Posts Tagged ‘Spiritual gifts’

Tested by the Praise

Posted: September 16, 2014 in Charisma - Spiritual Gifts - A Divine Gratuity, Favor, Going Deeper - Hebrew and Greek Word Study Posts, Shemittah, Spiritual gifts, Tested By the Praise
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September 6, 2014
By Amy Hartmann

On August 22, 2004, early in the morning, at 3:14 a.m. to be exact, my pastor (of our former church in Florida) had a dream given by God about me.  The following morning, he saw me at church in my usual choir place. but he did not have an opportunity to share the dream.  That same Sunday evening, August 22, 2004, I had a strong urgency to have our family at the Sunday night church service.  We usually attended every service on Sunday but occasionally we might have a family outing on Sunday afternoon which would keep us away.  That particular Sunday evening, everyone was tired and no one wanted to go but me.  Getting everyone out the door was an emotional charge.  As we were getting in the car, my son shut the door on his hand, bruising his hand and fingers.  At that point, he was quite upset and not wanting to go. I got him an ice pack for his hand and insisted we go as a family.

The service worship was wonderful and comforting. My younger kids were sitting on the floor at our feet, drawing on some papers. Occasionally I would bend over and whisper for them to be less noisy. My oldest son sat quietly in his seat, keeping the ice on his bruised hand. As the worship moved down to a more intimate level, Pastor Zink took the podium and turned on his microphone. At that point he began to speak:

“Amy,” he said, as he looked down from the stage to where we were sitting, “The Lord had a dream given to me last night about you; it was about 3:14 in the morning; and I saw you in your house; and you were in your night gown.  By the way it was very decent, long night gown.  Which means, the reason I bring that up, was you were crying out to God in the night hours; and I saw you crying out to the Lord.  It’s happened, hasn’t it, many times, but the Lord wants you to know He heard that (ha ha ha).  And He said, “Amy, I haven’t forgot what you asked.” And He said, “I haven’t been keeping something from you – but for you.”  And He said, “The time of release is at hand.”  And for you to step forward in boldness.  Don’t wait.  Move ahead.  Do what you know you are called to do.  Do what you know you are gifted to do.  Get lost in the giftings that He’s put in your life.” “OK?”

“It was so clear,” Pastor Zink continued, “I woke up immediately after that; it was just like I was there and it stirred me so tremendously.  I saw you this morning but I did not have opportunity to give that word.  And when I saw you worshiping the Lord tonight, you were sort of in a sitting position, but you were leaning over and you were just really pouring your heart out to the Lord, and He wanted you to know He heard, and He’s answering, OK?” Amen…isn’t God good?”

That evening, so many people came up to congratulate me. Over and over again, “…wow, what a prophetic word…”. Everyone seemed quite impressed. My flesh was no exception. My husband and I debated the meaning of such a revelation. We even sought pastoral counsel. As a writer, I had already completed several novels and was expecting the right publishing door to open as a result of the prophetic declaration.

TESTED BY THE WORD

The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold but man is tested by the praise he receives. Proverbs 27:21

Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips. Proverbs 27:2

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth. Proverbs 27:1(1)

These verses began to leap out of the pages of my daily readings.  I habitually go to the Proverbs on a regular basis – they provide the wisdom encounter my life requires.  I began the internal debate with my heart; what did it mean to be ‘released’.  I hoped it meant that the books would be published and my longings to a recognized writer would be fulfilled.  Such goes the plumbing of pride deep in our heart, when God is on the scene.  I remember one conversation I had with God (back in 1997) when I finished writing the first book:

“Look Lord, I wrote a novel. Don’t You think it should be published and released into the market place?”
“I am glad you accomplished this work,” He replied. “Please write the sequel.”
“What, You want me to write another book? What about book publishing and writer’s teas and promotional tours?
“Please write another one,” He patiently replied.

Life events continued and plumbed the depth of pride, trust, patience, hope and praise in my heart.  As the pressure increased and the breakdown of my marriage unfolded, I watched, shocked and in a state of trauma brain.  How could my spouse choose to make the decisions he was making?  Where was his faith in God and his foundation on the word of God?

As the life storm howled around me, I chose to hold on to the word of God, and I continued my practice of reading aloud specific passages of scripture over myself, my family and my circumstances.  Morning after morning and night after night, on my knees I declared Isaiah 35, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 49, 50, 52, 53, 54, 55, 60, 61, 62.  Philippians 1-4 anchored my heart as I cried out for financial breakthrough. “Favor is better than silver or gold,” set the cadence of my daily plans, as job applications – one after another – were rejected.(2)  Going back into the working world after a 20 year absence is very difficult for anyone in any given profession.  I was no different.  I was learning obedience through the trials I was suffering.(3)  I was also learning that favor, [H#2580 chen – (khane): graciousness, kindness, favor](4) or the lack thereof, was guiding my life, much like a small rudder guides a massive ship.

Still, the mystery of the August 2004 prophecy called to me. Ten years have passed.  Recently, I noticed a replay of a program focusing on the Hebrew concept of “the shemittah – the release” .  I was familiar with the passages in Leviticus and Deuteronomy outlining the seven year cycle of allowing the land to rest from farming, the people as a nation to rest from heavy labor, and the cancellation of all debts, etc. At the end of seven year cycles of seven (the completion of the 49th year), a year of jubilee would be declared and all leased properties would return to the original owners, etc.  The year of jubilee was to be a national year of celebration and resting – and receiving from the blessings of God on the land and the people.(5)(6)

I was NOT aware that according to the Hebrew calendar year 5775, this 7th cycle was to begin on September 24th-26th, 2014. I was also NOT aware that at the end of this Hebrew year 5775, the year of Jubilee will begin (September 13, 2015).  Some of the nuances of this “shemittah” concept(5 &6), based upon the root, the figurative and the literal meanings include:
• to release, to fling down, fall or collapse
• to jostle or shake or stumble
• to begin to appear (i.e. incipently)
• figuratively, to let alone, desist or remit
• to discontinue, to overthrow or throw down
• remission of debt, or suspension of labor, to rest.

Looking back at my own life, I realized my family crisis began to fully manifest on Rosh Hashanah, (September 22, 2012).  Oddly enough, key issues are reaching their culmination on September 23rd, 2014, just a day before the Hebrew “time of Release” begins. What an amazing prophecy and fulfillment, almost to the day, of the word from Pastor Zink’s dream back on August 22, 2004.

What I’ve also learned: when you are singled out and given such an honor in a corporate worship setting – watch out – God is warning and preparing you, getting you ready to face a crucial time in life – a time that would overwhelm you and crush you, unless you have the word of God and the promise of His presence.
No one is imperanchorvious to cataclysmic life events. The storms of life come to those who choose to build, regardless of a solid foundation or a shifting sand foundation. The common denominator is “the rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house”.(7)

What I take from this season of life: “God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him, as you have helped His people and continue to help them…We have this hope as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.”(8)

***************************************************************************************************************************

End Notes:

1. Proverbs 27:21, 2, 1; “The Comparative Study Bible – The New International Version,” copyright 1999; Zondervan Publishing, Grand Rapids, MI; page 1655.
2. Proverbs 22:1; “The Comparative Study Bible – The New International Version,” copyright 1999; Zondervan Publishing, Grand Rapids, MI; page 1641.
3. Hebrews 5:7-8; “The Comparative Study Bible – The New International Version,” copyright 1999; Zondervan Publishing, Grand Rapids, MI; page 3095.
4. Chen; Strong’s Hebrew Number 2580; “The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible”; copyright 1995, 1996; Thomas Nelson Publishers; Nashville, TN; page 45.
5. Shemittah; Strong’s Hebrew Number 8059; ibid; page 144.
6. Leviticus 25:1-7 and Deuteronomy 15; ibid; pages 329 and 499 and 501.
7. Matthew 7:24-29; ibid; page 2443.
8. Hebrews 6:16 and 19-20; “The Comparative Study Bible – The New American Standard Version,” copyright 1999; Zondervan Publishing, Grand Rapids, MI ibid, page 3097.

Do you dream of Me?

Posted: January 23, 2014 in Charisma - Spiritual Gifts - A Divine Gratuity, Do you dream of Me?, Going Deeper - Hebrew and Greek Word Study Posts
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By Amy Hartmann

“How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God.  How vast is the sum of them!  Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.  When I awake, I am still with You.”[1]

Dreams have prepared me for my future…

Dreams have reminded me of my past…

Dreams have been conversations – instigated by God – in the night watch.

As best I can remember, the first time God communicated with me in this particular way was the first week of December, 1978.  God spoke to me in the night, preparing me for my father’s sudden, accidental death on December 14, 1978.  It was my freshman year – and my first semester.  I was enjoying my new found liberty and responsibilities at a small private junior college in Lebanon, Tennessee.  God spoke and I listened.  I awoke, terrified and hysterical.  Back then, there were no cell phones or internet connections.  Dawn was breaking as I tumbled out of bed and began searching for enough change to make a pay phone call to my parents.  My roommate saw my panic and she hurried out of  bed to see what was wrong.  I quickly told her the dream as my tears fell.  I had to talk with my Dad.

A month after his funeral, in January of 1979, I had another dream about my brother in a car wreck.  I shared the dream with some school friends, as our college show choir traveled to my home town, to do a series of recruiting shows at numerous Chattanooga, TN high schools.  We were all riding in a van being driven by our college choir director.  Everyone knew of my earlier dream and they were all concerned with my grief load.  When we arrived in Chattanooga, we were met by my mother.  She was quite upset.  My choir director was out of the van first and he began to talk with my mother.  When I got out of the van, I was advised by our director, that my brother had indeed wrecked my mother’s car the night before.  Thankfully my brother escaped with no serious injury to himself, but the car was almost totaled.  Everyone in the van was amazed, because they all knew I had no way of knowing this information.

Now days everyone is texting and snap chatting every single minute of their lives, but in December of 1978, there were only occasional pay phone calls when we had enough change to spare.  At this point, my choir friends were in agreement with me that something strange was going on in my sleep.

As the years progressed, I began to keep track of my dreams, as I encountered the future in my sleep.  Dreams caused me to pick up the dusty Bible on the floor in my closet and carry it with me on my work trip to Leiden, Holland in 1987.  Dreams stirred me out of my complacent, self-centered life style when I was working in Acton, England in 1988.  Dreams caused me to examine, again, what the word of God had to say on this subject.

It is still interesting to me that the Book of Daniel was my random selection when I restarted my long neglected habit of reading the Bible.  It was February of 1987 when I made this choice, while I was sitting in my quiet hotel room in City Hotel, Leiden – Holland.  The entire book tracks the rise of a young, aristocratic, Hebrew teenage slave named Daniel, who found himself deported to the magnificent halls of the King of Babylon sometime in the Sixth Century, B.C.  He eventually spent much of the next 60 years as an advisor to the various rulers of the Babylonian empire and its ensuing conquerors.  Daniel’s narrative also documents some amazing and deeply disturbing prophetic, futuristic dreams.

The Bible is full of dreamers and the message they share is very clear: “…being warned of God in a dream…” people took action.[2]

Taking this key advice to heart, I began to seriously document my dreams in early 1990.  I made footnote references and logged dream dates and content in the blank pages in the back of my Bible.  Soon those pages were full and I took up dream journaling on tablets and spiral binders.  My book shelf is full of these diary-like notebooks.  Sometime in 2008 I took up daily prayer journaling.  It was at this time I began in earnest to correlate life events with my dreams.

In early 2009 my sleep took on another form of revelation: I began to feel the earth shake.  At first, I awoke to a shuddering feeling, as I heard the ground groan underneath our Jacksonville home.  Fearful of this event, I woke my sleeping husband, warning him of the earthquake underway.  He looked at me for a few moments, he said he felt nothing and then he went back to sleep.

October 14, 2009 the ground shook violently in my sleep, and I awoke convinced that Jacksonville had experienced a serious shaking.  I made note of the time.  The next morning, as I talked this over with my kids, no one else felt the tremors.  I went online to the US Geological website, in search of earthquake documentation.  Sure enough, at the time of my awakening there was a 2.6 tremor 14 miles from the US Virgin Islands.

img007  During the months of November and December, 2009, the earth shook repeatedly and I awoke again and again, night after night; and with each incident, I tracked the time.  Daily I went to the USGS website, verifying my logged tremors.

From my 2009 journal, I found this interesting note:  Sunday March 8, 2009; I dream I am with a lot of young people in a big multi-story building.  A terrible disaster occurs and the building is partially destroyed.  Suddenly the manifest presence of God comes…His Glory in a great cloud of engulfing, blinding light.  We all fall down, prostrate before His presence.  I hear the hurting, wounded people all around me.  I get up and begin to help them, praying for them as I dig them out of the rubble.  I realize my oldest son is also in this building and I find him.  We help more buried, hurting people.  The blinding Glory of the Lord comes again and we all fall down in His presence, unable to move.  I awaken at 8:14 a.m.

I have another interesting dream journal log entry from May 25, 2011; however the dream came to my daughter and not me (she was 12 at that time and we were still in Jacksonville, FL).  She came into my office in the late morning and she was very upset.  I realized she had been sleeping and I told her to come sit on my lap.  I asked her what was wrong.  She began to tell me about a great earthquake that shook the central part of our nation such that the monuments on Mount Rushmore split in half.  She was terrified by this event.

In August of 2011, after we moved to Virginia, the entire North East Coast shook with the 5.9 Mineral, VA quake.  This time I was wide awake.  I was walking through my living room when I heard the dreaded sound of the groaning earth.  It started out as a rumbling, and as the walls and the house began to move, I heard the glass rattle and my kids calling out in fear.  We live less than an hour away from the epicenter.  The rest of that week, strong tremors and aftershocks continued.  The shaking underneath Mineral and Louisa, Virginia has continued, even as recently as December, 2013.  My nighttime earth shaking experiences continue as well.

DSCN9692

February 15, 2012, I dreamed I was sitting in my living room and suddenly a huge 8-9 ft man walks through the wall coming off the kitchen.  He was dressed in a full Scottish kilt, with the tam, the sash and a thick, white sweater underneath.  He gleamed, as if lit with his own light source.  He was crossing diagonally through the house, as if it wasn’t even there.  I yelped and cried out in great fear.  He stopped and looked at me, and then he called my name and began telling me the most shameful, secret things I had ever done.  His eyes burned with a fire I had never seen before.  I was crushed and terrified.  His thick Scottish accent made his words even sharper.

Suddenly I knew what to say to him.  “Yes, that was me,” I agreed, “before I let Jesus wash those sins away with His shed blood at the cross of Calvary.”

“You have answered correctly,” he replied, and he started to walk on through the wall.  I stopped him again and asked who he was and why he was walking through my house.  This time he stopped and he smiled.  “I am Towcheleth,” he replied, and then he disappeared through the hallway wall.

Greatly puzzled by this dream, I began trying to find the meaning of this name, which I only knew phonetically.  I searched name websites, name books and even general internet name searches.  One night several days after the dream, I was working on one of my website posts and I had a Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance opened to the Hebrew dictionary.  Suddenly it occurred to me that the name this man gave me might be Hebrew.  I had to search the entire reference section and it wasn’t until I got to the very end, 150 pages later, I discovered Hebrew # 8431: towcheleth (to-kheh-leth); expectation – HOPE; from Hebrew #3176: yachal (yaw-chal); a primitive root; to wait; by implication, to be patient; to cause to have hope, to have hope, to make to hope; to be pained, stay, tarry, trust, wait.[3] Finally I understood, Towcheleth was the Angel of Hope and he walked through my house on February 15, 2012.

Early morning, before 7:00 a.m, January 5, 2014; I dreamed of a massive earthquake that struck the nation and other parts of the world simultaneously.  I heard the earthquake minutes before the terrifying shaking began.  Others around me were crying out, trying to figure out what was making the pitiful, painful, ear-splitting groaning.  I knew it was the earth and I began to warn them to hold on and get ready.  Cities were leveled.  The devastation was unlike anything I had ever seen on the news or even in some movies.  My house was damaged slightly but deemed safe to occupy, and many homeless neighbors began to show up asking for shelter.  Friends and business associates came seeking me out, trying to make sense of all that was taking place on the earth.

I awoke from that dream, troubled and stirred up by the magnitude of what I had seen and experienced.  One specific scripture comes to mind as I remember this dream:  “We know that the whole creation has been groaning in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.”[4]

I decided to look up the word here for ‘groaning’ – Greek #4959: sustenazo (soos-ten-ad-zo); to moan jointly; i.e. experience a common calamity – groan together; from G#4862: sun (soon); primary preposition denoting union, with or together; by association, companionship, process… and from G#4727: stenazo (sten-ad-zo); to make or be in dire straits; to sigh, murmur, pray inaudibly; – with grief, groan, grudge, sigh.[5]

I have one last dream I want to share; arguably it is the most important dream I’ve ever received.  September 17, 2011:  I am walking along a busy, broad sidewalk in New York City.  There are great crowds all around, and out of the corner of my left eye, I see a vividly bright, white robed figure walk past me.  Suddenly I realize it is Jesus.  I have never seen Him in person, and I am struck with awe and amazement that He is there beside me.  He catches my eye and He acknowledges me with a glance of His eyes.  He starts to walk away, but I call out His name and He stops.

I am weeping with the realization that I can see Jesus.  I ask Him not to pass me by without at least letting me hug Him.  He is happy with this request and opens His right arm to me in a loving embrace.  His face is not beautiful, like the paintings.  His face is marked with terrible scars.  His hands are scarred.  His feet are scarred.  I am broken by those marks on His face, His hands and His feet.  He holds me for several minutes and I feel the most amazing love I’ve ever experienced.  It pours out from Him.  He doesn’t speak, but His eyes tell me He has to go, there are others He must see and touch.  I reluctantly let Him go and He takes one step and just disappears into the person walking directly in front of me.  I wake up.  Immediately I think of this scripture:  “…to them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles (non-Jewish believers) the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”[6]   

Additional Notes:[7]

I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.  I have set the Lord always before me.  Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.  Psalm 16:7-8

Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who minister by night in the house of the Lord. Psalm 134:1

This is what the Lord says – your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:  “I AM the Lord your God who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.” Isaiah 48:17

Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what He commands.  Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord’s anger.  Zephaniah 2:3

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion, shout in triumph O daughter of Jerusalem!  Behold, your King is coming to you.  He is just and endowed with salvation…He will speak peace to the nations…and His dominion will be from sea to sea… As for you also, because of the Blood of My Covenant with you, I have set your prisoners free…return to your fortress, O prisoners of HOPE; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.  Zechariah 9:9-12

[1] Psalm 139:17-18, “The Comparative Study Bible – New International Version”; copyright 1999; Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI; page 1577.

[2] Matthew 2:13, 19-23; “The Comparative Study Bible – The New International Version”; ibid, pages 2427-2429.

[3] Hebrew 8431; towcheleth; 3176; yachal;  “The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible”; Strong, James; copyright 1995, 1996; Thomas Nelson Publishers; Nashville, TN; pages 151 and 56.

[4] Romans 8:22; “The Comparative Study Bible – The New International Version”; ibid, page 2883.

[5] Greek 4959; sustenazo; 4862; sun; 4727; stenazo; “The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible”; ibid, pages 88, 86, 83.

[6] Colossians 1:27; “The Comparative Study Bible – The New International Version”; ibid, page 3029.

[7] All notes; “The Comparative Study Bible – The New International Version”; ibid, pages 1381, 1569, 1837, 2375, 2403.

Be Home By Christmas

Posted: December 17, 2013 in Be Home By Christmas, Charisma - Spiritual Gifts - A Divine Gratuity, Christmas Stories, Going Deeper - Hebrew and Greek Word Study Posts
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By Amy L. Hartmann

Hopelessness can attack anyone…even the strongest and bravest of hearts.  Death of a loved one, sickness, loss of employment, relationship conflict, loneliness, certain medications, extended periods of stress and even boredom can trigger feelings of malaise.  When life events compound any of these conditions simultaneously, deep depression is often the result.  Holidays often exacerbate this condition with a vengeance.  The realization that there is a need for professional help must often come from outsiders.

How we talk to ourselves during these times of emotional and possibly physical crisis also determines how quickly we rise above these feelings and regain our footing.  How we talk to ourselves also impacts how God responds to our needs during these times too.  We find countless examples of this concept throughout the Psalms written by David, the shepherd boy turned warrior – especially during his long season of running for his life.  Some biblical scholars say Saul, the reigning King, pursued David for almost 15 years seeking his extermination.

In 2009 my Jacksonville Mayapple Chapel home group hosts encountered such a challenging season.  Candy and Ed were lifelong sweethearts.  Married for over 60 years, their lives together had been rich and full of family adventure.  Sometime in early 2008-2009 Candy began to experience symptoms of Alzheimer’s.  Candy was a vivacious woman who loved to laugh and dance.  Candy was woman who dearly loved God.  At first, she was simply forgetful and distracted, but as spring commenced, she lost interest in food and she seemed to slip off into her own private world.  Ed was devastated.  As a man of faith, his on-going prayers were never ceasing but his circumstances began to overwhelm his stout heart.

Outside event scheduling over much of 2008 had caused the usual monthly gathering of friends at the Bateman home to fall off, such that for the first time in 26 years, the Mayapple Chapel home group did not meet on the first Friday of every month.  During that same spring Ed got sick and he was bed-ridden for weeks.  It was during this time that depression attacked.  At some point, his medication levels were totally out of balance and he took too much.  He wound up in Gainesville at the Veterans Administration hospital on the Psychiatric floor.

Life for me was very chaotic in the spring and summer of 2009.  We were into our first full year of homeschooling – suddenly I was teaching or facilitating high school, middle school and elementary school classes simultaneously.  The economy was reeling, the stock market was crazy; employers were laying off high level staff in record numbers.  May 4th saw my husband experience such a day from his senior partner position at one of the top 10 engineering firms in the nation.  Everything was shaking.

“My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me.  Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me…Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me; all day long they press their attack.  My slanderers pursue me all day long; many are attacking me…have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.  I will take refuge in the shadow of Your wings until the disaster has passed.”[1]

To be overwhelmed by life’s circumstances  – to lose heart or be faint hearted – is a biblical concept very applicable in today’s ever shifting world.  The Hebrew word for anguish of heart is interesting:  H#2342 – chuwl (khool) – means to twist or whirl (in a circular or spiral manner); i.e. Specifically – to dance, to writhe in pain (such as childbirth) or fear; to wait, to fall grievously from pain or fear; to be wounded etc.[2]

David’s advice to himself as a fugitive in the wilderness (long before he became king):

  1. Surely God is my help[3]
  2. Cast your cares upon the Lord and He will sustain you[4]
  3. As for me, I trust in You (God) – what can man do to me? [5]
  4. I cry out to God Most High, who fulfills His purpose for me.[6]

Father’s Day, June 21st, 2009, a young man named Todd White showed up at our church’s Sunday night service.  Todd shared how God delivered him from years of crack cocaine addiction and drug use.  Todd said he wanted to pray for everyone with one leg shorter than the other.  My kids urged me to go forward.  I was in a built up right shoe to counteract the 1 inch difference with my left leg.  After Todd’s prayer, my right leg grew out the full inch it needed to be the same length as my left leg.  My eyes saw this miracle, and my heart and mind could not get over what I had felt, seen and experienced at that indescribable moment.  Wrecked by this paradigm shift, I began to view God in a whole new way.

In my time in choir, our worship leader (Kelanie Gloeckler) was unpacking the  concept of ascending in worship to hear the thoughts and songs heaven was saying – and singing over us, and then bringing them back down and releasing them into our atmosphere.  She learned this amazing concept during her time at Morningstar under the influence of Rick Joyner, Leonard Jones, Ray Hughes, Don Potter, Suzy Wills Yarai and other amazing leaders and musicians.  As a choir, over the summer of 2009, we were learning to ‘catch the song’ Jesus was singing over us.  We were working hard on the new music for Kelanie’s upcoming album recording in November, 2009.[7]

It was during this time I heard of Ed Bateman’s condition and his placement at the VA hospital in Gainesville, Florida.

“The Lord your God is in the midst of you, A Mighty One, A Savior (Who saves)!    He will rejoice over you with joy!  He will rest (in silent satisfaction) and in His love He will be silent and make no mention (of past sins, or even recall them)]; He will exult over you with singing.”[8]

The Hebrew word for exult H#1523 giyl (gheel) – means to spin round (under the influence of any violent emotion); i.e. Usually gladness or joy; rejoicing.[9]  The picture here is of Jesus, rejoicing over us in His wild, crazy dance of love and approval.  Jesus advised the crowds (who followed him in his day) to pray in every situation and not lose heart.[10]

I began to pray earnestly for Ed and Candy.  I had not been to their house in a while because of my busyness.  I contacted the friend who shared Ed’s status and tried to work out how we could all go see him.  I knew he needed to see our renewed love and concern for him and for Candy.  Every attempt to schedule any trip to Gainesville was met with great conflict.  In mid October, Don Potter came to our church in Jacksonville.  He sang over our city and over our congregation, declaring many things.  It was then I began to hear a song for Ed.

One more unsuccessful attempt to see Ed caused us to decide to just make a trip over to see Candy.  She was still at their home and needing company and comfort too.  I called some of the other Mayapple Chapel friends and we decided to meet at Candy’s house on October 23rd (2009).  I was pleased to see the smiling faces of Janet Meyers and Roxie McLeod and several other friends.  We sat and visited with Candy for a short time but it was clear Candy didn’t fully remember us all or grasp why we were there.  We talked with her nurse, glad to hear that Candy was in good care in Ed’s absence.

It was at that moment, as our visit was coming to a close, I knew it was time to sing.  “I would like to sing for Candy before we leave,” I suddenly offered.  My friends were used to me singing with them and no one seemed uncomfortable with my request.

“That would be nice,” Janet and Roxie agreed.  “What would you like to sing?”

At that moment, the idea seemed so crazy but Ed was so far away, locked up on a psych ward with his own mental and emotional issues, so I just opened my mouth and lifted up my song:

“I’ll be home for Christmas….you can plan on me.

Please have snow and mistletoe…and presents on the tree.

I’ll be home for Christmas…just you wait and see…

I’ll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams.

Christmas Eve will find me…where the love light gleams.

I’ll be home for Christmas…BUT it won’t be a dream!”[11]

My friends looked at me, somewhat perplexed by my song choice; after all, it was October.  Not risking their censure, I repeated the chorus several times before they finally joined in, and soon Candy was singing along too.  The expression on each of their faces is still a picture I see in my mind.  We sang a few more hymns, which we knew Candy would love, and she seemed to cheer up with each chorus.  After we were done and getting ready to leave, Candy’s nurse thanked us for coming and we told her we would be back soon to visit with Candy again.  Our plans were to join her sometime around Thanksgiving.

On our way out to our cars, I tried to explain my strange choice of music and my change of words.   I told them about what I learned from Kelanie…how I could hear that song being sung over Candy and Ed by Jesus.  They appreciated my boldness, but I could see the unspoken questions in their eyes.  We all left, making plans to get back together in a couple of weeks.

It was sometime just before Thanksgiving I received an update from Janet and Roxie:  Ed Bateman was home and the family was planning a big gathering at Thanksgiving.  They felt it was too soon to have the whole Mayapple Chapel gang back over at the house for the monthly meeting, but everyone, including Ed seemed eager for us to gather again at Christmas.  Astonished, I hung up the phone.  I could tell from Roxie and Janet’s comments that they were just as impressed as me.

Christmas Day we gathered with Candy and Ed again to restart the Mayapple Chapel monthly gatherings.  Now everyone was finally back in place and the routine was reestablished.  It wasn’t a dream…Ed was back home, back from the brink of hopelessness and overwhelming depression.  Candy was smiling, even in her fog of Alzheimer’s.  The fellowship was restored and it was all because of the song of the Lord.

Image

Ed and Candy Bateman with Paul Walker, 2003

“The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”[12]  

Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us and eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So, we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.[13]

************************************************************************

Notes:

G#1573 ekkakeo (ek-kak-eh’o) to fail (in heart); to be (bad or) weak hearted, faint, weary; to be despondent[14]

II Cor 1:2-7 (The God of all comfort – comforts us so that we can comfort others)

[1] [1] Psalm 55:4-5; Psalm 56:1-2; Psalm 57:1-2; “The Comparative Study Bible – The New International Version,” copyright 1999, Zondervan Publishing; Grand Rapids, MI; pages 1445, 1447, 1449.

[2] Hebrew no. 2342; chuwl; “Strong, James, “The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible’, copyright 1995, 1996; Thomas Nelson Publishers; Nashville, TN; page 41.

[3] Psalm 54:4; “The Comparative Study Bible – The New American Standard,” copyright 1999, Zondervan Publishing, Grand Rapids, MI; page 1445.

[4] Psalm 55:22; ibid; page 1447.

[5] Psalm 56:3; ibid, page 1447.

[6] Psalm 57:2; ibid, page 1449.

[7] Gloeckler, Kelanie, “Catch The Song”, copyright 2009; an awesome recording – available at http://www.kelanie.com.

[8] Zephaniah 3:17; “The Comparative Study Bible – The Amplified Version,” copyright 1999, Zondervan Publishing; Grand Rapids, MI; page 2380.

[9] Hebrew no. 1523; giyl; Strong, James; ibid; page 27.

[10] Luke 18:1; “The Comparative Study Bible – The New American Standard Version”; ibid; page 2657.

[11] Kent, Walter; Gannon, Kim; Ram, Buck; “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”; copyright 1943; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27ll_Be_Home_for_Christmas

[12] Zephaniah 3:17; “The Comparative Study Bible – The New International Version,” copyright 1999, Zondervan Publishing, Grand Rapids, MI; page 2381.

[13] II Corinthians 4:16-18; ibid, page 2961.

[14]Greek no. 1573; ekkakeo; Strong, James; ibid, page 28.

I Have No One Like You

Posted: November 23, 2013 in Charisma - Spiritual Gifts - A Divine Gratuity, Kindred Spirits, The Super in my natural...
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1

November 23, 2013

By Amy Hartmann

 

“For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare.”[1]

Planted within the heart of every person lies the heart cry to be understood and respected by friends and peers.  However, within the very core of this desire resides a cellular cry for like-mindedness.  The power and force of unity plays out in every field of work and enterprise.  The nature of sports carries this same root concept.  Teams win or lose based upon the chemistry and connectedness of the individual players and their willingness to be united at this complex level of the soul.

The Greeks understood this in their culture and language.  Strong’s Concordance has this to say about isopsuchon, the Greek word the apostle Paul used in this expression of his heart:  G#2473 isopsuchos – (ee-sop’-soo-khos); of similar spirit, ‘equal-souled’; equally sensitive; likeminded.[2]

As I studied out this concept, I came across a great article in a blog by David Rogol.  He offers this compelling thought:

“Do you have a kindred spirit? Someone with whom you can share anything under the sun? Someone who thinks like you, believes like you, has the same attitudes and feelings as you? Someone who can finish your sentences and complete your thoughts? If you do then you are truly blessed in this life. If not, then perhaps you should ask God for a kindred spirit…”[3]

I have learned that kindred spirits come in all shapes and sizes.  I have likeminded friends in all age groups, and when I find a true kindred heart, it is my desire to cultivate and highly value their company and their time.  Sometimes God sends us animal friends who become kindred spirits.

I have always been an animal lover.  Cats, in their independent and often disdainful way, have been some of the most interesting creatures I’ve befriended.  In 2000, my 13 year old feline friend named Mouse, had to be put down because of illness.  I was grieving but I learned long ago the best antidote for such pain is to find a new pet.  When my husband first proposed in 1992, I made the following prenuptial declarations:  first and foremost, I am not a morning person; secondly, I don’t iron; and finally, I have cats.

By 2000, I had one busy husband and 3 energetic children – ages 2, 5 and 7.  Life was hectic and I knew the dangers of adding one more demand to my list of responsibilities.  Puppies and kittens are cute but they can also be very disruptive.  I did not feel like tackling such a project.  Shortly after Mouse’s demise, some choir friends of mine came to me and made the generous offer to give me their two cats.  My friend, Jill was 8 months pregnant with her second child.  Her life was complicated and demanding too.   Lily and Chaz, she said, were 2 year old cats from the same litter.  They both spent much time in the laundry room when the family was not at home.  Neither cat was very fond of the other and they both had been declawed.

The ages of the cats were acceptable to me, but I let Jill’s husband, Kurt know he had to get this cleared through my husband.  Kurt, not being a cat person himself, was perfectly willing to sell this idea with great enthusiasm.  Once permission was received, Kurt made a quick trip to our house bearing a not very happy pair of cats.  Jill was comforted to see Lily and Chaz go to such a good home.  They were her cats, after all, and she was less eager to part with their company than her cat hating husband.

DSCN1557 DSCN1603 DSCN3352

It was March of 2000 when this exchange took place and I welcomed the cat siblings with much tenderness and attention.  My kids were quite happy to have these new friends to chase around the house.  Soon Lily befriended my 2 year old daughter and Chaz settled his affections upon me.  Our friendship grew as Chaz fully accepted us as his new family.  Soon his desire to roam outdoors overwhelmed our ability to keep him inside.  With the kids running outside to play, eventually Chaz found his freedom and he was one happy cat.  His lack of front claws did not slow him down as he chased away any neighbor cat taking liberty in our yard.  As he matured, his size and weight increased.  By 2004, at 18 pounds, he was massive.  His size made him more like a small bobcat than a house cat.

His love of freedom took him through the entire neighborhood.  All we could do was make sure he had his collar and tags.  At some point in early May of 2004, Chaz offended neighbors across the street from us.  I was not aware of this situation.  Chaz disappeared and we did not see him; nor could we find him any where in the neighborhood.   Throughout this time, the kids and I prayed intently for his safety and his return.  May 23rd , 2004 I was drying my hair and lost in thought about my missing friend.  Suddenly, I heard this message in my heart:     “Chaz is at the pound.  Your neighbors captured him and had him taken away.”

At that same moment, in my mind I saw a black cage and I knew we had to hurry to rescue him.  I finished getting ready and then ran out to get the kids.  I told them about the message from God – the word of knowledge – the revelation I had just received.  That afternoon we went to the Humane Society, expecting to find our prisoner.  We searched in all of the cages, but Chaz was no where to be found.  I talked with an attendant and they explained that a trapped cat was probably at the pound, on the other side of Jacksonville.  The pound would be open until 6:00 pm.

I hurriedly looked at a map.  The pound was almost an hour away and we were in rush hour traffic.  Fearful for Chaz’ safety, we made the long drive to the Jacksonville Animal Control shelter and quickly hurried inside.  I had Chaz’ big dog collar and tags in my hand, since these had been found outside in our yard when he disappeared.

My oldest son found Chaz first.  “Mom, here he is,” Lorren called out.  I went to the cage but I didn’t recognize the cat at first.  His head was badly wounded from bagging his head against the trap.  He was very sick.  According to Animal Control records, he had been with them over three weeks and he was scheduled to go to the ‘chamber’ within a few days if not rescued.  I called out his name and his loud cry of response broke my heart.  My friend was so glad to see me.

As I was paying his fine and securing his freedom, the lady processing our papers saw his big collar and tags and she warned me about our not so friendly neighbor who had the cat trapped as a stray.  My heart fell as I thought about how close Chaz had come to sure death.  On the way home, we stopped at the vet to have him treated and checked over for the source of his sickness.  Our vet said he had a kennel virus that usually proved fatal.  Cats lost their ability to smell and their desire to eat.  Chaz was down to 14 pounds and his fever was high.  The vet said if I could get the cat to eat, then it stood a chance of surviving.

Several weeks passed as I syringe fed Chaz every bit of liquid I could get into his mouth.  One evening I roasted a chicken in the oven and used olive oil for the basting.  Chaz came into the kitchen when I pulled the food out of the oven.  He meowed and seemed interested in the smell for the first time since his rescue.  By this time, his weight was down to 12 pounds and he looked terrible.  Once dinner was over, I took the roasting juices left in the bottom of the roasting pan and mixed them with some mashed potatoes.    I fed this to Chaz.  I could hear his stomach growling as the liquid made it down his throat.  Happily he began to purr.

Later that evening, he had a new level of energy as he joined me on the couch once the kids were all in bed asleep.  I fed him again with this liquid over the next few days and soon he began to recover his appetite.  By mid June, he was eating again and regaining some weight.  All my hands-on-care had further deepened his attachment to me.  As soon as he came in from being outside, he would begin to call for me.  The kids would laugh and say, “Chaz loves his mommy.”

Copy of DSCN0983-1  This past February, 2013, Chaz started having trouble eating.  By now he and his sister were 15.  Our family had been through so much transition with our move from Jacksonville in 2011 and then the unexpected departure of my husband in September of 2012.  The kids and I were in a state of shock and hurt over the marriage breakdown.  We were also in the fog of trauma.  We were all going through the motions of living, but grief and hurt kept us all trapped in our own emotional cages.

DSCN8009  We prayed continually for Chaz’ recovery.  I offered him all sorts of food changes to try and get him to eat.  Slowly he got thinner and sicker.  There were no funds to take him to the vet.  I knew if he had a terminal condition the vet would just say to put him down.  All I could do was pray.

March 5th, it began to snow heavily and I could tell Chaz was finally beginning to languish drastically.  I made a bed for him in my bedroom on a shirt of mine he favored.  I could hear him through the night as he struggled.  I spent much time with him, holding him and talking to him.  He made it through the night but finally died about noon.  His last bit of strength he used to climb into my lap one more time.  I told him what a special friend he had been to me and how much I loved him.  It was then I began to weep.

Suddenly we all were weeping as the kids joined me at his bed.  Our thoughts and conversation went back to that day in May of 2004, when God spared Chaz.  Our tears seemed to open up a new level of healing.  As we wept and grieved together, something changed.  The next day, I went outside in the snow and cleared a spot under my bedroom window.  As I dug away the snow and the dirt, I realized that Chaz’ passing was part of the plan too.  We needed him in death as much as he needed us in life.  We needed something greater than the pain of the past to push us out of the emotional trap that settled down upon us.

I journal in most of the margins of my Bible.  My life is written among the pages.  Philippians 4 carries my note of the goodness of God to rescue Chaz on May 23, 2004.

“It was good of you to share in my troubles…not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content whatever circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry.  I can do all things through Him who gives me strength...and my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.  To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.”[4]

[1] Philippians 2:20; “The Comparative Study Bible – The New American Standard,” copyright 1999; Zondervan Publishing; Grand Rapids, MI; page 3019.

[2] Isopsuchos, Greek Number 2473; Strong, James; “The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible,” copyright 1995, 1996, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, TN; page 44.

[3] Rogel, David; “Do You Have A Kindred Spirit”; published May 3, 2011;  http://calvary4u.blogspot.com/2011/05/do-you-have-kindred-spirit.html; accessed 11-21-2013.

[4] Philippians 4:10-20 paraphrased, The Comparative Study Bible – The New American Standard,” copyright 1999; Zondervan Publishing; Grand Rapids, MI; page 3025.

The Secrets of the Heart

Posted: August 23, 2013 in The Secrets of the Heart, The Super in my natural..., The Virginia Real
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1

August 14, 2013

Shall God not search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.[1]

Keeping a secret can be one of the hardest self disciplines to master when you’re young and beginning to develop real friendships.  Secrets make or break every relationship we undertake.  Understanding the emotions behind the events that generate these surreptitious times will help reveal the power of the bond of secrecy.  Sometimes, though, God steps in and lays bare our most guarded issue.  Our own fear or even pride can keep us prisoner to problems.  Without the help of others, we would not be able to rise above the circumstances to which we are bound.

Years ago I was sitting in an evening choir practice.  I was part of a talented and dedicated group of people involved in the worship ministry at our church.  Every Thursday evening we gathered for practice.  I participated in this weekly gathering for 11 years before we moved out of state to our current home.  I always enjoyed getting away from family chores to be with my musical friends.  Our times together of learning and harmony were passionate, intense and sometimes very funny.  We were a choir family.

The day of this retelling was a cold day in February.  My many responsibilities made me late leaving home for practice.  When I arrived in the choir room I was not able to sit in my usual seat.  It is a common group dynamic when  people tend to be repetitive about such routine things as sitting in the same seat for regular scheduled activities.  In this situation, I was such a creature of habit.  I also dislike being late to any event.  That particular evening my normal peace of mind was slightly disturbed because of my tardiness.

I took a seat on the row behind my usual place, picked up the music and joined in the song.  Several minutes passed before our director stopped the song and began concentrating his attention on the tenor section to go over parts.  One of the foundational choir rules required the rest of us to be respectful and make as little noise as possible during a sectional rehearsal.  I sat there for a few minutes, just gathering my thoughts, and I looked over at my friend sitting on my left.  She seemed deep in thought.  Normally she was very personable and cheerful but this night she seemed lost in her own musings.

The sectional rehearsal dragged on and I began to look around again, just to take notice of all the friends present, when suddenly I had the following thought:  “She has no gas in her car.”

I sat still for a few more minutes, turning this information over and over in my mind.  A sense of urgency accompanied the thought and when the director turned his attention to another section for review, I began to be uneasy.  Feeling insecure about such a message, I finally nudged my friend and  cautiously whispered, “You have no gas in your car, do you?’

For a good 20 or 30 seconds, my friend looked at me like I had slapped her in the face.  I was upset with myself for saying such a crazy thing to her, when her eyes filled with tears, and she shook her head “no”.

My personal finances were not spectacular at that moment either but I knew that I had to get her a tank of gas.  “When we leave practice,” I whispered, “we’ll go straight to a gas station and take care of it.”

My friend hurriedly wiped away a tear and smiled in gratitude.  I knew she was in the middle of a marriage breakdown.  I slid my arm around her shoulders and gave her a quick hug.  When I hugged her, this thought came:  “She has no food at home either.”

Sobered by this daunting notion, I knew I could not whisper such a thing, so I took out a piece of paper and quickly scribbled a note:  “You have no food at home either, do you?’

This time, her expression changed from the timid smile she had just given me to a broken, puzzled look.  Once again tears formed and she shook her head “no”.

My own relationship with my spouse was under great duress.  Our finances were severely challenged.  My husband was working out of town on his new job and our family was still in Jacksonville awaiting the sale of our home so we could move and join him.  He was the official family book keeper.  This night, I knew that I was probably going to get a lecture for my actions but I could not let my friend’s needs go unanswered.

“We’re going to the grocery store after practice,” I scribbled back to her.  Then I dug in my purse and found a tissue.  She wiped her tears and gave me a quick hug back.

As practice wrapped up, I had another revelation:  “She is not going to tell you what she really needs.”  Then, a list of items began to flow through my mind.  I knew she needed pet food and many other personal things.  We walked out of practice and made a plan to meet at the nearest store and gas station.  As I drove the few miles to the shopping center, her list kept getting longer and her needs more detailed and specific.

We  both got shopping carts when we arrived at the grocery store.  I had my own grocery needs too.  As we started down the first aisle, my friend said, “I only need bread, eggs and milk.”

At this moment, the power of the impressions I was receiving was beginning to give me a great sense of awe and wonder.  I knew Holy Spirit was looking at her needs and speaking directly to me about satisfying them.  I chuckled and stopped my friend, taking her hand into mine and getting her full attention:  “You need these things,” I said, as I began to describe all the items that had gone through my mind.  “Are you going to tell me what you really need or are you going to make me do this entirely by the Spirit?” I was joyful by this time and totally in awe of the moment.  My list was so specific she finally blushed and shook her head in amazement too.

“This is unbelievable,” she declared as we walked up and down the aisles, and I put things in her cart.  We stopped at the pet food aisle and I asked her what kind of food her pets liked.  She started to pick up the cheapest food available.  I knew her cat and dog would not eat her choices.  “They’re not going to like that kind,” I told her.  Finally she started to laugh, catching the joy of the Lord that was being offered to us both.

We turned down the seasonal items aisle and I stopped in front of some boxed valentines for kids.  “Your daughter needs these for school tomorrow doesn’t she?” I asked.

My friend finally looked at me again and shook her head.  “What is your husband going to say?” she asked.  She knew how picky he was over finances.

At that moment, a strange message came out of my mouth; one which has burned in my heart over these past years since we left Jacksonville:  “I’m sowing for my future,” I replied.

We finished our shopping and then we went to the gas station.  My friend hugged me repeatedly.  We both marveled over the gift of supernatural knowledge Holy Spirit released in this moment  – knowledge which deeply impacted both of our lives.

Many people don’t really understand the concept of spiritual gifts, like I operated in the evening I received such a critical message.  First of all, the most important gift God ever gave was Jesus.[2]  Jesus explained, “When the Helper (Holy Spirit) comes, whom I will send to you, from the Father (that is the Spirit of Truth – who proceeds from the Father), He will testify about Me.”[3]

The apostle Paul explained that as we become ‘in Christ’ (part of Christ’s spiritual body, His kingdom of believers) we become partakers of heavenly gifts that reveal the presence and power of Jesus in our everyday life.  Jesus has acquired the right to give these gifts based upon His supernatural conception, His sinless life, His death and His resurrection.

“But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.  Therefore it says, When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, and HE gave gifts to men.”[4]

Paul uses the word doma [Strong’s Greek #1390 – gift, present; from the base of 1325; to give, to greatly modify by the connection, adventure, bring forth, grant, have power, etc.][5]  My gift of knowledge certainly did generate quite an adventure that night.

Paul says that these gifts are irrevocably given to us.[6]  Once we are endowed with these gifts, God does not take them back.  If we ignore, neglect or misuse them, we will be accountable.[7]

Talents, in the parables Jesus shared through out His ministry time, always represent elevated abilities or something given which enabled the receivers to invest or accomplish work, with an expected return.  The gospel writer, Matthew, is the only one to use this Greek word talanton and it means a balance of certain weight, or a specific sum of money.[8]

Gifts, on the other hand, represent (but are not limited to) the supernatural abilities that Jesus modeled during His physical time on earth.  He declared that we would do greater works than He preformed.[9]

Paul used the word charisma when describing the irrevocable gifts in the book of Romans.  [Strong’s Greek #5486 charisma (khar-is-mah); means “a divine gratituity, deliverance from danger or harmful passions, spiritual endowment, religious qualification, miraculous faculty – free gift.”][10]  The 12th Chapter of Romans provides the following list:

  • Prophecy (prophetic insight, the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose)[11]
  • Practical service through ministry
  • Teaching
  • Exhortation (encouraging words that build our faith)
  • Contributing to the needs of others, giving generously
  • Leadership for governing diligently
  • Showing mercy cheerfully

Paul starts out with pneumatikos when introducing the gifts in his first letter to the Corinthians.  [Strong’s Greek #4152 pneumatikos (pnyoo-mat-ik-os); means non-carnal (not human), ethereal, (divinely) supernatural…][12]   He goes back to charisma several sentences later as he develops this most interesting topic and he explains, “But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”[13]  I believe my friend would agree that our shopping experience that night in February was for common good.

The 12th Chapter of First Corinthians gives this insight: “Now there are varieties of gifts (charisma)…but the same God who works all things in all persons.”  The spiritual gifts listed here include:[14]

  • Word of wisdom
  • Word of knowledge
  • Faith
  • Gifts of healing
  • Workings of miracles
  • Prophecy
  • Discernment or distinguishing of spirits (evil and good)
  • Various kinds of tongues (speaking an unlearned or unknown language)
  • Interpretation of these tongues (languages)
  • The office or role of apostleship
  • The office or role of a prophet
  • The office or role of a teacher
  • Helps (serving the physical needs of people)
  • Administration

It is interesting how Paul then goes on to give the analogy of the human body and how it has many different members but each member really belongs to all of the body and how uniquely the body needs each member.  “If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it, if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”[15]

That February night, my friend was suffering and she needed more than a congenial pat on the back – she needed real help. “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?  Can such faith save him?  Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  If any one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well, keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead!”[16]

Paul then gives this advice:  “Eagerly pursue and seek to acquire (this) love (make it your aim, your great quest); and earnestly desire and cultivate the spiritual endowments (gifts), especially that you may prophecy (interpret the divine will and purpose in inspired preaching and teaching).[17]

On that cold February night, God used His words of knowledge, enabling me to help my friend.  What I didn’t know, as I handed her the valentines, is that I would walk a very similar path in September of 2012.  My marriage broke down; my husband left to go do his own thing.  Numerous times my children and I experienced these same needs.  I have been out of the job market for 20 years, primarily being a wife, mother, writer and laboring as a volunteer.  Going right back into the work force has been no simple task.  I had to open up and share my secret hurt and needs with others to get through this tough time; and indeed, on that February night, I was “sowing for my future”.

I feel confident that everyone who has comforted me in my brokenness will one day reap the same supernatural favor I’ve experienced.  “For the word of God is living and active; sharper than any double edged sword.  It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit; joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and the attitudes of the heart.  Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.  Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”[18]

Texts and Books I’ve read on this subject:

Growing in the Prophetic, by Mike Bickle

Surprised by the Power of the Spirit, by Jack Deere

The Beginner’s Guide to Spiritual Gifts, by Sam Storms

The Finger of God, by Mark Rutland

When the Spirit Comes with Power, by John White

Your Spiritual Gifts, by C. Peter Wagner

You May All Prophesy, by Steve Thompson

Romans Chapter 12

I Corinthians Chapters 7, 12-14

Ephesians Chapters 3 & 4

I Peter Chapter 4

[1] Psalm 44:21, “The Comparative Study Bible – The New American Standard Version,” copyright 1999; Zondervan Publishers, Grand Rapids, Michigan; page 1430.

[2] Matthew 7:11, Luke 11:13, John 4;10, Romans 5:15-21, Romans 6:23, Romans 11:29, Ephesians 2:8-22,

[3] John 15:26, Luke 11:11-13; “The Comparative Study Bible – The New American Standard Version,” copyright 1999; Zondervan Publishers, Grand Rapids, Michigan; pages 2747 and 2633.

[4] Ephesians 4:1-13; ibid, pages 3005-3007.

[5] Doma, Strong’s Greek Number 1390; The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible”;  copyright 1995, 1996, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee; page 24.

[6] Romans 11:29; ibid, page 2893.

[7] I Timothy 4:14, II Timothy 1:6; ibid pages

[8] Talanton; “Strong’s Greek Number 5007; The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible”;  copyright 1995, 1996, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee; page 89.

[9] John 14:11-14; ibid, page 2743.

[10] Charisma; “Strong’s Greek Number 5486; The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible”;  copyright 1995, 1996, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee; page 98.

[11] I Corinthians 12:10; “The Comparative Study Bible – The Amplified Version,” copyright 1999; Zondervan Publishers, Grand Rapids, Michigan; page 2934.

[12] Pneumatikos; “Strong’s Greek Number 4152; The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible”; ibid; page 72.

[13] I Corinthians 12:4; “The Comparative Study Bible – The New American Standard Version,” copyright 1999; Zondervan Publishers, Grand Rapids, Michigan; page 2935.

[14] I Corinthians 12:1-31; ibid.

[15] I Corinthians 12:26; ibid.

[16] James 2:14-17; ibid, pages 3123-3125.

[17] I Corinthians 14:1; ibid, page 2939.

[18] Hebrews 4:12-13; ibid, page 3093.