A Sharing Of Gifts

FRI., APR. 30, 1993, 2:04 PM
PULLIAM, OFFICE

This evening is one to which you should look forward. By plan, it is to be a sharing of the various gifts of the spirit that the Scriptures enumerate and describe. Such a sharing should lead to a better placement of Session members, old and new, on ministries and committees that utilize these gifts the most.

Now your obvious first question of Me is: what about this gift of prophesy? You have heard Me say repeatedly that you are not, in My designation, a prophet, whereas Mabel, your Mother-in-law, is. This means that I give people, through her, directions for their lives or as to what they should do in a particular situation or circumstance and how to make a decision. I do not regularly do this, through you. Yet I have given you, as part of a Teaching, some suggestions for other people, some of which you have passed on. You are a teacher, who may receive, in your Teachings, some directions, for yourself and others. To you I have not prophesied directly about how the earth shall be, in your lifetime and beyond, but I have indicated some displeasure with the “developed world,” with modern wars, and with excessive “right to life.” Still, I have not told you what I will do with My displeasure and exactly what will happen.

So, by this scaling and scoring system you have a gift of prophesy. You responded to the items that went together for that score thoughtfully and rather accurately. I don’t take back My description. I still don’t designate you as a prophet, in My Biblical sense… and there are still some of these I am lifting up.

You wonder, now, whether this sharing this evening will force you… or give you the opportunity… to reveal more about this relationship that you and I have developed. You, still are not comfortable talking about this to people whom you discern to be doubters as to such a “connection.” Perhaps you never will be. I am not yet pushing for full disclosure. I do want you to retain credibility as a Presbyterian, and I know quite well what that allows and disallows. You shall have to adapt to whatever develops. I am present to help, if that is necessary.

I can accept your choices for ministry through your Session assignment. Nurture and Fellowship are aspects of congregational life that you do easily and often, well. You may invigorate that ministry and develop ideas for programs that help nurture the spirit of those who participate. OR Social Action, while not a burning interest of yours, is an aspect of Christian and cultural life with which you are related. Either one could be challenging, along with your Clerk duties, which you should retain. If you get to help make the decisions you should be able to implement that of which I approve.

As I look back over all that I’ve encouraged, in those who wrote what became Holy Scripture and in those I have chosen or accepted as special servants over all of these thousands of years I have one small regret. I have told you about this, as well as a few others. It is that it is too hard to find the joy in this religion I favor. Christianity is way too serious, so that one of My gifts… not one listed by Paul… is that of spreading joy… of showing that Christianity can be fun. This is one of your gifts. Continue to share it, whenever and however you can.