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Got it. Now use it.

Got it. Now use it.

1 Peter 4:10-11   As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

You have it, now use it. God has given you a spiritual gift. It can be many things, but deep in your heart you know what it is. It can be encouragement, teaching, giving, praying, etc. Any gift that God has given you is the result of the ultimate gift through the sacrifice of His Son. Being a good steward is not wasting what has been given to us; honoring the gift by using it to honor God. 11 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

These gifts are not for us to draw glory to ourselves, but to show honor and glory to the One who has given us them. If we are saying, “Look at me”, the gifts have become wasteful and idolatry drawing attention to ourselves. If you love to give, do you want the credit for the gift? The bible tells us to do it anonymously and God will reward us. Matthew 6:4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. The joy that you feel inside with gifts like those is the joy God feels seeing you give them sacrificially.

There is a point in your Christian walk and growth that you begin to understand it is not all about you. The perfect Sunday service, or sermon, or many things you once felt. God begins to open your heart and reveal to you that you are here to serve others, to use your gifts to draw glory to Him. In the verses before these above, Peter spoke of loving one another. 4:8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” An outward expression of that love is using the gift you have been given in the serving of those around you. This is expressing your love for them, and your love for God, through your gift.

 
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Posted by on July 5, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Love as He does

Love as He does

1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

I was saying yesterday on Facebook how I don’t mix politics and religion; I pick religion. The passion that was in so many posts yesterday regarding Amendment 1 was coming through on both sides. It was on many stations that I listen to also. I did not vote, therefore I am not allowed to have an opinion, but I can understand some of the viewpoints on both sides. It does however hurt me to see the political arena bring such strong emotions and many times as Christians we begin to not act like Christians. We are to emulate Christ and the love of Christ. We must look past our differences on many fronts and have love for one another. 1 Peter 4:And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”

God is a God of love and the book of 1 John is a great place to read of God’s love for us. In this short book John uses different forms of the word love 46 times trying to press the understanding of the importance of love we are to emulate. The more time you spend with God and begin to develop that relationship, the more you will begin to emulate Christ. You begin to see how you walk every day in His grace and mercy. That realization produces an outpouring of thanksgiving of a grateful heart full of love for Him. You will begin to see things in a different light and that hate that the world produces will flee from you. Light dis-spells darkness and in “that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5) Ephesians 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.

 
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Posted by on May 10, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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