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"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15
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 "But earnestly desire and strive for the greater gifts [if acquiring them is going to be your goal]. And yet I will show you a still more excellent way [one of the choicest graces and the highest of them all: unselfish love]." 1 Corinthians 12:31 "Love never fails [it never fades nor ends]. But as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for the gift of special knowledge, it will pass away." 1 Corinthians 13:8 Love never fails, never fades away, nor ends. "And now there remain: faith [abiding trust in God and His promises], hope [confident expectation of eternal salvation], love [unselfish love for others growing out of God’s love for me], these three [the choicest graces]; but the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13 'THE CHOICEST GRACES': 1. Faith 2. Hope 3. Love 'The greatest of these is love.' 1 Corinthians 12 The Use of Spiritual Gifts 1 "Now about the spiritual gifts [the special endowments given by the Holy Spirit], brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led off after speechless idols; however you were led off [whether by impulse or habit]. 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one speaking by the [power and influence of the] Spirit of God can say, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is [my] Lord,” except by [the power and influence of] the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are [distinctive] varieties of spiritual gifts [special abilities given by the grace and extraordinary power of the Holy Spirit operating in believers], but it is the same Spirit [who grants them and empowers believers]. 5 And there are [distinctive] varieties of ministries and service, but it is the same Lord [who is served]. 6 And there are [distinctive] ways of working [to accomplish things], but it is the same God who produces all things in all believers [inspiring, energizing, and empowering them]. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit [the spiritual illumination and the enabling of the Holy Spirit] for the common good. 8 To one is given through the [Holy] Spirit [the power to speak] the message of wisdom, and to another [the power to express] the word of knowledge and understanding according to the same Spirit; 9 to another [wonder-working] faith [is given] by the same [Holy] Spirit, and to another the [extraordinary] gifts of healings by the one Spirit; 10 and to another the working of miracles, and to another prophecy [foretelling the future, speaking a new message from God to the people], and to another discernment of spirits [the ability to distinguish sound, godly doctrine from the deceptive doctrine of man-made religions and cults], to another various kinds of [unknown] tongues, and to another interpretation of tongues. 11 All these things [the gifts, the achievements, the abilities, the empowering] are brought about by one and the same [Holy] Spirit, distributing to each one individually just as He chooses. 12 For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts, though many, form [only] one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For by one [Holy] Spirit we were all baptized into one body, [spiritually transformed—united together] whether Jews or Greeks (Gentiles), slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one [Holy] Spirit [since the same Holy Spirit fills each life]. 14 For the [human] body does not consist of one part, but of many [limbs and organs]. 15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” is it not on the contrary still a part of the body? 16 If the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” is it not on the contrary still a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole [body] were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now [as things really are], God has placed and arranged the parts in the body, each one of them, just as He willed and saw fit [with the best balance of function]. 19 If they all were a single organ, where would [the rest of] the body be? 20 But now [as things really are] there are many parts [different limbs and organs], but a single body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 But quite the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are [absolutely] necessary; 23 and as for those parts of the body which we consider less honorable, these we treat with greater honor; and our less presentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 while our more presentable parts do not require it. But God has combined the [whole] body, giving greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 so that there would be no division or discord in the body [that is, lack of adaptation of the parts to each other], but that the parts may have the same concern for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the parts share the suffering; if one member is honored, all rejoice with it. 27 Now you [collectively] are Christ’s body, and individually [you are] members of it [each with his own special purpose and function]. 28 So God has appointed and placed in the church [for His own use]: first apostles [chosen by Christ], second prophets [those who foretell the future, those who speak a new message from God to the people], third teachers, then those who work miracles, then those with the gifts of healings, the helpers, the administrators, and speakers in various kinds of [unknown] tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire and strive for the greater gifts [if acquiring them is going to be your goal]. And yet I will show you a still more excellent way [one of the choicest graces and the highest of them all: unselfish love]." Or, as the King James version tells us at 1 Corinthians 12:31, "But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way," which is followed immediately in 1 Corinthians 13, describing the 'excellence of love.' Unselfish love is a gift from God, God's choicest grace (favor) for man, and one for which we should earnestly desire and strive. Hallelujah. Praise God. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.
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MAN'S SIXTH SENSE  "Do you not know that when you continually offer yourselves to someone to do his will, you are the slaves of the one whom you obey, either [slaves] of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness (right standing with God)?" Romans 6:16 Heavenly Father, let your words flow through me, and not my own. In Jesus' name. Amen. Does man have a sixth sense? Are our thoughts, in other words, our mind and feelings, like a sixth sense? At the very least, our thoughts and feelings control our responses to the five senses: Sight, Hearing, Speech, Touch, Taste. First, let's look at the five senses, and God. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10 We are created in Jesus Christ, to perform good works, which God, before time began, ordained, or established or ordered by appointment, decree, or law. These are not JUST words. We know God's Word is powerful: "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Hebrews 4:12 God's Word is a 'discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.' THE FIVE SENSES: Sight, Hearing, Speech, Touch, Taste SIGHT AND HEARING "But blessed [spiritually aware, and favored by God] are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear." Matthew 13:16 Our eyes and ears are blessed by God because we see His blessings in our lives every day, and hear and understand His Word: The Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, who died, was resurrected, and now sits at God, the Father's, right hand. SIGHT Matthew 6 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body; so if your eye is clear [spiritually perceptive], your whole body will be full of light [benefiting from God’s precepts]. 23 But if your eye is bad [spiritually blind], your whole body will be full of darkness . . ." If our spiritual eye is focused on God, then our bodies will be full of light, and will shine with God's Word for all to see. If our spiritual eye is focused on darkness, our bodies will be full of darkness! HEARING "So be careful how you listen; for whoever has [a teachable heart], to him more [understanding] will be given; and whoever does not have [a longing for truth], even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.” Luke 8:18 Listen to God's Word, hear it with your ears, understand it with your hearts and minds. Do not be like Cain, who knew God's Word, but was a poser, a pretender. He pretended to be righteous, thinking he could climb into the kingdom of Heaven through a window to receive God's blessings, instead of coming through the door, as instructed. See my blog titled, Cain and Abel. SPEECH (words) So, we know God's Word is alive, and we also know that our very own words are alive: "Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweet and delightful to the soul and healing to the body." Proverbs 16:24 If pleasant words cause healing, then harsh words are certainly the opposite, and cause sickness and death. Also, Matthew 12:37, "For by your words [reflecting your spiritual condition] you will be justified and acquitted of the guilt of sin; and by your words [rejecting Me] you will be condemned and sentenced." By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. Jesus tells us that if we have the faith of a mustard seed, we can tell [speak to] a mountain to move, and it will move: "And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say [speak] unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." Matthew 17:20 These are powerful words. Our words are alive, and is it no wonder? "Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?" We are gods who can create by speaking, thinking about, and acting upon God's Word, which, in turn, will cause our own words, thoughts and actions to create for the greater good of all mankind. "Death and life are in the power of the tongue [speech]: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." Proverbs 18:21 Similar to what Jesus said: live by the sword, die by the sword, except, more appropriately, sting men with your tongue, and you will be stung in the same way, with men's tongues, or words. Or, Do unto others as you would have done unto you. TOUCH 2 Corinthians 2:17 “'So come out from among unbelievers and be separate,” says the Lord, 'And do not touch what is unclean; 'And I will graciously receive you and welcome you [with favor],'" Come out. Repent, turn away from sin. Do not touch what is unclean. Turn to Jesus Christ. Stay away from unrighteousness: Fornication, lying, adultery, murder, stealing, lust of the flesh, all forms of wickedness and abominations to God. "And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins." Numbers 16:27 Touch nothing of the wicked, unless you be consumed in their sins. TASTE "O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good; How blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who takes refuge in Him." Psalm 34:8 Taste the power of God's Word, and take refuge in Him, and be blessed. MAN'S SIXTH SENSE - THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS? Our thoughts, words and actions are the most powerful tools God gave us, in Jesus Christ, because with them, we create the world around us! See some interesting videos about God and Physics here. I know people will say, but thoughts and feelings are not really a 'sense,' are they, not like seeing, hearing, touching, tasting and speaking? Are not the original five senses all operations of our minds? We touch something, and our minds, feelings, thoughts, tell us what it is and how to react to it. Same with the other senses. So, in essence, our thoughts and feelings are the greatest operation of our minds. You could say, our feelings or thoughts are a 'sense' [sixth sense] of who we are, inside our hearts. Thus, thought is the greatest operation of our minds of all the five senses. We think all day long, day and night, even in our dreams. The kinds of thoughts we have are based on what we have stored in our hearts, and determine how we react to the other five senses: taste, touch, sight, hearing, and speech. "Do you not know that when you continually offer yourselves to someone to do his will, you are the slaves of the one whom you obey, either [slaves] of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness (right standing with God)?" Romans 6:16 If we continually offer ourselves in thoughts, words, and actions, to sin, death is waiting. Therefore, if we offer ourselves to God, and righteousness, everlasting life is waiting. "[We are] casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5 "bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." Do not even think sinful things. Jesus said, that just by looking at another woman, a man has already lusted for her in his heart. God knows our hearts. If you are feeling persecuted, deeply saddened, or guilty, and you have no idea why, or perhaps you have some idea, pray out loud to God for forgiveness, repent of [turn away from] any and all sin, and God will provide mercy and relief. "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8 Think only on honest, just, pure, lovely things, and things of good report, and only on things that have virtue and praise. Anything else is from Satan, the ruler of this world, and will lead to death. Jesus said, Do not love this world. If you love this world, then the love of the Father is not in you. Love people. Hate evil, which is sin and death. “And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 Keep your hearts and minds [thoughts and feelings] on God, and receive the peace the passes all understanding through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah! Choose God by choosing His only begotten son, Jesus Christ. Amen.  "He that loves not knows not God; |
Melanie GarciaFaithful and humble servant of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Archives
June 2023
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