Category Archives: Spiritual Gifts

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

February 24, 2025

Posted under

Attitudes & Behavior, Church & Worship, Holy Spirit, Spiritual Gifts

WHAT DO WE BRING TO THE TABLE?

I encourage you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, dedicated to God and pleasing to him. This kind of worship is appropriate for you. Don’t become like the people of this world. Instead, change the way you think. Then you will always be able to determine what God really wants—what is good, pleasing, and perfect. … God in his kindness gave each of us different gifts. [Romans 12:1b-2,6a (GW)]

FarmWhen told that the gifts the Holy Spirit gives us are unique for our specific ministries, we get nervous. We already have a career, didn’t sign up for seminary, and aren’t interested in being ministers. While being a minister/pastor/priest is a vocation, the ministry is the work of every Christian. No matter what our professions, we are all called to minister and that doesn’t necessarily mean pastoring a church. It means serving God and His people in Jesus’ name, which is where those spiritual gifts come in. God is not about to send us off empty-handed.

In job interviews, applicants often are asked, “What do you bring to the table?” With God, however, it’s a little different. When we come to him, He doesn’t care about our resume, how much or little we know, or how many assets we bring to Him. When we come to His table, we receive our own personal coach in the way of the Holy Spirit who provides us with at least one spiritual asset personally designed for us.

In Matthew 9, Jesus spoke of the harvest being plentiful but the laborers being few. I wonder—is it the labor pool that is lacking or is it the willingness of the laborers to do His work that is missing? As Christians, we’re filled with the Holy Spirit and yet we often seem void of His promised gifts. Is it that we don’t recognize our gifts or are we simply unwilling to use them? Last week, while receiving Communion with others in the congregation, I wondered what gifts we each brought to God’s holy table and how many of those unused gifts we were taking back home with us.

I suspect that there are enough laborers but we’re just waiting for the ideal job, the perfect opportunity, or the ideal situation to arise. My brother remained unemployed for years because of that attitude; although there were plenty of opportunities, none were the precise one he desired! There should be no unemployment line in God’s Kingdom! We forget that God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. Not only does He equip us but He also offers on-the-job training!

I’ve taken assorted Spiritual Gift inventories and, while they can be helpful, I doubt their necessity. All we have to do is look at the harvesting needs around us and show up for work. We’ll soon figure out if driving the combine, baling the hay, swinging the scythe, hand-picking the berries, cleaning the tools, transferring the grain to the silo, managing the logistics, marketing the wheat, bringing water to the thirsty, or feeding the workers is the job for which we’ve been designed. The important thing is to show up for the harvest; in God’s Kingdom, there should be no shortage of laborers! Let’s get to work!

When he saw the crowds, he felt sorry for them. They were troubled and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is large, but the workers are few. So ask the Lord who gives this harvest to send workers to harvest his crops.” [Matthew 9:36-38 (GW)]

Copyright ©2025 jsjdevotions. All rights reserved.
Standard

Posted by

Posted on

February 15, 2024

Posted under

Attitudes & Behavior, Church & Worship, Love & Works, Obedience, Spiritual Gifts

THE SPIRIT’S GIFTS – Part 2

The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. [1 Corinthians 12:21-22 (NLT)]

hibiscusSpiritual gifts build God’s Kingdom in a variety of ways including teaching, outreach, speaking, counseling, discipleship, serving, practical assistance, visitation, and prayer. Our gifts were given for the common good of Christ’s church and we need one another’s gifts for the body of Christ to function. Within the church, some gifts, like shepherding, evangelism, or leadership, are easily noticed while others, such as mercy, giving, intercession, and faith may be less obvious. While those gifted in service (the ability to see undone tasks in God’s work and get them done) often work behind the scene, the people gifted in hospitality (the ability to warmly welcome all people into home or church) are front and center Sunday mornings as they greet people by name and extend the hand of friendship to visitors.

Nevertheless, no gift is more important than another and every one of the Spirit’s gifts are essential for Kingdom building! For example, those gifted in pastoring (spiritually caring for, guiding, protecting, and feeding a group of believers) frequently need those gifted in administration (the ability to steer people toward God-given goals by planning, organizing, and supervising) to help them achieve their objective. We all are members of the body of Christ and, as Paul aptly pointed out, all parts of the body, whether seen or hidden, are needed for it to operate effectively!

Since every gift is God-designed for each one of His children, there probably are as many gifts as there are people and needs in the body of Christ. Moreover, because He’s not a miser, God may bless us with more than one gift and the lines often blur between one gift and another. The person gifted with knowledge (the desire to know as much as possible about the Bible) also may be gifted in teaching (the ability to instruct others for true understanding and growth). On the other hand, that gift of knowledge could be combined with the gift of wisdom so the person not only knows what God’s word says but also sees its application and relevance to real life situations.

Just because we’re not gifted in something, however, is never an excuse for not obeying God’s general commands. Not being gifted with evangelism doesn’t mean we’re not called to share the Word or invite someone to church. Not receiving the gift of giving does not relieve us from the responsibility of supporting the church and not being gifted with hospitality doesn’t mean we don’t welcome visitors. While we may not be gifted with intercession, we still pray for one another and, while we may not be gifted with mercy, we still look to the needs of others! In fact, it often is by doing God’s work that we discover what our gifts are.

Our spiritual gifts were not given for your own benefit but for the benefit of others, just as other people were given gifts for your benefit. … If others don’t use their gifts, you get cheated, and if you don’t use your gifts, they get cheated. [Rick Warren]

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. [Romans 12:6-8 (NLT)]

Copyright ©2024 jsjdevotions. All rights reserved.
Standard

Posted by

Posted on

February 12, 2024

Posted under

Church & Worship, Holy Spirit, Love & Works, Salvation: A New You, Spiritual Gifts

THE SPIRIT’S GIFTS – Part 1

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. [1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (NLT)]

roseate spoonbillJesus promised the disciples, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.” [John 14:16-17] In fulfillment of that promise, the moment we accept Christ as our Savior, the Holy Spirit moves into our hearts. When He arrives, He helps us but, rather than making the bed or washing dishes, the Spirit comforts, counsels, and convicts us. He gives us the power to share His word, the strength to do His work, and confidence in the fullness of God’s promises.

Like a good house guest, the Holy Spirit also brings us a gift. Unlike most presents, the Spirit’s gifts aren’t tangible, can’t be purchased on Amazon, and are expressly designed for the recipient. Received solely through the grace of God, a spiritual gift is a supernaturally designed ability granted to every believer by which the Spirit ministers to Christ’s church. Like a Craftsman tool, it is meant for building God’s Kingdom and guaranteed to last a lifetime!

Originating from His presence, the Spirit’s gifts are not the natural abilities with which we were born—things like being “double-jointed,” having perfect pitch, or being able to wiggle our ears. Our talents are inherited at birth and developed through the years. Both the unsaved and saved possess talents but only the saved receive the Spirit’s gifts! They are given to us when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior—when we are born again. While talents can be used to serve both ourselves and others, the gifts of the Spirit are used to glorify God as we serve others. Nevertheless, God is not about to waste our talents and skills so His gifts often line up with our natural aptitudes.

Described in Romans 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Corinthians 12, the Spirit’s gifts are capabilities that enable each of us to build God’s Kingdom: they include things like wisdom, prophecy, administration, teaching, hospitality, discernment,  exhortation, and service. Scripture’s lists, however, vary with translations and are neither definitive nor all-inclusive. God is not a ”one-size-fits-all” designer and, while the Spirit’s gifts have a common origin, they are customized by Him to fit exactly into each believer’s heart.

Just as the master in the Parable of the Talents decided how many talents each of his servants were given, it is God alone who decides the kind of gift or gifts received. Investing their master’s talents in his absence was the task of the servants in that parable and using the gifts of the Spirit to build God’s Kingdom until Jesus returns is our task. Sadly, just because the Holy Spirit has given us a gift doesn’t mean we’ll use it; it can remain hidden away as was the talent received by the lazy servant. Let us remember—things did not go well for the one who failed to make use of his master’s talents! As Christ’s followers, we must be good stewards of whatever gifts we’ve been given so that everything we do “will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ!”

As God’s children, we are not to be observers; we’re to participate actively in the Lord’s work. Spectators sit and watch, but we are called to use our spiritual gifts and serve continually. [Charles Stanley]

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. … Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.  [1 Peter 4:10,11 (NLT)]

Copyright ©2024 jsjdevotions. All rights reserved.

 

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

January 18, 2024

Posted under

Attitudes & Behavior, God's Plan, Obedience, Salvation: A New You, Sharing Our Faith, Spiritual Gifts

THE PARABLE OF THE PENCIL

But now, O Lord, You are our Father. We are the clay, and You are our pot maker. All of us are the work of Your hand. [Isaiah 64:8 (NLV)]

pencilWhen writing about giving God the glory and how we are but instruments of God’s grace in the world, I recalled a quote by Mother Teresa having to do with being God’s pencil. Wanting to quote it correctly, I Googled it. Along with the quote, I came across several versions of a parable about a pencil. Of unknown origin, it has been around for more than twenty years. Nevertheless, the parable was new to me and this is my version of “The Parable of the Pencil.”

Just before putting the pencil in its box, the Pencil Maker said there were several things it needed to know if it were to become the instrument He created it to be. “First, don’t ever try to be a stapler, scissors, paper clip, or ruler. Always remember you are a pencil and have been created with a definite purpose—to draw a line forming shapes, letters, and words that leave a definite message.”

The Pencil Maker continued, “Although small, you can accomplish great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in someone’s hand.” Although He warned the pencil that there would be times of painful sharpening, the Maker explained that sharpening was the only way for it to become a better pencil. “Sometimes you’ll make mistakes,” he said, “but that’s to be expected so you’ve been equipped with an eraser just for such occasions.”

“Right now,” said the Pencil Maker, “your exterior is fresh and shiny and you’re quite beautiful. But, with use, your paint will chip, your wood get nicked, and you’ll grow smaller.” Explaining that the pencil’s quality wasn’t determined by its appearance, he added, “The most important part of you is the quality of the graphite on your inside.” After cautioning the pencil that, when too much pressure was applied, its tip might break, he added, “Don’t worry, you can be re-sharpened.”

The Pencil Maker finished up by telling his creation, “You are to leave your mark on every surface you touch. This can be hard work and you may grow tired. But,” he added, “regardless of your condition, you are expected to keep writing. It is for this purpose that you were made.” Understanding its maker’s instructions, the pencil promised to follow them and joyfully went into the box with purpose in its heart.

Of course, we’re not pencils and God is the one who made us but, like the pencil, we’ve been created with a particular purpose, role, and calling in the world. Rather than a student, it is God’s hand that holds us. The only way to achieve the great things He’s planned for us is by surrendering to His will. Rather than a pencil sharpener, it will be problems and difficult circumstances that sharpen and shape us. Like the pencil, we will err but we, too, can correct our mistakes and learn from them. Just as the pencil’s outward appearance is unimportant, so is ours. It’s what’s inside that counts! Rather than graphite, God cares about the quality of our hearts! While undue stress and strain can damage (and almost break) us, that only occurs when we step out of God’s will. Finally, like a pencil, we are to leave our mark on every situation and person with whom we interact. When we stay in God’s will and allow His hand to direct and move us, that mark will be His!

God used Mother Teresa to make His mark on the world and her life spoke volumes about God’s love. Like her, we’ve been given a purpose by our Maker—let us be the pencil in His hand and make that mark!

I am like a little pencil in his hand. That is all. He does the thinking. He does the writing. The pencil has nothing to do with it. The pencil has only to be allowed to be used. [Mother Teresa of Kolkata]

Do not give any part of your body for sinful use. Instead, give yourself to God as a living person who has been raised from the dead. Give every part of your body to God to do what is right. [Romans 6:13 (NL)]

May God give you every good thing you need so you can do what He wants. May He do in us what pleases Him through Jesus Christ. May Christ have all the shining-greatness forever! Let it be so. [Hebrews 13:21 (NLV)]

Copyright ©2024 jsjdevotions. All rights reserved.
Standard

Posted by

Posted on

January 13, 2022

Posted under

Fruit of the Spirit, God's Grace & Love, Holy Spirit, Knowing Him, Miracles, Salvation: A New You, Spiritual Gifts, Thanks & Praise

A NEW HEART

pigsAnd I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations. [Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NLT)]

Last Friday, doctors in Maryland made history when they transplanted a genetically modified pig’s heart into a human in a last-ditch effort to save the life of David Bennett, Sr. A medical first, Bennett was too ill to qualify for a routine heart transplant or an artificial ventricular assist device. The 57-year-old’s prognosis is uncertain and it will be months before doctors know whether the transplant can be deemed a “success.” As with any organ transplant, the main risk is that of organ rejection and Bennett will need potent immunosuppressing drugs for the remainder of his life.

I remember how astonished the world was back in 1967 when Dr. Christiaan Barnard performed the first human-to-human heart transplant. The news that a surgeon had cut open someone’s chest, lifted out a diseased heart, and successfully replaced it with a healthy one from a dead donor was astounding. Although that first heart transplant recipient lived only eighteen days, today’s recipients have an 85% chance of living one year and a 69% chance of surviving five. The survival rate continues to decrease through the years with only 50% of heart transplant recipients living ten years and just 15% making 20 years. In spite of the risks, last year over 50,000 transplant candidates worldwide vied for the 5,000 hearts that were available. Sadly, there just aren’t enough hearts to go around.

54 years ago, the medical journals were wrong when they credited Dr. Bernard with the first heart transplant; God has been replacing hearts for ages! He takes our damaged hearts of stone, hearts unwilling to respond to Him, and replaces them with a new heart and spirit. After accepting His new heart, we have no need for immunosuppressive drugs because the new heart won’t be rejected. Unlike transplant candidates, we don’t have to meet specific criteria or put our names on a waiting list. Everyone qualifies and all we have to do is repent! The best news is that there’s no heart shortage and we don’t have to wait for someone to die; Jesus did that for us 2,000 years ago!

Even with a pig’s heart, Mr. Bennett won’t to want to live in a sty, cool off with a mud bath, snuffle in the soil, or start eating a mix of corn, soybeans, sorghum, and wheat. While his new heart will give him a new lease on life (at least for a short time), it will not change him. He will be the same man with the same favorite activities, world view, media preferences, attitudes, likes and dislikes, morals and principles he had before surgery. On the other hand, the new heart God gives us will make a huge change in us. We will have a new mind, new preferences, new spiritual gifts, new beliefs and morals, a new love for who and what we may have hated, and a new aversion to things we once might have loved. Rather than getting immunosuppressant drugs, we will receive an infusion of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control! Getting a new heart in God’s hospital also yields a far better survival rate—no death, only eternal life!

O Holy Spirit, descend plentifully into my heart. Enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling and scatter there thy cheerful beams. [Augustine]

Repent, and turn from your sins. Don’t let them destroy you! Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O people of Israel? I don’t want you to die, says the Sovereign Lord. Turn back and live! [Ezekiel 18:30b-32 (NLT)]

I will give them hearts that recognize me as the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me wholeheartedly. [Jeremiah 24:7 (NLT)]

Copyright ©2022 jsjdevotions. All rights reserved
Standard

Posted by

Posted on

October 25, 2021

Posted under

Attitudes & Behavior, Challenges & Difficulty, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Prayer, Spiritual Gifts, Today: Make it Count

THE ESCAPE ROOM

Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. [Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (NLT)]

great egret - great blue heronWhen visiting our daughter’s family in New Mexico one October, stormy weather caused us to switch from the pumpkin patch/corn maze outing to an escape room attempt. With just an hour to solve a mystery and “escape,” we entered into a room filled with assorted puzzles, locks, props, and gadgets. Knowing we had to discover clues and complete a series of clever puzzles, we novices decided to divide and conquer. Each person worked on a different task speaking to their individual strengths. I worked on word puzzles while others worked on number challenges, dexterity puzzles, combination locks, or searched for hidden clues.

Silently working on our individual tasks, we missed important clues like the picture of randomly placed fruit. Had we counted the six apples, four lemons, two pineapples, and eight limes, we would have known the four numbers we needed to open a combination lock! Thinking the content of a letter was important, we missed seeing that it was an acrostic with the first letter of each line spelling the clue!

Wanting to prove our stellar problem-solving skills, we hesitated to ask our game guide for help. It wasn’t until we consulted her, talked with one another, and started working as a team that we made any headway. With less than five minutes left, we finally unlocked the kitchen door—only to find that it led into another locked room with even more hidden clues! Our guide is the one who finally released us. Even though we held a up sign saying “epic fail” in our post-game photo, we learned some valuable lessons about life.

Sure that we were as smart as the game master and wanting to get bragging rights for completing it on our own, rather than asking for help, we wasted time spinning our wheels and getting nowhere. Isn’t that what we do with God by only going to Him when all else fails? After all, if we do it by ourselves, we get the glory but, when we ask for God’s help, He gets the glory! Paul, however, tells us that God’s power works best in weakness: “So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. … For when I am weak, then I am strong.” [2 Corinthians 12:9-10]

Ignoring the wise words of Ecclesiastes, rather than help one another, we divided to do our own thing. No one, however, makes it through an escape room alone—it’s a team effort and so is life! Escape rooms require collaboration, cooperation, communication, and listening to one another (even when the idea seems crazy); so does life in Christ.

Although we each had our own particular gift set and abilities—it wasn’t until we appreciated the gifts of others that we made any headway. Being the shortest one in the room, my grand saw a code on the baseboard that we bigger people missed. Even though she wasn’t good with letters or numbers, she spotted what turned out to be the most important clue! No one’s gift is more or less valuable when it’s a team effort. Isn’t that what Paul is telling us in 1 Corinthians 12?

The final lesson we learned was a simple one—don’t be afraid to lose. Failure—even an epic one like ours—is an inevitable part of playing any game so it’s best to embrace the game rather than the outcome. As for our life in Christ—we too will experience failure. With the exception of Jesus, no one else in Scripture did life perfectly. Nevertheless, because we believe in Jesus, we know the eventual outcome is a win. In the meantime, let us find joy in our journey, regardless of its challenges and difficulties.

The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. … But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! 20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. [1 Corinthians 12:12-22 (NLT)]

Copyright ©2021 jsjdevotions. All rights reserved.