Verse: "God has given gifts to each of you from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God's generosity can flow through you." 1 Peter 4:10 NLT
NIV "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms."
KJV "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."
MSG "Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God's words; if help, let it be God's hearty help. That way, God's bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he'll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!" (v.10 & 11)
Verse #11 is important too - "Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen."
Continuing thoughts from yesterday's post (Opportunities for Service), our gifts, talents, resources, opportunities all come from God, and they are all meant to be used for the glory of God, not for our own glory. We need to act upon each opportunity with the strength, wisdom and energy that comes from God.
We are designed in the likeness and image of God, yet we are all uniquely, fearfully and wonderfully made to do good works that God has prepared in advance for us to do. (Not predestination -- but God has created each of us to be used in a different way.) Some of us have the gift of speaking, yet we are not all supposed to be pastors, some of us have the gift of music, yet we are not all meant to be in a 'famous rock band'.
We are called to share our gifts, talents, resources and more with those around us. What good are our gifts to us alone? An artist would get hardly any satisfaction, if he/she was painting gorgeous masterpieces, only meant for him alone, never to be shared with the outside world. Our gifts increase in value when we share them. God will also bless us in return, when we step out and bless others.
Just as we are to be faithful stewards with our money and finances, we are to be faithful stewards with our gifts and talents. We are not to become greedy or hoard to ourselves -- nor are we to allow that gift or talent to become our god. God grants us grace and mercy, so that we may live according to His plan and desires for our lives. He has BIG plans for us, and He has instilled in us the certain characteristics, inner wisdom, talents, gifts, resources that allows us to become the M.E. that He has called us to be. If we are to be truly effective, we are to use our gifts and talents to live up to our potential. What we may see as our greatest efforts, our best, our greatest potential is not always what God has set out for us as our 'maximum effectiveness'. Being used in this way is certainly a learning process, one in which you probably will never stop learning (unless you yourself make the choice to quit). Understandably we do have to be taught certain things as well from the education system - - but Holy Spirit can also daily teach us things that we need as well. That is why God says to 'seek first His kingdom, and [then] all these things shall be added unto you'. (Matthew 6:33)
There is a parable of the talents found in the Bible... (found in Matthew 25:14-30) Talents are actually a form of money - - but these verses can also be read meaning talents/gifts. God will give each of us at least one gift to be used to equip, encourage & exhort(build up) the body. If we are found 'hiding' our gifts & talents, the God will take them from us, and give them to someone else. If we guard our gifts, use them wisely and receive an increase, He will bless us. I don't know about you, but I would much rather receive the blessing, than to have the gift taken away (not to be used again).
So get out there - - first, find out what your gifts and talents are and how you can use them to equip, encourage or exhort the body of Christ and the world around you. SEEK the Lord as to how you can, and when you can use them. Ensure that once you use them, you do not think of them as something you are 'performing' in your own strength, but in the strength of the Lord and that all you do is as working for the Lord, and not for men - - therefore, work at it with all your heart! Remember to give God the glory, and ensure those around you are giving Him the glory too. You can receive praise and thanks for a job well done (for sure), but in turn you can thank God for the ability of using those gifts to perform the task that you did.
"God has given you special talents -- now it's your turn to give them back to God." ~ Marie T. Freeman
GLORY TO GOD FOREVER... Here's a song by Fee that you might enjoy -- I do!
So get out there and serve, using your own special gifts and talents!
(found through Google)
BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!
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