by David Brenneman
"As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." 1 Peter 4:10.
"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. For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it." 1 Corinthians 12:4-27.
There's going to be no acceptable excuse before Jesus when we give an account of our lives before Jesus for not following through with utilizing the gifts we were given by the Spirit. There's going to be no acceptable excuse for not taking the time to grow in Christ as well.
Many times it's going to take time to draw out these we were gifted with in order to use them properly. We can expect great opposition to their proper use. The last thing the enemies of the cross of Jesus Christ want is our living in the truth.
Some do not like the tools of finding out what your spiritual gift or gifts are but they can make your ability to obey in them all the more applicable.
Being extremely careful in our world today to not use the potential tools of our world with reckless abandon should be of great concern to each of us in Christ.
We should always keep in mind that it's not our standard of measurement that will be used when we stand before Jesus to give an account of our lives...but it will be Christ who is truth who will only use God's own truth to see things properly.
Many in this generation and the few generations before are running after short-cuts to obeying God.
Anything worth doing is worth going through at the pace and intensity the Spirit is directing.
When we know what we've been gifted with in the Lord we most certainly should be believing we should not be wise in our own eyes as to how to use it.
Prayer is required before jumping in. In this I speak from experience. While it is possibly expected to have a level of excitement about knowing, my Dear Reader, don't get ahead of God. I did and for over 10 years I was going through a life that I wished wouldn't go on anymore.
Praying to know and being wise enough to ask how Jesus wants it to be used is paramount.
Again because we will one day stand before Jesus to give an account of our lives, of what we did in our lives for Jesus. Of how we used what we were blessed with.
Remember the parable of the talents. Remember what Jesus said of those who obeyed in His instructions and those who didn't.
My encouragement is for you to pray to understand and once you have understanding to do whatever you've been given as unto the Lord.
Being careful to walk in your integrity in Christ. Remembering that which is coming for all who believe.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
(C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation.
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