Friday January 28, 2011
Theme: Rethink: Serving
Weekend Music links on iTunes: All to You - Lincoln Brewster, Today is the Day - Lincoln Brewster, Hosanna - Hillsong, I Will Follow - Chris Tomlin
Read: John 3:3, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4:16
Think: On our spiritual “birthday” (see John 3:3) we receive the Holy Spirit and His gifts. (see Ephesians 4:7-16, 1 Corinthians 12). God gives gifts to each of us, allowing us to serve in our own unique ways.
We have no need for inferiority complexes or jealousy of other believers as being more gifted. We are all gifted children of God and our gifts are needed by the church and the kingdom.
The Holy Spirit’s role is to build the body of Christ, and He knows exactly what our part of the body (Timberlake Church) needs to grow up to maturity. He has provided all that we need. Our role is to recognize our gifts and put them to work to the best of our ability.
There is a great moment in the classic movie Chariots of Fire, in which Eric Lidell, a gold medal winning runner, explains his passion for his sport. He runs, he tells his sister, because God created him fast, and when he is running he can feel God’s pleasure. My experience has been that when we are working in our God given gifts, like Eric Lidell, we too can “feel His pleasure”. It’s easy, it flows, and it’s incredibly fulfilling.
Do: Thank God for the unique way he has gifted you to serve. Consider some new ways you can put your gifts to use to serve god.
Pray: Father, thank you for giving me Your gifts. Help me to know them, love them and use them for You in service to the body of Christ.
The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.