“Now there are varieties of gifts,
but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of service, but the same
Lord and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God
who empowers them all in everyone.”
1 Cor.12:4-6
What is a spiritual gift? Everyone
wants to ooohhh and ahhhhhh over mystical and flashy abilities. This
was true even in the day of the apostles. In Acts 8, this is why
Simon sought to by the gifts of God, because he wanted to use them to
attract attention to himself. Have you ever considered that this is
why when the scriptures were completed, that we do not see the more
amazing gifts that the apostles had? They could be entrusted with
them, but others coming after would abuse them for their own
purposes. Yet, God has not left us bereft of the things that we need
in order to accomplish His will. We have the written word of God,
that supplies the majority of what we need. And, He will endow us
with the spiritual gifts and the equipment to do what he asks you to
do. God will never have you to do something He doesn’t give you the
ability to do.
The minute we obey the gospel (Acts
2:38) we receive the gift of God's spirit, salvation, and the
abilities to accomplish what God wants us to do. Some of these will
take time, some will take learning, some will require failure and the
need to start over again. At some point someone will be brought into
our lives, that need the special something that we have to encourage
them onto God. Sometimes, people are brought into our lives to awaken
a gift within us, so that we can use it for God's purpose. The
interesting thing is that the ability God uses, is often not the
ability that we think we have. You don’t earn your gift, and it is
not a right of passage. It’s also not for your benefit. Your
spiritual gifts are given to you to help other people. And other
people in God's kingdom are given their gifts to help you. We have
and are given the abilities that we have so that we can be a blessing
to others, helping them on their path on and to God. When you use
your spiritual gift, the people you encounter get blessed. It’s
like a puzzle. If you have one jigsaw piece missing, what’s the
first thing you notice? The one missing piece.
The challenge here is that if you don’t
develop and use your spiritual gifts, then we all get cheated. So
someone asks, “Well, what is my gift?” Answer – I don't
know...I didn't give it to you. God does, ask Him! All I can
encourage you to think about is to not look for the flashy, attention
getting stuff. Study God's word, ask God to show you what you can
do, ask yourself how YOU can glorify God in and by your life.
Then....let God work. Don't hasten it, rush it, poke it or prod it.
Let it come naturally and in the time and place that God wants.
Then...it is truly God working in you. Become active, encourage,
inspire, be the one to do. It's not just song leading, praying,
announcing, preaching that is needed. Many times we need simply
someone to lean on. We need people who are willing to understand that
others need to be taught and someone needs to teach them. We need MEN
willing to teach and share experiences with younger men on issues of
life. We need WOMEN who are willing to help and teach the younger
women about motherhood, serving God and more. We need young men and
women who are willing to teach teens about issues of life that they
will face. We need people who are willing to make mistakes so that
they can learn how to serve God better.
In short – WE NEED YOU!!!
Jim
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