Tag: spiritual gifts

The Holy Spirit On Bourbon Street

Bourbon Street

I know a lady who moved to New Orleans after her marriage fell apart. For years, she had lived a holy, set apart lifestyle. However, upon her move, she decided to embrace the ways of the sinful world. She stopped attending worship services and life groups and started frequenting bars and night clubs. Late one evening, while in a bar on Bourbon Street, she was approached by a man who offered to buy her a drink. In the midst of their conversation, the man smiled and asked, “What are you doing here, Honey? There’s something good shining out from you and you’re trying to cover it up.”

Once the Holy Spirit enters us, He is there working in and through our lives even when we’re purposefully trying to sin.  In a similar fashion, the spiritual gifts we receive from the Lord are alive, working through us from the time of our salvation to bring about the purposes of the Lord. They are within us, working to accomplish the Lord’s will even if we are not purposefully activating them. In other words, the spiritual gifts we receive from the Lord are permanent. They cannot and will not be withdrawn, rejected, stolen, spoiled, re-gifted or returned.

God’s gifts and His call can never be withdrawn. Romans 11:29

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The Permanence of Spiritual Gifts

Permanent

“For God’s gifts and His call can never be withdrawn.” Romans 11:29

Devotional Thoughts

I know a Christian lady who moved to New Orleans after her marriage fell apart. For years, she had lived a holy, set apart lifestyle. However, upon her move, she decided to embrace the ways of the sinful world. She stopped attending worship services and life groups and started frequenting bars and night clubs. Late one evening, while in a bar on Bourbon Street, she was approached by a man who offered to buy her a drink. In the midst of their conversation, the man smiled and asked, “What are you doing here, Honey? There’s something good shining out from you and you’re trying to cover it up.”

Once the Holy Spirit enters us, He is there working in and through our lives even when we’re purposefully trying to sin.  In a similar fashion, the spiritual gifts we receive from the Lord are alive, working through us from the time of our salvation to bring about the purposes of the Lord. They are within us, working to accomplish the Lord’s will even if we are not purposefully activating them. In other words, the spiritual gifts we receive from the Lord are permanent. They cannot and will not be withdrawn, rejected, stolen, spoiled, re-gifted or returned.

Follow-Up Activity

Write out a prayer to the Lord, thanking Him for His constant presence in your life and for the permanence of the spiritual gifts He has given you.

Prayer Focus
Lord, it is comforting to know the permanence of the spiritual gifts You give to us. Help me to always use them to serve others and to glorify Your name.

(This devotion is featured in today’s HOLY OTHER Devotion Series at Celebration Church. If you would like to subscribe to this devotion series Click Here

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Every Christian Has at Least One Gift

“Yet each person has a special gift from God, of one kind or another.” 1 Corinthians 7:7b

spirituagifts

Devotional Thoughts

The man looked me right in the eyes and said, “The Lord must have missed me when He was handing out spiritual gifts.”

“Why do you say that?” I asked.

“I just don’t see any evidence of any of the spiritual gifts in my life.”

I smiled at him, reflecting on how he must feel.  “Think about what you are saying,” I replied. “Do you seriously believe the God who created everything, who gave His life for you, who lives within you, who guides and empowers you, simply forgot to give you a spiritual gift?”

“I’m not certain,” he replied.

Paul clearly writes in 1 Corinthians 7:7 that “each person has a special gift from God.”  Since the Holy Spirit inspires all of the Bible, we can be assured that He also inspired that verse. God doesn’t forget anyone in His distribution of spiritual gifts. It doesn’t matter if we’re popular or outcast, rich or poor, slow or smart, handsome or homely, He has given every Christian at least one spiritual gift for use in ministering to others and fulfilling His purposes.

Follow-Up Activity

Take time to discover or explore your own spiritual gifts.  You can do so in 3 different ways:

  1. Study: Read about spiritual gifts in the Bible, looking for ones that seem to describe qualities you may possess. For further study, register for the next SHAPE class being offered at your campus.
  2. Trial and Error: Get involved in ministry where certain spiritual gifts are necessary. If you are unsure how to do so, check with your life group leader or campus pastor.
  3. Insight from Others: Speak to mature Christians you trust about which traits of specific Spiritual Gifts they may see in you.

Prayer Focus

Lord, I know You care for me. Thank You for giving me at least one spiritual gift. Help me to further discover and develop my giftings.   

(This devotion is featured as today’s devotion in the Celebration Church HOLY OTHER Devotion Series. If you would like to subscribe to the devotion series, lasting from now through the end of October, Click Here )

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The Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Thegiftsoftheholyspirit

“Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don’t want you to misunderstand this.” 1 Corinthians 12:1

Devotional Thoughts

The Corinthian Church was in a mess. Many of them were argumentative, judgmental, and self centered. As He does with all Christians, the Holy Spirit had blessed each member with spiritual gifts, but they were not being used appropriately. Instead of being activated to minister to others and therefore glorify the Lord, they were being used for personal gain and selfish ambitions.

Obviously, one of the Corinthians had asked the Apostle Paul about spiritual gifts. Scripture doesn’t reveal to us the content of the question, but it does share Paul’s answer in 1 Corinthians 12:7. He writes, “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.” In other words, a spiritual gift is a special ability, given by the Holy Spirit to every believer at their conversion, to be used to minister to others and therefore build up the body of Christ.

Satan probably enjoyed the chaos and confusion in the Corinthian church over spiritual gifts. He wants you to be confused as well about the spiritual gifts the Lord has given you. Do not allow that to happen. Whenever you are tempted to use what God has given you for selfish reasons, stop and pray immediately, asking God to give you wisdom to use your gifts in a way that builds up the body of Christ.

Follow-Up Activity

Read 1 Corinthians 12. As you make your way through the chapter, underline or highlight specific verses which could help a person’s understanding of the gifts given to us by the Holy Spirit.

Prayer Focus:

Lord, thank You for giving us spiritual gifts. Help me to fully use mine to honor You by building up the body of Christ.

(This devotion is part of the Celebration Church HOLY OTHER devotion series. You can subscribe to that devotion series here: Celebration Church HOLY OTHER devotions

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Why Most People Misunderstand Spiritual Gifts

I once attended a worship service where the worship leader finished the worship set, sat down on the floor beside the pulpit, flapped her arms and clucked like a chicken, then rolled off of the stage where she continued to cluck periodically while the pastor was preaching.  Whenever she clucked extremely loud, the pastor would chuckle and say, “Don’t mind her.  It doesn’t bother me.  She’s just practicing her spiritual gift.”

Fortunately, her “spiritual gift” wore off just in time to lead the closing song.

Wow.

I believe that all of the spiritual gifts are valid for today (although I’ve never seen chicken clucking listed), but I do think that most people have a misunderstanding of spiritual gifts.

The Definition of a Spiritual Gift

A spiritual gift is a special ability, given by the Holy Spirit to every believer at conversion by the Holy Spirit, to share His love and strengthen the body of Christ.* 

If you feel like you don’t understand spiritual gifts, you’re not alone.  Apparently, there have been misunderstandings about spiritual gifts as long as there have been spiritual gifts.  The Apostle Paul even wrote:

Now about the gifts of the Spirit,brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 1 Corinthians 12:1 NIV

Most people tend to think that God gives them spiritual gifts for their own benefit.  God loves us, right?  So, doesn’t it make sense that He would give us spiritual gifts to help us succeed in life?  However, the Bible actually indicates that the opposite is true.

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

My pastor will often have every one read this scripture aloud with him, but will then insert the wrong words at the end, like this:

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to “make a lot of money.”

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to “make yourself look good in front of others.”

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to “get ahead in life.”

People always laugh, but he makes a good point when he does this, especially when he has them read it one last time the correct way:

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

God wants us to use the gifts He has given us to serve one another, not ourselves.

Many years ago, a man walked up to me and vigorously pumped my arm.  He said, “Bob Smith, Evangelist!”  He then proceeded to tell me all about his ministry, but never once did he try to introduce me to Christ.  What’s wrong with this picture?

God gives us spiritual gifts so that we may serve one another, not so that we could strut around like a peacock, showing off to the rest of the world.

*Definition found in S.H.A.P.E.: Finding and Fulfilling Your Unique Purpose for Life by Erik Rees

 

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Stepping Down To Be President


Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit.  There are different ministries, but the same Lord.  And there are different activities, but the same God is active in everyone and everything.  A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person to produce what is beneficial.  1 Corinthians 12:4-7 HCSB

Several times a year, I facilitate a class designed to help people discover and understand their ministry within the local church.  Without fail, someone approaches me after class and says, “I’m glad that I’m taking this class, but I just don’t feel like what I have to offer is really important.  It’s not like I’m one of the pastors or the worship leader.”

Imagine that your body is the Body of Christ.  You have two legs, two arms, two eyes, two ears, one stomach, two lungs, one heart, etc…  What would happen if your liver decided to stop functioning because all of its work was done behind the scenes?  It would stop its detoxification of your body and things would get bad really quick.  What would happen if your ears suddenly decided to stop serving the body?  The other parts of your body would have to overcompensate to make up for the loss.  What if you lost your little toe?  You would suddenly discover how much it helped you maintain your balance.  Every part of the body is important and necessary.

I once heard musician/comedian Mark Lowry tell a story about surrendering to the call God was placing on his life.  He went to his dad and told him that he wasn’t sure that he was hearing God correctly.  Mark wondered if he should seek after a more traditional ministry position within a local church.  His dad smiled and said, “Son, remember this, if God calls you to be a ditch digger, you would be taking a step down to be president.”

If you have a relationship with Jesus, then you are a necessary part of the body of Christ.  Without you, the body of Christ can’t be complete.  Without you, the church can’t fulfill the purposes that God has set before us.

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