Gifts of the Spirit — Bill McLeod

Christ Gives Spiritual Gifts to the Church

Well, good morning Grace Baptist Church. Did you come praying? Praising? I hope so. I'm trying to. I want to read from Ephesians chapter 4, and we'll begin at verse 8. He ascended up on high, had a captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also as ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill or fulfill all things.

Apostles, Prophets, and Teachers for the Edification of the Saints

And he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers, for the perfection of the saints, and for the edification of the Son of God, speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, even Christ Christ the head.

The Church as Christ's Growing Body

He joined together supplies, increased the body in love. This I say, therefore, I am testifying, O Lord, that you henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity that follows. Churches, you may have noticed in the scripture we read, first of all he gave gifts unto men, and then he gave gifted men to the church.

Healing as a Gift of the Spirit

They're not needed for today, evangelical names, without an inscription they could never give. He said, So that 22, to the general assembly, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, when they're gone, the churches all halt, his son, Jesus, to receive, even now, the finger, it seems to me, mistakes, the great sin, that's what Jesus had done.

They don't seem to have that, they can't see all of that, but to seek, to excel, they was the gift called, there's something, even for this Pope of my faith, Acts 10, 38, Jesus, he didn't think of anything, seeing people, he healed all of them, he should have done the same thing.

They were not offering to preach the kingdom of God, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject unto us, through your name. Looking for people oppressed by the devil, demons behind every tree, no, need to be faithful, to find their fruit, to be healed by God.

There's a mental healing, as well as a physical healing. And we've seen over the years, demons are making a tree, healing all of them, we can follow, there's some person struggling, it's time we not go to them, it doesn't matter whether they're a Christian or not, and many times that's in faith.

Giving with Simplicity and Humility

Then there's the gift of giving. He said he would give with simplicity, I think he means with no fussing, and no bragging. So he started tithing, a big machine, a pencil, and he walked away, went to church, gave a prayer meeting, when he came back after the prayer meeting, he said God, in a very marvelous way, gave him the plan for his, it was so successful, it was in the same kind of business, earth moving machines and so on, they never thought of something special for him.

God's Abundant Provision Through Faith

One time he stood with a check for 50 million dollars, and he did it, American citizen, George Miller, looking at it, got English money. He probably prayed in, maybe, somebody said 60 million dollars.