Tag: God’s glory

Gifted!

You see a gift wrapped up in pretty paper, tied with a shiny bow…and think ooh…is that for me? Yes, yes it is!

You don’t walk way and leave the gift on the table…NO of course not. You thank the person who gave the gift, open right up, and exclaim over the beauty, uniqueness and specialness of this gift just for you.

Then you don’t put the gift back in the box and put the box on a shelf in the back of your closet…NO of course not. You enjoy using the gift for what it is designed.

You Have a Gift

If you are a believer…a person save by faith in Christ Jesus…you have a gift. A special gift given to you individually by the Holy Spirit.

It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. 

1 Corinthians 12:11 NLT

Open Your Gift

Now this is a gift that you might not see with your eyes. At least not at first. But instead it is one you will sense with your heart and mind. Yet we should be excited about receiving this gift as the one with the shiny bow. So how do we open this gift?

First, talk to God. Asking Him to reveal your gift to you and that you would have eyes to see and a heart open to receive it.

Second, try it out. It is helpful to check to see if you have heard right…so try using your gift and see how it goes. It may be rough at first. The gift we receive is a ability, that will need to be developed through training and some trial and error.

Third, ask a friend. A mature believer, who knows you well, at least who has seen you using your gift, what they see in you and your giftedness.

Use Your Gift

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.

1 Peter 4:10 NLT

What is unique about the gift given by the Holy Spirit is…it is not for us. But instead it is for us to use to help other believers. There are two general types of gifts, speaking and serving.

If you have been given the gift of speaking, there are various ways you could use your gift…teaching, encouraging, leading, evangelizing, etc…

If you have been given the gift of serving, there also are various ways you could use this gift…helping, showing mercy, giving, etc…

Bring Glory

The purpose of our gifts to be bring glory to God. We do that as we use gift to serve one another and equipping others to do the work God has for them to do.

Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? 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 4:11

To learn more about your special gift read Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians 12, 1 Peter 4:10-11, and Ephesians 4:1-16.

Welcome Stranger

On welcoming people into my home…welcome-900x600

1st thought – the house is a mess!

2nd thought – whatever will I serve them?

3rd thought – too much bother.   The end.

My thoughts have my best interests in mind, not the other people and certainly not God’s.

The verse, “Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you to the glory of God.” (Romans 15:7 esv) challenges me. My failure, to welcome others into my home, shows that I care more about my comfort then God’s glory. Ouch!

The Greek word transliterated hospitality literally means love strangers. God has long has a “soft spot” for strangers. Back when the sons of Israel came out of slavery in Egypt, God told them to do no wrong to the strangers who lived among them, but to love them as they love themselves. (Leviticus 19:33, 34)

Come to think of it, I am glad God loves strangers so much. Because I was once a stranger to God. Paul points out that when we live the way of the world we are “separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God” (Ephesians 2:12). It is only because of God’s love and Jesus welcoming action, that I by faith can be brought near to God and welcomed into His household. (Ephesians 2:19)

I think it is time I opened my door and seek to show someone hospitality. Maybe it is the strangers next door (the new neighbors that moved in and I had not welcomed to the neighborhood) or another stranger God will put in my path. No matter, I will be on the look out for someone to welcome and bring glory to God.