RHAPSODY OF REALITIES DAILY DEVOTIONAL
SATURDAY, 1ST SEPTEMBER 2018
DISPENSERS OF DIVINE BLESSINGS;
How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first beganto be spoken by the Lord, and wasconfirmed unto us by them that heardhim; God also bearing them witness,both with signs and wonders, and withdivers miracles, and gifts of the HolyGhost, according to his own will?(Hebrews 2:3-4).
Our opening scripture in the King James Version seems to portray the underlined
portion as referring to the gifts of the Spirit, but that’s not what it means. The word translated “gifts”above isn’t the Greek word “charisma,” like you have in1 Corinthians 12; rather, it’s from the Greek word“merismos,” which means “distributions.” TheDouay-Rheims translation actually puts it in a betterlight. It reads, “God also bearing them witness by signs,and wonders, and divers miracles, and distributions ofthe Holy Ghost, according to his own will.” What doesthe Scripture mean by “the distributions of the HolyGhost?”
First, let’s put this in proper perspective: Who were those that performed the signs and wonders, andspecial miracles? It was the Apostles—the earlywitnesses that bore testimony to the resurrected Christ!God performed signs, wonders, miracles, and “distributions of the Holy Ghost” through them! Acts5:12 says, “And by the hands of the apostles were manysigns and wonders wrought among the people….”
Who are we today? The Bible says we’re ministers or “servants” of the New Testament; stewards of the mysteries of Christ (1 Corinthians 4:1). We“serve” the New Testament. Imagine coming into arestaurant and being served by a waiter. We’re like that waiter who serves in a restaurant; but the difference is,we serve life! We serve the Spirit, righteousness and theblessings of the New Testament. Hallelujah!
When I pray for God’s people, and say to them,“I bless you in the Name of Jesus; I bless you with theWord; with His presence; and with the Holy Ghost,” I’m distributing the blessings of Christ! This is what He’scalled us to do as His ministers and ambassadors inthe earth; we’re dispensers of divine blessings. He’s anointed us, and we’re to distribute this grace by the Spirit and change lives everywhere.
*PRAYER*
Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for the privilegeof being a minister of the New Testament, hence aconveyor of eternal verities. I’ll extend your blessingsto others through the Spirit, and spread your grace to the ends of the earth, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY:
*Matthew 10:7-8*
And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
Romans 1:11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established—
I Peter 4:10
As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
1 Corinthians 15:35-58 & Proverbs 8-9
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
1 Thessalonians 2:10-20 & Jeremiah 18