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[Poll]
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What is your spiritual gift?
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| Don't know |
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| Other |
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| prophecy |
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| faith |
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| exhortation |
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| giving |
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| mercy |
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| ruling/administration |
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| discerning of spirits |
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| wisdom or knowledge |
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Total Votes : 13
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(last vote on : 7/15/2008 10:59:13 PM)
(Poll ended: 7/20/2008 6:00:00 PM)
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What is your spiritual gift? - 7/13/2008 6:15:25 PM
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LawrenceJCaldwell
Posts: 33
Joined: 7/3/2008
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What is your spiritual gift? If more than one, please vote just for your main one. I'm curious to know the giftedness of folks on these forums. Thanks for your inputs! Sorry there's not enough room to put them all so if your's does not show up, choose "Other"
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Lawrence J. Caldwell
Author & Speaker
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RE: What is your spiritual gift? - 7/14/2008 12:41:26 AM
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TheBibleTRUTH
Posts: 94
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I do all 9, but I guess speaking in tongues because it's the only one I can do whenever I want.
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RE: What is your spiritual gift? - 7/14/2008 1:11:43 PM
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drmark
Posts: 3265
Joined: 7/10/2006
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Where did come up with these "spiritual gifts", LJC. There are 3 or 4 lists in the NT and I do not remember "faith" and "wisdom or knowledge" being on any of those lists. Perhaps we should better define spiritual gifts before participating in a possibly confusing poll. BTW, my primary gift is teaching. 
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Jeremiah 31:31-34. The time is NOW, fellow saints!
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RE: What is your spiritual gift? - 7/14/2008 1:29:33 PM
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BerianAardvark
Posts: 371
Joined: 5/10/2008
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quote:
ORIGINAL: drmark
Where did come up with these "spiritual gifts", LJC. There are 3 or 4 lists in the NT and I do not remember "faith" and "wisdom or knowledge" being on any of those lists. Perhaps we should better define spiritual gifts before participating in a possibly confusing poll. BTW, my primary gift is teaching.
Possibly here...though I suppose there could be debate as to which are gifts and which ministries, the nature of gifts is to aid in the ministry, so possibly they might be considered the same thing.
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. (1 Corinthians 12:4-11)
BTW, my primary gifting seems to be prophesy (which often includes teaching).
Tim
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The Law is for the proud and the Gospel for the brokenhearted - Martin Luther
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RE: What is your spiritual gift? - 7/14/2008 1:32:23 PM
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IMA_CHRISTIAN
Posts: 1003
Joined: 1/23/2006
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My spiritual gift.... is being turned from a cold stoney hearted sinner to one that loves the Lord Jesus Christ.... my spiritual gift is the Rose of Sharon - Jesus Christ living in me. my spiritual gift - is nothing to the alter I bring, but only to the cross of my Lord Jesus Christ i cling, my spiritual gift - i have nothing .. inme is nothing,, only the love of Jesus Christ in me, that might be my spiritual gift... the love of Christ shining in me only to bring some along to know the love of Christ themselves. for Without Christ, I am nothing.
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RE: What is your spiritual gift? - 7/14/2008 1:41:36 PM
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drmark
Posts: 3265
Joined: 7/10/2006
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Thanks Tim, for the quick reply. I had forgotten the 1 Cor list contains wisdom, knowledge, and faith right before listing the so-called ministry gifts which I had focused on. Without derailing this thread, why do you think Paul included faith as a gift only for some in light of its universal role in everyone's salvation?
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Jeremiah 31:31-34. The time is NOW, fellow saints!
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RE: What is your spiritual gift? - 7/14/2008 3:22:59 PM
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BerianAardvark
Posts: 371
Joined: 5/10/2008
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quote:
ORIGINAL: drmark
Thanks Tim, for the quick reply. I had forgotten the 1 Cor list contains wisdom, knowledge, and faith right before listing the so-called ministry gifts which I had focused on. Without derailing this thread, why do you think Paul included faith as a gift only for some in light of its universal role in everyone's salvation?
Did God include knowledge and wisdom only for some? The gifts of Knowledge (generally word of knowledge), Wisdom (generally word of Wisdom) and faith to me seem to be an extra amount, rather than that granted (in varying degrees) universally.
A word of knowledge would be a bit like what Peter demonstrated: Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 16:16-17), though likely not quite as profound; that provided a bit of knowledge needed, that no one there (at least consciously) possessed.
Likewise a word of wisdom would be a sudden epiphany ( a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something; an intuitive grasp of reality through something (as an event) usually simple and striking; an illuminating discovery) that provided a solution to a seemingly insolvable situation.
The gift pf faith would (IMO) be akin to that required to move mountains, greater than the universal norm among people of faith, and possibly (as with words of faith and knowledge) not in continuous operation.
Tim
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The Law is for the proud and the Gospel for the brokenhearted - Martin Luther
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RE: What is your spiritual gift? - 7/14/2008 3:28:40 PM
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GroupW
Posts: 2807
Joined: 11/16/2007
From: Up in the hills of Colorado (very BIG hills...)
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Here's an offbeat answer for you. I don't know, and frankly I spend very little time even thinking about it. In the end, I know what I'm good at doing. I know what I'm interested in doing. I do those things.
Sometimes I think we spend too much time worrying about what my spiritual gift is and too little time using the god-given abilities we have. I used to worry about this a LOT. Then I figured I'd stop worrying about it and just get busy doing what I can. It's made a difference in my peace of mind as well as my effectiveness for the Lord. Now I feel free to just do whatever it is that I can do.
BT
_____________________________
“For every problem, there is a solution that is simple, elegant and wrong.” -H.L. Mencken
"Most people would rather die than think; in fact, they do so." -Bertrand Russell
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RE: What is your spiritual gift? - 7/14/2008 4:07:20 PM
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drmark
Posts: 3265
Joined: 7/10/2006
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quote:
Did God include knowledge and wisdom only for some? The gifts of Knowledge (generally word of knowledge), Wisdom (generally word of Wisdom) and faith to me seem to be an extra amount, rather than that granted (in varying degrees) universally. Seems like a reasonable interpretation to me. Certainly we all know individual Believers who seem to have an extra annointing of wisdom or faith compared to us average folks.
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Jeremiah 31:31-34. The time is NOW, fellow saints!
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RE: What is your spiritual gift? - 7/14/2008 4:14:30 PM
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GroupW
Posts: 2807
Joined: 11/16/2007
From: Up in the hills of Colorado (very BIG hills...)
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: drmark
quote:
Did God include knowledge and wisdom only for some? The gifts of Knowledge (generally word of knowledge), Wisdom (generally word of Wisdom) and faith to me seem to be an extra amount, rather than that granted (in varying degrees) universally. Seems like a reasonable interpretation to me. Certainly we all know individual Believers who seem to have an extra annointing of wisdom or faith compared to us average folks.
Like my wife's grandmother - she gives me something to aspire to. I may not have her gifts, but I can still do what I need to do in order to one day be a similar resource for others when she's gone.
_____________________________
“For every problem, there is a solution that is simple, elegant and wrong.” -H.L. Mencken
"Most people would rather die than think; in fact, they do so." -Bertrand Russell
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RE: What is your spiritual gift? - 7/14/2008 4:16:36 PM
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drmark
Posts: 3265
Joined: 7/10/2006
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quote:
I may not have her gifts, but I can still do what I need to do in order to one day be a similar resource for others when she's gone. But then that's not spiritual gifting, is it? Sounds more like trying harder to be "super-Christian" to me.
_____________________________
Jeremiah 31:31-34. The time is NOW, fellow saints!
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RE: What is your spiritual gift? - 7/14/2008 4:23:00 PM
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GroupW
Posts: 2807
Joined: 11/16/2007
From: Up in the hills of Colorado (very BIG hills...)
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: drmark
quote:
I may not have her gifts, but I can still do what I need to do in order to one day be a similar resource for others when she's gone. But then that's not spiritual gifting, is it? Sounds more like trying harder to be "super-Christian" to me.
Then I think you misunderstand. I don't think I need to be satisfied with the wisdom that I have gained thus far in life. I would hope that as we grow in age and experience that we all grow in grace, knowledge, wisdom, charity, hospitality, etc.
I'm not willing to entertain the idea that there is some limit on how much God may teach me before I die. There are about 3 or 4 people that I've met so far in my life that have been extraordinarily gifted in one way or another. They serve as role models and examples for me to follow, much like the saints of old. I aspire to meet their example and to pass on their wisdom and knowledge to the next generation coming along behind me.
_____________________________
“For every problem, there is a solution that is simple, elegant and wrong.” -H.L. Mencken
"Most people would rather die than think; in fact, they do so." -Bertrand Russell
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RE: What is your spiritual gift? - 7/14/2008 4:35:08 PM
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drmark
Posts: 3265
Joined: 7/10/2006
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quote:
Then I think you misunderstand. Sorry, perhaps you misspoke. You said, "I can still do what I need to do". To me that's not spiritual gifting, that's trying harder.
quote:
I would hope that as we grow in age and experience that we all grow in grace, knowledge, wisdom, charity, hospitality, etc. Amen, but is that what Paul is talking about in 1 Cor 12? I'm not reading it that way.
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Jeremiah 31:31-34. The time is NOW, fellow saints!
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RE: What is your spiritual gift? - 7/14/2008 5:21:01 PM
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Sonrise
Posts: 110
Joined: 5/19/2007
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quote:
ORIGINAL: GroupW
Here's an offbeat answer for you. I don't know, and frankly I spend very little time even thinking about it. In the end, I know what I'm good at doing. I know what I'm interested in doing. I do those things.
Sometimes I think we spend too much time worrying about what my spiritual gift is and too little time using the god-given abilities we have. I used to worry about this a LOT. Then I figured I'd stop worrying about it and just get busy doing what I can. It's made a difference in my peace of mind as well as my effectiveness for the Lord. Now I feel free to just do whatever it is that I can do.
BT
I answered "I don't know as well", but I feel the exact opposite as you do. We (I should say I. I don't want to speak for others) don't spend nearly enough time acknowledging and accepting a gift/s from my dear Lord and Savior.
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RE: What is your spiritual gift? - 7/14/2008 5:36:11 PM
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GroupW
Posts: 2807
Joined: 11/16/2007
From: Up in the hills of Colorado (very BIG hills...)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: drmark
quote:
Then I think you misunderstand. Sorry, perhaps you misspoke. You said, "I can still do what I need to do". To me that's not spiritual gifting, that's trying harder.
quote:
I would hope that as we grow in age and experience that we all grow in grace, knowledge, wisdom, charity, hospitality, etc. Amen, but is that what Paul is talking about in 1 Cor 12? I'm not reading it that way.
No, I didn't misspeak at all - I generally think that God honor's effort. Nothing happens without putting your back into it. Even spiritual gifts can remain undeveloped if we don't exercise them. I don't mean to imply that "trying harder" is all there is - there's a divine interplay between our obedience and God's gifting and grace that defies description and is, at the core, a great mystery. I'm responsible for my own obedience, yet my ability to obey is completely dependent on God's grace. In a sense, it's the ultimate chicken-and-egg question.
I think also that we tend to try to overdefine spiritual gifts a bit. As far as 1 Corinthians 12 goes, we are admonished to desire the "greater gifts". The means to this end is discussed then in Chapter 13 - the pursuit of love. Are the spiritual gifts I have at the outset all that I will ever have? Why then does Paul admonish us to desire the "greater gifts?" Doesn't the pursuit of love then lead me toward all of the other gifts?
Yes, I believe there are those who are wonderfully and specially gifted, like my wife's grandmother. Yes, I think we can aspire to those gifts. No, I do not think it's just a matter of being a super-Christian and just trying harder. It's just a matter of following him, doing your part, and seeing where he takes you.
My wife's grandmother is just one of those special souls that help point the way for the rest of us. That's a great thing to aspire to.
_____________________________
“For every problem, there is a solution that is simple, elegant and wrong.” -H.L. Mencken
"Most people would rather die than think; in fact, they do so." -Bertrand Russell
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RE: What is your spiritual gift? - 7/14/2008 5:44:29 PM
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GroupW
Posts: 2807
Joined: 11/16/2007
From: Up in the hills of Colorado (very BIG hills...)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Sonrise
quote:
ORIGINAL: GroupW
Here's an offbeat answer for you. I don't know, and frankly I spend very little time even thinking about it. In the end, I know what I'm good at doing. I know what I'm interested in doing. I do those things.
Sometimes I think we spend too much time worrying about what my spiritual gift is and too little time using the god-given abilities we have. I used to worry about this a LOT. Then I figured I'd stop worrying about it and just get busy doing what I can. It's made a difference in my peace of mind as well as my effectiveness for the Lord. Now I feel free to just do whatever it is that I can do.
BT
I answered "I don't know as well", but I feel the exact opposite as you do. We (I should say I. I don't want to speak for others) don't spend nearly enough time acknowledging and accepting a gift/s from my dear Lord and Savior.
I can agree with that as well. I think it makes perfect sense if we either have already figured it all out, or if we haven't really begun to think about it. Then there are people like me that earnestly sought to figure it out but got nowhere. I finally realized that I could spend time worrying about it, or I get just get busy using the gifts I knew I had, spiritual or otherwise.
Life got a lot easier once I came to the realization that I didn't have to have everything defined in order to be of service and to be useful to the church.
_____________________________
“For every problem, there is a solution that is simple, elegant and wrong.” -H.L. Mencken
"Most people would rather die than think; in fact, they do so." -Bertrand Russell
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RE: What is your spiritual gift? - 7/15/2008 1:49:48 AM
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McFatty
Posts: 1084
Joined: 12/8/2007
From: Augusta, GA
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For me, I know it is mercy, because it's the thing that God has emphasized to me most. I am so incredibly happy when I get the opportunity to show mercy.
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“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” – Philippians 4:8
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RE: What is your spiritual gift? - 7/15/2008 6:43:35 AM
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csl7037
Posts: 1393
Joined: 3/24/2008
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quote:
ORIGINAL: McFatty
For me, I know it is mercy, because it's the thing that God has emphasized to me most. I am so incredibly happy when I get the opportunity to show mercy.
...See? It's not rocket science or something we need to build an elaborate theology around for the sake of arguing about it.
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RE: What is your spiritual gift? - 7/15/2008 9:50:36 AM
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GroupW
Posts: 2807
Joined: 11/16/2007
From: Up in the hills of Colorado (very BIG hills...)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: csl7037
quote:
ORIGINAL: McFatty
For me, I know it is mercy, because it's the thing that God has emphasized to me most. I am so incredibly happy when I get the opportunity to show mercy.
...See? It's not rocket science or something we need to build an elaborate theology around for the sake of arguing about it.
But arguing about it is fun! (OK, you're right.)
_____________________________
“For every problem, there is a solution that is simple, elegant and wrong.” -H.L. Mencken
"Most people would rather die than think; in fact, they do so." -Bertrand Russell
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RE: What is your spiritual gift? - 7/15/2008 11:25:43 AM
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drmark
Posts: 3265
Joined: 7/10/2006
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quote:
No, I didn't misspeak at all - I generally think that God honor's effort. Nothing happens without putting your back into it. Even spiritual gifts can remain undeveloped if we don't exercise them. I don't mean to imply that "trying harder" is all there is - there's a divine interplay between our obedience and God's gifting and grace that defies description and is, at the core, a great mystery. I'm responsible for my own obedience, yet my ability to obey is completely dependent on God's grace. In a sense, it's the ultimate chicken-and-egg question. Thanks for the clarification - I agree completely! Except for the chicken-and-egg analogy. God created birds, not eggs (Gen 1:21). God's grace was present from the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4); my responsibility for obedience came only when He shed His prevenient grace on me. But that's not for this thread!
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Jeremiah 31:31-34. The time is NOW, fellow saints!
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RE: What is your spiritual gift? - 7/15/2008 1:25:35 PM
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BerianAardvark
Posts: 371
Joined: 5/10/2008
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quote:
ORIGINAL: csl7037
quote:
ORIGINAL: McFatty
For me, I know it is mercy, because it's the thing that God has emphasized to me most. I am so incredibly happy when I get the opportunity to show mercy.
...See? It's not rocket science or something we need to build an elaborate theology around for the sake of arguing about it.
Very true a cherry tree doesn't have to think about how to produce cherries, it does so naturally, so a person who has a particular gifting uses it quite naturally (that doesn't mean that the gift cannot be further developed, however).
Tim
_____________________________
The Law is for the proud and the Gospel for the brokenhearted - Martin Luther
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