Good Gifts...

"And He gave some, apostles; and some prophets; and some evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; FOR the perfecting of the saints, FOR the WORK of the ministry, FOR the edifying (building up) of the body of CHRIST: Till we all come in unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a MATURE man, unto the measure of stature of the fullness of Christ." Eph 4:11-13

It's so amazing to me how life somehow lines up with what I am reading in the Word. We are planning a Women's Event at our church and it takes so many different people with so many diverse talents to make this thing come together. The are the Speakers that bring the message and because they will be the ones that are seen it's easy to assume that they did all the work. BUT, God in His infinite wisdom knows that none of us can do everything. AND, He did not create us to do so. I love that Paul says that when we are saved He gives us all gifts that are different from one another. None of these gifts are for our own good or glory, but for the building up of the church and for God's glory.

Just the Women's event has shown me how necessary every gift is. There are some people who are good at organizing, some that are good at decorating, some that are wonderful with children. With each person fulfilling their role and bringing their gift for use to build up the church we will have an amazing day that will bring glory to God. Every gift that each person has is just as important as another.

I love that Paul says that we are all members of one body and that each body part should be content and not try to be another body part. Where would we be without the hands and feet? Ask yourself which body part would you rather be without?! I'm not sure about you, but I want them all and I want them to perform the function they were meant to perform. If we all focus not on what others are doing, but what gift God has gifted us with and do everything "heartily as unto the Lord" we could do so much more for Christ. I noticed at the end of those verses how it talked about when we become one mature man in Christ is only after we become unified in faith and the knowledge of the Son of God. That reminds me of Philippians 1 that Christ should be our example "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. LET THIS MIND BE IN YOU WHICH WAS ALSO IN CHRIST JESUS."

It doesn't matter what your gift is God has given it to you to bring glory to HIM. You are important in the body of Christ. You fulfill a place that no one else can fulfill. "Every GOOD gift and every perfect gift came down from the Father of Lights." Don't forget the one who made you made you just the way He did to fulfill a purpose no one else can fulfill and if no one else sees be assured that God sees and He has promised us that we will receive a reward in Heaven.

Heavenly Father I pray that you would be glorified and magnified. Your word says when we magnify JESUS he will draw all men unto him. To magnify Jesus we have to say like John "He must increase, and I must decrease." I pray that I would decrease so that people can not see me, but the Son of God who lives in me. Only then can you use me to bring people to YOU." I pray that YOU will be BIG on that day. Blow our minds...