Stir Up Your Gifts

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline
When you use the gifts God has given you, you will find that God will give you the power you need. The power of the Holy Spirit can help you overcome any fear of what some might say or do to you, so that you can continue to do God’s work. (from Life Application Study Bible)

Father, help me not to give in to timidity, but to stir up the gift You have given me. Thank You for giving me a spirit of power, love, and discipline. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

Since every person possesses different abilities and spiritual gifts, the body of Christ can fully function only when everyone takes advantage of what God has given them. 

Romans 12:6 tells us, "And since we have different gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us exercise them accordingly.  Society may favor certain talents, but they might not suit us as individuals. By failing to look at a gift's true value, we not only cheat ourselves, but we cheat God as well. 

"Isn't He, the Potter, greater than you, the jars He makes?" asks Isaiah 29:16 (Living Bible). "Will you say to Him, 'He did not make us'? Does a machine call its inventor dumb?" God has created us for a purpose¬we should follow the direction He lays out.

Each of us should be content with what God has given and exult in our own uniqueness. "Now there are varieties of gifts," Paul said to the Corinthians, "but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons" (1 Corinthians 12:4-6).

1 Peter 4:10 ESV 

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:

Move Forward with Hope

Joyce Meyers tells us, "Become prisoners of Hope"...

Oral Roberts used to open his weekly broadcast with these lyrics:

Something good is going to happen to you,
happen to you,
this very day
Something good is going to happen to you,
Jesus of Nazareth is passing your way.

in John 33:16  Jesus says, I tell you these things that in Me you will be at peace...In this world you will have trials and tribulations...take heart, I have overcome this world.

Paul emphasized the importance of managing our thoughts, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).

Paul emphasized this principle of positive thoughts when he penned, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, what is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things” (Philippians 4:8).

Prayer is part of the formula that causes new thinking to stick in the form of faith.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6).hi

To Him Be the Glory

When you feel shut out or isolated, remember that you can never be lost to God’s love. As Paul mentioned, your “roots” go down deep into God’s love. You can never be uprooted. He tenderly tends your soil and waters you by his Word. The mud of discouragement may leave you feeling stuck for a time. But God’s presence through the Spirit can pull you out of the depths of despair.

There is an inexhaustible fullness of grace and mercy in God, which the prayers of all the saints can never draw dry. Whatever we may ask, or think to ask, still God is still able to do more, abundantly more, exceedingly abundantly more. Amen. So be it; and so it will certainly be.
from Matthew Henry's Commentary.

Who Is The Real Enemy?

Acts 15:36-41

37-41 Barnabas wanted to take John along, the John nicknamed Mark. But Paul wouldn’t have him; he wasn’t about to take along a quitter who, as soon as the going got tough, had jumped ship on them in Pamphylia. Tempers flared, and they ended up going their separate ways: Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus; Paul chose Silas and, offered up by their friends to the grace of the Master, went to Syria and Cilicia to build up muscle and sinew in those congregations.

...excerpts from This Day's Thought Jan.18, 2015   
When Good Men Disagree  by Jimmy Chapman

Disagreements between people are going to happen. It’s human nature to disagree with one another at times because we are different people! We are made out of the same stuff, dirt, but we are different people in spirit, attitude, thinking, etc.

The cause was greater than their disagreement.

They did not NURSE their disagreement.  Nursing your hurt will only cause you to become bitter. Bitter people lose their zeal and zest.

They did not REHEARSE their disagreements

They did not gossip about it or spread it among others.

Sometimes God in His grace (and in His sense of humor) throws us together with people who grate against us in order to sandpaper our rough edges.

Let’s face it. I don’t need patience, forbearance, gentleness, and kindness when the other person sees everything my way! I don’t need to learn to deny myself when the other person thinks that I’m a wonderful guy.

But when there is a clash, God often confronts me with my selfishness and stubbornness. If I submit to Him and don’t bail out of the difficult relationship, He will use it to develop those Christlike qualities in me.

Who is the real enemy? The person you are having a clash with is not your enemy nor your adversary.

The British admiral, Lord Nelson, once came on deck and found two of his officers quarreling. He whirled them around, pointed to the enemy ships, and exclaimed, “Gentlemen, there are your enemies!”

ReNew

I Make All Things New

The Christmas Story

Luke 1:26-38

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.

Luke 2:4-7

Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Transformed into a makeshift cradle by some hay, the manger was the first bed for the baby Jesus, wearing basically what we would call rags.  Can you imagine the scene?  Joseph and Mary are only semi-indoors with their newborn baby wrapped in rags, lying in a feed trough surrounded by the foul stench of barnyard animals.  In this manner the Kings of Kings and Lord of Lords was born into the world.

Luke 2:25-35

And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

“Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word;
For my eyes have seen Your salvation
Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”

And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Step Out in Faith

It may be that for a long time you have had upon your mind some strong impression of duty; but you have held back, because you could not see what the next step would be.  Hesitate no longer.  Step out upon what seems to be the impalpable mist: you will find a solid rock beneath your feet; and every time you put your foot forward, you will find that God has prepared a stepping-stone, and the next, and the next- each as you come to it.  The bread is by the day.  The manna is new every morning.  He does not give us all the directions at once lest we should get  

F. B. Meyer

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

  We have to pray for discernment on when to fight the compulsion to act when we are supposed to let go and let God, and we have to pray for the courage to step out on faith knowing that God will carry us two more steps