“Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don’t want you to misunderstand this. You know that when you were still pagans, you were led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols. So, I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.
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. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge.The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.” —I Corinthians 12:1-11 NLT
Everyone has a gift or an ability, or a talent to share. We have to determine just what our gift is and then start using it. This is another aspect of stewardship. God has blessed all of us with a gift to use to benefit others. Let’s not waste it! Every time we enter the church, we see evidence of someone’s use of their gift. The seasonal decorations in the entrances and the rooms, the flowers in the sanctuary, the beauty of the displays at Christmas and Easter, good food coming from the kitchen, the sound of a vacuum cleaner during the week, leading a Bible study, beautiful, inspiring music from organ and choir, teaching Sunday School and caring for the children during worship, being a comforting presence while visiting in the hospital are all part of the stewardship of gifts that many of our members are sharing. Not all of us are gifted with artistic or musical talent, but we have an opportunity during worship to greet those around us with a handshake, a kind word, and a smile and to share the peace of Christ. And how about prayer? Churches have a list of people needing prayer for various reasons. Prayer is an integral part of stewardship. It doesn’t require a unique talent or training, just faith that as you speak with God on behalf of someone, God will hear and honor that prayer. That is God’s gift to those who intercede for others. We all have been given gifts to use for the good of all. We must determine to use them.
Journeying Together,
John
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