They Ought to Know (Radio / Podcast)

…pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom…
(Acts 6:3 – ESV)

This verse gives us the criterion that the Apostles had for the first deacons of the early church. The fact that they were to pick out men that were full of the Spirit meant by implication that some obviously were not filled. Although doctrine is obviously important, they didn’t ask them about doctrine, they saw devotion and demonstration. Those men that were filled were obvious. People who are full of the Spirit aren’t full of themselves; they are ready to serve. They are not full of cares they are full of Christ. They are not full of worry they are full of wisdom. It will show, and God’s people will know. You shouldn’t have to try and get the leadership of a church to notice you they ought to know if God is calling you to serve. If you are full of the Spirit, believe me, somebody will notice.

Of course, this means that you have to be plugged in to a local body of believers somewhere. People full of the Spirit and wisdom aren’t those who stay home from church. No one is going to “pick you out” if no one knows where you are. God isn’t in the habit of having people full of the Spirit and wisdom who are lone ranger Christians, and believe me, you aren’t the exception. Considering the fact that God fills people up so that they can flow out, how wise do you think it is to stay home from church and tell people you are doing God’s will?

When they went out looking for men full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, men of an honest and good report, do you think they had a list, a survey, or did they have to see something? Did they have to know something? They had an honest report, their lives were telling the truth. They were the same around everybody. When someone is like that, what you see is what you get. They had to know these men had a reputation not only for honesty but also for Spiritual things. Their honest report meant that they weren’t just religious showboats, they weren’t full of wisdom one minute and full of the world the next minute when no one else was looking. Believe me friend someone else is ALWAYS looking. When people see you do they know you like this? Jesus said by their fruits ye shall know them: tell me, what fruit is it that people see when they see you? What fruit is it that people who know you know that you have?

People ought to know you are a Christian, not because of the sticker on your car, not because of the slogan on your shirt, not because of the saying on your hat, but because of what comes out of your mouth, what happens with your hands, what things you do with those legs, what kind of look you have on your face, what kind of things you do with your time, and what kind of things are on your mind. Fellow believers ought to know you are full of the Spirit and of wisdom. We should be seeking God for these things to be flowing in our lives, so that we may serve the Lord and serve others. They ought to know and it ought to show and when you grow it ought to flow.

God is still looking for people full of the Spirit and wisdom to serve. You are full of something, the question is what? They ought to know.

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©