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Expound: Romans 12 - Part B

Connect with Skip Heitzig / Skip Heitzig
The Cross Radio
July 8, 2022 6:00 am

Expound: Romans 12 - Part B

Connect with Skip Heitzig / Skip Heitzig

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July 8, 2022 6:00 am

God equips each believer uniquely, and so it's pointless to compare ourselves to others. In this message, Skip shares how God works in you through the spiritual gifts He gives you.

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The use and working of the spiritual gift in the body of Christ can be like a fingerprint. Very individual, very stylized, very, very, not like another and even to people with the same gift of the spirit operate differently.

God works faith look like the numbers in today on connect with Skip Skip shares hope God can empower you with spiritual gifts to shun Jesus life in the world would begin to tell you about a resource that will help you get the most of your Bible study time in this world record has again confirmed that the Bible is the best-selling of all time.

Research the number and portions of Scripture then translated into nearly 3500 different languages. There's a difference between having access to password and allowing it to change your life today is about practical Bible study from skip.

I think observation was legal interpretation which must lead to application somebody wants. But if you want to meet in the street is where you take good Bible truths and shoe leather on the ones where the rubber meets the road.

You do what Jesus said we want to increase the effectiveness of your personal Bible study with skip. I think the how to study the Bible and enjoy it. This practical guide is thanking you, you get $25 or more to help keep his teaching ministry on the air. Get your copy today and take the mystery out of studying Scripture, 892 1888, or get online securely connect.com/offer Romans chapter 12 for today study. Let's join Skip your mind matters should think like an question necessarily even Paul the apostle congratulated the Parisians because they were more noble than those in Thessalonica in that they receive the word of God with all readiness of mind, but they search the Scriptures daily to see if these things be so be a Berean do that. Can you imagine listening to Paul the apostle, and even having the thought why don't know if that's true in some legal what you mean. As such that's Paul the apostle meant so I want to make sure that that is in line with the Scripture.

I'm in a search the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul just said is true. And Paul said, I like that there are more noble than those in Thessalonica because they did that so your mind matters to God.

You are to love the Lord your God with all of your heart, mind, soul and strength to think through things intelligently, clearly, critically, be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove now, we've gone to the negative and the positive. Here's the practical. The practical part is this where it will lead you when you do that when you don't conform, but you are transformed you will approve the result will be. You'll discover what is the good acceptable and perfect will of God. I don't think I've ever met a Christian who doesn't want to know the will of God. A person comes to know Christ. They're all excited that there sins are forgiven, they have Kevin waiting for them, there purpose for life, but they quickly come to the place where they say I wonder what God wants from my life what he wants me to do what area he be leading me into what is the will of God. How do I discover the perfect will of God. And then unfortunately some think well it must be difficult or it must be strange or weird in discovering the will of God maybe got to give me a sign. Maybe I'll hear a voice from heaven will see lights line up somebody will's speak a word of prophecy.

To me that's all discover the will of God. God could use any of those means but I discovered that usually God moves supernaturally naturally not supernaturally weirdly not supernaturally strangely but just naturally you you will just discover your walk in it. The Lord will put you in the right place and you will discover, you will prove what is that good, acceptable and perfect will of God to say something to you but I want you to take it in this context, love God with all of your heart mind soul and strength, and then do what you want now pick that apart. Think critically what I just said if you love the Lord your God with all your heart mind soul and strength. What you will want will be the will of God. If you love him you want to honor him you want to glorify him to thinking I want to follow the dictates of Scripture and do what you want because what you want is to discover what he wants you to want what he wants to place those desires in your heart. You'll prove what is that good, acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say to 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. Now let me get that part of the verse to you in the Phillips translation.

This translation says do not think of himself more highly than he ought the Phillips translation says don't cherish exaggerated ideas of your own importance. Again, that's so good.

Don't cherish exaggerated ideas of your own importance. Now I discovered this happens when God starts using a person that the natural reaction to God using them as well.

I must be pretty awesome. I am pretty awesome mean that was amazing what the Lord did in my life and so you start having exaggerated ideas of your own importance know all that proves is that God is willing to condescend and use even you and me. God's chosen member what it says God has chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise first Corinthians 13.

That is my life verse. If a doctor performs an operation in a surgical suite under sterile conditions with a great backup team and all the latest technology happens every day. But if a doctor can do that same operation in a primitive environment without that backup system. Without that technology and only has a little kitchen knife that he or she heats up and make sterile and for that operation to be successful now that something special and after the operation. You don't take the knife in the praise you knife you are the most awesome knife ever. It's not the knife is the one who held the knife. It's the one who did the work is not the tool, so don't have exaggerated I'm a nice so who's the surgeon man who's the doctor behind you, so don't think of yourself more highly then he ought to think. But think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith, reason to go on to speak about the body of Christ and in love in the body of Christ and and gifts that promote unity in the church to fulfill his will among us and it says that God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. One thing I have discovered about God and how he uses us is the Lord is not an ogre. He doesn't call you to do something that you, I'd hate to do that. I've had people say I need to go to the mission field. Chances are, is not calling now.

He might, but if he does give you a love for give you desire to do it will put the will within your heart is unlike God is so mean the pusher harmonies and a force you to do stuff you hate to do know God is giving you a measure of faith so that you will operate in a certain area and it's up perfect fit is a gracious and loving God. So for as we have many members in one body. This is the human body is an analogy, but all the members do not have the same function right first printing Chapter 12 with the whole body were an eyewear would be the hearing that the whole body were an ear where where would be the scene is different parts of the human body so we, being many letters we as the body of Christ church members. We, being many, are one body in Christ and individually members one of another.

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them.

I mentioned to Dr. and I mentioned kitchen knife or scalpel. That's just one tool. The doctor has needles different gauges of needles different shapes of needles different kinds of suture different tools like retractors and hemostats and blades etc. to do what he does besides a number of other tools. Every tool is important. A mechanic didn't just have a screwdriver but has a screwdriver to pliers and a bunch of other tools to do a job when somebody comes to Mrs. but what is the best spiritual gift to have. That's like asking what's the best tool in your toolbox or what is the best implement for the doctor to use and the answer, of course, would be depends on what job you want to do you know if you want to weld something I hammer is not your best tool back you can beat something all day long and I won't help won't won't accomplish the job if you're trying to hammer a nail into a piece of wood he screwdriver is not your best tool I hammer would be so when the Bible says covet the best gifts and it does say that desire the best gifts of the spirit.

What is the best gift will depends on what God has called you to do and the best gift for you will be given by God to you to accomplish the work is called you to do. You can be rest assured of that. So he's given you a measure of faith. And he's given you whatever gift is needed to to fulfill and to to bless the body of Christ. Okay in Romans chapter 12.

He mentioned some spiritual gifts he mentions seven spiritual gifts. That's not how many spiritual gifts.

There are if you were to look at first Corinthians chapter 12 he lists 17 spiritual gifts. If you look at the book of Ephesians, he mentions five spiritual gifts so and I've read so many books on on this. Some will say when it comes to gifts of the spirit gifts of the Holy Spirit.

There are 22 gifts for some will say 21 gifts furthers then the number floats depending on on how you read the words but doesn't matter right.

I don't think the number matters.

I think that it's the same spirit who works all of these things all and in all Paul said so you you can have a person with one gift or two gifts or three gifts of the spirit and then you'll have somebody else with one of those gifts, but a couple of other gifts so that the combination is pretty endless and so that the use and working of the spiritual gift in the body of Christ can be like a fingerprint. Very individual, very stylized, very, very, not like another and even to people with the same gift of the spirit are are going operate differently. They can have their own personality so you you get to a let's say pastor teachers and they are given the same passage of Scripture, I guarantee you have two different sermons two different ways of looking at it.

Same truths but different styles.

Okay, enough said on that list kinda go through this. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them. If prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith. I'm knocking to go through all these gifts and and describe all the use of them. I have done that I've done that in depth. I've done that with every gift of the spirit. I will say this, and there is dispute as to if prophecy means preaching the word or mean something more specific.

In the Old Testament prophets often foretold the future. Yes, they predicted. Sometimes they didn't predict sometimes was not foretelling. Sometimes it was just for telling me were just saying, thus says the Lord. It was God speaking into a situation or to a an event happening in the country or in the city with the kingdom with the king and it wasn't a prediction per se. It was just God's Word God's will for that moment, the idea of New Testament prophecy and there were prophets in the New Testament. I seem to be more local than universal.

That is, it's not like him, thus saith the Lord in Isaiah that will be carried on throughout all of history as a part of Scripture, but rather more like the prophet activists who when Paul went to Caesarea on his way to Jerusalem agribusinesses was a prophet and he took Paul's sash or his belt and he bound himself with many stood up in the midst of the little assembly gathered in Caesarea, held up his hands with the sash of Paul wrapped around it and says, thus says the Lord, the one who owns this belt will be found in Jerusalem and posit well that's my belt, and they all looked upon so we get to do this going to get arrested vendor to be bound and he was so they took that to mean God doesn't want you to go to Jerusalem and they begged him.

Paul don't go because the, the prophecy that faithful prophet just spoke said you're going to get arrested. Will Paul didn't see that as a prohibition. Paul saw that as a confirmation. He said TO GET ARRESTED BECAUSE WHAT YOU MEAN WEEPING AND BREAKING MY HEART.

THIS IS PAUL SPEAKING WHAT YOU MEAN WEEPING AND BREAKING MY HEART. I'M READY NOT ONLY TO BE ARRESTED BUT TO DIE FOR THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS.

A MAN LIKE THAT IS UNSTOPPABLE.

A MAN WHO IS READY TO GET ARRESTED AND DIE WHAT YOU DO WILL YOU LET THEM GO AND HE DID BUT IT WAS GIVE US THE PROPHET WHO GAVE THAT VERY SPECIFIC PROPHECY. SO IF PROPHECY, LET US PROPHESY SPEAK FORTH IN PROPORTION TO OUR FAITH AND PERHAPS A BETTER TRANSLATION WOULD BE IN PROPORTION TO THE FAITH, THE FAITH LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST WEEKEND.

THE BODY OF CHRISTIAN TRUTH OR MINISTRY, LET US USE IT IN OUR MINISTERING NOW THIS WORD MINISTRY SPIRITUAL GIFT MEANS THE GIFT OF PRACTICAL SERVICE. THE WORD PAUL USES HERE IS DIAZ CORNELIA DIAZ CORNELIA IS THE WORD. THE GREEK WORD WHEREBY WE GET OUR WORD DEACON A SERVANT, A PRACTICAL SERVANT IN THE CHURCH SO IF GOD IS GIVING YOU THAT MEASURE OF FAITH AND AND THE MINISTRY OF PRACTICAL SERVING MEETING NEEDS PRACTICALLY IN PEOPLE'S LIVES THAN DO IT. HE WHO TEACHES, IN TEACHING, THAT'S WHAT I FEEL MY PRIMARY GIFT IS I THINK I HAVE OTHER GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT ARE PRIMARILY THIS IS THE GIFT OF THE SPIRIT THAT I EXERCISE HERE FOR THIS LOCAL BODY OF THE MOST FREQUENTLY AND A GIFT OF TEACHING IS THE ABILITY TO INTERPRET THE TEXT AND DO CLARIFY ITS MEANING, TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN THE MEANING CLEARLY TO PEOPLE LIKE IN THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH WHEN EZRA THE PRIEST STOOD UP ON A PLATFORM OF WHAT READ THE TEXT OF SCRIPTURE AND IT SAYS GAVE THE SENSE GAVE THE SENSE EXPLAINED THE MEANING MADE THE APPLICATION TO THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE NOW AS A TEACHER I WILL JUST SAY I BELIEVE AND I MIGHT BE BIASED ON THIS. I BELIEVE THE GIFT OF TEACHING AND THE USE OF TEACHING IS ONE OF THE MOST NEEDED GIFTS IN THE CHURCH AND AND LET ME EXPLAIN. IN MY VIEW, MANY PULPITS, LACK TEACHING, THEY HAVE PREACHING. THEY HAVE EXHORTING THEY HAVE ENTERTAINING BUT FEW HAVE PREACHING IN FACT IN MANY CHURCHES AND I'VE SEEN MANY OF THEM WHEN A PULPIT COMMITTEE LOOKS FOR A PASTOR. THEY RARELY LOOK FOR A TEACHER, ESPECIALLY IN EXPOSITORY TEACHER. THEY WANT SOMEBODY WHO HAS OTHER GIFTS SOMEBODY YOU CAN RAISE THE BUDGET SOMEBODY YOU CAN MEET WITH DONORS. SOMEBODY WHO CAN BE NICE AND VISIT ALL THE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME AND THUS HE MAY NOT HAVE TIME TO PREPARE A MESSAGE BUT THE MESSAGE IS THIS INCIDENTALS NOT AS IMPORTANT, I BELIEVE IT'S HIGHER. I BELIEVE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. GOD HAS GIVEN US A BOOK AND AND A TEACHER WILL EXPLAIN CLEARLY AND SIMPLY OF THE MEANING OF THAT SO FEW TEACHERS AND TEACHING SO THAT'S MY LITTLE BIAS. THAT'S MY LITTLE SOAPBOX, BUT I QUALIFIED AS I WARNED YOU. VERSE EIGHT HE WHO EXHORTS, AND THAT IS A SPIRITUAL GIFT IN EXHORTATION THE WORD IN GREEK FOREX ORDER EXHORTATION IS PAR A COLETTE OWEN PARKER, LEO IS BETTER TRANSLATED ENCOURAGING YOU TO THINK OF SOMEBODY WILL EXHORTS YOU KNOW WHEN THEY COME TO GETTING YOUR GRILL WILL MAKE YOU HAVE A FURLOUGH BROWED AND HE TELL YOU WHAT TO DO, ACTUALLY, AND EXHORT, OR ENCOURAGES YOU TO DO IT AND IT MIGHT HAVE A FIRMNESS TO IT THAT THAT GIFT MIGHT BE EXPRESSED THAT WAY BUT IT IT'S CAN IT NOTE TEACHING, LAYS THE FOUNDATION AND EXHORTATION IS THE GENTLE FRAUD THAT USES THE, THE, THE GIFT OF AN OF TEACHING AND INSTRUCTION AND AND MOTIVATES A PERSON SAY SO HERE'S AN EXAMPLE. LET'S SAY I HOLD UP A SKATEBOARD SINCE WE HAVE A SKATE PARK HERE AND I HOLD UP A SKATEBOARD DEMAND FOR SMALL DETAIL ABOUT THE SKATEBOARD. THE SKATEBOARD IS A LONGBOARD AND I'M ONLY GOING BY WHAT I HAVE AT HOME SO LONGBOARD IS DIFFERENT THAN A SHORTER SKATEBOARD IT.

IT TURNS IT SMOOTHER BUT IT DOESN'T TURN AS WELL ABOUT THE WHEELS ARE LITTLE BIT BIGGER SO THEIR SOFTWARE. I START EXPLAINING ALL THE PARTS IN THE BEARINGS AND THE TRUCKS AND HOW IT OPERATES IN THE THE TAPE ON TOP THAT GIVES YOU GRIP AND INSULT YOU GETTING ALL THIS INSTRUCTION ALL THAT'S GOOD. NOW YOU KNOW HOW IT OPERATES, BUT SOMEBODY WITH THE GIFT OF EXHORTATION IS THE GOD WHO GIVES YOU A PUSH ON THE SKATEBOARD. ONE THING TO HAVE THE INSTRUCTION BUT IS NOT IN VAIN TO GET THE PUSH AND GET SOME MOMENTUM NOW YOU NEED BOTH YOU NEED INSTRUCTION AS YOU WANT SOMEBODY JUST PUT IN SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT THIS ON A SKATEBOARD JUST PUSHES THEM DOWN THE HILL TO BE CRUEL SO YOU NEED INSTRUCTION, BUT IF YOU JUST GET INSTRUCTION, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE SOMEBODY TO HELP YOU PUT IT INTO PRACTICE. JUST HAD KNOWLEDGE SO TEACHING AND EXHORTATION ARE TWO GIFTS THAT OFTEN OPERATE TOGETHER SO MANY TIMES THE TEACHER WILL ALSO BE A PREACHER AND VICE A VERSA.

HE WILL EXHORTS AND EXHORTATION. HE WHO GIVES, WITH LIBERALITY, THERE IS A GIFT OF GIVING ALL OF US ARE CALLED TO GIVE AND SUPPORT THE LORD'S WORK. BUT SOME PEOPLE GOD GIVES A SPECIAL ENABLING TO SEE A NEED, AND THE FINANCIAL WHEREWITHAL AND THE HEART TO MEET THAT NEED.

HE WHO LEADS, WITH DILIGENCE. I BELIEVE THIS LEADERSHIP GIFT REFERRED TO HERE IS KNOWN AS IN FIRST CORINTHIANS 12, THE GIFT OF ADMINISTRATION, THE ABILITY TO ADMINISTRATE INTO TWO TO LEAD THAT WAY. HE WHO SHOWS MERCY WITH CAREFULNESS. ANOTHER SPIRITUAL GIFT.

THANK GOD FOR THOSE WHO HAVE THE GIFT OF MERCY WE NEEDED VERSE NINE LET LOVE BE WITHOUT HYPOCRISY. ABHOR WHAT IS EVIL. CLING TO WHAT IS GOOD AND HERE'S WHAT I WANT YOU TO NOTICE AS WE GO TO THE REST OF THIS CHAPTER, THERE ARE 30 SHORT LITTLE COMMANDS TO SORT OF ONE STRONG UPON ANOTHER LITTLE STACCATO EXHORTATION DO THIS DO THAT YOU KNOW THIS, THAT 30 OF THEM AND THEY ALL PRIMARILY DEAL WITH LOVE. HOW WE LOVE THE FAMILY OF GOD. HOW WE LOVE, HOSTILITY, OR THE WORLD.

EVEN IN THE MIDST OF HOSTILITY AND HOW WE LOVE EVEN OUR ENEMIES SO LET LOVE BE WITHOUT MY WAS THAT CONCLUDES Skip A TEXT MESSAGE SERIES EXPOUND ROOM TO Skip TO SHARE. YOU CAN HELP KEEP THIS BROADCAST GOING STRONG CONNECTING YOU AND MANY OTHERS TO THE LORD, YOU KNOW YOU CAN NEVER BE OUT OF JESUS REACH NO MATTER WHAT YOU'VE DONE, NO MATTER WHERE YOU COME FROM, NO MATTER WHERE YOU'RE GOING. HE LOVES YOU AND HE IS READY TO WELCOME YOU WHEN YOU COME TO HIM.

THAT'S GREAT NEWS THAT THE WORLD NEEDS TO HEAR, AND YOU CAN HELP SHARE THAT NEWS, AND KEEP THESE TEACHINGS COMING TO YOU THROUGH YOUR SUPPORT TODAY. YOUR GIFT HELPS CONNECT MORE PEOPLE WITH THE LOVE OF JESUS.

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GIVE US A CALL AT 800-922-1888 TO GIVE A GIFT 800-922-1888, OR GIVE online@connectwithskip.com/donate. That's connectwithskip.com/donate your support is vital to continue encouraging you and many others with messages like this one today. So thank you for giving generously before we close you might check out the connect with Skip mobile app access to a treasure trove of skips messages right at your fingertips. Find more information, connectwithskip.com/and come back next share show God's love to others is