The Gifts Are Not Perfect

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

The Gifts are not perfect.

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The gifts are not always perfect in manifestation, because they are manifested through an imperfect channel: men and women. The Spirit of God flows through us as water flows through a pipe. Sometimes as the Spirit of God flows through us something from our own personality gets mixed in with the divine flow. (After all, God uses personalities.).

God doesn't put a premium on ignorance or education, but He has to use the vessel as it is. I have seen the anointing of the Spirit of God upon one who is educated, cultured, and refined, and I was greatly blessed. On the other hand, I have heard interpretations of messages which included such words as "hain't," "ain't," "you'uns," and "we'uns." Those giving the interpretations could not go beyond their capacity. They used the best vocabulary they had. It was the Spirit of God in manifestation, but it was not a perfect manifestation.

A minister tells that in one of his services the interpretation of a message in tongues was: "My little children, don't be scared. But if you are scared, I don't blame you, because sometimes I get scared myself." Although this was not a manifestation of the Spirit of God, it does not mean that the dear one who gave it was not a Christian. 

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It does not even mean that she wasn't filled with the Holy Spirit, She wanted God to use her, but she was just speaking out of her own mind. Many times we let such manifestations scare a lot of good people off instead of giving people the right teaching. We need the operation of the gifts in our congregations. We need  everything God has provided, but we need to follow God's instructions for the proper use of these gifts so that "all things be done unto edifying" (1 Cor. 14:26).

Some excuse their spiritual excesses by saying, "I couldn't help that. The Holy Spirit made me do it." They blame the Holy Spirit for their being out of order. But the Holy Spirit, through Paul, has given us instructions so we know how to be in order.

Although we may be inspired to speak—we may have a message in tongues and interpretation, or even a word of prophecy—it is not always wise to jump up at any time. If our inspiration comes at an inopportune moment when it would not be edifying, then we should hold our peace. At the right time we can give what we have.

Many times when attending fellowship meetings and camp meetings where I was not the speaker, I could have spoken with tongues but didn't. The leaders of the meetings were men who knew God, who were filled with the Spirit, and they could give the message themselves. There was no need of my butting in from out in the congregation. In a large gathering if someone speaks in tongues or prophesies from the congregation, few hear it. If it comes from the platform, however, everyone hears it, and it is edifying.

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The inspirational and the revelation gifts are a product of both God and man. It isn't all God and it isn't all man. This is where many have missed the blessing of being filled with the Spirit. They could have spoken in tongues many years ago.

Some have said to me, "If I had known that I had a part to play in it, I could have talked in tongues 25 years ago. I had an urge to say something that wasn't English, but I thought if I spoke that out, it would just be me doing it. I have been waiting for the Holy Spirit to talk with tongues all these years."

However, He doesn't really talk with tongues. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that the Holy Spirit ever talked with tongues. Instead, we read that the Holy Spirit gives you utterance, and you do the talking. That is what happened on the Day of Pentecost: "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and [they] began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:4). He gave them the utterance; they did the talking.

After hearing this preached, some people have asked me, “Why didn't someone tell me? I have been afraid to talk in tongues—afraid it would just be the flesh.” But when you talk in tongues, it will be you in the flesh. God said He would pour out His Spirit on all flesh. Everyone who ever talked with tongues was in the flesh, but he was inspired by the Spirit.

- Kenneth E Hagin ( The Gift Of Prophecy )

The same thing is true with the inspirational and revelation gifts of God. They are a product of both man and God.

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William James Roop

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Brother Roop teaches the Bible

Believing Produces Repentance

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

Repent - Be baptized - Be filled with the Holy Ghost.

Here is something that I found from an unknown author that I wanted to share.

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Believing produces obedience:

Jesus said he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. We must conclude that believing produces obedience which leads to repentance in response to the Word of God. You must believe that you need to repent. 

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? Rom‬ ‭10:16‬ ‭From this verse we see that believing produces obedience. If you believe, you’ll obey. 

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Obedience leads to repentance and baptism:

Jesus said he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. Believing produces obedience which leads to repentance in response to the Word of God. John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, Apostles Peter and Paul all preached first to repent - believing comes first of course because the hearer had to believe before they could obey the need to repent. 

Believing is powerful, setting in motion a chain of events that leads to salvation. Believing activates faith. Believing opens up revelation. When you believe, you’ll obey. 

The only prerequisite it seems to be baptized is to believe with all of your heart. But that’s not just a believing heart, but a repentant heart. The eunuch asked If he could be baptized, Phillip responded, “if you believe with all of your heart you may.” Believe what? What Phillip just explained to him. He preached unto him Jesus. When you preach Jesus, you preach repentance, you preach baptism, and you preach being filled with the Holy Ghost. Faith without works is dead. 

We are begotten by the Word and repentance is the first response after believing. Repentance is powerful, but not complete without being baptized, yet powerful enough to prepare one to receive the Holy Ghost. 

Part of the response to the gospel is this: Jesus now commands all men everywhere to repent. I believe when men believe and obey that command, which is inextricably linked with baptism, revelation and real change takes place. 

Repentance is a commandment to be obeyed as well as a response to the Gospel. Conversion is repentance and baptism. While one can receive the Holy Ghost before baptism, but not the Holy Ghost before repentance, baptism is the NT circumcision which completes the conversion that began with repentance.

Repentance begins the process that isn’t completed until one is baptized - putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by being buried with Jesus Christ in baptism - yet one can receive the Holy Ghost before this takes place - which to me is a beautiful picture of grace - it doesn’t mean someone is sinning while being filled with the Holy Ghost - but while those past sins are still present and not yet washed away - you can be filled with the Holy Ghost. 

If you haven’t repented, you’re not ready for baptism. To repent is to want to be baptized. It’s why Paul asked the believers how were you baptized. Catch this: Paul knew that believers would be baptized. He just didn’t know how they were baptized. Believing and baptism goes together like peanut butter and jelly. 

To repent is to make a conscience choice to turn around from the direction one is headed. To repent is to change one’s mind for the better, to heartily amend with abhorrence of one's past sins. 

When you repent, you are biblically ready to receive the Holy Ghost, but you must be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

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The Gospel is good news: 

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: and that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: after that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭15 -  This is the gospel. 

Acts 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh:

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God gives the Holy Ghost to them that obey Him:

And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. Acts‬ ‭5:32‬ ‭

This prophecy by Joel as told by Peter would be fulfilled starting in Acts 2:4 - before Peter started preaching

Jesus was crucified, buried and rose again. That’s the good news. That’s the gospel. Not only did He rise again, but he was seen of many witnesses, 1, 12, and over 500 at one time. 

Acts 2:23-24 - Jesus was crucified and rose again just as it says in 1 Corinthians 15. And that’s good news. That’s the Gospel. You obey it by believing, and you believe it by obeying. 

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts‬ ‭2:38‬. ‭

William James Roop

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango