Sunday, November 13, 2011

Spiritual Gifts, Discernment, Prophecy & Service

Waking up with the feeling that I want to be of greater service to God urgently on my mind is a daily occurrence.  And immediately comes the notion that it also means being of greater service the world in some way, whatever that means.  I'm often irritated with myself that this obsession, this vocation, is so persistently in my daily awareness, even though the specific details are so elusive to me.  Every day, I ask God for more specific information and a laid out plan, but it evades me. 

So I decided to go back to the basics, prayer, reading the bible and meditation.  Today's readings came through loud and clear.  We all have gifts, and most of us are either clueless what the are, resentful to a point of resistance or doubtful that we have any gifts at all...can anyone relate?  In Joyce Meyer's book "Hearing from God Each Morning: 365 Daily Devotions," she discusses the Gift of Prophecy.  1 Corinthians 14:1 says "Follow the way of Love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy." Verse 3 continues "Everyone who prophecies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort." 

And 1 Corinthians 12: 1-11 says, "To each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.  To one person, there is given, through the (Holy) Spirit, the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another the gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in tongues.  All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He gives them to each one, just as He determines."

Whew, that's alot of gifting!  Randomly, every week, I text my teenage sons a simple message:  "YOU are a gift.  You are valuable.  You matter.  I love you."  And surprisingly, random people have mirrored the same message back to me at times when I least expect it.  Please know that you are gifted and A GIFT, you matter, you are valuable and are loved.  How can you go out and be a blessing to the world this week...using a gift that you have been given?  Please feel free to comment and let us know!

MiChelle Jeneen
Teacher, Energy Reader, Author

1 comment:

  1. Both of our spiritual gifts and natural talents must be employed in the power of the Holy Spirit and not in the self-energy of the flesh in order to please God In Christianity, spiritual gifts (or charismata) are endowments given by the Holy Spirit. These spiritual gifts are the supernatural graces which individual Christians need too...

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