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Are you Cold Hearted? Or are you Compassionate?

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  • #16
    Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
    So, out of curiosity, where are you on the "spiritual gifts" issue?
    I'm from a Pentecostal Background, including three years at a Pentecostal Bible College.

    Do you know what your spiritual gift(s) is(are)?
    Teaching and Knowledge have been attributed to me by folks much wiser than I, and I've been told by others I've got some Discernment and possibly Prophecy going on.
    Have You Touched Grass Today? If Not, Please Do.

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    • #17
      Originally posted by Irate Canadian View Post
      How would you go about discovering these gifts?
      That's probably beyond the scope of this discussion, but I can understand why you would ask. And there are, no doubt, lots of different opinions as to the answer.

      Basically, God equips us all, I believe, with at least one gift, so that we can operate within the body in our own unique way.

      What is it you do that makes you feel like "people are often blessed when I do ________________"?
      The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

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      • #18
        Originally posted by Chaotic Void View Post
        I'm from a Pentecostal Background, including three years at a Pentecostal Bible College.


        Teaching and Knowledge have been attributed to me by folks much wiser than I, and I've been told by others I've got some Discernment and possibly Prophecy going on.
        Then it makes sense that you have little patience with "those mercy people".

        Do you see value in them, though? (those "mercy people")
        The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

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        • #19
          Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post




          Then it makes sense that you have little patience with "those mercy people".

          Do you see value in them, though?
          Oh, yes. The Body of Christ needs both heart and brain to function.
          Have You Touched Grass Today? If Not, Please Do.

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          • #20
            Originally posted by Chaotic Void View Post
            Oh, yes. The Body of Christ needs both heart and brain to function.
            And, I think, as Pastor, part of my job is to get these various "members of the orchestra" to play well together.

            Seriously, I think it helps us when we understand that not everybody is like us, and God uses us for different purposes to fulfill His Kingdom plans.
            The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

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            • #21
              Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
              And, I think, as Pastor, part of my job is to get these various "members of the orchestra" to play well together.
              Yeah, that's basically the job of anyone in administrative/supervisory duties. Speaking as a backup Head Cashier.... It ain't easy, lemme tell you.

              Seriously, I think it helps us when we understand that not everybody is like us, and God uses us for different purposes to fulfill His Kingdom plans.
              Amen to that... I just get bothered when people to go to the heart people for brain-related things (or neglect the brain-related things altogether). I mean, yeah, it happens the other way around too... but I don't see it occur as often.
              Have You Touched Grass Today? If Not, Please Do.

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              • #22
                I think the premise is mistaken. Compassion isn't just a feeling - it's an attitude. If it were mere feeling, God's commands regarding widows, orphans, et cetera would make no sense.
                "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

                "Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman

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                • #23
                  Originally posted by Chaotic Void View Post
                  Yeah, that's basically the job of anyone in administrative/supervisory duties. Speaking as a backup Head Cashier.... It ain't easy, lemme tell you.
                  I had a good friend who was an Assembly of God Pastor - much older than I was at the time - who told me that the hardest part of his job was "sorting out the kooks from the Spiritually motivated".

                  Amen to that... I just get bothered when people to go to the heart people for brain-related things (or neglect the brain-related things altogether). I mean, yeah, it happens the other way around too... but I don't see it occur as often.
                  I've often made the point (somewhat tongue in cheek), particularly to our Benevolence Committee, that we need a "mercy person" to minister to the individual, and a "prophecy person" to protect the Church from bankruptcy. You want to help those who truly need help, but you don't want to be bad stewards of God's resources.
                  The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

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                  • #24
                    I think it's good when other people tell us what gifts they see in us. That is better, imo, than taking some test to see what our gifts are.

                    I think our gifts are somewhat fluid. By that I mean that throughout our lifetime our gifts can change as we mature spiritually. We might have some gifts that are static, but others may come and go.

                    I know that I have an administrative gift and have had it for many, many years. I have been told by people that I respect that I have discernment, but I am sadly lacking in many others, and I know this. I need to develop things like prayer and mercy and hospitality.


                    Securely anchored to the Rock amid every storm of trial, testing or tribulation.

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                    • #25
                      Originally posted by Teallaura View Post
                      I think the premise is mistaken. Compassion isn't just a feeling - it's an attitude.
                      Hmmmm... lemme think on that.

                      If it were mere feeling, God's commands regarding widows, orphans, et cetera would make no sense.
                      I think that "mere" in front of "feeling" is a mistaken premise.
                      The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

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                      • #26
                        Originally posted by mossrose View Post
                        I think it's good when other people tell us what gifts they see in us. That is better, imo, than taking some test to see what our gifts are.
                        Yeah, I've always approached in in terms like... "what is it you do that makes people say 'that really blessed me' or 'touched me' or 'spoke to me'".

                        I think our gifts are somewhat fluid. By that I mean that throughout our lifetime our gifts can change as we mature spiritually. We might have some gifts that are static, but others may come and go.
                        Agreed - I think God equips us for the place we are in our lives, and the Church he puts us in at the time.

                        I know that I have an administrative gift and have had it for many, many years. I have been told by people that I respect that I have discernment, but I am sadly lacking in many others, and I know this. I need to develop things like prayer and mercy and hospitality.
                        That's interesting -- you would think, as a Pastor, I would be more into "prayer"... I DO pray, and I believe I have a "good" prayer life, but nowhere NEAR as "good" as others I know. In those cases, it's good, in my opinion, to recognize who those "prayer warriors" are, and utilize them for their giftedness.
                        The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

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                        • #27
                          Originally posted by mossrose View Post
                          I think it's good when other people tell us what gifts they see in us. That is better, imo, than taking some test to see what our gifts are.

                          I think our gifts are somewhat fluid. By that I mean that throughout our lifetime our gifts can change as we mature spiritually. We might have some gifts that are static, but others may come and go.

                          I know that I have an administrative gift and have had it for many, many years. I have been told by people that I respect that I have discernment, but I am sadly lacking in many others, and I know this. I need to develop things like prayer and mercy and hospitality.
                          Where do you think natural talent comes into play? What marks something as distinctly a spiritual gift exclusive for believers?

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                          • #28
                            Originally posted by Scrawly View Post
                            Where do you think natural talent comes into play? What marks something as distinctly a spiritual gift exclusive for believers?
                            I know you asked Mossy, but I thought I'd take a crack at that too... I often refer to "spiritual gifts, talents and abilities" as a group, because I'm not as concerned (in an operational sense) about which is which, than that the individual is serving. My daughter plays the piano for our Church, and it's obviously quite a talent, but if you knew how she started, you'd probably agree it was a "gift".
                            The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

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                            • #29
                              Originally posted by Scrawly View Post
                              Where do you think natural talent comes into play? What marks something as distinctly a spiritual gift exclusive for believers?

                              I think natural talent does come into play. I love to do administrative stuff, always have. And I am extremely interested in learning about how to distinguish truth from error. I think God puts natural talent into us so we are "bent" toward the gifts that we will eventually develop. He does, after all, know all about us before we are formed in secret.........

                              If you like something, go and do it and see where it leads.


                              Securely anchored to the Rock amid every storm of trial, testing or tribulation.

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                              • #30
                                Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
                                Hmmmm... lemme think on that.



                                I think that "mere" in front of "feeling" is a mistaken premise.
                                So you think that compassion only occurs if you feel it?
                                "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

                                "Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman

                                My Personal Blog

                                My Novella blog (Current Novella Begins on 7/25/14)

                                Quill Sword

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