Re:Verse reading–1 Corinthians 12:4-13, 27-31 (day four)
One Spirit, many gifts. Why has God given us all of these gifts? Wisdom, knowledge, faith, healings, miracles, prophecy, discernment, tongues, and interpretation…God has placed all of these gifts in the body. Are they for our own edification? For our own pleasure? For our own benefit? No…they are for the benefit and edification of the whole church. We are to use our gifts to serve others. For a healthy church, you will see the members serving one another with tireless and self-less energy, using their God–given gifts to serve the body.
What gifts has God given you? How has He equipped you to serve others? Are you using your gifts to glorify God or to gain benefit for yourself? Ask God to search your heart. A healthy church is a serving church…serve others with your Spiritual gifts! (1 Corinthians 13 tells us to use the right motivation for serving, too.) Let’s grow our church!
A powerful blog!!
Great question, “What gifts has God given you?” Each member of the church has to ask this above question himself or herself in order to serve the Lord with true passion and results. True believers will use God’s given talents, God’s resources, and spiritual gifts to serve Him, to glorify Him, not to gain earthy benefits for himself or herself! It is all about God and about others, not self-serving needs!!
True, “A healthy church is a serving church…serve others with your Spiritual gifts!” I lost confidence and trust if I see members of a church engage in activities to serve their own personal agenda and benefits, but not God’s agenda! A self-serving church will lose God-serving members!
We all should think why we join a church to begin with! What spiritual gifts are we using and for what purpose? Self-serving or God-serving? Members of a church can help build or break a church! I am sure we all want to help advance the gospel of Jesus Christ and not break it!
Great reminder for examining one’s heart, Mr. Soape! Very practical blog for reminding members the mission of a Christian church!!!