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The Seven Motive Gifts
Three Groups
of Gifts
The Bible
lists three distinct groups of gifts
- Nine charisma gifts (1 Corinthians 12:8-10)
- Four ascension gifts (Ephesians 4:11-12)
- Seven motive gifts (Romans 12:6-8)
These three groups of gifts are
mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 and are listed with the giver of each group of gifts.
The Nine Charisma Gifts
These gifts
are regulated by the Holy Ghost.
The gifts are
divided into three groups of three gifts each.
Three Power Gifts
This is supernatural faith that comes
upon a person enabling him or her to have faith for what God is desiring to accomplish in
a particular situation. God gives you the faith for him to change people and
circumstances.
This gift manifests the healing power of
God instantly. It is manifested as the Spirit wills, and does not always come in the same
manner; hence the name, “gifts of healings.”
- The gift of working of
miracles
This is very much the same as the
supernatural gift of faith with one difference. With the gift of faith, God enables a
person to have faith that God, himself, is going to do something, whereas, with the
working of miracles, God does the miracle through some person.
Three Utterance Gifts
In the manifestation of this gift, words
of the common language are give to a person’s spirit by the Holy Ghost. The purpose
of prophecy is edification, exhortation, or comfort.
The charismatic gift f speaking in
tongues is often confused with personal prayer and edification tongues. Basically, it is
the same gift, but a different application of purpose.
Personal
prayer and edification tongues is for your personal prayer time and is used to build up or
edify the speaker. The charismatic gift of tongues is for the edification of the assembled
church body. For this reason, the charismatic gift of tongues must always be accompanied
by:
- Interpretation of tongues
The supernatural revelation of the
substance of an utterance given in tongues. Tongues + Interpretation of tongues = Prophecy
(edification, exhortation, and comfort).
Three Revelation Gifts
The revelation of a portion of
God’s knowledge that enlightens the recipient to the past or the present. This
knowledge comes supernaturally, and could not be known by natural means.
The revelation of what will or could
take place in the future, along with the application of God’s knowledge for that
particular situation.
This gift reveal the three realms of the
spirit world.
The Spirit
of God
The spirit
of man
Angelic
and demonic spirits
Those who
claim to operate in this gift and “see” only evil spirits are generally
busybodies and should be held suspect.
The Four Ascension Gifts
The “sent one.” The apostel
starts churches and estalishes doctrine.
The prophet represents God before the
people. The prophet have a revelation ministry.
The ministry of the evangelist inspires
people to fall in love with Jesus.
Although some split these two offices, I
see no scriptural grounds for their sundering.
The pastor
is married to the flock. He loves, trains, and feeds them. This necessarily requires him
to be a teacher, bringing basic understanding as well as new, in-depth insights. The
pastor/teacher brings balance to the body of Christ.
The
charismatic gifts are from the Holy Ghost.
The ascension
gifts are from Jesus.
- They are gifts of people specifically to the church.
The Seven Motive
Gifts
Gifts of
personality and spirituality!
These are
gifts from the Father.
Discerns the inner heart motivations of
individuals and groups.
Revelation of the truth of God’s
word.
Ministry of helps.
Stimulates faith and edifies members of
the body.
Supernatural ability to make money for
financing the gospel.
One who rules or takes charge.
Sympathizes with others.
Motive Gift
of Prophecy
A one-on-one
gift
Prophecy is
the Greek word propheteia (profhteian).
This is not
the charismatic gift of prophecy.
Prophecy =
Insight to prepare someone, or some group, for what he is about to face. Never tears down,
always builds confidence and gives the person the ability to keep going. A prophet is
called a seer.
Five Manifestations of The Motive Gift of Prophecy
Brings People
to Accountability
Vital if the
person needs to repent.
This is
accomplished by causing the person to recognize his/her actions as sinful and
unacceptable.
Reveals The Inner Heart Motivations of People
This gift can
expose a troublemaker before any trouble starts.
Why should
we give more heed to the rattles on a snake than the warnings given by men and women of
God?
Brings an Awareness of God’s Presence
Helps people
realize that God is present in Spirit and in truth.
- They are then more yielded to God.
Brings
Inner Conviction
Only the
power of God can do this.
- This power is operated by God though the prophecy motive.
Makes
People Fall Down on Their Knees
This is not
always realized in a literal sense.
Quite often
it has more of a spiritual application wherein the individual recognizes his need to
position himself in humility before God. This brings him to a new place of submission
before God.
Characteristics of The Individual With The Motive Gift of
Prophecy
Has a Need to
Express The Message Verbally
The prophet
speaks the word of God.
- The priest represents the people before God; the prophet
represents God before the people.
Has The Ability
to Discern The Character & Motives Of People
He knows why
you do what you do.
He uses his gift to discern motives.
John said
to the Pharisees, “What are you doing here? You are not here for serious business!
Turn or burn!” Luke 3:7-9
Has a Divine Capacity to Identify, Define, & Hate Sin
He knows what
sin is and speaks out against it.
- This is a quality that is seriously lacking in the body of
Christ.
Has a
Willingness to Experience Brokenness to Prompt Brokenness
He may break
down!
When he
breaks, those he is speaking to will break also.
- The hearers are able to see how broken God is through the
brokenness of the prophecy motive.
Has a
Dependence on Scriptural Truth to Validate Both His Authority & His Message
The word of
God is it; there is nothing more valid than God’s word!
- He makes the word the judge of his motives.
Black is black and white is white.
The
prophecy motive sees no gray areas.
He Has a Desire For Outward Evidences to Demonstrate Inward
Conviction
He wants to
see people turn back to God.
- He wants to insure that the fruits of repentance are
immediately manifested.
This is not a lack of faith, but a
genuine desire to see people act on their own professed faith.
Has a Directness, Frankness, & Persuasiveness in Speaking
Very frank,
very honest, and you are very persuaded.
- Has a Concern For The Reputation And Program of God
He works to get the program completed.
Personal Identification With The Person he is Speaking With
He can tell
when a person is in bondage to Satan, and he identifies as though he were equally bound.
An Eagerness to Have Others Point Out His “Blind Spot”
No junk!
No opinions!
- He approaches you with the word of God and will accept
nothing less.
Psalm 51:1-19
V2 Wash me
(acknowledges uncleanness)
V7 Purge me
V9 Hide your
face
V13 Once I am
clean & righteous I will help others
V 15 Only
speaks God’s words
V17 Seeks
true humility and repentance
Misunderstandings
of The Individual With The Motive Gift of Prophecy
Frankness May be Viewed as Harshness or Lack of Love
His mind is
already fixed on the validity of God’s word.
- He assumes you will see it just as quickly and clearly.
Interest in
Groups May be Interpreted as Disinterest in Individuals Because he Looks at The Body of
Christ as a Whole
Efforts to
Gain Results May be Looked Upon as “Gimmicks”
Gimmick: A
novel or tricky feature or detail added to or incorporated within something to increase
its attractiveness, appeal, or effectiveness.
Ezekiel
Human dung
Cut hair
(priests were never to cut their hair)
Do not cry
Lie on one
side
Isaiah
Take off
outer robe
John
Camel hair
Locusts
Wilderness
Focus on Right & Wrong May be Judged as Intolerance of
Partial Good
Black or
white....no gray.
- Emphasis on Decisions May appear as Neglecting Spiritual
Growth
He wants a commitment NOW!
Public
Boldness & Strict Standards May Hinder Intimate
Personal Relationships
People are
repelled by this!
- John the Baptist did not have many intimate friends.
The friends he did have recognized God
operating in his life.
Strong Desire to Convey Truth May be Interpreted as Little
Interest in Listening to Another Person’s Point of View
He is
involved in the word and wants you to be too.
- The issue is never the other person’s point of view.
- The issue is whether or not the point of view is surrender
to God’s word.
Biblical Examples of The Individual With The
Motive Gift of Prophecy
Elijah
1 Kings
18:25-34, 36-39
V21 Elijah
calls on the people to make a decision.
V33 He orders
water poured on the sacrifice.
V38 The
sacrifice is more than received.
V39 The
people fall on their faces.
John The Baptist
Luke 3:3-20
V3 Looking
for repentance.
Vs 4-5 Used
scripture to validate his authority.
V7 Frankness
and public boldness.
V19 Tells
king Herod the truth.
- When John is in prison, Jesus answers with scriptures!
Sharpness is sometimes needed.
Childhood
Characteristics of Individuals With The Motive Gift of Prophecy
Do not have a good imagination.
Like true things—active participation in sports.
Do not like to be alone—tend to follow mother or father
around.
Like to read stories with morals—not fairy tales.
Will usually only read things which interest them.
Have an understanding beyond their years.
Can be negative or easily depressed.
The Motive
Gift of Ministry
Helps or
Service
A body gift
Ministry is
the Greek word deconia (diakonia) = to meet practical needs.
A person with
this motive gift is more motivated to meet people’s practical needs than he is
motivated to meet the spiritual needs of people.
This gift is
realized through deeds rather than through words.
A serving
motive is always wanting to do something for someone; he loves to help others, yet finds
it difficult to receive what someone does for him.
Even though a
person with the motive gift of ministry may seem organized, he does not have the ability
to organize others, so he tends to do the work himself.
Characteristics of The Individual With The Serving
Motive
Ability to
Recall The Specific Like And Dislikes of People
He will
remember how you like your coffee, your favorite color, your birthday, and what you do not
like about this thing or that.
- His primary concern is to serve you as best he can.
An
Alertness to Detect And Meet Practical Needs
Especially
when dealing with a manual project.
The Motivation to Meet Needs as Quickly as Possible
He is not
into long-term goals
He prefers to
step in quickly, working to produce immediate, useful results; then move on to another
need.
Physical Stamina to Fulfill Needs With Disregard For
Weariness
He will work
late into the night totally ignoring his fatigue.
The
fulfillment of the need takes precedence over his own physical needs.
Willingness to Use Personal Funds to Avoid Delays
Rather than
wait until the funding has been approved or collected, he will use his own money and not
desire a refund.
Meeting the
need is paramount above all else.
A Desire to Complete The Job With Evidence of Unexpected
Extras
Doing the job
or fulfilling the need is only part of his purpose.
He will go to
great lengths putting in extra service to complete the task faultlessly.
An Ability to Discern Appreciation And Insincerity
He knows when
his work and efforts are genuinely appreciated.
He also knows
when he is being taken advantage of.
An Inability to Say “NO!”
This results
in involvement in a variety of activities and not enough time in which to do them.
Greater Enjoyment Over Short-range Goals
Remember, he
is not long-term oriented.
He needs to
see results very quickly.
A Frustration When Limitations of Time Are Attached to Him
When
pressured with deadlines, all he sees is time slipping away.
Misunderstandings of The Individual With The Motive Gift of
Serving
A Quickness
to Meet Needs May Appear to Be Pushy
Servers tend
to jump in and start a task, whether they are supposed to be there or not.
An Avoidance of Red Tape May Result in Excluding Others From
Their Job
Servers
sometimes cannot see the purpose in going through three people in order to get a job done.
- They may just do what needs to be done and by-pass all the
“Red tape”.
Servers
Disregard of Personal Needs May be Extended to Their Families
Sometimes
servers need to be told to go home to their own families.
Eagerness to Serve May Prompt Suspicion of Advancement
It appears
that the server is trying to impress the person in charge for personal gain.
The Server May React Negatively to Others Who do Not Detect
And Meet Obvious Needs
He feels
everyone should recognize the need.
Insistence on Serving May Appear to be Rejection of Being
Served
He has a hard
time letting others meet his needs.
He is only
gifted for giving, not for receiving.
The Desire to Sense Sincere Appreciation May Result in Being
Easily Hurt
The hurt and
anger may be so deep that it will keep him from going to or being involved in Church.
- Their hurt is more important than their spiritual growth.
Quickness
in Meeting The Needs of Others May Interfere With Spiritual Lessons God is Teaching Those
With The Need
The server
may be eager and willing to offer a ride to someone whose car has broken down.
- God is wanting the person to ride the buss for a while
because he has failed to properly maintain his car.
A conflict of interests.
Meeting Practical Needs May be Judged by Others as Lack of
Interest in Spiritual Matters
He may miss
church service to make sure everything else is running smoothly.
Stamina May be Interpreted as Insensitivity or Impatience
With Others Helping
In order to
get the job done, they just get in and do it.
Enjoyment of Short-range Goals May Result in a Leadership
Position
This will
result in disaster because the server is not a leader.
- They become too frustrated and disorganized with long
range goals.
Inability
to Avoid Others Needs May Result in Sidetracking Employers Instructions And Direction
Employers
instructions and direction are often slow and may require involvement in many
divergent activities before the completion of the task is realized.
The server
may be found attempting to sidetrack some of this “red tape.”
Biblical Example of The Serving Motive
Martha
John 12:2
& 11:39
- A good housekeeper would be concerned with odors.
Luke 10:38-42
- Martha was serving and more involved with meeting the
physical need (food) than the spiritual (learning from Jesus). She could not see the
long-range goal here; learn what you can while the Master is still present.
- Martha was worried that she would not be able to finish
her task in the allotted time. She was more concerned with her meal than with the
one she was serving, Jesus.
- Martha became too involved and too troubled about too many
things. Jesus told her to calm down, the cares of this world will choke your faith.
- Martha could have brought what she had to Jesus and asked
him to multiply it. Instead, she tried to pull Mary into her motive gift of serving.
Jesus reprimanded her immediately, vs 42, telling her that Mary had chosen to sit at
his feet and learn. Mary had the motive gift of teaching, John 11:45 says that the
Jews came to her after Lazarus’ death; saw, and believed.
- Jesus protected Mary’s motive gift by not letting
Martha pull her out of it.
Childhood Characteristics of Individuals
With the Motive Gift of Ministry
Good with their hands—learn to color inside the lines
easily.
Adept at manipulating small things—square pegs in square
holes, round pegs in round holes.
Great imitators.
Like to help, but need to feel they are being constructive.
Not necessarily workers, but want to pitch in and do what
they see mom and dad doing.
Usually have one best friend and one or two others—they
operate best in small groups.
Teenage servers tend to have a creativity about them.
The Motive
Gift Of Teaching
A body gift
Teaching is
the desire to search out, find and impart truth.
Characteristics of The Individual With The Motive Gift of
Teaching
The Belief
That His Gift is Foundational to All Other Gifts
Everything
taught, every thought conveyed to others requires precise expression through our words.
- Teaching, therefore, is foundational to all church gifts
in the eyes of the teacher.
There is an
Emphasis on The Accuracy of Words
A line from The
Last Emperor states, “If you cannot say what you mean, you will never mean what
you say.”
- The teacher is very careful to use the correct wording.
There is a
Testing of The Accuracy of Words
Not every
occurrence of a word has the same meaning.
- The teacher is careful to weight the meanings of words
against such criteria as text, context, audience, speaker, and history.
There is a
Delight in Research to Validate Ideas And Information
Teaching is
only the goal the teacher has for the student, pupil, or disciple.
- Research and learning are the goals the teacher has for
himself.
Only when the teacher has realized his
personal goal will he proceed to the goal set to the student.
The Validating of New Information by Established Systems of
Truth
The teacher
will use every resource available to him to prove or disprove any new ides.
- He never flies by the set of his pants.
The
Presentation of Truth in a Systematic Sequence
The teacher
is very orderly in the presentation of any materials.
- He is careful to present relevant background materials
when needed.
An
Avoidance of Demonstrations From Non Biblical Sources
The teacher
resists using non biblical sources in both formal and informal teaching.
- If it is not found in the word, the relevance or validity
is immediately suspect.
A
Resistance to Scriptural Illustrations Out of Context
Careful
observation of both text and context are hallmarks of the teacher.
A Greater Joy in Researching Truth Than in Presenting It
The teacher
would much prefer to be left alone with researching ideas and materials.
- Presentation of the material, no matter how valuable, is
seen as time neglecting researching some other idea.
Misunderstandings
of The Individual With The Motive Gift of Teaching
The Emphasis
on The Accuracy of Scriptural Interpretation May Appear to Neglect Its Practical
Application
The teacher
wishes to have the fundamental interpretation as accurate as possible.
- This will allow for a more accurate interpretation of
“spiritual” applications of the thought.
Research
May Appear to be Dependent on More Than The Teaching Ministry of The Holy Spirit
This is owing
to the fact that the teacher will often be found more involved in researching thoughts and
ideas than in prayer.
- It is to be understood that the teacher is in a continuous
attitude of prayer both in researching and in teaching.
The Use of
Knowledge in Testing Others May Appear to be Pride of Learning
The teacher
uses himself as a cornerstone and places his own knowledge on the table as a benchmark.
- Those who do not surpass this knowledge will benefit most
from his services.
The Concern
to Impart Details of Research May Appear to be Unnecessary to Those Listening
While the
listener or student may not feel some of the points or issues are particularly relevant,
it must be remembered that the teacher’s first pupil is himself.
- The Holy Ghost quickens each item to his spirit making
those items a relevant issue in the mind of the teacher.
The Need to be Objective
in Research May Appear to Lack Warmth And Feeling When Speaking
The teacher
has a tendency to rely upon the written word in the same way a pilot learns to rely upon
his gages.
- He has little use for any emotional seasoning since that
could serve to taint the materials.
Biblical
Example of The Individual With The Motive Gift of Teaching
Paul
He wrote
two-thirds of the New Testament and he spent 3 years researching and learning prior to
commencing his ministry as an apostle (Galatians 1:18).
Childhood
Characteristics of Individuals With the Motive Gift of Teaching
Orderly, punctual, faithful in whatever they do.
Never easily persuaded.
Like intricate toys.
Like to read, and will read anything—comics to
encyclopedias.
Not necessarily the most brilliant students, but have a very
inquisitive mind.
All tend to be loners—dislike large groups, enjoy being
by themselves.
The Motive
Gift Of Exhortation
A one-on-one
gift
Exhortation
is the Greek word paraguay (paraklhsei) and means “a calling to
one’s aid for encouragement and comfort .”
An exhorter
is a positive person having ability to stimulate people toward abundant living. He
builds up the Body of Christ, is usually popular and well loved because he loves so
much. To him truth is truth, whether it comes from the Bible or from experience.
- It may be said that this is the gift of encouragement to
personal progress.
This is
a strong, life-related gift.
Characteristics of The Individual With The Motive Gift of
Exhortation
There is a
Tendency to Avoid Systems of Information Which Resist Practical Application
Information
is only valid if it is useful.
- No matter how interesting the information, unless it can
be applied to one’s life in a practical manner, it is just words.
There is a Desire to Visualize Specific
Achievements to And Prescribe Precise Steps of Action
The exhorter
believes that if you understand the truth you will be eager to apply that truth to your
life.
- He is very zealous in giving steps of approach to
appropriate action.
The Ability
to See How Tribulation Can Achieve New Levels of Maturity
Tribulation
is not the enemy we have imagined it to be.
- The exhorter knows that tribulation will cause a person to
look outside himself for solutions and approaches.
A
Dependence on Visual Acceptance When Speaking to Individuals or Groups
The exhorter
has a need to “see” that his message is being received.
- Without this visual confirmation of reception, the
exhorter looses confidence.
The
Discovery of Insights From Human Experience Which Can be Validated And Applied in
Scripture
He finds out,
“How does this relate to the Word rather than how does the Word relate to this?"
- He is very big on finding human experiences that find an
exact match in scripture.
He offers this biblical counterpart as a
step(s) of action to applied to the lives of others.
An Enjoyment With Those Eager to Follow Steps of Action
This
enjoyment arises for two reasons:
- The person is validating the exhorter’s message by
acting on it.
- The person is bettering his life and getting closer to God
by following the steps outlined by the exhorter.
A Grief
When Teaching is Not Accompanied by Practical Steps of Action
This is the
antithesis of the previous characteristic.
A Delight in Personal Conferences That Result in New Insights
And Spiritual Growth
He loves to
counsel, especially when he sees the counselee responding to counsel and growing in his
spiritual walk.
Misunderstandings of The Individual With The Motive Gift of
Exhortation
The Emphasis
on Steps of Action May Appear to Oversimplify The Problem
The steps of
action will often ignore many of the fine details of the problem, but these details will
be corrected in the application of the steps of action.
- Much the same as the shabby look of the yard will be fixed
once you run the lawn mower over every square foot of it.
The Urgency
in Getting Steps of Action May Appear as Having Overconfidence in The Steps
It must be
remembered that the exhorter is not offering some hypothetical avenue to success.
- The steps being offered have a firm foundation in
scripture and have been seen to produce the desired results in the lives of others who
have applied them.
The Desire
to Win Non Christians Through Living Example May Appear as a Lack of Interest in Personal
Evangelism
The exhorter
is very interested in evangelism, but believes people need to see someone doing what needs
to be done.
- The exhorter is a living example of how to come to, and
live in, Christ.
Words can fall short and become hollow.
A visual
expression has more power to impact.
The Use of Scripture For Personal Application May Appear to
Disregard The Feelings of Those Being Counseled
The exhorter
knows that the feelings of others is important, especially to the individual with the
problem.
- But feelings are temporal and may be the source of the
problem.
The word of God abides forever and is
the source of the solution.
The Emphasis on Steps of Action May Appear To Disregard The
Feelings of Those Being Counseled
While the
problem is being shared, the exhorter is instantaneously coming up with the solution.
- The exhorter does not have to hear all the details, and
prefers not to.
The person with the problem may view
this as being cold.
Seven Examples of Bible Exhortations Which Demonstrate The
Strong Life Related Emphasis of The Exhorter
Exhortation
Should Teach You
1 Thessalonians 4:1
1 Thessalonians 4:1
- How to live a life worthy
of God
1 Thessalonians 2:11
1 Thessalonians 4:10
- How to gain the respect of
others
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
Acts 14:22
- How to understand
God’s chastening
Hebrews 12:3-5
Biblical Example of The Exhortation Motive
Barnabas
Acts 4:36
- Barnabas was surnamed, “Son of Consolation” by
the Apostles. His real name was Joses. His message always appealed to the free
will of men. Barnabas came from the island of Cypress, the garden of the
Mediterranean. He was a priest, a Levite.
Acts 4:37
- He sold his land and gave it to the Apostles with no
strings attached.
Acts 9:27
- Barnabas is exhorting Paul to the Apostles.
Acts 15:39
- Barnabas and Paul got in a fight over John Mark and
Barnabas gave John Mark another chance. Paul did not want to, but later realized the
error of his ways and sent for John Mark; who later wrote the book of Mark.
Acts 11:23
- His message appealed to the will of men.
Acts 14:22
- He was very concerned with the believers trials and
growth.
Childhood Characteristics of Individuals
With The Motive Gift of Exhortation
All are positive, well-liked children.
Love large gatherings.
Like to act.
Extremely jovial—teasers.
Always looking for ways to make tasks easier.
Adjust to new situations easily.
Slow to understand new concepts, e.g., equations.
The Motive
Gift Of Giving
A body gift
Giving is the
Greek word metadidomi (metadidouj) = to give a share of.
- This gift is very important because it keeps the Gospel
flowing.
Many people are offended if you talk to
them about giving, but not the giver.
He is
excited about giving and wants to involve others in the excitement.
- These people have a great talent for making money; they
greatly bless the Kingdom of God.
This gift of giving is not just
financial, it also entails thee giving of time, talent, and possessions.
Characteristics of The Motive Gift of Giving
An Ability to
Make Wise Purchases And Investments
God tells us
in his word:
But thou
shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that
he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
Deuteronomy 8:18
A Desire to Give Quietly to Effective Ministries or Projects
The giver is
not interested in having his giving publicized.
- His interest is in advancing the gospel, not in personal
recognition.
An Attempt
to Use His Giving to Motivate Others to Give
The snowball
effect.
- Once people see that someone is giving they may be
motivated to give as well.
An
Alertness to Use His Giving to Motivate Others to Give
He sees when
people are ready and willing to give.
- He will give, at the proper time, as a means of
stimulating others.
A Joy When
His Gift is an Answer to Specific Prayer
The giver
likes to know he has heard from God and been obedient in meeting a specific need.
- This spiritual quality in giving is highly sought after by
the giver.
An
Enjoyment in Meeting Needs Without The Pressure of Appeals
The giver is
likely to be put off by pleas for money.
- The giver is motivated by the Holy Ghost, not by appeals.
Bible begging is generally met with cold
indifference.
A Dependency on Partners Counsel to Confirm The Amount of The
Gift
Because of
the emotional and physical aspects of money, the giver is very dependent on spousal
confirmation as to the amount to be given.
- The giver does not seek confirmation on whether or not to
give, only the amount of the gift.
A Concern
That His Gift be of High Quality
The gift,
always to God’s glory, must be of the highest quality.
- Nothing with spot or blemish is acceptable to God or to
the giving motive.
A Desire to
Feel a Part of The Work of The Person to Whom he Gives
Although he
may not be involved in the actual “labor” of the project, the giver likes to
feel he is just as much a part of the work as anyone else
.
Misunderstandings of the Motive gift of Giving
The Need to
Deal With Large Sums of Money May Appear to be a Focus on Temporal Values
This
misquoted verse, “Money is the root of all evil,” is often at the source of this
thinking.
- Money is a very powerful force on this planet, and God has
elected chosen vessels to wield this type of power.
The Desire
to Increase The Effectiveness of The Ministry by His Gift May Appear as an Attempt to
Control The Work or The Person
Deuteronomy
26:14 says,
I have not
eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away ought thereof for any unclean use,
nor given ought thereof for the dead: but I have hearkened to the voice of the LORD my
God, and have done according to all that thou hast commanded me.
The giver
wants to know that his giving is to a viable work.
- This can appear controlling and manipulative.
It is nothing more than a reassurance
for the giver.
The Lack of Response to The Pressure Appeals May Also Appear
as a Lack of Generosity
Remember, the
giver is not motivated by appeals, he is motivated by the Holy Ghost.
- Others, who are more emotionally involved in giving may
view this as a lack of generosity on the part of the motive gift of giving.
Personal
Frugality by Which he Lives May Appear to Friends And Relatives as Selfishness in Not
Meeting Their Wants
You must
first give yourself. Scripture says, “Let a man work so he can give to
others." Ephesians 4:28
Biblical
examples of Metadidouj
Luke 3:11
Sharing of
food & clothing
Acts 2:44-47
Sharing of
material things
Acts 4:34-35
Sharing of
finances
Romans 1:11
Sharing
Spiritually
Ephesians
4:28
Sharing
their finances
1
Thessalonians 2:8
Gave of
himself, his time, his love, and his physical abilities. Also the sharing of the
Gospel.
Biblical Example of The Motive Gift of Giving
Abraham
Genesis 24:1
Abraham
was very blessed by God
Genesis 14:23
Shows
Abraham refusing help from man so no man could say that he had made Abraham rich.
Genesis 22:10
Because
God asked him to, Abraham was willing to give his only son.
Hebrews 7:2
Abraham
was a tither and a friend of God.
Genesis 18:1
Abraham
shared his food with the Eternal Logos and three men.
Childhood
Characteristics of Individuals With The Motive Gift of Giving
Open, receptive, friendly children.
Have no trouble tell another child off if they see an
injustice has been done.
Take correction easily—can usually be reasoned with.
Extremely appreciative and they show it.
Active sports oriented, need to be occupied.
Would rather play with children than with toys—given to
sharing with others.
Very faithful and loyal—dependable.
Participators—like to join clubs.
The Motive
Gift of Organization or Ruling
A body gift
Ruling is the
Greek word proistemenos (proistavmeno")= One who stands in front of others,
to set over, to rule.
The gift of
ruling is the maintenance department of thee Church.
- Rulers help the body define and carry out its goals,
provided leadership support, and see that effective needs are met by the whole body.
Through their talent, they help things to
run smoothly and efficiently. They lead by working through or leading others.
Characteristics of the Motive Gift of Organization
The Ability
to See The Overall Picture And to Clarify Long Range Goals
In order to
keep the vision before the people, the ruler must be able to see the end from the
beginning.
- When enthusiasm sags, the ruler can renew the vision.
He Has The
Ability to Organize That Which he is Responsible For
The task,
unattended, results in chaos.
- The ruler brings order out of chaos though his ability to
organize and set the wheels of progress in motion.
He is Not a
Procrastinator
He has a
desire to complete tasks as quickly as possible.
He Has an Awareness of The Resources Available to Complete a
Task
He knows what
is at his disposal to complete the task at hand.
The resources
at his disposal are:
He Has an
Ability to Know What Can And Cannot be Delegated
This is a
spiritual insight.
- The ruling motive must know which tasks he alone must
perform and which tasks he may delegate to others.
The more he can delegate the more he can
concern himself with the responsibilities of ruling.
Has a Tendency to Stand on The Sidelines Until Those in
Charge Turn Over The Responsibility
He is
anything but a glory grabber.
- The last thing the ruling motive will do is intentionally
step on someone’s toes to secure a position of leadership.
His entire life is a position of
leadership.
He needs
no leadership baubles for his crown of glory.
Once he has
been given a clear position of authority he will begin the task assigned.
Has a Tendency to Assume Responsibility if no Structured
Leadership Exists
He knows that
nearly every situation in life requires some type of leadership.
- Both his spirituality and personality make him a very
likely candidate to step in where no formal leadership exists.
A
Willingness to Endure Reactions From Workers in Order to Accomplish The Ultimate Task
He is not
concerned about what people may think about him, good or bad.
- His aim is to guide the people through the requisite steps
to the successful completion of the task.
There is a
Fulfillment in Seeing All The Pieces Coming Together And Others Enjoying The Finished
Product
The rule is
always working towards the goal.
- His greatest satisfaction is not in the job itself (like
the server), but in the completion of the task.
His reward is not in the praises of men,
but in the completion of a job well done.
He Has a Desire to Move on to a New Task When One is
Completed
He is not one
to sit on his laurels.
- Once a task has been completed, he will become bored and
irritable if he is not given a new task to accomplish.
Misunderstandings
of The Motive Gift of Ruling
The Ability
to Delegate Responsibility May Appear as Laziness
The ruler is
far from lazy, but his readiness to delegate tasks to others may be misinterpreted,
especially by those to whom he has delegated a task.
- Remember, he needs time and space to oversee the entire
project.
The
Willingness to Endure Reaction May Appear as Callousness
His ability
to stand up to critical anger may give the impression that he is cold and unfeeling.
- This could not be farther from the truth.
He reckons the project to be greater
than the individuals involved, especially himself.
The Neglect in Explaining Why The Task Must be Done May
Prompt Workers to Feel They Are Being Misused
The ruler has
a firm mental grasp of the entire project.
- He does not feel an overwhelming need to divulge reasons.
They are clear enough to him and that is
what is most important.
Explanations
take time.
Viewing People as Resources May Give The Impression That
Projects Are More Important Than People
Quite to the
contrary, the project is for someone and people are employed for the good of others.
- All, even the ruler, are working for God’s glory.
God uses men as kingdom resources, but
men are more important than the kingdom.
The Desire to Complete Tasks Swiftly May Appear to be
Insensitive to The Schedules or Priorities of Others
A portion of
the rulers quest to bring glory to God involves timing.
Although it
may appear the ruling motive care nothing for the schedules and priorities of others, this
concern is nearly always secondary to the task over which he has responsibility.
Biblical Example of The Motive Gift of Ruling
Nehemiah
Nehemiah 2:6
There was
a time limit to complete the task.
Nehemiah
2:17-18
He
motivated the people to build the walls so he would not have to do them himself
Nehemiah 3
He
organized the project so that each person worked on the gate they lived closest to.
Nehemiah 5:17
He tried
to make things easier for the people by paying the food bill.
Nehemiah 4
& 6
He could
handle the attack of the enemy and still continue the work undisturbed. He also dealt with
the uprising of the people and put them back to work.
Nehemiah
7:1-2
He knew
how to delegate authority; knew the right people to leave in charge
Childhood
Characteristics of Individuals With The Motive Gift of Ruling
Will take control of games, establishing rules, making teams.
Remind everyone involved of the purpose of the game or task.
Work well by themselves.
Highly goal oriented.
Can be distressed at delays or set backs.
Well-liked by others.
Looked up to and respected by others.
The Motive
Gift of Mercy
A one-on-one
gift
Mercy is the
Greek word eleos (ejlew’n) and means to have pity on, to show mercy.
- The word assumes need on the part of the one who receives
it.
God is rich in mercy toward all men;
Jews and Gentiles.
Mercy is more
than not giving people what they deserve; it is giving them what they do not deserve.
Luke 1:50
He is
merciful to those who fear him.
The bible
says that those who are encumbered with infirmity, he comes to succor them.
The Difference Between Mercy And Grace
Grace
God’s
attitude toward the lawbreaker and the rebel.
- Grace is needed because of your sins.
Grace is God’s willingness to use
his ability on our behalf, even though we do not deserve it.
Mercy
God’s
attitude toward those in distress.
- Mercy is needed for help when you are in trouble or
afflicted.
Mercy is God’s unwillness to give
us what we deserve.
Grace
allows us to come boldly to the throne and ask for mercy for all the results of our sins.
Galatians
6:16 says we are not only to be asking for mercy for ourselves, but we should also ask
mercy for others.
Jesus is
Merciful
When God
brings his salvation to Israel at the coming of Christ, his people will obtain mercy.
- The coming of Jesus is God’s Mercy.
Mercy and peace a found together and they
manifest themselves in that order.
- You do not have peace without first obtaining mercy.
Mercy is the act of God; peace is the
resulting experience in the heart of man.
- After grace, you can obtain mercy.
God extends grace, then he extends
mercy; peace results automatically.
God Was
Merciful in The Old Testament
He had a
mercy seat.
- It was the lid of covering of the ark of the covenant.
The high priest would enter in once each
year and sprinkle blood upon the mercy seat and upon the ground before it.
- The words spoke at the time of the sprinkling were:
“God will have mercy on us because
of the blood of the lamb we killed out there and the shedding of its blood.”
God said he
would talk to us from above the mercy seat because of the shedding of Jesus’
blood.
- 1 Chronicles 20:11 says the Holy of Holies is called the
house of the mercy seat.
Jesus is mercy because he shed his
blood.
People with
the motive gift of mercy extend mercy to those needing it and encourage others to do the
same.
Characteristics of The Motive Gift of Mercy
The Ability
to Feel an Atmosphere of Joy or Distress With an Individual or Group
His spirit is
sensitive to the feelings and needs of others because the Holy Ghost is at work in him.
- He senses what is going on in an individual or group.
An
Attraction to And an Understanding of People Who Are in Distress
He is
supernaturally drawn to those who need mercy in its varying forms.
- For this reason he must remain sensitive and obedient to
the current movement of the Holy Ghost.
A Desire to
Remove Hurts And Bring Healing to Others
He knows that
God is both willing and able to ease the present distress.
- He is eager to bring the person in touch with the healer.
A Greater
Concern For Mental Distress The Physical Distress
Though not
insensitive to the physical needs of people, the mercy motive is primarily concerned with
the spiritual and emotional condition of an individual.
An Avoidance of Firmness Unless he Sees How it Will Bring
Benefit
Firmness is
not part of the mercy motives basic personality or spiritual makeup.
- However, the mercy motive can be quite firm when he sees
how that firmness will be of benefit to an individual.
A
Sensitivity to Words And Actions Which Will Hurt Other People
If the mercy
motive can help to avert a potentially damaging encounter he will do everything in his
power to that end.
- He is attentive both to words and to the mood associated
with them.
An Ability
to Discern Sincere Motives in Other People
He is able,
by the Spirit of God, to discern when people are being genuine or false.
- This is one area where we are likely to see a mercy motive
being firm.
He will demonstrate firmness in order to
get an individual to stop being insincere and to be honest.
An Enjoyment And Unity With Those Who Are Sensitive to The
Needs And Feelings of Others
The mercy
motive is very tuned in to those who share in this sensitive nature.
- Mercy motives tend to migrate to one another in a group.
A Closing of His Spirit to Those Who Are
Insensitive (prophecy motive) or Insincere
In general,
mercy motives will avoid the blunt prophecy motive.
- The prophecy motive appears as a cold, callous,
insensitive brute to the mercy motive.
Each motive has its place and operation
in the body of Christ.
Misunderstandings of the Motive Gift of Mercy
The Avoidance
of Firmness May be Viewed as Weakness And Indecisiveness
Many people
(prophecy motive especially) will come to a place of firmness long before the mercy
motive.
- This is not weakness on his part.
This is his strength.
The Sensitivity to The Spirit And Feelings of Others May
Cause Some to Feel That he is Guided by Emotions Rather Than by The Spirit of God
It is true
that we often criticize that which we do not understand.
- This is especially true of people with the motive gifts of
mercy and prophecy.
Both are guided by God’s spirit,
not by emotion.
It appears
to us as though they are guided by emotion because, in order for us to act in such a
manner, we would have to be guided by emotion.
The Attraction And Understanding of Those in Distress Will be
Misinterpreted by Those of The Opposite Sex
This is a
very dangerous position.
- For this reason, it is best for mercy motive individuals
not to minister alone.
However, you will often find that God,
in his Divine foreknowledge, has husband and wife teams who are both mercy motivated
individuals.
This helps keep all ministry contact in proper balance.
Sensitivity
When a Misunderstanding to Words And Actions Which Cause Hurt May Appear to be Taking up
Another Person’s Offense
Nothing hurts
like words which are spoken in anger.
- No wound takes so long to heal.
The mercy motive will be very sensitive to
words and actions which could cause such hurt.
- Sometimes the person is not as aware of the words or
actions as is the mercy motive.
For this reason it may appear he is
taking up the offense of another while, in reality, he is only being spiritually tuned in
to the potential for damage by God’s Spirit.
The Ability to Detect Insincere Motives May Cause Some People
to Feel That he is Hard to Get to Know
Biblical example of the Motive Gift of Mercy
Good
Samaritan
Luke 10:30-35
- The Good Samaritan is a type of the fall in Adam and
redemption in Jesus Christ.
v.30
Thieves =
The devil
Certain man = Adam
Raiment = Authority
Half Dead = Spiritually dead
v.31
Religion
cannot save you
v.32
The law
cannot save you
v.33
The
Samaritan = Jesus
v.34
Oil = Holy
Spirit
Wine = Blood of Jesus
v.35
Two pence
= Two days wages
Childhood
Characteristics of Individuals With The Motive Gift of Mercy
Usually quiet natured.
Easily upset by loud noises or harsh commands—prefers
quiet surroundings.
Lovable. Cuddly—smiles a lot.
Tend to be close to mother and father.
Tend to be day dreamers.
Difficult for them to communicate. Can readily talk about
“things,” but not about feelings. They feel very deeply.
Like fairy tales, love stories, and animal stories.
Boys are big on pets, girls on dolls.
Unable to stand up for themselves even when in the right.
Easily gravitate towards children whom others do not like.
Easy to correct, but many times obey only because of fear of
rejection; they then have bitterness towards those who make them obey.
Followers, not leaders.
The Dropped
Dessert
A modern day
parable by Dave Wilkerson
Someone drops
a beautiful dessert on the way to the table:
Who
|
Says What
|
The Prophet
|
You were carrying it wrong.
|
The Server
|
I will clean it up for you.
|
The Teacher
|
Let me tell you all about desserts, how
they are made, etc.
|
The Exhorter
|
You will do better next time you serve it.
|
The Organizer
|
In order to clean up this mess, you will
need a broom and a sponge.
|
The Giver
|
I will see what else I can whip up for us.
|
The Merciful
|
Boy, you must feel so bad right now.
|
Discovering Your Gift
The Biblical
Focus
The biblical focus is on the use of gifts, not on their
discovery. Paul asserts that all have gifts:
- Romans 12:3
- 1 Corinthians 12:7
- Ephesians 4:7
- 1 Peter 4:10
God has not overlooked any in the giving of
gifts. All are properly equipped for their function in the body.
We are not
commanded to look inwardly, but outwardly.
We are urged
to get involved in building up the body of Christ.
Our Primary
Responsibility
We should
concentrate on serving one another.
Our service
is always for the sake of others.
If God has loved you enough to make you
part of his body, then he will give you a working place in that body.
Situational
Discovery
Ask yourself,
“How can I serve God in this situation?”
Out of love
for God and man, we begin to attempt to meet the need, whatever it is.
Obviously we
cannot meet all needs, so we must pray for God to raise up others to meet the needs we are
unable to meet.
Following are
eleven (11) suggestions to help you discover your motive gift.
Each of us is
gifted at birth; begin to thank God for it.
Learn to
present yourself, each day, as a living sacrifice, ready to be used by God. Romans 12:1
Seek the Lord
through fasting and prayer.
Be available
for service in daily life.
See what comes
naturally; what is fun or easy to do.
Seek the
witness and confirmation of others.
Receive the
ministry of laying on of hands to release your gift. 1 Timothy 4:14
Be faithful
in using what you know you have and God will give you more. Start with your natural gifts
and advance from there.
Get
additional training in your area of ability.
Be willing to
be disciplined by someone. Meet with someone more mature than yourself. Be willing not
only to be taught, but also to teach others.
Be willing to
fail for Jesus. You will never learn unless you are willing to fail. Jesus will forgive
you if you do and give you more opportunities.
Always give
God the glory for whatever he does through you. It is all by the grace of God.
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