I not only provide sun and rain to everyone, I give special gifts as well. Do you think of these gifts in a narrow sense as special abilities that equip an individual to ministry? This concept can be expanded to a larger sense. Every denomination has a gift in the central truth that they embrace. Your church does not have a ‘corner on the market’, and there is truth outside your tradition. What church isn’t eager to share the revelation given to them? Yet how many are willing to seek it? My word teaches you to desire spiritual gifts. You can take this many ways, one of which is to receive the gifts I have given to other denominations. 

My word promises that if you seek you will find and especially if you seek me you will find me. Where do you look for me? Do you look up? My word tells you to seek those things above and to look up for your redemption draws nigh, but these are figures of speech. Literally looking up gives you a view of the sky. Do you accept my creation narrative that I made man in my image? If you look at the people you meet with your natural vision you will only see them, but this is not the only type of vision. If you look at people with sanctified vision you will see me in them. They are spiritual whether they know it or not. 

My word teaches you that in Christ there is neither male nor female. You are prone to making distinctions and this most basic one that goes back to the very beginning is important in every other sphere of life. Is it not important spiritually? ‘In Christ’ is an important distinction here. It implies a transcendent spiritual realm. Perhaps you have had the experience of this or other distinctions working against you, where you were on the wrong side of the distinction and felt the prejudice or limitation, or the hindrance caused by the division it created. Then you can be glad that the distinction ‘in Christ’ erases all others. 

Abuse is an ugly concept. You hear about it most commonly as physical or emotional abuse in relationships or as a hostile environment at work. Do you think spiritual abuse is possible? The same elements of the wrong application of authority can apply here too. Some churches are legalistic, fear-based, and judgmental to the extent that they are harsh and mean. Those who attend them suffer from spiritual abuse. I came to deliver the captives and declare the good news of the gospel and the Kingdom of God to those who are bound and oppressed. It is regrettable when they are oppressed by those who claim to speak in my name.