Once a Nation Under God

 Whoever says Holy Bible scripture is not relevant today might want to try reading the God's Word again. Scriptures give guidance on individual lives, instruct leaders on how to behave towards the people they serve, provides laws and tells judges how to act, advises countries on what is acceptable, and shows how God disciplines those He loves as well as His destroying evil.   

"In his name the nations will 

put their hope." - Matthew 12:21 (NIV) 

Is America forgetting or ignoring its Christian heritage?  In God We Trust is the American motto on currency (paper money for decades and on USA coins for centuries).  The United States of America has used the line one nation under God in the Pledge of Allegiance for decades.  This was done to reinforce the Christian religion of most of the country.  It was a way of honoring American history and the right to religious freedom.  What does the Bible say about a nation that turns from God?  An Old Testament example that may be applied to current events is the prophet Amos warning his nation to turn back to their God. 

"I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: 

your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; 

and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils:

 yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord." - Amos 4:10 (KJV)

If the scripture was looked at as the USA now, the first line of scripture above would point to COVID and the fear spread about it.  The second line could be a reference to the Afghanistan crisis that aided enemies. The the third line should point to the evil being promoted in by current politicians in DC. Finally, the fourth line is very clear - the country needs to turn from sin and return to God.  

"Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, 

and he delivered them from their distress." - Psalms 107:6 (NIV) 

Just as God blessed Israel when they served Him, He has blessed America.  When most of Israel turned from God, He mercifully waited for them to return.  However, when the sins got too great, then God would have to turn away from them until they realized their need for Him.  Scripture can be applied to modern life.  With that in mind, what will happen to America if too many of its people continue to: drift from God, break His commandments, and support evil actions?  Once a nation under God, America needs to restore their faith and return to their Christian roots.  Pray for the USA to follow Christ again and restore the nation  it was originally designed to be.

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A Noble Nation Shuns Sin

When does a nation begin to get into trouble? 

- If evil is successful at overcoming good virtues, ethics, and integrity...  
- If many types of sin become more rampant then morality and a real relationship with God...  
- If false teaching and partisan propaganda become more important than honesty and spiritual truth...  
- If the rights of citizens are disrespectful trampled upon in favor of lawlessness or political power... 

Then the people are in trouble and the nation will eventually fall.  Do not think this can not happen to a noble or "Christian" nation, because it can if the people of that country choose to forget their God and turn to worldly things via reversing good and evil.  

"Righteousness exalteth a nation: 

but sin is a reproach to any people." - Proverbs 14:34 (KJV)

The Bible tells of many nations that were judged for the sins of their evil leaders or acts of their sinful people.  World history, including recent events, also shows the capture of nations that had bad leaders or greedy traitors who plotted evil against others and/or their own people.  They not only sought power or profit, but what many of them did was try to replace God with themselves as the head of everything.  They listened to the devil instead of God.  If you see evil rolling through your nation or your government, you must pray for your leaders to do the upright thing and that God will use you as He sees fit to help turn things around for the people and restore honor to the country.

"And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, 

who are taken captive by him at his will." - 2 Timothy 2:26 (KJV) 

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Nine Spiritual Gifts of Manifestation

The spiritual gifts of manifestations may be the most well known in the Church as these show the power of God to His people.  These gifts are supernatural in nature, so many Christians feel they are unworthy of receiving these gifts or that the gifts were for the start of Christianity and not for today.  However, scripture clearly says these gifts of special and spiritual abilities are for each of us, that means everyone and even now.  The manifestation gifts are to help others and share information, as well as  provide personal spiritual growth.

If you have or desire one of these spiritual gifts, it is important to remember they are for God's purpose through you.  You should not take credit for anything the Holy Spirit does though you.  Give God the glory always.  

 "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 

For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; 

to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 

To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 

To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits;

to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 

But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, 

dividing to every man severally as he will." - 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 (KJV)   

Below is a summary for the nine spiritual gifts of manifestation, divided into three supernatural purpose  categories: 

  POWER GIFTS DO SHOW GOD'S POWER 

• Faith is the ability to believe and trust God in all circumstances to provide extraordinary results.  It is more than the faith of salvations as it requires spiritual maturity and a close relationship with God.  This spiritual gift is confidence in God to overcome obstacles and produce miraculous outcomes.  People with this gift know God is good, expect Him to answer prayers, and put their lives completely in His hands.
• Healing is faith in supernatural restoration of the body, mind, and emotions manifested in hurting people through fervent prayer and the sovereign will of God.  It shows the compassion of God for mankind and that He cares about their suffering,   People will this gift mirror God's compassion for the sick, are concerned for the spiritual well-being of the afflicted, are strong intercessors for others, and willing prayer partners.
• Miracles indicate there is no limit to what God can do and that He can perform might deeds.  People with this gift believe anything is possible with God and that He will supernaturally intervene to make His will and power known.  They know manifested miracles strengthen the faith of Christians and draw more people to God.

  REVELATION GIFTS REVEAL GOD's INTENTIONS/DESIRES

• Discerning (aka Discernment, Distinguishing Spirits) is supernatural insight on whether a situation, person, place, or event is good/right/true/heavenly or evil/wrong/false/demonic.  The ability to distinguish evil is  protects Christians and Churches from being lead in the wrong direction.  People with this spiritual gift can  recognize in specific situations the difference between the influence of God versus the devil, worldly view, and flesh-driven activities.  This allows them to warn others of the danger and keep them from false teaching that may lead them astray.
• Knowledge is the ability to understand facts and information revealed by from God to apply the truth and purpose of His Word.  It is used  to protect or warn though spiritually and mentally revealing God;s direction in a situation in order to teach, warn, or guide others in the Church.  People with this gift enjoy studying and memorizing the scriptures, have a deep understanding of the Holy Bible, and focus on God's will and ways. 
• Wisdom is the ability to make good decisions from a righteous perspective, avoid actions harmful to the Church, and advise or guide others through a supernatural understanding of God's truth.   People with this gift see through turbulence, provide practical ideas, and steer things in the direction of God's will  and His Holy Word.  They can help individuals and groups obtain 

  UTTERANCE GIFTS SPEAK GOD'S MESSAGE 

• Interpretation is the ability to understand and explain a message given in tongues so that God is glorified and the Church is edified.  People with this spiritual gift communicate the meaning of a message in tongues to those who need to understand it so that God; people are encouraged and blessed.  They seek to serve God effectively and deeply love Him.
• Tongues (aka Unknown Language, Prayer Language) is a sign from God to get the attention of Christians and unbelievers in a language that is unknown to the speaker.  This spiritual gift should be interpreted if given in a group so that all present may understand God's message.  The purpose of tongues in is to glorify God and draw people to Him. People with this gift have a willing and obedient heart that is open to God using them for the edification of His Church.  Some may use the utterance gift in their private prayer time when interceding for others and situations, alternatively it may be an uplifting praise to God. 
• Prophecy is an inspired message with the purpose of confirming His Word, building up  and directing the Church.  The message typically helps the Church understand the desires of God.  This is also an important motivational gift for and ministry in the Church.

The supernatural working of the spiritual gifts of manifestation will strengthen the Church body and individuals.  These gifts are as relevant and available today as they were in New Testament times of the early Church. 

Ask God to give you a manifestation spiritual gift in order to grow your in your relationship with Him and help others to see His power.  If you really desire to be an instrument of God, you will receive the gift He intends for you.  In sharing your gift with the Church body, you allow God to work through you.  This will bring joy and blessings into your live, the lives of others, and your Church.  

Seven Motivational Spiritual Gifts

Motivational spiritual gifts are very action-oriented and are how Christ moves through us in word and deed.  These gifts will be distributed throughout the Church body. Many of these action gifts are to: edify the Church, grow the flock through spoken and unspoken witness, and make new members comfortable.  

You may have multiples versions of these gifts (or subsets such as those listed as AKA), though you may excel in a particular one.  These gifts reflect the personality of Jesus through you, therefore you should seek to use these gifts wisely and as often as possible.

"Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, 
whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 
Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 
Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity;
he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness." 
- Romans 12:6-8 (KJV) 

Below is some information on the 7 spiritual gifts of motivational actions:  

• Giving (aka Hospitality/Hosting, Sharing) people are excited to share generously what they have with the Church and other people.  They do so cheerfully and without expecting recognition or reward.   They take pleasure in making people feel welcome and cared about.  They also encourage other to give of what resources  and blessings that they may have.  They have a special place in their heart for the needy and lonely.  They are selfless, seek ways to help ,and typically are hospitable towards others.
• Exhorting (aka Exhortation, Encouragement/Encouraging) means to console, support, comfort, strengthen, and counsel others in their Christian growth so they can become all that God wants them to be.  People with this gift may encourage, challenge, or rebuke those whose faith is wavering or to help them continue their growth in the Lord. They desire to buildup the body of Christ for the glorification of God.  
• Mercy spiritual gift allows people to easily sense the emotions of others, be sensitive to their feelings and needs, as well as help them through their burdens.  They are good listeners, empathetic, loving, meek, sympathetic, patient, and communicative with a desire to end suffering and see others healed.  Although the mercy spiritual gift is emotionally sensitive, those with it look for practical ways and compassionate deeds to help those they see suffering physically, emotionally, or spiritually.  They will stay with whomever they are helping through the process of healing.  
• Ministering (aka Service/Serving, Helping) should not be confused with the ministry roles, but in the motivational sense it is that of helper or servant.  People with this spiritual gift desire to meet the needs of the Church and individuals.  When they see a necessary task, they commit to getting it done, either by doing it or by assisting others in the job.  They often work behind the scene filling in gaps around the Church.  People with the ministering gift support the ministry by doing various errands  or jobs in order to free up others for ministry roles aimed at growing the Church.
• Prophesy spiritual gift provides insight or foresight into God's will or plan for the Church body.  They may warn of sin or reveal it which makes the prophet's role seem judgmental, but they are merely dedicated to Gods truth.  This divine message from God is a blessing to the Church, however it must be tested and measured against scripture.  
• Teaching is a foundational gift and it requires dedication to study, research, prayer, lesson planning, and possibly writing.  Whether the gift is to be a Sunday School teacher, youth program, or study group leader; it still requires great responsibility to carry out the role. Those in the teacher's role are typically good speakers or willing group facilitators.  
• Ruling (aka Administration/Administer, Organization/Organize, Leadership/Leading) is the ability to see the "big picture," set long-term goals, guide others to achieve the goals, and find ways to get work done.  People with this spiritual gift typically have leadership skills in planning, organization, and supervision.  This gift includes protecting the Church and often manifests itself in multiple roles and jobs within the Church body.   

A great way to think of the motivational gifts is how they help the Church body to be whole.  For example think of each spiritual gift as a physical body part of Christ: giving is the arms, exhorting the mouth, mercy is the heart, ministering the hands, prophecy the eyes, teaching the mind, and ruling the head. From this example you can see that all the motivational gifts are valuable, each is important to the Church body.

If you feel you have a listed motivational gift, pray that God will direct you in how to use it effectively.  Your pastor may be able to help you in directing your gift towards the best way of working for the Church. 

Five Spiritual Gifts of Ministry

Most think of ministry gifts as belonging to those in authority in the Church.  These leadership roles  typically fall to someone who has been to seminary school.  Church leaders do need to be educated in the Holy Bible and theology in order to teach and guide others.  Although most are called to these roles and pursue the necessary education to receive the title, some are called to take on guidance and teaching roles using training outside seminary.  

God can use you for His work too!  if you are not called to preach, you may be called to teach or write.  Pray for guidance before pursuing any ministry role in order to receive the training, skills, and attitude necessary to proceed.  If God reveals He has other plans for you, then that plan may fulfilled through other spiritual gifts. 

"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, 
pastors and teachers;  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, 
for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, 
and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, 
unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" - Ephesians 4:11-13 (KJV)

Below is information on the 5 spiritual gifts of ministry roles:

• Apostle (aka Church Planter, Missionary) is a person who takes the gospel to new places.  They spread the Word of God and help create new churches.  They may provide leadership and advice on spiritual matters for new churches and ministries.  
• Evangelist (aka Revivalist, Traveling Preacher) is someone who is able to successfully communicate the gospel, typically to non-believers and the lost.  They are sent from the Church to bring more people into the body of Christ using charismatic messages and creative methods. 
• Pastor (aka Church Preacher, Counselor, Leader, Shepard) is a person who is responsible for spiritually caring for a group of believers within a specific Church.  They have responsibility for counseling, guiding, leading, nurturing, overseeing, protecting, serving, and teaching the congregation and individuals within the Church.  For this role, they must have authoritative knowledgeable of the Holy Bible and be fully grounded in the Word of God.  A pastor should be humbly committed to the mission of the Church in which he/she is given by God.
• Prophet is someone who speaks God's divinely inspired message to His people.  The message may be a vision of the future of God's will.  Or it could be meant as a warning or encouragement to the Church body.  True spiritual prophecy is to be seen as a blessing to the Church from God, not a curse or something to be taken lightly.  Only through prayer and the test of time can you find the truth in God's heart given through man's words.
• Teacher is a person who can instruct others in the Holy Bible in a way that communicates information in a understandable way for the spiritual growth in God of others.  Teachers must study, research, and look for creative ways to deliver lessons that establish a Biblical foundation and bring the truth of God's Word to the group or age level they are educating.  Keys to teaching include being willing to: consume scriptures, take responsibility for planning lessons, communicating the lessons, and leading  discussions with others.  

Pray to God for guidance in the spiritual gifts He wants you to pursue.  This way you can obtain the necessary training and skills to accentuate the talents and desires you may already have.  Ministry roles require time dedication in not only studies, they need fervent prayer time as well.