Dear Reader,

        God likes variety. That's why He created each person as a unique individual. You are one of a kind, and the Lord has specific tasks He's designed just for you. Knowing this, how to you think you should approach life? One option is to live spontaneously, going wherever life takes you without too much thought for the future. The problem with this method is that you may come to the end of your life and realize you've been on the wrong path and haven't accomplished what God had in mind.

        Another approach is to set targets and pursue a course that will help you achieve them. Although this may sound like a better way to discover the Lord's will for your life, you must consider whose plan you're following. Is it God's or yours? The goal is not just to be busy, but to live out the Lord's purpose for your life. He's willing to guide your into His plans if you'll see to know and obey Him.

        One of the ways He helps us discover His path for our lives is by giving us talents, skills, and spiritual gifts that are perfectly suited to our callings. Talents and skills are natural abilities with which we are born. These generally determine our interests and vocations. In contrast, spiritual gifts are divine endowments that equip us to serve the Lord effectively and successfully. They are chosen for us by God and given to us at the moment of our salvation. Knowing how to Lord has created and gifted us helps us discover what He desires for us to do.
You'll find lists of the various spiritual gifts in:
Romans 12:4-8;
1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 28;
Ephesians 4:11-12;
1 Peter 4:10-11.

Romans 12:4-8

⁴Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function,
⁵so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.
⁶In his grace, God has given us different ^agifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.
⁷If your gift is ^bserving others, ^bserve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well.
⁸If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give ^cgenerously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 28

⁴There are different kinds of spiritual^g gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all.
⁵There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord.
⁶God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.
⁷A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
⁸To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge.
⁹The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing.
¹⁰He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown ^hlanguages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being ^hsaid.
¹¹It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

²⁸Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the ^jchurch:

first are ^kapostles,
second are prophets,
third are teachers,
then those who do miracles,
those who have the ^agift of healing,
those who can help others,
those who have the gift of leadership,
those who speak in unknown languages.

 
Ephesians 4:11-12

¹¹Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the ^hapostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the ⁱpastors and teachers.
¹²Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his ^jwork and build up the church, the body of Christ.

1 Peter 4:10-11

¹⁰God has given each of you a ^cgift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.
¹¹Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.







If you're not sure which one may be yours, consider what motivates you.

Knowing and understanding the different spiritual gifts not only aids us in determining how God would have us serve in the church, but it also helps us accept and value how He has gifted others. With this in mind, let's consider several facts regarding spiritual gifts.
 
First of all, every believer has at least one spiritual gift
(1 Corinthians 12:11) A simple way to discover yours is to examine how you respond to situations or need. For example, suppose I invite several people to my house for dinner, and in the middle of the meal, I knock over my iced tea. The person with mercy immediately feels my discomfort and rushes to reassure me. The guest gifted with giving offers to buy a new glass to replace the one I broke. Someone with the gift of administration organizes the cleanup, and the exhorter suggests that in the future I place my glass further away from the edge of the table. They each respond differently, but together they work as a whole to address the situation and solve the problem.

Second, spiritual gifts are given to us for the common good of the church. They are not for us, but for others. As we work according to our own unique giftedness, the church benefits (1 Corinthians 12:7). That's why Peter admonishes us to employ our spiritual gifts in serving one another (1 Peter 4:10). When we actively use them to help others, we'll effectively accomplish what God created us to do.

Third, we are to serve one another in the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 4:11). Our spiritual gifts don't originate with us and are not to be used in our own strength or for selfish purposes. If Christ's desciples couldn't accomplish the assignment He gave them without the Holy Spirit empowerment, neither can we. But as He guides, trains, and equips us, God's work is accomplished through us.

Fourth, always remember that the work is the Lord's, and we are stewards of the spiritual gifts He entrusts to us (1 Peter 4:10). God has chosen to accomplish His work on earth through the church as we each employ our gifts. No matter how little we think we have to offer, the Lord wants us to make ourselves available to Him for service. We should never underestimate what He can do in our lives. He has the power to open doors of opportunity and provide all the resources we need to succeed. As the Spirit moves in our hearts to reveal needs and empowers us to respond according to the gifts He has given us, we accomplish His will.

I'd like you to consider how precious your spiritual gifting is. Your gifts were specially chosen for you by the Lord. But like any gift, they must be opened and used in order to benefit from them. Nothing will give you a greater sense of community and purpose than investing yourself in God's work for the good of others.

                                                        Prayerfully yours,

                                                        Charles F. Stanley

PS: September is a wonderful time for new beginnings. As activities pick up after the slower days of summer, it's time to set priorities and goals. Here at In Touch, we truly appreciate the privilege to minister to you, and we pray that the Lord will equip and strengthen you to joyfully serve Him. If you're not certain where your spiritual gifts lie, I encourage you to pray that the Lord would reveal them to you. You may also find it beneficial to discuss the matter with your local pastor.