What’s Your Part, In The Story?

What's your part in the story?

1 Corinthians 12:4-11 NKJ

4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same[b] Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

Often when, this passage of scripture is read from the pulpit... a nervousness starts over a select few. Because with the gifts of God and the will of God, comes a certain amount of responsibility, of not only acceptance but also a willingness to seek God's will!

Christmas time, is always associated with the giving and receiving of gifts. Everyone looks forward to them, especially those who receive them and the retailers, who are able to sell them.

The normal response is to open the gift, rip off the paper and see what's inside from person who has given you the gift.

You think that would be the way people would respond when it comes to spiritual gifts, and the willingness to give and pour into a person's life, God has. But that's not usually the norm is it?

For far too many, the search for a number of excuses comes to mind, to avoid God's gifts and will for a persons life!

Do You Seriously Think God Can't Use You? The only people God calls on, are unperfect individuals. Seems funny but we all fit that characterization, don’t we?

Far to many may feel insignificant, unprepared, unworthy and ill-equipped to volunteer and participate in God's will for them!

Far to often we sell ourselves short of what God only knows, with His help, we are capable of! TBS all things are possible with God!

*Do you suppose Jonah felt like he was capable of being a citywide evangelists?

*Do you suppose Moses felt like he was equipped to lead millions of people to freedom?

* do you suppose Mary felt worthy to wash the feet of Jesus and dry them with her hair?

All of them were inadequate, all of them were insignificant, unprepared, unworthy and ill-equipped. Yet God saw greatness, and used each and every one of them, because they stepped out into the will of God and The amazing assignment, God had for them!

Mary and Joseph were no exception to the rule, A young girl and a carpenter... to the rest of the world blatantly unqualified, but yet they must have been extraordinary, in the eyes of God.

Think about it, To be chosen to have the honor of being selected as the participants, in the most important event in the history of the world! Mary to be the mother of the promised Messiah and Joseph, to be Jesus earthly father.

So many prophecies for 1000's of years, had been made concerning the coming Messiah and all of them, up to that point had be fulfilled.

And now Mary and Joseph were about to be part of bringing the prophetic Word to life!

An event so important in time that the calendar would record time as having stopped the moment Jesus was born.

Luke 2:1-5 NKJ

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.

Up until this point! For hundreds of years Rome had ruled the world! Nation after nation had fallen victim to the Romans and their Army,

The Jews who lived in Judea were oppressed greatly, God had not spoken to his own people, His chosen nation for 400 years.

For 4 centuries, not one Prophet or one word from God, had appeared in Israel.

There was a famine in the Land of Israel. Not a famine of food or drink, but of the Word of God and the presence of God.