Thursday, January 12, 2012

GIFTING

GIFT - n. 1) something given; present.  2) the act of giving. 3) a natural ability; talent.


I've been doing a lot of thinking this New Year about GIFTS, especially as it pertains to the GIFT God puts into us. Yes, if you are A Child of God, then God has given you a gift that He wants you to be and share with His Body.  Probably a lot of you reading this are thinking, or saying, "Well God didn't give me a GIFT" , or "God didn't put a GIFT in me."  That is a lie of the Devil, and he has been a liar from the beginning.  God created you to be in His plans and purposes for His Kingdom here on earth.  He has a special and specific plan for your life and He has given you the perfect GIFT or GIFTING to accomplish His plan.

Our problem is we look at ministers, teachers, or someone who has a prominent place within our church or the Christian community and think that if God isn't using us in some big way like that then we don't have any GIFTS.  Another lie!!!  We are The Body of Christ and each and every one of us that are a part of His Body have a function to play.  "For the body is not one member, but many."  I Corinthians 12:17

So what is YOUR GIFT?  Do you know what it is?  More importantly, are you using it????

Maybe your GIFT is encouragement - maybe it is helping to clean up the kitchen after a Church function - maybe it's being a great cook and able to make delicious things for a pot-luck meal or to take to a shut-in or a friend who is ill.  Maybe your GIFT is teaching - or opening up your home for a bible study or prayer meeting.  Maybe your GIFT is making prayer shawls to be given to someone who needs one - or starting or leading a prayer chain. The list could go on and on but you get the idea:

WE ALL HAVE A GIFT or GIFTS, given to us by God that we are to use for His glory and His kingdom.  "But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him."  1 Corinthians 12:18  When you do not use your gift The Body of Christ where you have been placed is not complete.

So, open up that GIFT that God has made and given to you and use it for His Kingdom and His Glory. 
 If you aren't aware of what your gift to the Body of Christ is ask God to show you.   He will!!!


So what is YOUR GIFT?  Do you know what it is?  More importantly, are you using it????

Please leave a comment sharing what your GIFT or GIFTS are and how you are currently using them.   Also, ways that you might extend your GIFT into other areas of ministry. 



post signature

3 comments:

Marti said...

God is so gracious to give us gifts to share with others. I have the gift of hospitality, and it doesn't hurt that I make great cookies. I also have the gift of encouragement. I try and be uplifting to others.

Yellow Rose Arbor said...

It's obvious what your gift is - writing!! So well done, you even encouraged us with your words!

I've had different gifts over the years - right now we are working in the church kitchen feeding the youth group, etc! Not sure if that is a gift, or a sacrifice! Hee-hee!!

Katherine

Sunny said...

Amen, Susan! one of my gifts is encouragement, another is my smile. When I was on the truck for a few years with my husband I felt like I could do nothing to give to others. The Lord spoke to me to give others my smile, and so I did and still do to this day.