Gifting and Identity from 11/14/09

The main topic last night was “how are we gifted?” which led into the importance of our identity and knowing who we are.  We focused mostly on what are often referred to as the personal or redemptive gifts that we have received from Father God.  These gifts affect how we live our everyday lives, at some level they correlate with who we are and give us insight into why we do some things certain ways. We need to be careful not let our realization of our gift get us stuck in a box, or use it as an excuse for poor behavior (all of the gifts have pitfalls).  What tends to happen is that in some cases we
have preconceived ideas of what certain gifts should look like, and that can steer us away.  We need to remember that the gift is from the Father and He will work the gift out in you how He needs it and will line up with who you are. Another caution is we look at some gifts and consider some of them to
be greater or lesser that the others and that can effect how we look at the gift, well they are all equally important and needed in the Body of Christ, each has its own special purpose. When we get a firm grasp of what these gifts are instead of boxing us in it should be setting us free and launching us
further into our destiny.

For anyone that interested here is the Scripture reference for these gifts:

Romans 12:3-13 (NASB)

 ³For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. ⁴For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, ⁵so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. ⁶Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; ⁷if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; ⁸or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. ⁹Let love be without hypocrisy Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; ¹¹not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; ¹²rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, ¹³contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.