As I sit in my family room on this warm toasty day I think of what God has given me from the time I started growing in him. The more I serve him the more of him I receive. He has gifted me with gifts only he could place within me.

Your probably asking: how can she say that so strongly? I am not a person who felt in anyway I had it made as a Christian. Not the least, I am surrendered to the cause of Jesus Christ that reveals to me he uses me in various ways.

How? Well, for some reason I can be in total strange company and out of my mouth will come the truth about Jesus. I cannot describe how many times God has enabled my mouth to share his salvation. But He has done it! It sure isn’t me for I am very shakey when it comes to talking to total strangers or even in front of crowds. Then there are times when God places on my heart a promise for someone and I claim it for them and share it. They usually will say, “that is exactly what I needed.” God did it again. There have been times in my life where the Holy Spirit spoke clearly to me and said: escape this is not good company to keep.” I literally would get up and leave to find out later why God has instructed me to leave. The gift of discernment is a gift that has made me see truth where error was being proclaimed or lies told. It gets me to pray more and seek the truth God is trying to reveal. Then the gift I felt never would be part of my life is teaching. I remember speaking in my heart to God and saying: “Lord do you know what you are asking?” “Do you see how dumb I am and I don’t know a thing like my Sunday School teacher’s etc.?”

Needless to say: God called me to teach his word. See he was preparing me long before I knew it. I was always feverishly searching the scriptures and reading and asking why Lord? A devotional life was important to me. Praying for help through the scripture was a regular drive in me. I have not reached perfection at all, I do not know all the scripture truths to behold, I am unworthy of this gift but God has searched my heart and I responded with a yes.

I praise God for using me in my life. I praise him because he took a nobody and taught me to study to show myself approved of God.

“Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.” I Corinthians 14:12

The greatest purpose of the gift’s are to edify and build up the church. Yes, the scripture is speaking to us as God’s children. Don’t build self up but build up the church. Encourage, teach, preach, help, serve, host, invite, heal, restore, reconcile, help with handling the truth correctly, point people to Jesus and lead others to salvation in Jesus Christ.

“For I say, through the grace given unto me; to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” Romans 12:3

God is saying: let me use you with the gift I have imparted in you when you came to my Son Jesus Christ. I will direct you how to use it for my glory.

Romans 12 is a wonderful chapter on our service to God. We must present our lives as living sacrifices for his service. In other words, we have to be alive in Jesus to be used in our world to proclaim and help one another.