Comments on: Pentecostal fire http://shannonmimbs.com/2009/08/02/pentecostal-fire/ Joining the Conversation on God, Church & Culture Tue, 31 May 2011 00:08:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Shannon http://shannonmimbs.com/2009/08/02/pentecostal-fire/comment-page-1/#comment-2013 Shannon Thu, 20 Aug 2009 03:35:48 +0000 http://shannonmimbs.com/?p=789#comment-2013 <blockquote cite="comment-2012"> <strong><a href="#comment-2012" rel="nofollow">Mike Ward</a></strong>: How did things go down in Georgia? </blockquote> I think things went rather well. Cornerstone has grown significantly in numerous ways. The homecoming service marked the 8th year since the planting of the church. At the beginning of the message, I shared with the congregation how wonderful it was to see such a diversity of people. Also, I shared your exhortation regarding the necessity of the fruit of the Spirit when a congregation celebrates the gifts. Dee's still working on her computer program, and we should know some possible dates to visit either tomorrow or Friday (at the latest). The schedule has been crazy here lately.

Mike Ward: How did things go down in Georgia?

I think things went rather well. Cornerstone has grown significantly in numerous ways. The homecoming service marked the 8th year since the planting of the church. At the beginning of the message, I shared with the congregation how wonderful it was to see such a diversity of people. Also, I shared your exhortation regarding the necessity of the fruit of the Spirit when a congregation celebrates the gifts.

Dee’s still working on her computer program, and we should know some possible dates to visit either tomorrow or Friday (at the latest). The schedule has been crazy here lately.

]]> By: Mike Ward http://shannonmimbs.com/2009/08/02/pentecostal-fire/comment-page-1/#comment-2012 Mike Ward Thu, 20 Aug 2009 03:20:04 +0000 http://shannonmimbs.com/?p=789#comment-2012 How did things go down in Georgia? How did things go down in Georgia?

]]> By: Shannon http://shannonmimbs.com/2009/08/02/pentecostal-fire/comment-page-1/#comment-2010 Shannon Thu, 20 Aug 2009 02:47:55 +0000 http://shannonmimbs.com/?p=789#comment-2010 Thanks bro. Mike for the comment. You're insightful response(s) confirms, once again, that your presence is very much needed in the blogosphere. :biggrin: I'm still chewing on our discussion that we had the other day on the phone regarding the centrality of character transformation (individually and communally) and how our ecclesiology impacts such. Thanks bro. Mike for the comment. You’re insightful response(s) confirms, once again, that your presence is very much needed in the blogosphere. :biggrin:

I’m still chewing on our discussion that we had the other day on the phone regarding the centrality of character transformation (individually and communally) and how our ecclesiology impacts such.

]]> By: Mike Ward http://shannonmimbs.com/2009/08/02/pentecostal-fire/comment-page-1/#comment-1922 Mike Ward Sat, 15 Aug 2009 04:54:35 +0000 http://shannonmimbs.com/?p=789#comment-1922 Like the Corinthians of old, the modern-day Pentecostal has all too often majored in the Gifts of the Spirit and for the most part ignored the Fruit of the Spirit. The Gifts, without the Fruit, lead to a total power failure (a spiritual GONG--sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal) because the Fruit are the natural outgrowth of the character of God being built within an individual's life. Without that "God-likeness" there will be no conduit for the Spirit's power--we quench the Spirit and thereby hinder the flow of His power. Quenching the Spirit is more than not allowing the Spirit to use us in the operation of the Gifts--it is also the grieving of the Spirit which takes place when we hinder the Spirit's work in building the character of God in our lives. It is the presence of God's character within the individuals life that eliminates all of these competing idols such as individualism, narcissism, and hero worship. Wednesday, I ministered on the subject of Christian Perfection as found in Matthew 5:48. Earlier in that chapter Jesus told the people that unless their righteousness exceeded that of the Scribes and Pharisees they would not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Imagine how astonished they were when they had always thought that these two groups (especially the Pharisees) were the standard (the measuring rod) by which to measure their own spirituality. If the Scribes and the Pharisees weren't going to make it in, what possible chance do they have? Then Jesus says an even more astonishing statement when He says that they are to be "perfect even as their Father in Heaven is perfect." As the great philosopher, Tim-the-Toolman Taylor, once said "Back up the truck!" First, Jesus says we have to be holier than the Pharisees and now He's saying our true standard is to measure ourselves against the perfection of God. I think if Lisa and I had been in the crowd that day I would have leaned over and whispered in her ear, "lets pack our bags and go home." Of course, what Jesus was talking about is not some self-generated sinless perfection. He was, however, making them to understand that their lives are to mirror the "completeness" of the character of God-- not that of other human beings. This completeness in Christ is what Paul, after he came to Christ, spent the rest of his life "striving" for--the prize of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus. What is our calling? To be like Him. I like Paul's exhortation in Ephesians 4:13 "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a PERFECT (teleios) man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." God Bless, Mike p.s. though I originally intended a short response to your post--it obviously didn't turn out that way. Just chalk it up to my late night musings too.:sleeping: Like the Corinthians of old, the modern-day Pentecostal has all too often majored in the Gifts of the Spirit and for the most part ignored the Fruit of the Spirit. The Gifts, without the Fruit, lead to a total power failure (a spiritual GONG–sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal) because the Fruit are the natural outgrowth of the character of God being built within an individual’s life. Without that “God-likeness” there will be no conduit for the Spirit’s power–we quench the Spirit and thereby hinder the flow of His power. Quenching the Spirit is more than not allowing the Spirit to use us in the operation of the Gifts–it is also the grieving of the Spirit which takes place when we hinder the Spirit’s work in building the character of God in our lives.

It is the presence of God’s character within the individuals life that eliminates all of these competing idols such as individualism, narcissism, and hero worship. Wednesday, I ministered on the subject of Christian Perfection as found in Matthew 5:48. Earlier in that chapter Jesus told the people that unless their righteousness exceeded that of the Scribes and Pharisees they would not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Imagine how astonished they were when they had always thought that these two groups (especially the Pharisees) were the standard (the measuring rod) by which to measure their own spirituality. If the Scribes and the Pharisees weren’t going to make it in, what possible chance do they have?

Then Jesus says an even more astonishing statement when He says that they are to be “perfect even as their Father in Heaven is perfect.” As the great philosopher, Tim-the-Toolman Taylor, once said “Back up the truck!” First, Jesus says we have to be holier than the Pharisees and now He’s saying our true standard is to measure ourselves against the perfection of God. I think if Lisa and I had been in the crowd that day I would have leaned over and whispered in her ear, “lets pack our bags and go home.” Of course, what Jesus was talking about is not some self-generated sinless perfection. He was, however, making them to understand that their lives are to mirror the “completeness” of the character of God– not that of other human beings.

This completeness in Christ is what Paul, after he came to Christ, spent the rest of his life “striving” for–the prize of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus. What is our calling? To be like Him. I like Paul’s exhortation in Ephesians 4:13 “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a PERFECT (teleios) man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”

God Bless,
Mike
p.s. though I originally intended a short response to your post–it obviously didn’t turn out that way. Just chalk it up to my late night musings too.:sleeping:

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