Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ. – Ephesians 4:15
Moses felt inadequate to help rescue the Israelites from the Pharaoh’s bondage of slavery. All he could focus on was that he was not a good speaker and might embarrass himself and God. Even though the Lord reminded Moses it was He who equipped him with abilities, Moses pleaded with Him to let him out of his mission. Moses said, “Lord please! Send someone else!” God finally agreed to let his brother Aaron be his mouthpiece and Moses’ ministry began.
Within the body of Christ, God has given each follower different spiritual gifts. These include wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues, apostleship, teaching, helping, administration, leadership, exhortation, giving, and mercy. As His unique creations, Christians should not view their abilities with pride or boast about them. On the other hand, they should not be envious of others because of their different abilities. The Lord gives spiritual gifts to His children to build up His church. They flow from the Holy Spirit rather than from the individual.
Remember to use your gifts as an act of worship to the Lord and an act of service to His church. Prayerfully seek the leadership of the Holy Spirit to enable you to make a maximum contribution to a healthy, growing body of Christ. By doing so, you will please God and enable those in your community to work as He intended. Encourage others also to use their gifts to glorify the kingdom of God. As a result, the Church will have a positive impact on America’s local and national leaders.
Today’s Verse: Ephesians 4:15
Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: Romans 12:1-8; Ephesians 4:7-13
12 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it says,
“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
and he gave gifts to men.”
9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
