Spiritual gifts have been on my mind a lot recently. Not only what they are as individual gifts, but where they come from and why we have them. It seems as if the Church as a whole does not think or teach much about spiritual gifts, and when they do it is often with a distorted viewpoint. Spiritual gifts are often, in my own experience, taught only in relation to serving the local church. Do not get me wrong, I do think that it is important for each individual to serve in their local church. However, I believe that spiritual gifts are often overlooked in our everyday lives as members of the body of Christ.
The Church seems to be so focused on staying busy with "programs" and "plugging" people into an organized system that they lose sight of the fact that individual believers can serve the body of Christ just as well - indeed, sometimes better - outside of an organized, time-consuming approach. It seems that, partially because they are so busy and so focused on being involved in every possible church activity, believers have lost perspective of Whom they are serving. They want to reach the lost with the Gospel, and they want to see outward evidence of their work through hearing verses that children have memorized, or by seeing a crowd of people enjoy a meal that they helped to prepare. I am not at all trying to criticize church programs, so before you think that I am condemning the Church and decide never again to read one of my blog posts, I hope you'll read the remainder of this, and think it through.
I will not take the time to go through each individual spiritual gift, and what each looks like on a practical level (though, I may end up writing more blogposts about spiritual gifts. We shall see!).
I will, however, use two accounts in Acts as an example. Dorcas was a woman who "was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did." (Acts 9:36) [NKJV] One of the ways she served was to make clothing for the widows. Her testimony was such that when she died, many mourned her death, and the disciples sent for Peter, who raised her from the dead. Praise God for the example of this woman's obedient heart and service!
In Acts 18:24-28, we find the account of Apollos, a man who boldly proclaimed the Scriptures, but knew only the baptism of John. Aquila and Priscilla heard this man, and this husband and wife used their spiritual gifts - teaching, perhaps? - by taking Apollos aside and explaining the Gospel to him more clearly. The Lord used their obedient service to reach others for the Gospel:
"And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the scriptures that Jesus is the Christ." (Acts 18:27-28) [NKJV]
Aquila and Priscilla may or may not have acted under the leadership of their local church in teaching Apollos; but from reading the passage, it would seem that it was most likely just simply something the Lord laid on their hearts to do. If they had not obeyed the Spirit's leading, Apollos very likely would have continued to teach without full understanding!
My personal desire in practicing my own spiritual gifts is to follow the example of Aquila and Priscilla, who were sensitive to the Spirit's leading, and who immediately obeyed Him. There are times when it is appropriate to serve in the local church, but if we become too busy with "organized service", we lose our focus, and we cannot as easily take the time to obey the Spirit's leading to minister to those who may not be within those organized programs. It is also quite easy for me personally, when I am involved in scheduled, repetitive or organized service, to get into a routine and try to exercise the use of my spiritual gifts in my own strength rather than relying on the strength of the Holy Spirit.
My prayer is that each one of us will, as the body of Christ, be wise in the use of our time, so that we will not make ourselves too busy to serve the Lord in our everyday lives. I pray that we will be sensitive to the Spirit's leading, so that we may serve Him, even at a moment's notice, in the specific ways He has given each of us.
The Church seems to be so focused on staying busy with "programs" and "plugging" people into an organized system that they lose sight of the fact that individual believers can serve the body of Christ just as well - indeed, sometimes better - outside of an organized, time-consuming approach. It seems that, partially because they are so busy and so focused on being involved in every possible church activity, believers have lost perspective of Whom they are serving. They want to reach the lost with the Gospel, and they want to see outward evidence of their work through hearing verses that children have memorized, or by seeing a crowd of people enjoy a meal that they helped to prepare. I am not at all trying to criticize church programs, so before you think that I am condemning the Church and decide never again to read one of my blog posts, I hope you'll read the remainder of this, and think it through.
I will not take the time to go through each individual spiritual gift, and what each looks like on a practical level (though, I may end up writing more blogposts about spiritual gifts. We shall see!).
I will, however, use two accounts in Acts as an example. Dorcas was a woman who "was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did." (Acts 9:36) [NKJV] One of the ways she served was to make clothing for the widows. Her testimony was such that when she died, many mourned her death, and the disciples sent for Peter, who raised her from the dead. Praise God for the example of this woman's obedient heart and service!
In Acts 18:24-28, we find the account of Apollos, a man who boldly proclaimed the Scriptures, but knew only the baptism of John. Aquila and Priscilla heard this man, and this husband and wife used their spiritual gifts - teaching, perhaps? - by taking Apollos aside and explaining the Gospel to him more clearly. The Lord used their obedient service to reach others for the Gospel:
"And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the scriptures that Jesus is the Christ." (Acts 18:27-28) [NKJV]
Aquila and Priscilla may or may not have acted under the leadership of their local church in teaching Apollos; but from reading the passage, it would seem that it was most likely just simply something the Lord laid on their hearts to do. If they had not obeyed the Spirit's leading, Apollos very likely would have continued to teach without full understanding!
My personal desire in practicing my own spiritual gifts is to follow the example of Aquila and Priscilla, who were sensitive to the Spirit's leading, and who immediately obeyed Him. There are times when it is appropriate to serve in the local church, but if we become too busy with "organized service", we lose our focus, and we cannot as easily take the time to obey the Spirit's leading to minister to those who may not be within those organized programs. It is also quite easy for me personally, when I am involved in scheduled, repetitive or organized service, to get into a routine and try to exercise the use of my spiritual gifts in my own strength rather than relying on the strength of the Holy Spirit.
My prayer is that each one of us will, as the body of Christ, be wise in the use of our time, so that we will not make ourselves too busy to serve the Lord in our everyday lives. I pray that we will be sensitive to the Spirit's leading, so that we may serve Him, even at a moment's notice, in the specific ways He has given each of us.
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