GWEA Monthly Messages
FEBRUARY 2014
REVEREND GORDON WILLIAMS
The Apostle Paul explained, "And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry for the building up of the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:12).
The Greek word used for gifts (domata) is different from the Charismatic Gifts of the Holy Spirit (Charisma), (Rom. 12 6-8;1, Cor. 12:8–10). These Gifts (domata) are "Victory Gifts” which are given to a Christian to qualify, prepare or to make ready to do ministry. By using the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Christians are given the confidence to be witnesses and to minister in their churches and in the world (Mk. 16:15). They are not meant to do all the ministry themselves, but to teach, demonstrate and allow others who have received Gifts of the Holy Spirit to gain experience from using their Gifts.
Each Spirit-Filled Christian is to receive at least one Gift of the Holy Spirit (charisma/charismata) as on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4). The Gifts are given to meet people's needs. If people's needs are not being met, it is a malfunctioning church. This means that every church, regardless of size, must receive and use the Gifts of the Spirit. By using the Gifts, guided by the Holy Spirit, there will be "Signs, Wonders and Miracles”. If there are none, then it is a "non-functioning” church just like in the Church of Ephesus (Rev. 2:1-7).
Jesus warned the church and any others, "But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first”. He explained to them how to regain their love for him or he would close them down. And if not, He would remove their lamp stand (Rev. 1:13: 2:5) meaning that He would close down their church. There is no church in Ephesus today! Many churches today no longer are doing the ministry as guided by the Holy Spirit. It is not the devil/Satan that is closing down so many churches today, it is Jesus, Himself.
But when He closes one down, he starts another which "will not lose their (agape) love” (1 Cor. 13) for Him. The more that churches "listen” or "hear what the Spirit says...” (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22) and do the ministry he tells us to do, the more churches will not be closed down by Jesus. They will prosper preaching the Gospel and bring new people into the family of God complete with the "Signs, Wonders and Miracles”. We will see the proof in the "signs following and the 15 Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Starting next month, I shall explain the "15 Gifts of the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 12:6 - 8:1, Cor. 12:8-10) in my upcoming newsletters.
February 14 has been called, "St. Valentine’s Day” to remember a Christian priest who lived at a time in the Roman Empire when a law had been passed that Christians could not be married. Choosing to "obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:2), he continued to marry Christians. He was then arrested, imprisoned and executed.
This priest believed Christians who wanted to be married needed to have Jesus as the third partner in their marriages. They not only needed to have sexual love (eros) but also the love of God (agape) so that the Holy Spirit could give them God’s guarantee for a lifetime. This was a divorce-proof marriage that would enrich their exciting and growing sexual (eros) and family (storge) loves. See "Love (agape) never ends” (I Cor. 13:4-8).
If you would like to receive Salvation, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, a Gift of the Holy Spirit, healing, deliverance, God’s plans for your life, come to one of our meetings or contact me and I will be happy to pray with you so you can be a witness for Jesus (Mk. 16:15-20) and to do the works of Jesus.
Yours in Jesus,
Rev. Gordon Williams
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