Our Gift From The Lord

• She mounts the horse unassisted and the horse immediately springs into motion.

• It gallops along at a steady and rhythmic pace, but the woman begins to slip from the saddle.

• In terror, she grabs for the horse's mane, but cannot seem to get a firm grip.

• She tries to throw her arms around the horse's neck, but she slides down the side of the horse anyway. The horse gallops along, seemingly oblivious to its slipping rider.

• Finally, giving up her frail grip, she leaps away from the horse and tries to throw herself to safety. Unfortunately, her foot has become entangled in the stirrup and she is now at the mercy of the horse's pounding hooves as her head strikes the ground over and over again. As her head is battered against the ground, she is mere moments away from unconsciousness when....the Wal-Mart manager sees her and shuts off the machine.

What may seem difficult for some is not difficult for others. The passage of scripture that we are going to deal with may seem difficult for some, but as we look at it more closely we find it is not.

This passage deals with one thought that seems to keep resurfacing in this passage. It is a THOUGHT that can be summed up in one word.

WHAT IS THE WORD? It is the word “EVERY”.

For example, notice:

I. EVERY BELIEVER IS GIFTED

Look at verse 7, we read, “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.”

• Sometimes we look at a gifted person and think to ourselves, “I wish I was gifted like that!”

• Sometime folks will say, “I do not have any gifts”.

That is not true and that is exactly what the devil wants every believer to think.

Notice again, the Word of God says, “But unto EVERY ONE of us is given…the gift of Christ.”

You might not have the gifts that someone else has, but God has given you a gift.

Sometimes society makes people think they are without talent and worthless and do not possess any special gifts.

Illus: For example, during the Clinton Administration they passed The Non-Abled Workers Act.

This is how it was written up in the newspaper: “Congress approved the Americans With No Abilities Act, sweeping new legislation that provides benefits and protection for more than 135 million talentless Americans.”

“The act, signed into law by the President is being hailed as a major victory for the millions upon millions of U.S. citizens who lack any real skills or uses.”

President Clinton said, "Roughly 50 percent of Americans--through no fault of their own--do not possess the talent necessary to carve out a meaningful role for themselves in society. Sadly, for these millions of non-abled Americans, the American dream of working hard and moving up through the ranks is simply not a reality."

When I read stuff like this, it makes me angry because they are telling people, “You are TO DUMB TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, but vote for us and WE WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU.”

Listen, EVERYONE has gifts. Sometimes they have to use their imagination and discover how they can use their talents, but they are not “talentless”. They can make it like everyone else if they will find their niche in life.

Illus: I can take you to a Chinese restaurant where they are very limited in speaking English, but they came to America which was not an easy thing to do. They worked hard and bought a restaurant and make a descent living.

The government does not give them any assistance. They are making it in a foreign country by using their God-given talent to cook Chinese food for the American people.

The American politicians have found out that one of the best ways to stay in office is to convince people they are “talentless”. They have also convinced them that if they vote for them, they will see to it that Uncle Sam will assist them and provide for them.

President Ronald Reagan cut himself out a page in the history books because he made people feel good about themselves and their country. We all have gifts.

Illus: Someone said, “People are like Potatoes.” As we look at the gifts some seem to have, we can see why they say that.

For example:

• Some people are very bossy and like to tell others what to do, but don't want to soil their own hands. They are called "Dick Tators."

• Some people never seem motivated to participate, but are just content to watch while others do the work. They are called "Speck Tators."

• Some people never do anything to help, but are gifted at finding fault with the way others do the work. They are called "Comment Tators."