November 16, 2012
The Gifts of God
“Gifts must affect the receiver to the point of shock.”
- Walter Benjamin
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
1 Corinthians 12:4-7&11
God’s gifts to us are plentiful, but probably the two most significant gifts He has given are His gift of salvation, by sending His son, Jesus to die on the cross for our sins that we might have life and life more abundantly: and second to that He has given us His very presence, in the form of the Holy Spirit to live within us.
The first gift gives us both forgiveness and life and the second gift gives us peace, power and the manifestation of gifts , abilities or talents by which we can when we use them; serve Him more effectively.
Some folks get a tad bit nervous when you start talking about operating with the gifts of the spirit and they are not sure they are ready for such an experience. Yet each of us has a gift or gifts within us and if we do not allow them to be activated within us and manifested through us, we are in a sense denying the very power and presence of God that exits within us.
If you are willing to embrace and accept God’s gift of salvation: and you are willing to believe that He has given you the Holy Spirit to live within you: why would you then want to deny the very attributes of that Spirit within you that God has given you to enable you to better serve Him?
I believe if we could all embrace the true nature and power of the Holy Spirit within us and we would allow Him to stir up the gifts that are within us, so that they could be utilized to their maximum potential for His glory: I think we would be amazed at what God could be doing in and through our lives and in the midst of our corporate worship experiences.
Today’s Prayer
Father, forgive me for quenching your Spirit by not allowing you to use the gifts you have given: through your power to bring you glory.
“There is a candle in every soul
Some brightly burning, some dark and cold
There is a Spirit, who brings a fire
Ignites a candle and makes His home.
Frustrated brother see how he’s tired to
light his own candle some other way.
See now your sister she’s been robbed and lied to
Still holds a candle without a flame.
So carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the lonely, the tired and worn.
Hold out your candle for all to see it,
Take your candle, go light your world.“
- Lyrics from ‘Go Light Your World’ by Chris Rice
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