Page 1 - Gift - May 2017 - Truth & Tidings
P. 1

reat questions to ask believers of   less is an unreasonably weak response to the
                 any age include: What is my gift?   perfect love the Lord Jesus showed us in sav­
                 Where do I fit in? What is my role   ing us and then giving us gift(s) to be used in
                 in the local assembly? Make no   his service.
        Gmistake – these questions are put       From the outset, it is crucial to recognize
        in your heart and soul by the Spirit of God.   that Satan does not want us to find or exercise
        Paul said to Timothy, a younger man with   our gift, because he hates anything that pleas­
        potential, “neglect not the gift that is in thee”   es God. As you press forward for God, expect
        (1Tim 4:14) and “stir up the gift of God that   and prepare for the reality that Satan our
        is in thee” (2Tim 1:6), showing clearly that   “Adversary” (1Peter 5:8) will do everything
        God has put gift(s) in us and now expects us   he can to derail your search for your gift with
        to use them. Paul instructed the Corinthian
        believers to “covet” or go in for “the best” i.e.,   worldly distractions (2Tim 4:10), to discour­
        the most impactful gifts (1Cor 12:31). Five   age you from the path God has for you even
        times over in the NT, we are told of crowns   using other believers to do so (Matt 16:23),
        that a believer can and should strive to win   or as the “Accuser of the brethren“(Rev
        with a view to a coming day when we will lay   12:10) try to saddle you with guilt about
        every crown at the feet of the Man who died   your past failures etc. to hinder your fellow­
        for us at Calvary. Yes, it is worth purposing in   ship with, and usefulness for, God. The great
        your heart to find out what gift God has given   news is that men and women who have gone
        you, to discover the place of service He in­  before us have proven the truth of “Greater is
        tends for you in the local assembly, and to use   He that is in you than he that is in the world”
        it for His glory. Paul outlines in Romans 12:1   (1John 4:4).
        that this is our “reasonable” service. Anything   The question now is, what should each of
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