Compiled By: Lisa K Gonzales
Source: The Life Application Study Bible
10 “GOD has given gifts to each of you from HIS great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that GOD’s generosity can flow through you. 11 Are you called to be a speaker? Then speak as though GOD HIMSELF were speaking through you. Are you called to help others? Do it with all the strength and energy that GOD supplies. Then GOD will be given glory in everything through Jesus Christ. All glory and power belong to HIM forever and ever. Amen.” ~ 1 Peter 4:10-11
Some people, well aware of their abilities, believe that they have the right to use their abilities as they please. Others feel that they have no special talents at all. Peter addresses both groups in these verses. Everyone has a gift or gifts; find yours and use them. All our abilities should be used in serving others; none are for our own exclusive enjoyment. Peter mentions speaking and serving. However, there are other abilities. – 6 “GOD has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if GOD has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have faith that GOD is speaking through you. 7 If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it 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 – GOD’s gifts differ in nature, power, and effectiveness according to HIS wisdom and graciousness, not according to our faith. GOD will give spiritual power necessary and appropriate to carry out each responsibility. We cannot, by our own effort or willpower, drum up more ability and thus be more effective teachers and servants. These are GOD’s gifts to HIS church, and HE gives faith and power as HE wills. Our role is to be faithful and to seek ways to serve others with what Christ has given us.
8 “To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another He gives the gift of special knowledge. 9 The Spirit gives special faith to another, and to someone else He gives the power to heal the sick. 10 He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and to another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to know whether it is really the Spirit of GOD or another spirit that is speaking. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, and another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. 11 It is the one and only Holy Spirit who distributes these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.” – 1 Corinthians 12:8-11 – All Christians have faith. Some, however, have the spiritual gift of faith, which is an unusual measure of trust in the power of GOD. No matter what gifts a person has, each gift is given by the Holy Spirit. We are responsible to use and sharpen our gifts, but we can take no credit for what GOD has freely given us.
“HE is the ONE who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.” – Ephesians 4:11 – The Holy Spirit has given each Christian special gifts for building up the church. Now that we have these gifts, it is crucial to use them. Are you spiritually mature, exercising the gifts GOD has given you? If you know what your gifts are, look for opportunities to serve. If you do not know, ask GOD to show you. Then, as you begin to recognize your special area of service, use your gifts to strengthen and encourage the church.
GOD is glorified when we use our abilities. When we use them as HE directs, to help others, they will see Jesus in us and glorify Him for the help they have received. – “In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” – Matthew 5:16 – Christians should not blend in with everyone else. Instead, we should affect others positively. If we live for Christ, we will glow like lights, showing others what Christ is like.
Father GOD, YOU have given each of us the ability to do certain things well. We know that each of YOUR gifts differ in nature, power, and effectiveness according to YOUR wisdom and graciousness, not according to our faith. Father, we pray that YOU will give us the spiritual power necessary and appropriate to carry out each responsibility. We cannot, by our own effort or willpower, be more effective teachers and servants. These are YOUR gifts to YOUR church, and YOU give faith and power as YOU will. Our role is to be faithful and to seek ways to serve others with what Christ has given us. We understand that no matter what our gift is Father, it was given to us by the Holy Spirit and it is our responsibility to use and sharpen these gifts so that YOU LORD, will be glorified.
Father, for those of us who do not know what our spiritual gifts are, we ask that YOU would reveal them to us. Help us to recognize our special area of service so that we may use our gifts to strengthen and encourage others. We pray that our lights will so shine for all to see so that everyone will praise our Heavenly Father. If we are living for Christ, we will glow like lights and others will see, through us, what Christ is like. Thank YOU, Father, for allowing us to serve YOU.
Photo: The Guardian Building (Downtown Detroit, Michigan)
Photographer: Lisa K Gonzales
Click on the photo to enlarge
