Serving: Spiritual Gift Series

  Jesus came to serve and not be served. In Romans 12 we find the next spiritual gift which is serving. Some examples of people who served others in the Bible were Ruth, Joseph, Martha, Paul, and Jesus. 

   When you think of the word serve what do you think of? Maybe you think of a waiter serving you food. You could think of Jesus washing feet. You may think about one of the five love languages, which is acts of service. Or you could think of making a great play in a sport and saying, "you got served!"

   That last one was a joke. To serve means to put aside your own needs for the needs of others. If you have ever worked in the food industry, or any job really, I'm sure you have served others at times you may not have felt like doing so. Serving is not always easy to do. Some days are hard and we are tired but we are still called to serve. 

   There are some people to whom service just comes naturally. These are the people who have the spiritual gift of service. While we are all called to serve, these people see a need and fill it before being asked. They don't complain or tell others about what they did to make themselves look good. Most of the time, these people would rather be in the background; at least that's what I've found to be true most of the time. 

   Sure, we all trip up at times and our pride gets in the way (prime example: Martha). But we know in the end whom we are serving others for. When we serve, we are not serving for our own good or the good of others, though those reasons can be perks. When we serve, we are serving God. God sees all our efforts and cares about what we do for others. He especially sees when we do things for those who don't thank us or could not repay us. I mean, just look at what Jesus did. He served us by dying on the cross and we could never repay that!

   So, do you know anyone with the spiritual gift of service? How can you serve others each day?

Prophecy: Spiritual Gift Series

   The first spiritual gift list we find in the Bible is in Romans 12:6-8. In this passage the author talks about how we are all different parts of the body of Christ. Then the author goes into what gifts we all may have. 

   The first gift mentioned is prophecy. Some examples of people in the Bible who had prophecy were Moses, Daniel, Deborah, Miriam, and the other prophets mentioned in the Bible. If someone had the gift of prophecy it meant that God gave them a message that was from him for someone else. Those who prophesize are God's mouthpieces. This is especially true back in the Old Testament where the Holy Spirit was not in all of God's people. Most of the time, if someone wanted to hear from God, they would have to hear from a prophet who had God's Spirit on them. Nowadays we have the Holy Spirit, which can speak to all of us in different ways.

   Does that mean the gift of prophecy is gone or doesn't matter? No! Some of us have the gift of prophecy. Some of us don't. Sometimes God also gives us these gifts for a brief time and for a certain reason. I know I have prophesied once over someone's life. But, other than that, I can't recall doing so. I do know many people at my church who have this gift. Our pastors are two examples. I cannot count how many times they have predicted something was going to happen because they got a message from God. In fact, our one pastor will usually be able to predict what will happen during our church services. Which is odd, in a good way, because each service is different since it is Spirit led.

   When we think about prophecy we usually think of telling the future plans of God. But it is anytime God tells us his will or truth to his people. For example, think of Jonah when he was told to go to Nineveh in the Bible. He was to tell them to turn from their wicked ways. That was it. He wasn't given an ultimatum or told what would happen to those people if they didn't turn from their ways. 

   Prophecy is an important gift because sometimes we need to hear from God through someone else. It is a gift that helps us understand God better and keeps us connected. Whether you have the gift of prophecy or not, you can see that God uses it throughout scripture and today. It helps us hear God, know his will, and know what we are to do. 

   So, do you know anyone with the gift of prophecy? How can you learn more about prophecy today?

Spiritual Gift Series

   Have you ever asked yourself, or have been asked, what gifts do I have? Maybe you are skilled at writing, dancing, cooking, or some other talent. That's great! You know what you are good at. Hopefully you are using that talent for the good of others and the kingdom of God. I mean, God gives us those gifts for a reason. God also gives other gifts too.

   If you've been a Christian long enough you've probably heard about spiritual gifts. They are found in different sections in the Bible. These gifts are given by God specifically so we use them to further God's kingdom. Do you know what these gifts are? Do you know which gifts you have? That's what we will be exploring the next few weeks. 

   The spiritual gift lists are found in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12. I encourage you to take a look and see which gifts you may have. Or, you could look online for a spiritual gift quiz to see which gifts you may have.