You are gifted! God declares it to be so.
The word "gifts" in the Bible is a translation from the Greek word charisma and the root word for it is ‘grace’. Thus, spiritual gifts are unearned presents from God.
Each of us is fearfully and wonderfully made to play an awesome part in God’s kingdom. In using our gifts, we manifest the grace of God who generously endows us with all things good to glorify His Name. Our gifts are meant as a way of giving God’s glory back to Him.
The church is designed in such a way that each of us has a valued role particularly suited for us, but the problem is that we don’t always know what it is.
“How do I know what is my gift? What has God called me to do?”
In seeking to discover and use our gifts, we almost always start with trying to fit in. There is nothing wrong with that but it is not the right place to start.
When seeking to discover and use our gifts, we start by getting involved. Your spiritual gifts is given to you AND the church – so the discovery is from both parties. The church figures it out together with you. So rather than trying to do it alone, get involved. Receive feedback and grow.
However, to do so means we must be prepared to take the risk of failure and commitment.
It is true that sometimes we don't know how to fit in until we break out.
May God grant you courage to get involved for you are indeed gifted!
Friday, October 28, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Prayer of the 'I don't know what else to pray" Christian
Read Luke 18:9-14
Luke 18:13
But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
There were many occasions in my life when I felt that I don’t know how else and what else to pray. Sometimes my struggle seems so long-hauled that I feel like a runner who has run out of breath. What do I say to God that I have not already mentioned? I think the tax-collector felt pretty much what I did on those occasions.
God accepted the one-line prayer of the tax-collector but rejected the Pharisee’s prayer. Jesus gave one reason for God’s decision – humility. The tax-collector knew that His salvation depends solely and fully upon God’s mercy. There was nothing in him that merited for him to be saved.
Elisabeth Elliot talks about this attitude of dependence on God in her book, "Keep a Quiet Heart”,
“Christians in the Orthodox Church use a prayer called the Jesus Prayer. Sometimes they pray in the rhythm of breathing, learning in this way almost to ‘pray without ceasing.’ The words are simple, but they cover everything we need to ask for ourselves and others: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon us.”
The Very Reverend Kenneth R. Waldron, a priest of both the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and of the Anglican Church, wrote to me of his having had surgery. “The last moment of consciousness before the anaesthetic took over, I heard my surgeon repeating in a whisper: GOSPODI POMILUY, GOSPODI POMILUY, GOSPODI POMILUY [Dr. Waldron put the Russian words into phonetic spelling] – Lord, have mercy on us. … It is wonderful to drift off into unconsciousness hearing these words on the lips of the man whose hand s you trust to bring you out of your troubles. It is great to have a surgeon who knows how to pray at such a time. Think of the comfort and help that this simple prayer has brought to thousands through the years, a prayer that was a big help tome in January 1982. Some of my hospital friends thought they would not see me alive again, but the good Lord had a bit more work for this old priest to do.”
The Jesus prayer was one of my husband Add and I often used together when he was dying of cancer, when we seemed to have “used up” all the other prayers. I recommend it to you.”
Luke 18:13
But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
There were many occasions in my life when I felt that I don’t know how else and what else to pray. Sometimes my struggle seems so long-hauled that I feel like a runner who has run out of breath. What do I say to God that I have not already mentioned? I think the tax-collector felt pretty much what I did on those occasions.
God accepted the one-line prayer of the tax-collector but rejected the Pharisee’s prayer. Jesus gave one reason for God’s decision – humility. The tax-collector knew that His salvation depends solely and fully upon God’s mercy. There was nothing in him that merited for him to be saved.
Elisabeth Elliot talks about this attitude of dependence on God in her book, "Keep a Quiet Heart”,
“Christians in the Orthodox Church use a prayer called the Jesus Prayer. Sometimes they pray in the rhythm of breathing, learning in this way almost to ‘pray without ceasing.’ The words are simple, but they cover everything we need to ask for ourselves and others: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon us.”
The Very Reverend Kenneth R. Waldron, a priest of both the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and of the Anglican Church, wrote to me of his having had surgery. “The last moment of consciousness before the anaesthetic took over, I heard my surgeon repeating in a whisper: GOSPODI POMILUY, GOSPODI POMILUY, GOSPODI POMILUY [Dr. Waldron put the Russian words into phonetic spelling] – Lord, have mercy on us. … It is wonderful to drift off into unconsciousness hearing these words on the lips of the man whose hand s you trust to bring you out of your troubles. It is great to have a surgeon who knows how to pray at such a time. Think of the comfort and help that this simple prayer has brought to thousands through the years, a prayer that was a big help tome in January 1982. Some of my hospital friends thought they would not see me alive again, but the good Lord had a bit more work for this old priest to do.”
The Jesus prayer was one of my husband Add and I often used together when he was dying of cancer, when we seemed to have “used up” all the other prayers. I recommend it to you.”
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Don't bother me
Galatians 6:17
Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.
One of my favourite verses in the Bible in which Paul shook off all the controversies and conflicts in the Galatian Church and summed up his decision to focus on what needed to be focused on and forged ahead in serving God in His kingdom.
A pastor friend of mine resigned from his church recently. He is not the first to do so and will not be the last. My heart still aches as I intercede for my friend and his family. My heart still aches as I think about the plight of the Kingdom work. My heart still aches to see another wounded soldier in God’s battlefield.
What do I say to my many comrades who have served faithfully and wholeheartedly with sincerity in God’s vineyard but only have scars to show for their devotion?
We get discouraged, dismayed and distracted when we are too mindful of criticism and controversies. When we do so, we lose our concentration on Christ and may become too engrossed in issues and relationships that cloud our relationship with God and His calling for us.
To keep from discouragement and dropping off the service roll, this is how we should handle disappointments in ministry:
1. Listen with open heart to feedback/conflicts (be humble)
2. Evaluate the comments in light of Scriptures, (be trustworthy)
3. Accept that certain things must/ cannot change (be truthful )
4. Continue /begin doing what is right (be courageous)
5. Believe that you must do the right thing regardless of consequence (be faithful)
6. Forgive people. (Be loving and let it go)
7. Focus on Christ. (be encouraged and Press on)
Just as Jesus received the honoured scars of crucifixion, we are to be honoured that He counts us worthy to bear His marks of battle scars in service.
Don’t give up.
Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.
One of my favourite verses in the Bible in which Paul shook off all the controversies and conflicts in the Galatian Church and summed up his decision to focus on what needed to be focused on and forged ahead in serving God in His kingdom.
A pastor friend of mine resigned from his church recently. He is not the first to do so and will not be the last. My heart still aches as I intercede for my friend and his family. My heart still aches as I think about the plight of the Kingdom work. My heart still aches to see another wounded soldier in God’s battlefield.
What do I say to my many comrades who have served faithfully and wholeheartedly with sincerity in God’s vineyard but only have scars to show for their devotion?
We get discouraged, dismayed and distracted when we are too mindful of criticism and controversies. When we do so, we lose our concentration on Christ and may become too engrossed in issues and relationships that cloud our relationship with God and His calling for us.
To keep from discouragement and dropping off the service roll, this is how we should handle disappointments in ministry:
1. Listen with open heart to feedback/conflicts (be humble)
2. Evaluate the comments in light of Scriptures, (be trustworthy)
3. Accept that certain things must/ cannot change (be truthful )
4. Continue /begin doing what is right (be courageous)
5. Believe that you must do the right thing regardless of consequence (be faithful)
6. Forgive people. (Be loving and let it go)
7. Focus on Christ. (be encouraged and Press on)
Just as Jesus received the honoured scars of crucifixion, we are to be honoured that He counts us worthy to bear His marks of battle scars in service.
Don’t give up.
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