Like clouds and wind without rain

Pro25:14 - "Like clouds and wind without rain
is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give".

We see what God has to say about a man who boast of a Gift and does not give it. Is God a man that He should boast of His Gifts and then refuse to give them?? Or shall God keep His Gifts dangling in front of His subjects as a carrot on a stick which makes the donkey walk a path that it may Earn the Gifts??

Luke11:13 - "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?"

Is this so difficult to comprehend? Is this so difficult to understand? Does not even a small child have understanding as to what constitutes a Gift?

A Gift is freely given, otherwise it is no Gift at all.

A Gift once given becomes the ownership of the receiver of the Gift, otherwise it is no Gift at all.

At anytime a Gift becomes Conditional upon a Work, whether it be before it be given or after it has been given, it ceases to be a Gift at all.

Although there be many men who give their gifts and later repent and take them back, God is not a man, nor will God act like a sinful man. With God, the Gifts of God are without repentance! Praise Him, what a Saviour!

John4:10 - "Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water".

Acts2:38 - "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."

Acts8:20 - "But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money".

Acts10:45 - "And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost".

Acts11:17 - "Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?"

The Gift is given by God! And what does God's Word say, the gifts of God are without Repentance!

Paul, in the letter to the Romans speaks often about God's gifts;

Ro1:11 - "For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;"

Ro5:15 - "But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many."

Ro5:16 - "And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification."

Ro5:17 - "For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)"

Ro5:18 - "Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life".

Ro6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord".

In addition to the letter of Romans, Paul speaks of God's gifts several more times throughout the letters to the Corinthians, the Ephesians, to Timothy, and to the Hebrews.

Paul gives great attention to the gifts of God throughout His letters. In the letter to the Romans Paul speaks of "spiritual gifts" referenced for us in chapter one. Spiritual gifts of course are from God, not Paul. Referenced for us in chapter 5 Paul even gives extra emphasis adding "free" to the "gift" just in case there be some out there who just don't get it that "gift" actually means "free". And Paul gives us that favorite bible memory verse in chapter 6 when he declares for God ""For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord".

And then we have Paul wrapping up his doctrine concerning gifts from God with this, "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable". What a wonderful promise given unto us by God. God is not a man that He should not honor the true meaning of the word "Gift".

And then we have James (Jam1:17) - "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning".

And Peter (1Pe4:10) - "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God".

 

Actually, every born-again believer has received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is what takes place during the new creation of the believer when Jesus Christ enters into the believer via the Holy Spirit. Subsequently, the Holy Spirit continues to baptize further throughout the believer's life, imparting spiritual gifts as He pleases.

Pentecost was a very unique event indeed, for the few born-again believers at the time had to wait for the implementation of permanent spiritual gifts to begin, at which time when it did begin, thousands became born-again and received spiritual gifts together.

While we are encouraged to seek and ask for spiritual gifts, it still is up to the sovereignty of God as to whether or not He gives the gift, it is not a just ask and you will receive these gifts. Only the Gift of Eternal Life is never withheld from one who God knows sincerely is asking from their heart. If we could just ask and receive any gift, we would most certainly all have the gift of laying on of hands and watching cancer disappear, limbs restored, sight received, etc. But we do not see this gift in operation today, we do however see God perform miracles when He so chooses through prayer in isolated incidences.

 

Yes, I did speak to this point.....

"Actually, every born-again believer has received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is what takes place during the new creation of the believer when Jesus Christ enters into the believer via the Holy Spirit. Subsequently, the Holy Spirit continues to baptize further throughout the believer's life, imparting spiritual gifts as He pleases."

Actually, it is both. I was baptized with the Holy Spirit at age 10 when I called upon Jesus Christ to forgive me and save me. Later, at age 33, I received a further baptizing by the Holy Spirit and anointed to study and preach/teach the Word of God. Once God gives a believer a gift, the gift is never revoked! (Romans11:29)

 

Do I need to post for you again my baptism photos??? :laugh:

 

I did take notice that you had no rebuttal for the OP I presented. Kinda hard to refute the Word of God though :smilewinkgrin:

 

It's common knowledge for most I would believe. I personally know people who have promised a gift and never produced or gave it. I personally have a mother and father who has failed to keep promises to me when I was a child. Maybe you are the exception. These would be "facts" for me personally, it could be that you actually do not believe men make promises they do not keep in the giving department, that would be hard for me to believe, but maybe you believe that, I doubt most believe that.

And then we have God's Word in...

Pro25:14 - "Like clouds and wind without rain
is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give". I doubt God would give us this bit of information if there are no examples of it ever happening, would you??