What's your view on 12 step programs?

12 Step programs can be a great blessing. These programs are designed for people with addictions or behaviors they cannot stop. The first three steps help the person to acknowledge he is out of control, powerless over the addiction. Then he recognizes God can help restore his sanity. Finally, he gives his will and life over to God’s care. How wonderful! God wants all people (addicts or not) to give their lives over to Him.

As with any sin, our lives are damaged by engaging in it. Therefore the next nine steps address the decay of our characters and the injuries we have inflicted upon others. By recognizing, taking responsibility for our faults, and making amends, we mature. We leave the infantile state of being self-centered, irresponsible, and sinful and are able to grow into responsible, caring, mature adults.

Having said this, not every 12 Step meeting is healthy. Sometimes it takes a while to find a meeting where you might feel safe sharing your problems. By attending meetings, you will have the support, understanding, and friendship of other sufferers. One important aspect of meetings is you will not be able to pull the wool over other addicts’ eyes by rationalization. They will see through your denials, hold you accountable, and encourage you to recover! Through working a 12 Step program, you will learn of God’s power, receive the support of others, and may grow into a mature adult.

Why did King Saul hate David so much?

The Bible records many accounts of Saul displaying jealousy and hatred toward David – who was his personal musician, armor-bearer, army captain, son-in-law and successor. Saul saw that David was “a man after God’s own heart”, and it made him all the more aware of his own failings and weaknesses.

Early on, Saul was described as “a man without equal” (1 Samuel 9:2). The whole book of 1 Samuel chronicles the changing character of Saul’s heart. Chapter 10:6-9 tells us that the Spirit of the Lord was upon Saul and he was given a new heart. As long as he served, feared and obeyed God, he and his kingdom would be blessed.  If he rebelled against God’s commandments, God’s judgment would be against him and the nation (12:14). In the beginning, Saul was a popular, humble, strong leader and warrior. He honored God and followed the prophet Samuel’s counsel. He did not have evil intentions, but lacked proper respect and reverence for the Lord and His provisions. While he might have been desirous of serving God, he was also desirous of serving himself. Sadly, he began to assert his own will and disobeyed God’s instructions. Saul was always a free-will agent in full control of his choices, but we know that "A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways."(James 1:8)

When David was anointed, the Lord’s spirit filled David and departed from Saul. “And the Spirit of Jehovah turned aside from Saul, and a spirit of sadness from Jehovah terrified him” (16:14-Young’s Translation). This distressing spirit was permitted by the LORD. Thereafter, Saul viewed David with suspicion- rage so intense that he attempted murder. Viewing David as his enemy, he did everything he could to dishonor David (18:7-15; 20:34). Perhaps he feared David because he knew the LORD was with him.

Saul became increasingly isolated, arrogant, attention-seeking (22:8); and “spiritually blind”. Samuel was forced to advise him twice that his kingdom would not endure and that he had been replaced as King: “Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord” (13:8-14) and “…The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbor of thine, that is better than thou…” (15:10-31).

In the meantime, David was prospering because the Lord was with him. David went wherever Saul sent him, and behaved wisely (18:14). Even Saul’s righteous son, “… Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself” (18:3).  Because Jonathan was surrendered to God he could see the hand of the LORD upon David and was perfectly willing to set aside his own ambition to honor the LORD's choice.  “… David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul. So his name was highly esteemed” (18:30). Twice, David spared Saul’s life – in the cave and in the wilderness!

Saul forgot that “…to obey is better than sacrifice” (15:17-22). He did not properly receive the lessons the Lord provided and neglected his opportunity to be used in God’s service. King Saul hated David because David’s character exemplified everything Saul’s character did not.

What are the gifts of the spirit?

The Apostle Paul records a lengthy explanation regarding the gifts of the spirit in 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14.  Paul specifically names the gifts of the spirit in 1 Corinthians 12: 8-11, “To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,  to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 0 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.  All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” 

Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:19, 20 “to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them, and teaching them to observe all things…”  Gifts, such as speaking in foreign languages, were necessary to spread the gospel into foreign lands and establish the early church. In 1 Corinthians 14:22 (HCSB), Paul specified that  “…speaking in other languages is intended as a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers,” so that they would believe the message was from God. Then they could report with confidence that the power of God was at work. In the same manner, gifts of healing, wisdom, and prophecy provided strong evidence of the power of God to those unbelievers who witnessed them.

This word “gift” is translated from the Greek word, and it refers specially to a miraculous gift. In 1 Corinthians 12:27,28, Paul emphasized that the different miraculous gifts given to some members of the early church did not make one member better than another. Therefore they should not be boastful or proud when they were the receiver of a gift. The glory should go to God who made these distinctions in the church for the promotion of the Gospel.  

In 1 Corinthians 13, the Apostle warns about possessing these gifts without producing the fruits of the spirit, i.e, FAITH, HOPE and LOVE. These fruits of Christian character are of superior value in comparison to the gifts.  In verse 8, he instructs that love never fails, but the other gifts of the spirit will eventually cease.  Additionally there is strong evidence that only the Apostles could impart these gifts to others and after their death, these gifts did cease.  See Romans 1:11; Act 4:30,31; Acts 19:6.

In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul continues to counsel  to “excel to the edifying (spiritual instructing) of the church” (vs 12).  None in the church had these miraculous abilities greater than Paul and yet he states in vs 19, “I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousands words in an unknown language.”  Paul ends his letter to the Corinthians by teaching the doctrines of the ransom and the resurrection.