Portals of Heaven

"But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative - that is, the Holy Spirit- he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”"-John 14:26&27

 

For too long, there have been too many inaccurate representations of God.  These representations would lead people to believe that God is judgmental, cold, unloving, and uncaring.  This has brought division in the body of Christ, and most of all, kept people away from the truth of God’s nature.  

I believe it is time for His true representatives who have His nature within them to stand up for the truth of God’s character, reflecting His nature throughout the earth.  In order for people to really know who God is and be able to choose the real Him, they need an accurate representation of who He really is.

The Bible says that we as Christians are to be His representatives, reflecting Him throughout the earth.  When we utilize our gifts, He is glorified.  We shouldn’t just be sitting in a pew on the sidelines - we should be out in the world, using the gifts He gave us to bring heaven’s culture to earth! 

But, in order for us to do that, we need a true revelation of God.  We need a true revelation of His creativity, His character, His grace, and most of all, His love.

What should this culture of heaven look like?  Well, we know that God is love, (1 John 4:8) God is creative, (Gen 1) and He is unlimited (Ephesians 3:16).  We know that the “fruit” of God in our lives is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal 5:22 & 23). So that must mean heaven is a pretty awesome place!  

“You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!” -John 14:13

Are you bringing God’s kingdom to earth through your gifts and talents?  I pray that each of us can use what God has given us, so that we can bring glory to our Father in heaven. 

Whatever You Do, Do It The Best

"...equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." Hebrews 13:21

Seth Goddin, the well-known marketing guru, wrote a book called, "The Dip." In it he describes the natural lull we experience after beginning a project, changing a habit, or beginning something new. He examines the difference between "the dip", and something that is not worth pursuing. His recommendation is if you're not the best at something, quit while you're ahead, and find something in which you can excel!
 
This is good advice. Think about it: No body looks for a product or service that's mediocre, no matter what they need. If you're looking for a dentist, you're more than likely going to choose the best one, as long as they're affordable. Either people are looking for the best price, or they're looking for best value. You don't want to be a company that's mediocre.
 
On a personal level, I tend to have the belief that God has given each of us at least one thing that we're good at. Everyone has a gift. Maybe it's not something we view as conventional. We are continually in pursuit of discovering those gifts and talents. Sometimes the cultivation of these talents takes a long time. But the sometimes the best gifts and talents are like bottles of wine - they may take a long time to develop. But when they are ready, they are nearly flawless.
 
Whatever you do, do it the best. You may not be perfect, but it means you put forth your best effort. Best does not mean perfect. Excellence does not mean flawless. It means "of the highest quality or standard, or of the most excellent type." (Encarta World English Dictionary.) And excellence is something God blesses.

Character vs. Gifts

"You, therefore, must be perfect [growing into complete maturity of godliness in mind and character, having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity], as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:48

When I first joined my church, I was struck by the fact that they didn't care what I did. Don't get me wrong, living righteously and doing things with excellence was definitely a part of the church mentality. But it was more an issue of heart than how well I could perform. If you weren't as great at something, well... "let's just move you to serve over here instead, shall we?" was their philosophy.
 
But through the process I realized that a lot of my self-esteem had been built on how well I could accomplish something -- it had been built on my gifts. This resulted in a weaker confidence in who I was as a person, because often, I was mediocre at a lot of things. As I continued to hang around people who encouraged me to be the person I was, the person I was becoming in God, all of those petty insecurities began to melt away. It didn't mean that I wouldn't encounter setbacks, difficulties, and pains, but it meant that I was toughening up on the inside, so God could do a greater work on the outside.
 
Many times we believe that people only love or accept us for what we can do versus our value as a person. In the world, this is true. But in the kingdom, this is a false pretense. "For God so loved the world..." He is no respecter of persons. We are saved by grace, through faith. Sometimes we can live on the other extreme where works are not important, or works without excellence are not as vital. But it begins with the heart. It begins with love.
 
God calls us to do things with excellence. But He is also about bringing us closer to the person he intended us to be: free from worry, shame, doubt, fear, oppression, anger, and all the things we struggle with in our humanity. It doesn't mean that we won't experience those things. But it begins operating from the heart, from our character, and this sets the tone for everything else that we do.
 
Who are you? What kind of person has God made you to be? Let God encourage you in your character today.

Naturally Supernatural

"Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." -John 14:12

Have you ever wondered how to walk in the supernatural?  Many people desire to walk in the supernatural, but few know how.  There is always the danger of looking like a crazy person - repelling more people from the gospel than attracting them to it!  But, there is a way to bring the supernatural to earth, naturally.  God desires for each of us to walk in the supernatural, as His Son did.

Bethel Church Atlanta (at the time of this writing) experiences an average of 1 miracle a day through the faith of their members.  This happens by their members stepping out in faith and having open eyes and ears to what the Father is saying.  

A woman shared one Sunday morning about how she and her husband were led to talk to some teenagers who were passing by on the street.  The woman had perceived that one of them was struggling with foot pain, so she asked the group if one of them did.  A young man spoke up and said he had foot pain. She then asked if she could pray for him, and he said yes.  After they prayed, he had no more foot pain! This event led to an open door to the woman sharing her faith, and one of the teenagers gave their lives to Christ. 

Now that’s naturally supernatural! 

Have you ever stepped out into the supernatural? Have you ever had an impression for someone or a word of knowledge about someone and stepped out in it?  If you’re not sure how, find a place where the walking in the supernatural is taught. Let us be people of the supernatural, so that God’s kingdom can flow through us into the lives of others, naturally. 

A Spirit-Fueled Life

“...and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’”  -Luke 3:22

Pastor Dean Sweetman, senior pastor of Christian City Church Atlanta, wrote a book called “Direct Connect:  Understanding and Getting to Know the Holy Spirit.”  In this book he describes the “most misunderstood” person of the Trinity:  The Holy Spirit. 

He says of the Holy Spirit, “A vital relationship with the Holy Spirit is, without doubt, the most potent weapon any believer can have today.” (p. 7)

Many in the body of Christ believe that the infilling power of the Holy Spirit was just for New Testament times, for the purpose of birthing the church that exists today.  Some people even believe He is New Age!  However, this belief leaves Christians devoid of power.  It renders us helpless to minister the very thing that can change people’s lives:  The presence of the Holy Spirit. 

How can we live a Spirit-fueled life? Here are a few ideas:

• Hang out with others who have the Spirit working in their lives
• Go to services that teach about the Holy Spirit
• Spend alone time with God - worshipping & seeking Him

The Holy Spirit, God’s presence in our lives, is the oil that keeps us fueled.  Before Jesus began His ministry, He was filled with the Holy Spirit.  We cannot effectively minister to others without the Holy Spirit.

Are you a vessel that is filled with the Holy Spirit’s oil?  Make sure you are filled with God’s presence, so that you can be a reflection of His glory in your life. 

Use Your Gifts!

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ." -1 Peter 4:9-11

What is your gift? The Bible calls us to use the gifts that God has given us to serve others and to minister to Him. The Bible also says His gifts and His call are irrevocable. (Romans 11:29) Through the discovery of our gifts, we can bless others through the "various forms of grace" that God has given to us.
 
"...so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach..." -Romans 12:5-7
 
Often we may not know what our gifts are. There are many great self-assessments and tools you can use that will help you discover your gifts and talents. One I have taken is The Call. Sometimes a leader or friend can see your gifts in you. There are many spiritual gifts which include prophecy, teaching, healing, helping, discernment, and miracles, but also "natural" gifts that God has given as well. (See 1 Corinthians 12:27-29)
 
Sometimes, we might be in a place where we're afraid to use our gifts and talents.  Nonetheless, God instructs us to. Sometimes we might think another person has a greater gift than us, so we are ashamed of our gift. But God doesn't feel that way about it. He gave us our gifts for a reason. He had a purpose in mind. There is no hierarchy in gifts, and in order to operate as Christ's body, everything must be working! God will give us grace for the things He's called us to.
 
We should use the gifts God has given us so we can be a blessing to others. But we will also find that when we serve in alignment with the way God has gifted us, we will experience joy as a result, because we are being used by God in the ways that He created us. In this, we discover our purpose to be uniquely used by Him to further His kingdom.
 
Are you using your gifts?