It is Friday, Day 5! Have you learned anything or thought any more about your spiritual gifts? There is still time to complete your Spiritual Gift Inventory online! If you haven't done your inventory, then get to it before you read today's devotion! Here is the link again...
As bad as I hate to admit this, Day 5 of our 40 Day journey to get our lives in SHAPE both physically and spiritually has me thinking a lot about Baskin Robbins ice cream. I know...I know...I have a problem. No wonder my SHAPE is round. But seriously, Baskin Robins is a great place because in that one store, you can sample 31 different kinds of ice cream! I'm sure heaven will one day be like that, but without the calories. While you are sampling all 31 flavors did you realize that each of them have one thing in common? You guessed it! While each flavor is different, each is still ice cream.
Churches have lots of flavors too! God designed it that way because God loves variety. Just walk around and look at people and you will discover just how much God loves variety. Likewise, God created you with a SHAPE to use to serve Him and others through our church. Each of us has a different and unique SHAPE. This is certainly true when it comes to our spiritual gifts. Even on our church staff there are a variety of spiritual gifts and not one of us has the same SHAPE profile. Still, God puts us together and as a team we are able to do the work of the Lord so as to build up the church.
This same principle is true in your Sunday School class, Wednesday Bible study group, choir section, or any other small group you are in with other believers. What makes our staff effective and what will make your small group effective is exercising and using your spiritual gifts along with everyone else. Don't wait on others! You begin using your spiritual gifts today.
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Today's Prayer:
Dear God, Thank for loving variety and for the gifts you have given to me. Help me be a good steward of these gifts so that I might help my small group(s) be more effective in ministering to others, as well as bringing glory to you. Amen. |
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Dr. Clay Hallmark is the pastor of First Baptist Church of Marion, Arkansas. Click here to read his latest blog post.
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