Page 3 - Gift - May 2017 - Truth & Tidings

Pretending that you can be useful for God effectively to a friend or lead a soul to Christ
while continuing with that sin against Him one­on­one if you cannot show them the
is hypocrisy, and we are warned not to de­ gospel from the Bible? The same goes for
liberately grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:30). Sunday school. How can you teach young
You will have a form of godliness, but not people and intelligently answer their ques­
the substance (2Tim 3:5). You will go tions in today’s post­modern age if you
through the motions of what look like spir­ don’t know your Bible? Going further, if
itual activities and things Christians should your gift is in teaching the Word of God,
do, but you will miss the genuine joy of without putting the time in to study your
exercising your gift in fellowship with God. Bible carefully before standing up to speak,
We know this from David who after his sin how can you be sure you are speaking as
with Bath sheba, confessed his sin and “the oracles [i.e. spokesperson] of God”
asked that the “joy of thy salvation” be re­ (1Peter 4:11) or “rightly dividing the word
stored to him (Psalm 51:12). On the posi­ of truth” (2Tim 2:15) i.e., not teaching
tive side, there is no joy like having a clear something wrong? We all need to recognize
conscience before the Lord and then exer­ that studying is different than reading your
cising gifts that you know He has given to Bible. It requires sacrifice and time alone
you (read Psalms 1 and 32). with an open Bible in the presence of God.
Pray at a Specific Time Daily and Also My advice on where to start is to give God
Throughout the Day. Because our lives are two hours a week devoted to the study of
busy and Satan does not want us to pray, the Word of God. This is a test of how seri­
prayer requires a regular time slot in your ous you are at finding your gift and being
life. Trying to “fit it in” will not work. I useful for God. No one would reasonably
challenge every reader of this section, expect to get physically fit with less than
whether young or old, to give God the first two hours a week investment in an exercise
15 minutes of your day for the next 30 con­ program. Why would learning your Bible
secutive days and experience how God will require a lesser investment? Taking our ex­
change you as a result. Part of your prayer ample from godly men and women who
can and should be about the Lord revealing have gone before us, Saturday night is an
to you your gift and where you can contrib­ excellent time to set aside for this, because
ute in the assembly. it also helps prepare one’s heart for worship
Study Your Bible. Paul gave advice to a on Sunday morning.
young man who was looking for guidance Look for Need and Ask Where Help is
when he wrote, “Study to show thyself ap­ Needed. The Lord Jesus gave the great ex­
proved unto God, a workman that needeth ample when he said “lift up your eyes and
not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the look upon the fields for they are white and
word of truth” (2Tim 2:15). Knowing your ready to harvest” (John 4:35). He told the
Bible is essential to the exercise of gift disciples to take their eyes off themselves
whether your gift is public or private. If and look at the need around them. Every
your gift is preaching the gospel, how can assembly has needs today. Each of us
you preach it properly if you do not know should follow the Lord’s advice and, rather
the doctrine of the gospel? The same goes than looking inward at ourselves for what
for personal witness. How can you witness our gift is, look outward, to where there is

How to Find Your Gift I May 2017 3