However, he has given each one of us a special gift according to the generosity of Christ. That is why the Scriptures say, “When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people.” - Ephesians 4:7-8
Did you know you have a spiritual gift that was given to you for the church’s benefit? My husband was asked to visit a family who was thinking of joining our church. “Pastor Briscoe,” began the father, “what does your church have to offer my family?”
“What does your family have to offer my church?” replied my husband. He explained that the policy of our fellowship is to help people discover their spiritual abilities and exercise them for the good of the whole.
Paul explains that persons are gifts (Ephesians 4:11). There have been apostles who had a distinctive position, prophets with inspired utterance, evangelists with the ability to spread the Good News, and pastors and teachers to shepherd the flock under Christ. All these people are there to teach the believers to do the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:12). The greatest mistake people can make is to think of church as a spectator sport.
Paul also writes that gifts are given to all Christians. Each one of us has a special gift (Ephesians 4:7). Each gift is different, and there is a diversity as subtle and beautiful as the spots on a leopard, snowflakes on the grass, or grains of sand on the seashore. Each personality with its matching gifts is unique, but, like a note in a chord of music, or an instrument in an orchestra, it is intended to blend with others so that the message of salvation becomes the loveliest symphony of all.
For Further Study: Ephesians 4:1-10
Excerpted from The One Year Devotions for Women, Copyright ©2000 by Jill Briscoe. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.
For more from Jill Briscoe, please visit TellingtheTruth.org.
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