 Memory Verse: "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms." 1 Peter 4:10 It is the third week of diving into God's word and studying the bible about gifts from God. The first week we studied the gift of Grace and how we receive this gift from God by doing absolutely nothing to receive it. What a gift! Then last week, our second week of this bible study, we read about the gift of the Holy Spirit. In the beginning of this study in the intro, I mentioned that you will see how one gift is tied to another gift that is tied to another gift. That is exactly what we will see this week in reference to the Spiritual Gifts. The Spiritual Gifts are manifestations from the Holy Spirit and they are for the body of Christ. They are gifts from the gift of the Holy Spirit. They are not natural manifestations but rather supernatural manifestations from the Holy Spirit. We will dive into I Corinthians 12:1-31. Here we will see what are the 9 spiritual gifts, how are they distributed, the proper use of the gifts, and can I receive these gifts. Let's get started! Monday READ: Let's start by reading all of 1 Corinthians 12:1-31. Try not to rush. Let these scriptures marinate within us. Read it first in your bible then read it two other times in two other translations like The Message, The Amplified Bible, NKJV, NASB, NLT, or NIV. Circle or make note of the spiritual gifts that are mentioned in these scriptures. DISCUSS: For this week, I want to do our discussion in the comment section of this post. I will not make a topic in the forum although I really enjoyed discussing in the forum the last two weeks. So below let's start the discussion by talking about the different spiritual gifts and what are you hoping to understand from God this week about spiritual gifts. See you in the comment section of this post :) WRITE: Write your memory verse, 1 Peter 4:10 on several index cards and place around your home, car, office, and commit it to memory this week. (I will post Tuesday's post tomorrow and so on this week instead of post them all at one time.) Tuesday READ: 1 Corinthians 14:1-25 In these verses let's answer the following question: Am I supposed to want these spiritual gifts? DISCUSS: Let's meet in the comment section and answer this question and give our thoughts on the answer along with which gift is to be desired (v.14:1)? Which gift, if not balanced with another gift, does not edify the church body (v14:4). Which gift edifies the church (v.14:4)? What is the balance and unity of having both tongues and prophecy gifts in the church (v. 14:13-17)? Wednesday READ: 2 Timothy 1:6 AND 1 Timothy 4:14 DISCUSS: What does God want us to do with the gifts inside of us? How can we do what He wants us to do? What are we not to do? I'll meet you in the comment section of this post to discuss this. Thursday Before doing Thursday's bible study if you have not read the comments for this blog post you may consider reading the comments first which will give you a better understand of our study for today :) REFLECT: Has there ever been a prophetic word spoken over you? Think about what was said? Do you know which gift you have from God? PRAY: Use the majority of your bible study time today to pray about the gifts in you. Talk to God about the word that was spoken over you if you received a prophecy in the past. Ask God to help you fan into the flame of your gift/s. Ask and thank God for making it crystal clear as to what gifts He is giving you. Spend your bible study time praying and receiving from Him today. Give Him your complete self. Give Him your mind, your hands, your feet, your mouth, your ears for His service. Let's press in and let God do a work in us.
15 Comments
Did you see the nine spiritual gifts from the Holy Spirit? Word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, gifts of healings, gift of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, gift of tongues, interpretation of tongues.
Amanda
12/8/2014 08:01:24 pm
I went to a Christian Private School for K-12. At this school and the church it was associated with it was enforced that if you did not speak in tongues, then your walk with God was not right and you were not really a Christian. It was very frowned upon when a prayer was being said, or in a weekly chapel worship service if you were not speaking in tongues. So, in reality there were a lot of children that faked speaking in tongues to avoid any reprimanding, and some even believed just mouthing a bunch of noise was actually speaking in tongues. This passage of Scripture was so important to me in my college years in seeking clarification on some of the indoctrination I had received over 13 years. No doubt, we should desire all spiritual gifts from the Holy Spirit. However, He gives us the gifts we are specifically made for, we equipped for, or He knows we will use for serving. Never should anyone be looked down upon for not having any one certain gift. We should encourage and help each other to discover our own gifts, be thankful for the ones we are given, and amazed at how we all work together in what Paul describes as "one body". I think another important question is whether or not we are using our gifts to strengthen the body as a whole.
Amanda, isn't "enforced" the very opposite of who our God is? That is what I really love about God; He meets us where we are. He GENTLY and LOVINGLY guides us or shows us the ways of the Lord. I love what you said below,
Amanda
12/8/2014 08:09:28 pm
I'm sorry, I should have clarified the passage of Scripture I was referring to is 1 Corinthians 14:1-25.
Kimi, me too! Once I was in-filled with the Holy Spirit I was hungry for all of what He had. I wanted to move in wisdom, knowledge, faith, healings, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues. I get caught up on 1 Corinthians 12:11, "It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have."
Did anyone catch what it says in I Corinthians 12:31?
Amanda
12/9/2014 08:09:49 pm
To me, the Scriptures in 1 & 2 Timothy are saying that we can't neglect or not use our gifts. We need to grow in them, become strong in them, and use them to serve others. I like to read out of a NLT Parallel Study Bible. The cross reference for the Wednesday scriptures is 1 Peter 4:10-11. I thought the Life Application commentary was good and wanted to share. It states, "Our abilities should be faithfully used in serving others; none for our own exclusive enjoyment. Some people, well aware of their abilities, believe that they have the right to use their abilities as they please. Others feel they have no special talents at all. Peter addresses both groups in these verses...Even as you seek to discover your gifts, if you see a need in church, seek to meet it. You may find gifts in areas you may not have guessed."
I agree, Amanda, we must grow in our gifts. We cannot receive a spiritual gift from God and just put it on a shelf to collect dust. The gift is no good on the shelf. God has reminded me recently to take that gift and use it. Dust it off and use the gift He has given me.
Rebecca
12/9/2014 09:10:23 pm
This life is about people...loving people, extending God's love to those around us. Paul says it so perfectly in 1 Cor. 13:1-3. We can think we are this super Christian that knows it all and does it all, but if we are not loving others, it is all worth nothing. I believe that God is calling us to raise the bar in loving others. I will be the first to say that I need to work on this in my life. In this world that is consumed with materialism, we need to remember that it's only people that are going to heaven. I am challenging myself to be more intentional on loving those that The Lord has placed in my life. So, above all, the gift I desire most, the more excellent way, is LOVE!
Rebecca
12/9/2014 09:29:49 pm
We are to stir up the gift or gifts within us that God has given us. Or as the NLT version says, fan into flames the spiritual gift God has given you. We have to spend time cultivating what The Lord has given us. Just as a muscle will not grow if it is not used or worked out, and a plant will not grow if it is not watered. 2 Tim. 1:6 says to "put thee in remembrance" or remind yourself of the gift you have been given. 1 Tim. 4:14 says not to neglect the spiritual gift you have received.
I needed all of this too. I had a prophetic word spoken over me years ago and I have always held onto that word, embraced the gift that was spoken and actually walked it out a few times and have seen God move but recently I believe that God wants me to really stir up this gift. That's where I am now..... it is time to stir up the gift that God has given me!
Sarah
12/10/2014 11:32:06 pm
Almost 20 years ago a prophetic word was spoken over me. That was a long time ago,and many,many struggles ago. And no matter what I went through,even a time of backslidding, I still held on to that word! And oh how I questioned it as well!! Has anyone else ever done that? Question the prophecy that was spoken over you,or the person who spoke it,especially when it had been so long and you see no way it would come to pass? I Timothy 1:18 "Timothy,my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you , so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well.19. holding on to faith and a good conscience which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. I love that! Suffered shipwreck to the faith! Paul instructed Timothy to hold on to that prophecy,hold on and guard that gift given to you! To "fan it into flame"...WOW! But in a final charge to Timothy as in I Timothy 6:11 But you, man of God, flee from all this ( in the verses before Paul was speaking out against all kinds of nasty things that can corrupt the believer) and pursue righteousness,godliness,faith,love,endurance and gentleness. Notice he didn't say pursue your gift,or pursue your prophecy,that was allready given to him, but to pursue these things. Because without these things the gift,the prophecy is nothing. Pursue these things,love,righteousness.. but fan into flame the gift of God which is in YOU. I think so many times it's easy to get that backwards,right? And so many do,they want to pursue the things of God,but neglect the very things that make our testimony proven. We think how can God really use me? He can use me through prophecy,through speaking in tongues,having a vision, but the ONE way that never fails ,the ONE way ,the "more excellent way" is through love. Leave a Reply. |
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Wife, Mother, Adoption Advocate, Writer, IllustratorWho am I? Galatians 2:20 does a great job of summing up who I am. My life is His, the One who loves me and gave Himself for me . In return, I want to be all He wants me to be and do all He wants me to do on this side of Heaven. 
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