tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817322850283360890.post7662000796874502980..comments2023-02-27T17:52:57.579-06:00Comments on Ordinary Disciple: Understanding the Role of the Holy Spirit (in a not so charismatic way)Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04527808446363680625noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817322850283360890.post-46815686542454892482015-02-20T03:25:00.480-06:002015-02-20T03:25:00.480-06:00Thanks for the comment! I'm glad you found the...Thanks for the comment! I'm glad you found the post encouraging. It's always good to hear from others who can identify with similar struggles, and who can encourage and challenge one another.Matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04527808446363680625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817322850283360890.post-23756943671419159172015-02-13T20:20:59.108-06:002015-02-13T20:20:59.108-06:00Great post and interesting thoughts! I can identif...Great post and interesting thoughts! I can identify with wondering in my younger years how the Holy Spirit "worked." At one time I thought every Christian had to speak in tongues at least once in their life, and when I was "baptized in the Spirit" I was really, really open to speaking in tongues---but nothing came. Not getting any "spiritual gifts" or manifesting physical signs caused me concern later on, and contributed to my period of doubts and questions in my teens (I guess we all go through that at some point). So it really is quite important for people to understand that not everyone receives a physical manifestation of the Spirit. The important thing is what you said in your article: living according to God's Word and building up His body. That people can even do that is evidence itself of God's Spirit at work! I know individuals who have had those spiritual gifts (my mom and dad, for two), but I am no longer concerned about not getting them myself. <br /><br />I, too, appreciate FFOZ's teachings about the gifts of the Spirit ... it's really helped solidify what I've learned and taught me new things. I especially enjoyed the recent articles in Messiah Journal about the individual gifts listed in 1 Corinthians and their history in the Bible, the life of Yeshua, and Jewish literature---definitely gives them a context! <br /><br />And what you say about the church is so true---the Spirit is evidently at work in them, too, so how can we even think of trying to tear down part of the house of God? Hadn't thought of it in quite that way before!<br /><br />Thanks for such an insightful article!Kelsey Bryanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18398824033560242061noreply@blogger.com