For the Common Good

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

Due to its controversial nature, the area of supernatural gifts is often neglected or ignored. One of the reasons for the controversy is that in dealing with Christianity, it is virtually impossible to deny the supernatural involvement of holy God with mankind. But there is another supernatural element in this world, and that is Satan. Many are fooled by his enticing counterfeit of the real thing.

As children of God, we have His revealed Word in the form of the Bible. We also are equipped for living by the indwelling presence of His Holy Spirit. Instead of believing everything someone says (even when quoting Scripture and speaking “for God”), we are clearly told to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1). As God’s children, we are the recipients of spiritual gifts. These gifts are spiritual; they are not physical or material but uniquely powerful in the sphere of Christian conduct and ministry.

Now that we have been introduced to the motivational gifts, our next concern is what to do with them. They are God’s investment in us. What we do with our gift is up to us, but remember that they are given for the mutual benefit of the whole body of Christ.

Thought for the Day:
God will provide all the resources you need to carry out what His will requires.

Gift of Mercy

“The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. ‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘Therefore I have hope in Him.’” Lamentations 3:22-24

What does it mean to be a person who is gifted with mercy? In part, you will be one who displays compassion or kindly forbearance toward others. Your life is marked by compassion, pity or benevolence. There’s a special tenderness in this person’s actions and responses. One reason why “mercy” is so sensitive to the hurts of others is that they themselves have been hurt and know how it feels.

The mercy gift is God’s gift of joy in the fellowship. They are healers of broken hearts and of wounded emotions. With the gift of mercy comes another perception of the love of God which He extends to humanity through His gifted children.

No matter what your gift may be, allow its full expression in your life. You are an extension of God’s love on this earth.

These qualities show up in the life of those with “mercy” when in the Spirit and when in the flesh:
Spirit / Flesh
Attentive / Unconcerned
Sensitive / Callous
Fair / Partial
Compassionate / Indifferent
Gentle / Harsh
Deferential / Rude
Meek / Angry

Thought for the Day:
The mercy touch is light but can carry a greater and deeper message than any other touch.

Gift of Organization

“Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.” Romans 12:6-8

God has provided spiritual gifts for the benefit of the body of Christ. Obviously they lose their power and become meaningless when we attempt to use them for our own benefit.

The key to a productive ministry in which your gift finds expression is the realization of another of Paul’s foundational teachings found in Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.”

Regardless of your gift, you will never successfully carry out a God-given ministry until you allow Christ to be your life.

Look for these characteristics in the “organizer’s” life. They will tell how he or she is operating:
Spirit / Flesh
Orderly / Disorganized
Initiative / Unaggressive
Responsible / unreliable
(The next one is where this person either rises or falls, wins or loses, succeeds or fails.)
Humility / Pride
Decisive / Double-minded
Determined / Faint-hearted
Loyal / Unfaithful

Thought for the Day:
Don’t pray for God to use you. Get fit to be used, and God will wear you out.

Gift of Giving

“But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 1 Timothy 6:6-10

Do you realize that one of the greatest indicators of a life in balance has to do with money? Now a balanced checkbook does not automatically mean a balanced life. But a life in which finances are surrendered to the Lord and one is living within their means and the handling of resources is done with accountability and great care - there you find a life open for greater responsibility and opportunity.

God does not teach us through the Scriptures that it is wrong (or a sin - as some believe) to have great wealth. However, He does teach us that wealth is always accompanied by great responsibility and accountability before Him.

Keep your perspective right by referring often to Colossians 3:1-2. For some, giving is a very difficult thing to do. Why? Part of every gift includes a part of the giver. God wants us to learn to give and give.

Here’s how the “giver” reacts when responding in the Spirit and when in the flesh:
Spirit / Flesh
Thrifty / Extravagant
Resourceful / Wasteful
Contented / Covetous
Punctual / Tardy
Tolerant / Prejudiced
Cautious / Rash
Grateful / Unthankful

Thought for the Day:
“...let each exercise them (their gifts) accordingly: ...he who gives, with liberality.” Romans 12:6, 8

Gift of Exhortation

“Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.” Ephesians 4:1-6

Has anyone ever encouraged you? What was the result? Didn’t it urge you to do your best, to keep going, to try again? The ability to speak to someone’s need and give encouragement is an invaluable gift.

The body of Christ and every home need encouragers (exhorters). There are many Christians who are gifted in this manner - maybe you. There is the one who often puts his or her arm around another and understands their hurts and needs, their disappointments and fears.

The exhorter goes one step further and explains how biblical principles can take you from bondage to freedom, from empty to full, from worried to confident.

Everyone ought to have an exhorter to whom they can go for encouragement and exact counsel. If this is your motivation, look for opportunities. God has gifted you to guide and build up others with encouragement.

These words describe the exhorter:
Spirit / Flesh
Wisdom / Inclinations
Discernment / Judgmental
Faith / Presumption
Discretion / Simple-minded
Love / Selfish
Creative / Underachievement
Enthusiasm / Apathy

Think about it -
Exhorters are oriented toward discipleship, growth, and maturity. They are encouragers.

Gift of Teaching

“Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.” Luke 1:1-4

If any of the seven motivational gifts are needed in today’s church, certainly the gift of teaching stands at the head of the line. No, it is not more important or above any of the other gifts, but it does need to be active in every church.

Why? The person with the gift of teaching is the one in the church who helps us keep our theology pure and to stay true to the Word of God. It is very important that we recognize the need for God to place in the church those who have the gift of teaching in order that we keep the doctrine of the Word of God pure for everybody’s sake.

When we talk of a teacher in this context, it does not necessarily mean the one who stands before a group and “teaches.” This person is most concerned with making sure that what is taught is accurate and consistent with biblical truth. This person views God’s Word as the one unchangeable standard by which everything else is judged.

How the “teacher” acts:
Spirit / Flesh
Self-control / Self-indulgence
Reverence / Disrespect
Diligence / Slothful
Thorough / Incomplete
Dependable / Inconsistent
Secure / Anxious
Patient / Restless

Think about it -
The “teacher” wants to turn the light on, so others can perceive the truth.

Gift of Serving

“Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching...” Romans 12:6-7

You may have heard someone say (possibly with a hint of pride), “I have the gift of prophecy!” or “I have the gift of teaching!” But have you ever heard someone boastfully say, “I have the gift of service”? Probably not. But lest we begin to place more value on one gift than another, let us realize right away that each is a unique gift from God, specifically selected for us and given to us by the Holy Spirit.

The second of the seven gifts we are examining (service) can be described as the practical gift to the church. This person deals with the practical needs of those around them. Since so much of their focus is on meeting practical needs, some may feel they are unspiritual. Not so. The sensitivity from which they function is just as supernatural as the motivation of prophecy.

Here is how this person reacts when guided by the Spirit versus self:
Sprit / Flesh
Alert to Needs / Unconscious
Hospitality / Lonely
Generous / Stingy
Joyful / Self-pity
Flexible / Resistant
Available / Self-centered
Endurance / “I quit!”

Here’s a thought -
Those with gifts for “service” need appreciation to confirm a satisfactory and necessary action.