey the Lord and we bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
 
Dear Friend,
I pray that you and I have love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control in our home, workplaces, schools, churches and communities in Jesus’ name. I pray that the Spirit of discernment may rest upon us and we will not be deceived by false teachers and false prophets in Jesus’ name. May you and I shine like stars in the darkness in the mighty name of Jesus!
 
Have a bliss!
Yunee

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Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor,and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.  (1 Corinthians 13:1~3)