Life Ministries

Two Gifts Of God

    I want to tell you today about two gifts from Almighty God that you can receive and take with you that can change your life forever!  This book, that we call the Bible or the Word of God or the Scriptures, is truly the inspired words of our Sovereign God, the Creator of heaven and earth, who inspired the hearts and minds of those who wrote down everything God desired to have written in His Word…I have read this Word, and I find that in it is revealed the fact that mankind…and all mankind…has two basic problems; One is that we have sinned - Romans 3:23 says; “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God”…. In our scripture - Romans 5:12; “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death came to all men because all have sinned”!  However, it also says that we have a gift, which is the grace of God given through Jesus Christ His Son. A gift that brings forgiveness of sin through His final sacrifice on the Cross for all who believe!  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”.  This is God’s gift of salvation - by His grace - through Jesus - for man’s first problem of sin.

    Our second problem is that we are sinners!  The Book of Galatians chapter 5 speaks of our “sinful nature” - “So, I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature does what is contrary to the Spirit”…“They are in conflict with each other so you do not do what you want”.  Even if we have believed and accepted God’s first gift of salvation in Christ, we still have within us a sinful nature. A nature that desires all of the self-seeking things that lead to destruction…(Sexual immorality, lust, impure things, idolatry, hatred, rage, jealousy, drunkenness, selfishness) “Those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God” it says.
    So, to help us overcome this battle of our sinful nature, God has given us a second gift; the gift of the Holy Spirit. Before ascending into heaven, in the Book of Acts 1:4, Jesus himself said to His disciples; “Do not leave Jerusalem but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about”…This was God’s gift of the Holy Spirit. 
        According to the Bible, the Holy Spirit;
1.     “convicts” (of guilt in regard to sin) - Jn 16:8
2.     “guides” (into all truth) - Jn 16:13
3.     “reveals” (wisdom of God) - 1Cor. 2:10
4.     “comforts” … 
5.     “empowers”
6.   “gives gifts” - 1Cor. 12   and  
7.   “bears fruit” - Gal. 5:22
    All of these things give us the power we need to live the Christian life He has called us to live.
In his book on the Holy Spirit, Billy Graham says that we are given a two-fold gift from God. First is “the work of Jesus, the Son of God, for us; and second, the work of the Holy Spirit in us. One is our eternal gift and the other is our internal gift.” Both are intricate parts of our growth as Christians.
    In His Word, God gives us four things that become a part of our lives when we accept God’s second gift;
1.     Being led by the Spirit.
2.     Having the power of the Spirit.
3.     Bearing the “fruit” of the Spirit. And,
4.     Using the “gifts” of the Spirit.
    The Holy Spirit’s primary goal is to “lead” us into Christlikeness; holiness; and righteousness. There is a difference between being “directed” and being “led” - as in someone giving directions or leading you themselves.
    Someone has once said that “knowledge is power”. I think the power of the Holy Spirit comes from the knowledge of who He is and what He does. The Bible says; “The things of God are foolishness to those who are without the Spirit”…Our knowledge of the Holy Spirit gives us power to overcome our sinful nature; power to overcome the temptations of Satan in our lives; power to live Christlike and holy lives; as we grow in our knowledge of Him… The power we need to - “witness” (To witness as to our faith and that which we have experienced!  Also the power to stand; to change; to grow; to apply that which we have been given (our gifts and talents) ; and to obey that which we have learned and understood.
    God’s second gift of the Holy Spirit also helps us to bear the fruit of the Spirit.  What is the fruit? - It is found in (Gal. 5:22) - “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control”. To understand the Spirit’s role in the bearing of fruit, we need to turn to John 15:1-8….
    The proof of God’s presence in our life is not “gifts” it is “fruit”! If Jesus is the Vine and we are the branches, the Holy Spirit is the “sap” that flows and brings “life” to the branches. Spiritual fruit is just like real fruit, it first appears as a tiny bud… it soon becomes a flower… and then a small fruit appears and begins to grow into a full blown fruit!  This fruit has within it the potential to produce more fruit!  I don’t, at this time, want to get into the individual fruit of the Spirit, as much as gain an understanding of the role of the Spirit in our Christian walk. Again, we humans have two problems; the fact that we have sinned, and the fact that we are sinners. God, in His love and mercy has dealt with both. For the first he has given us His Son; for the second, He has given us His Spirit.
    1Cor. 12:7 tells us that the gifts are given (“for the common good”).  God has gifted us to help us function effectively as Christians; as His Church; and to prepare us to be participators in rather than spectators of, God’s work in the world. (1Peter 4:10) says; “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in it’s various forms.” We use our gifts and talents to serve one another and the church for God’s glory. Whatever gifts or talents we are blessed with we are to use for the common good of the church…1^st to promote growth and 2^nd. To bring unity. God’s purpose is not to bring competition but contribution!