You And God's Gifts

You and God’s Gifts! Text: I Corinthians 12:1-7

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: 2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 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:

Introduction: God giving Spiritual gifts unto men is all intended for one and the same general end, the advancement of Christianity and the church’s edification! When the Church grows numerically and is elevated spiritually she always brings glory unto Jesus Christ! The church should always be able to point her finger to Jesus for all the good He has done!( This makes us praise Him!)

Psalm 113:1-3 Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, Praise the name of the LORD! 2 Blessed be the name of the LORD From this time forth and forevermore! 3 From the rising of the sun to its going down The Lord’s name is to be praised.

When we praise the Lord with our whole heart we are saying, how great He is and that we trust Him! We are saying that we desire His Spiritual gifts and we trust the Holy Spirit in whom Christ left with us!

Those who stay ignorant unto the Spirit are those who will be carried away unto dumb idols however they are led! Those who would dare reject one gift, in return rejects them all! (Those who stay ignorant unto the gifts are those who stay as babes!)

I Corinthians 12: 4-7 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 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:

Speaking Gifts: Word of wisdom, prophecy, evangelism, pastor-teacher, and teaching

Service Gifts: Administration, exhortation, faith, giving, helps, serving, and mercy

Sign Gifts: Distinguishing of spirits, miracles, healings, tongues, interpretation.

God desires for us to become well rounded in all these gifts. What I don’t have someone else has and what you don’t have I might have!

Kent Hughes, in Leadership magazine said, “There are too many needful things to be done to wait around for someone to feel gifted.” (We don’t wait until we feel gifted!)

What is your Spiritual gift? It’s not a trick question. What you do in the natural and enjoy doing, is a good indication of some of your Spiritual gifting! (Most people want the Lord to knock them down before they ever do anything, but if you will be faithful over little, God will entrust you with more!)

Verse 7 say’s …that each gift is given to each one for the profit of all!

I Corinthians 14:18-22 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; 19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue. 20 Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature. 21 In the law it is written: “With men of other tongues and other lips

I will speak to this people; and yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,” says the Lord. 22 Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe.

In Judges Chapter 13 through chapter 16 we can read about the wonderful birth proclaimed by an angel of the Lord unto a barren woman. This child shall be called Samson raised a Nazirite one who doesn’t drink wine or strong drink, he should stay away from the unclean and his hair should never be cut. As Samson grows older; he does some good, but his desires and passion for fleshly lustful things outweigh God’s anointing! Samson throws his gifting away for the lust and passion of the world!

Every vow he should have kept, he breaks! The Bible say’s several times that God’s Spirit came upon Samson mightily! But each time the Spirit came it was for selfish and even ungodly reasons!

My question to you is, “What are you doing with what God has given you?” Samson could have been a world leader, but he decided to become a selfish fleshly leader!