The Body of Christ

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.  Ephesians 4:15-16

     The church, in the Bible, is called “the body of Christ.” The goal of the body is to work together under the headship of Jesus, in love. I long for that, to work together in unity, each of us doing our part and to build each other up, each of us an irreplaceable supporting ligament.

     We are fallen humans and there is no perfect church, but I have seen that kind of love in action. Have you? Have you witnessed people working together to achieve a common goal for Jesus? Have you seen someone sacrifice something for someone else? Have you watched as someone gave up something special to improve someone else’s life? Blessing others blesses us. What would happen if we became the encouragers? How would others react if we try to see the best in our fellow believers? We all need the encouragement. We all fall short.

…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

     We will talk about some of those ligaments mentioned in the Scripture above this week. We are the body of Christ.

Dear Father,

We don’t understand it, but we want to learn to work together for Your purposes. We want to do our part, as flawed as we are, supporting each other in love.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Our Everything

     Jesus is at work in the believer’s life. He is there on our weakest day and in our strongest moment. He is there when we don’t recognize or feel His presence. He is willing, through His Holy Spirit, to provide contentment in any circumstance, to move in our lives in surprising ways when we least expect it and He is able to use us through our deepest wounds and doubts.

     Building trust in any relationship takes time. Have you known Him long enough to be able to look back and see His footsteps when He carried You? Can you spot His wisdom when there were no easy answers? Can you trust even when you still don’t have a clear answer or reason? I hope so. If you haven’t known Him long, keep seeking. He is right there. He’s been there all along.

Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ through whom all things came and through whom we live. 1 Corinthians 8:8

For from Him and through Him and for him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen Romans 11:36

If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.  1 Peter 4:11

Jesus,

Remind us daily it is about You. You provide the gifts. You work through our humanness. You provide purpose for us designed long ago. We praise You!

Amen

Our Weaknesses

     There is another surprising and challenging way God uses our lives to share His glory. He uses our weaknesses to show His strength. The parts of you that you don’t like or the parts that leave you feeling less than others, or disappointed in general may just be the parts of you God uses to show Himself off just a bit.

     I’ll give you an example. My friend, Ruth, is almost completely blind. She served as a pastor’s wife for years, both as a missionary and in a church in South Minneapolis. She has played the piano all of her life and has a beautiful singing voice. The hymns, Christmas carols and other worship songs she learned over a lifetime are still bringing others joy. She loves to serve.

     Even though she is disabled, God gave her gifts in advance in preparation to use her during this challenging time. He uses her weakness to show who He is through her contagious joy and peace. I grew up very shy and did not finish college until I was 40 years old due to an irrational fear of speaking in front of others. A speech class filled with mature, well-spoken seniors, just about sent me over the edge. I quit college because of that one class. God had me face that fear and He healed it.

     With God’s sense of humor He now has me speaking in front of both large and small groups with no fear at all. Why? My confidence is in Jesus. Putting our trust in Him takes the focus off of ourselves and unto God and others, He may just start working through the very thing you consider a detriment in your life.

     And others may say, “Well, we know THAT has to be God!

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  ! Corinthians 12:15

Dear Lord,

You make us smile at the ways You use us in almost miraculous ways. Yes, It can only be You. Shine through the weaknesses as we show who You are!

In Jesus name,

Amen  

Our Expectation

     My head is swirling with the surprising ways I have seen God work in my own life and in the lives of others. I pray He will make sense of it all as I try to put pen to paper or fingers to keys. The bottom line is to be expectant.

     Expect Him to be there. Expect Him to dig up the old wounds and, even when it hurts, to heal them. Expect Him to bring you face-to-face with your fears until they subside and even disappear. Expect Him to give forgiveness where none is deserved. Expect Him to give you the right words when there is nothing left to give.  Expect Him to offer compassion and hope when all you see is darkness. And expect Him to return at any moment.

For when You did awesome things that we did not expect, You came down and the mountains trembled before You. Isaiah 64:3

“You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him.” Luke 12;40

     There is no perfect formula to follow as we examine our gifts, talents, personalities and passions. Trial and error may help. Focusing on Jesus definitely helps. Believe He is there, ready and able. Expect Him to show up. And allow the Holy Spirit to give you the Words you need to inspire someone else.

“For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” Luke 12:12

Lord Jesus,

We wait expectantly for You. We seek You day and night as we walk out our lives. Let Your Holy Spirit teach us today. Show us where we should go, how we should pray, which Words to read and where You need us to serve. We expect You to surprise us today.

Amen

Our Contentment

       Don’t be concerned if you haven’t quite figured out the purpose or plan or gifts God has chosen for you. Let’s take the rest of the week to find the surprising ways God can use us. Can we be content with who we are and where we are and trust God to work with us to show us what we can become and what we are to do?

     Paul teaches us about contentment. He has been through so much including beatings, a ship wreck, hunger and grief. Here is what he says;

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. Philippians 4:11

And

But godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6:6

     Contented no matter the circumstances? That’s how I want to be each and every day. I have learned over the decades that God uses our weaknesses, our sorrows and our struggles to do His work. Would I trade the things I have learned through hardship to have an easier life? I would have to say, “no.” The greatest gift rhrough a very difficult time was meeting Jesus and He has steered me through the rest.

Jesus,

You carry our burdens, heal our sadness, watch over us when we doubt and pick us back up again when we fall. Give us Your contentment and use the difficult lessons and hardships in life to share You.

 Amen

Our Strength

     All of us, as believers, have the joy and peace of our salvation, along with the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit within us. As we gain confidence in this earth-shattering faith and the way it changes our hearts and minds, we can investigate how God has uniquely designed us and how and where we are called for His purposes.

    Over the last several weeks we have spent time listing and describing the Biblical gifts of the Spirit, recognizing how God has designed His church to work together, each one doing their part. Just as the human body is so wonderfully and intricately designed to flow together working as one, so too are we. (1Corinthians 12)

     Putting together not only our spiritual gifts, but also taking into consideration our personality, our natural talents, what we value most at this season of life and the passions God has placed on our hearts, we can find purpose and joy in the places we are meant to serve.

     No matter where we go, or how we serve, we bring Jesus to a hurting world. We are called to walk alongside the lost and the weak and allow others to walk alongside us during times of struggle and doubt. It is a picture of God’s kingdom on earth. I hope you have been prayerfully asking God to open your eyes to something fresh and new as you seek His purposes. Remember it is not by works we are saved. It is only in believing in the one-time-only sacrifice of Christ that saves our souls.

     Listen to these verses that describe this so beautifully:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:8-10

     Hearing the Word of God’s salvation, having faith through the grace of God saves us. But God has work for each of us that was planned in advance. We are not saved by works, but we work because we are saved. Trust Him to show you. Take a chance. Take one more hesitant step forward and give something in your heart a try. He will fill you with the Spirit’s power to do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

Dear Lord,

Show us the works You planned for us from long ago and give us courage to step into them with no fear. Our confidence remains in You to give us strength for everything life throws at us. We are Your handiwork.

In Jesus Name

Amen

One-of-a-Kind You!

     Is there something in your life that makes your heart sing? A place you love, a person you love, a ministry you were born to do, a vision or dream not yet realized? The word “enthusiasm” comes from the Greek language and means “God within.” Don’t you love that? If we have passion and enthusiasm for the way God has made us, understanding He has a plan and purpose for our lives, we can be filled with enthusiasm.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

     For as long as God allows us to walk the earth, He has a plan for us. It may not be an easy path or a straight path or one without sorrow and struggle. Each season brings new joy and sorrow and each season brings new dreams, and, hopefully, more wisdom.

     At this particular season of your life what things do you value most? Typically we will place God, family and friends at the top of the list. Beyond those three what tops your list of values? There is no right or wrong answers here. We each place value on different things at different times in different ways. Here are a few ideas and there are hundreds more.

Physical activity

Leisure

Nutrition

Aesthetics

Flexibility

Service

Learning

Humor

Loyalty

Nature

Adventure

     Think about your passions and values and add them to your personality type, your natural talents and the spiritual gifts God has placed on your heart. Putting it together will give you a picture of God’s amazing creative design, one-of-a-kind you!

Dear Lord,

I pray for each reader today. Please let them recoginize their worth in Your eyes. They are precious to You, each one in their own special way. You are our loving Father. Take our hand now and show us what is next. Let our hearts sing with enthusiasm for You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

One-of-a-Kind You!

     John Holland used a hexagon to describe our natural God-given talents. These are the gifts that we were born to use. They are not the capabilities we have practiced or worked for or struggled to learn over time. They come naturally and have been a part of us since childhood. Some of our natural gifts can fall into two or three parts of the hexagon and there are numerous gifts listed under each one. Again, you can look into this more deeply on your own. Here are the six areas of interest. Which capture you?

     Realistic: Statistically more male-oriented. If you are a realist you love the outdoors. You might take an interest in sports and hunting and fishing. You may love animals and enjoy working with your hands and fixing things.

     Investigative: Science and laboratory work may interest you, or programming a computer. You might enjoy researching and solving complex problems. You love trivia and chess.

    Artistic: You may be a part of the acting and theater community. Painting, sculpting, music or photography may be a part of your resume. You may write stories, novels or poetry, or direct plays or videos.

     Social: Traveling with friends or planning events or doing volunteer work may describe you. You thrive on relationships either one-on-one or in large group settings. You may like to work with children or with senior citizens.

     Enterprising: You are persuasive, well-spoken, resilient and possibly an entrepreneur. You may have been president of the student body in high school and love a good debate. You love the “in” crowd and expensive vacations. You can sell and people gravitate to you.

     Conventional: You are organized. You are a collector of anything and everything. You love studying history and traveling. You may enjoy building models, doing crossword puzzles and returning to the same resort every year. You are good at following instructions. 

     Did one or two of these categories fit you? After teaching courses on gifts and talents for years, you may find these added details of interest. When choosing areas of natural talents and interests, the church setting is overwhelmingly in the “social” area. Those that volunteer to help others may gravitate to a church setting.

     The enterprising area has the fewest members. It is rare to find one or two in this category in any given large group or setting. Tomorrow let’s add our passions and values to our puzzle pieces as we discover God’s own design. You are His workmanship.

Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

Dear Father,

Continue Your good work in us. Let our confidence be in You. You have miraculously designed each one of us to do our part. How wonderful are Your ways.

In Jesus name,

Amen

One-of-a-Kind You!

     How do you gain energy? How do you take in information? How do you make decisions? How do you plan your day? The answers to these questions will give us a personality type. If you have not taken the Myers Briggs personality test, visit myersbriggs.org to see where and how to do so. Let’s take a brief look at each of the questions above. At the end of today’s writing, you will have four letters that describe you! When you visit the Myers Briggs website or just type it in on Google you will read a description of your personality type. Choose one of two letters from each paragraph. Ready?

     When you are tired and need a boost do you seek out other people and activities or do you need solitude and time to think? The desire to be active in many different areas of life and to be with other people will give you your first letter for extrovert (E) and if you need time in solitude or have an in-depth interest in one or two areas in life you may be an introvert (I).

     How do you take in information? Do you see what is, using your five senses to make sense of the world? Or do you see what could be and listen to your hunches? When you see what is and gather information with your five senses you are sensing (S) and if you see possibilities you take in information through your intuition, your letter is (I)

     Do you rely on logic or emotions when making decisions? If you take in all of the facts and give much thought before making a decision you are a thinker (T) and if you make decisions based on emotion you are a feeling decision maker (F)

     Finally, do you make a plan or go with the flow?  If you stick to the plan and work before play the term used is judging. (J) If you play as you go and don’t mind interruptions and distractions you are considered perceiving (P)

     Now put these four letters together and look up your personality description. There are sixteen varieties and you may be pleasantly surprised at how much the description sounds like you! My letters are INFJ, an introvert relying on intuition, making emotional decisions with a plan! How about you? I would love to hear each and every one.

     Read through all of them and decide which type describes your children, your friends, your spouse, that co-worker that rubs you the wrong way. It may just assist us in getting along. And remember, our Father in heaven knows us much better than any personality test or other earthly insight. Pray for Him to guide all of your ways.

You have searched me, Lord, and You know me. Psalm 139:1

Dear Lord,

We come humbly before You. You know us and search our hearts. Let them beat for You as we discover our wonderful gifts, talents and diverse personalities. Unite us in Your truth and guide us in the way we should go.

In Jesus name

Amen

One-of-a-Kind You

     Before we continue to add more tools to our arsenal, I want to share a thought our Pastor gave us on Father’s Day. It is geared toward dads, but also appropriate for our study. He said something like this, “If someone wants to give you a formula for raising kids, cover your ears and run screaming from their presence.” With our varied backgrounds and environments, our genetics,  our personality types, our talents and gifts, each one so unique, it is no wonder there is no precise formula for life.

     As we gain insight into our own personality types and natural gifts over the next few days, add them to the gifts of the Spirit. Have you been inclined toward being a leader, an administrator, a behind-the-scenes helper, a teacher, one filled with knowledge of the Word of God, and how to use it to help others? Do you have the gift of hospitality or discernment, music or giving, evangelism or apostleship? I hope your interest has been piqued to continue on your quest.

     Another advantage to seeking the answers to how we are made and how God has gifted us, is an ability to accept others as they are. Our competitive, money hungry, youth-seeking world can leave us feeling as if we will never have or be enough.

     It is a beautiful thing to understand why my husband and I are on different ends of the spectrum as we view the world around us through the eyes of organization and logic vs. disorganization and scattered days. Our daughters are unique and talented and lovely and you know I could go on and on. One grew up cautious and quiet, the other extroverted and involved in everything. As we gain understanding on God’s gifting and creative design, we won’t expect others to be just like us. We can be intertwined and interdependent as we work together, appreciating the gifting of others.

     Tomorrow let’s take a peek at our personality types. I leave you today with this; as Paul leaves us in 1 Corinthians 12 after describing the gifts of the Spirit, he transitions us with this thought:

…And I will show you the most excellent way. 1 Corinthians 12:31b

     The most excellent way is the way of love. 1 Corinthians 13 is the great love chapter. Read it today if possible. Wherever you are in whatever you do or how you serve, do it in love. The love of Jesus changes everything. You are gifted to love.

Dear Lord,

Your love for us is beyond any earthly love. Teach us to love with patience and joy, with compassion and mercy, with kindness and gentleness, with goodness and faith. That kind of love can only come from You. We love You, Jesus,

Amen

One-of-a-Kind You

     Has your heart connected with one or two or three of the spiritual gifts? I would add music and the arts to the list. Even though these particular gifts are not included in the three most recognized chapters in the Bible about the gifts of the Spirit, (1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4) they are discovered in several other parts of the Bible. Any natural or spiritual gift you use to glorify God that is used for the benefit of others can be described as a spiritual gift.

     The worship team singing praises to God, the writer sharing God’s love, the artist depicting God’s grace or the seamstress lovingly stitching a quilt for a homeless shelter can certainly be added to the gifts given by God for the common good.

There are different kinds of gifts but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:4-7

     Using your gifts will benefit others and allow you to show the love of Christ. Let’s continue to talk about who we are in Christ this week and how to identify where and how we are to live out our purpose. There is no one like you anywhere else on the planet. God has designed you in a one-of-a-kind way. Living for God in our own particular way allows us to be at peace with others and with ourselves. You are God’s precious child.

Dear Father,

We praise You for fearfully and wonderfully making each one of us. (Psalm 139) Teach us how to be satisfied with who we are and to use our gifts and talents to share Your love in our very own special way. Help us to listen to and follow the Holy Spirit as He teaches us how to live for You.

In Jesus name

Amen

Spiritual Gifts/Healing

     God has the power to heal the emotional and the physical. It is up to Him. The gift of healing is given to those who have a heart to heal. This group understands whether there is a physical or emotional issue. They believe in the supernatural power of God’s healing and listen for His timing and pray for His intervention.

     There are two common schools of thought on God’s healing. One is that God always heals if we have enough faith and the other is that miraculous healing stopped after the apostolic age. Both are in error. I am sure all of us have heard and possibly witnessed miraculous healings over our lifetimes. We won’t understand all of the ways of our Heavenly Fahter until we are united with Him in heaven.

     The bible is clear. We are to pray for one another and believe in the power of that prayer. We also know we need to pray for God’s will to be done. Jesus asked for the cup of suffering to be taken away from Him as He prayed in the garden of Gethsemane. And then He prayed for God’s will to be done. Suffering and dying on the cross brought about the salvation of man.

     Those with the gift of healing may have hospital ministries, or hospice ministries. They have a calming influence and power in the laying on of hands. They bring God’s peace and healing power with them wherever they go, trusting in the power of God to be revealed in many different ways including real physical healing, release from demonic activity and healing of emotional wounds.  Keep praying and believing.

Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.  James 5;13-14

Dear Father,

We praise You for the healing hands that offer Your peace, and Your power and a belief in prayer. You are the One we turn to in every area of our lives and we trust You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Gifts of the Spirit/Miracles

     The Word of God is available to us and hearing and reading the Word leads to the saving of our souls. That is God’s greatest miracle. The gift of miracles is most active today in third-world countries, often paired with the gift of apostleship and evangelism, giving evidence to God’s grace and exceptional power. 

     We don’t always understand the will of God as He uses natural consequences, suffering and the testimonies of other believers to bring us closer to Him. Those with the gift of miracles see and expect God’s hand in everyday small miracles and in His intervention to do miraculous healing. All of the glory always goes to God. There are the false teachers and ministers who preach God’s miracles and, instead, bring glory or profit to themselves.

     People experiencing this gift will use the miraculous to share the good news of Jesus with stories great and small, always advancing God’s kingdom on earth and humbly to see His glory.

“Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in My name can in the next moment say anything bad about me.” Mark 9:39

Dear Lord,

We trust Your will and look for the unexpected gifts each day. Help us to be in awe of You every single day as we see Your creation, the birth of a child, a soul saved and a hurt healed. You are amazing.

In Jesus name, Amen

Spiritual Gifts/Shepherding

     There is the office of being a pastor in the church (see 1 Timothy 3 Titus 1) There is also a spiritual gift of pastoral shepherding. The gift of shepherding is given to those in the body of Christ to nurture, guide, and care for groups or individuals discipling them, often over long periods of time to grow in their faith.

     The shepherding gift includes a great love for Scripture and a desire to share with others how to apply God's Word to their lives. They assist in helping others mature in their faith and to overcome discouragement and setbacks in their faith life.

     Do you like to listen to the stories if life with a great love for people? Do you find joy in witnessing others grow in their faith? Do you have the patience and the ability to direct other individuals and groups over long periods of time? When you hear of someone in need do you want to try and help? Do you love the Word of God and can see how to apply it to your life and to the lives of others? You may have the gift of pastoral shepherding.

For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God which He bought with His own blood. Acts 20:27-28

 Dear Father,

Today we honor those You have gifted with shepherding, for their love of Your Word and for their ability to disciple others and to encourage others in their faith. Give them great understanding and spiritual eyes to see others through the lens of Jesus. It is in His name we pray.

Amen

Spiritual Gifts/Hospitality

     The gift of hospitality is at the very bottom of my list of giftedness. Before learning about the way God has made each of us in such unique and creative ways, I felt utterly inept in this area.I would worry and fret each time we invited guests over for dinner. Now, I have learned to relax and appreciate the gifts of my friends. The fact that most of them seem to have this seemingly impossible gift still amazes me.

     It is easy for someone like me to recognize this gift in others. But those with this gift often don’t recognize it in themselves. They assume everyone has the ability to make their homes welcoming, to be the first to welcome someone new at church or to open up their homes to visiting missionaries or other groups. This gift does not necessarily include gourmet cooking or interior design, but it often does.

     If you like to plan events, if you enjoy welcoming others to your home, even when unexpected, and if you consider your home a place of ministry you may have this gift. Providing a warm welcome, food, shelter and fellowship are all a part of this gift. People are comfortable around you and your home. Those with the gift of hospitality remain relaxed even when things are out of order. God has been challenging me to invite others to my home. Even those of us without this gift can certainly give it a try. In fact Scripture reminds us to do just that.

Offer hospitality one to another without grumbling. 1 Peter 4:9

Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Romans 12:13

    Talk about convicting Scripture! I certainly need the practice, not to mention the not grumbling part. How about you? If hospitality comes naturally, you are blessed and you are a blessing.

Dear Jesus,

Thank you for those willing to open their homes with welcoming arms. You have gifted them to take care of others in such loving ways. Keep them from tiring and allow them to be served as well.

Amen

Spiritual Gifts/ Intercessory Prayer

     You know them. The prayer warriors. When you ask them to pray, you know they will be on their knees in earnest prayer for you. They take prayer seriously, understanding the power. Their relationship with Jesus is intimate and deep. They know Him and they listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. They pray for those they know and for those they have never met. They groan along with the Holy Spirit in suffering for others and they praise Him with joy with an answered prayer.

 But if we hope for what we do not yet have we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we oughtt to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.  Romans 8:26-28

     We all pray as believers in Jesus Christ, understanding we are in a relationship with Him. We seek his advice, we give Him our hurts and praise Him for our joys and we ask for healing and hope for others in our lives.  I have felt the power of others praying for me and my family during times of great suffering. I am grateful when others pray for me and I am never shy about asking. There is great power in prayer.

Dear Lord,

We thank You for the prayer warriors today. Give each one of us a heart to pray for others, to intercede, along with the Holy Spirit, for others around us. Give us understanding and wisdom as we pray. It is an honor to share in the suffering of others and to share their joy.

In Jesus name

Amen