Spiritual gifts are given individually to each one who receives Jesus as Lord and Savior. Paul provides information about these gifts in his first letter to the Corinthians.  Personal talents, such as musical ability and athletic ability, are given at birth. Spiritual gifts are given at the new birth when God creates you new. I sometimes find Paul’s writing difficult. He was such a learned man. But let us together examine his writings about the spiritual gifts.

1 Corinthians 12: ¹ Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.

²Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.

³Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

God, through Paul, desires for you and me to have understanding and not ignorance regarding the gifts He gives us.  Before you and I received Jesus as Savior, we had our own idol desires that led us. Now it should be Jesus only that motivates us to use the gifts He gives us.  What does that mean to you?

The Holy Spirit has a purpose for each gift and the power to fulfill the gift

⁴Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

⁵And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

⁶And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

Administration = purpose for the gift

Operation = God’s power to fulfill the gift

What does that mean to you?

Jesus has His own reason for your spiritual gift

⁷But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

⁸For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

⁹To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

¹⁰To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

¹¹But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

What does that mean to you?

Do you know your spiritual gift? Do you have more than one?

How are you using your spiritual gift(s)?

As members of the body of Christ we are each one important

¹²For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

¹³For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

¹⁴For the body is not one member, but many.

¹⁵If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

¹⁶And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

¹⁷If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

What does that mean to you?

What is your understanding of your personal importance in the body of Christ?

God places the members of the body of Christ where it pleases Him

¹⁸But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

¹⁹And if they were all one member, where were the body?

²⁰But now are they many members, yet but one body.

What does that mean to you?

You are important in the body of Christ

²¹And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

²²Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:

²³And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

²⁴For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that partwhich lacked:

²⁵That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

²⁶And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

What does that mean to you?

God placed you exactly where you are for His purpose

²⁷Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

²⁸And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

²⁹Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?

³⁰Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

³¹But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

In the next chapter Paul highlights love as that more excellent way. What does that mean to you?

What do you see as His purpose for your current relationships in the body of Christ?

Our focus = Hebrews 12:¹Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Our challenge = Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you, has uniquely designed and created only one you, has a good plan for your life, runs with you and will accomplish His purposes for you and through  you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti