Your Gift, God's Glory!

"As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 4:10-11

I love that the Word of God is living and active! I'm pretty sure I've never heard this verse before... but then again I know I have! But I love how new and applicable things can become as our circumstances change! God knows exactly what we're going to need, when we're going to need it, and He gives us the exact words of comfort, encouragement or conviction that are necessary for that moment.

Peter reminds us that we've all been gifted in different ways, as Paul talks about in Romans 12, and that those gifts are to be used FOR GOD'S GLORY! "...so that in all things God may be glorified through Christ Jesus, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."

Yeah! I'll "Amen!" to that! What an awesome concept... and yet so fundamental. To live our lives for Christ, since He lived and died for us. Let's look again at the example of Christ. Because, to say that He lived and died for us is not the entirety of why He came. Christ came to live a life that honored and glorified God. In the process of honoring and glorifying His Father, Christ also had the purpose of being the perfect sacrifice for our sins. So, just as Christ lived with the focus of glorifying His Father, so we should live!

So... what's your gift? Are you a master of the written word? of the spoken word? of one of the arts? Are you a minister to those who are troubled in spirit? Whatever your gift is... you have been given it for a reason! God made you, who you are, for a purpose... be sure that you use your gifts wisely. Don't let the chance of being a part of the eternal pass you by because you're so caught up in how your talent/gifting can serve you for the here-and-now! Don't misunderstand me... our gifting can usually be quite a profitable opportunity for us... but we cannot think of them as such. We MUST use them to God's glory! However, look at this part of the verse again...

"...whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies..."

This can also be applied to an area in which God has put you, as an employee or employer. So, don't misunderstand me in thinking that our gifts are never to be used for our personal gain, but the FOCUS must be on bringing God ALL of the glory. If being the best employee in your entire workforce is the way that God has given you to be a witness, then go for it! Be the best employee, but at the same time... give God the glory! Be a light in your workplace and don't let the corporate ladder take more precedence in your life than reaching the lost co-workers around you.

I may have made this whole thing more confusing than it needed to be! You may have already figured this our for yourselves. However, I will continue to proclaim the goodness of my Savior and the things which He reveals to me, through His Word!

Friends, I encourage you to take hold of that gift which God has so richly blessed you with... and use it as a sacrifice of praise and honor, back to Him!

Grace and Peace!

Questions or Comments? E-mail me at afflquestions@yahoo.com .