Through the Bible - Ecclesiastes 3-4, 2 Corinthians 11:1-15
Good morning,
For the last couple of days we've considered giving with 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 as our reference.
There is more to giving than just our finances. We are to give, sacrificially, of our talents and our time as well For today's verses we'll go back to Romans 12 which is probably more known for the "do not be conformed but be transformed" of verses 1 and 2. The passage as a whole is about sacrificial living.
The Amplified Bible will get us started with verse 6
Romans 12:6 Having gifts (faculties, talents, qualities) that differ according to the grace given us, let us use them:
Continuing from the NLT
Romans12: 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. NLT
We have all been given gifts, we need to be aware, sometimes learn what they are. To use them effectively we must realize: 1) that these gifts and abilities came from God, 2) realize that not everyone has the same gift(s); 3) realize who we are and know how we can serve best; 4) realize that we are to dedicate ourselves to God in using our gifts for Him and not for personal recognition/success; 5) realize that we are not to hold anything back, we are to use our talents, spend them generously. We are to "live out loud". Read some of the words from the Steven Curtis Chapman song:
Live Out Loud
Think about this…try to keep a bird from singing
After it's soared up in the sky
Give the sun a cloudless day and tell it not to shine
Now think about this…if we really have been given
The gift of a life that will never end
And if we have been filled with living hope we're gonna overflow
And if God's love is burning in our hearts we're gonna glow
There's just no way to keep it in
Everybody, come on
La la la…la la la la
La la la live out loud
After it's soared up in the sky
Give the sun a cloudless day and tell it not to shine
Now think about this…if we really have been given
The gift of a life that will never end
And if we have been filled with living hope we're gonna overflow
And if God's love is burning in our hearts we're gonna glow
There's just no way to keep it in
Everybody, come on
La la la…la la la la
La la la live out loud
Have you been "keeping it in"? If we've been filled with living hope, let it out, let it overflow. Follow the advice from Romans 12:9 which follows today's verses:
Rom 12:9 Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. NLT
In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace NIV
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace NIV
Rom 12:1-14
Living Sacrifices to God
12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Serve God with Spiritual Gifts
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
Behave Like a Christian
9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. NKJV
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