YOU'RE A GIFTED CHILD!

SCRIPTURE

1 Corinthians 12:27-31a (NRSV)

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But strive for the greater gifts.

DEVOTION

Every single night when I pray I ask God to make me healthy, happy, holy and holy with spiritual gifts and talents that can be used to glorify God, edify The Church, and horrify the enemy!

In the twelfth chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul adamantly makes the argument that all Christians are given spiritual gifts from God and that all gifts are to be appreciated and that no gift is too small to bring God glory!

It seems to me, that as Christians, we are sometimes guilty of celebrating some gifts and ignoring others. It is usually the visible gifts that lead to ministries like pastoring, preaching, and evangelizing that are uplifted, whilst invisible gifts such as the gifts of helps, grace, mercy, or forgiveness go virtually unnoticed.

Dear ones, this is a shame! This is why Paul reminds us that all of our gifts work together, just as all of the parts of our bodies work together! I would hazard to guess that there is not one amongst us that would elect to cut off our pinkie finger because it does not seem all that important.

In the same way that we value even the smallest of our body parts, we ought to esteem all of the people--visible and invisible--who work diligently for Jesus within the Body of Christ.

I believe that it is time for us to say thank you to the person who cleans the church by taking out the trash, washing the windows, and sanitizing the bathrooms. It is time to uplift the person who makes the tea, cooks the fellowship meal, and scrubs the dishes afterward. It is time for us to remember the person who silently prays in the midnight hour, offers a listening ear to the pastor, and/or plays basketball with the neighborhood youth!

Each of these "unsung heroes" of the faith make it possible--in some form or fashion--for the good news to go forth unencumbered within their spheres of influence.

Because of their selfless, faithful, and invisible actions, someone is able to hear the good news message that God loves all of us so much that God gave Jesus to die on the cross to save us from our sin and gift us with eternal life!

My friends, it is time to examine ourselves. If we have been making excuses regarding why we have not been actively using our God-given spiritual gifts and talents to share the good news, the gig is up!

God is saying to us today, "You are a gifted child!"

Each of us is uniquely made to give God glory in a way particular to ourselves. God needs--and wants--us to use our gifts to share love and good news within our spheres of influence!

No matter how big or small, young or old, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, male or female, white or brown we may be, GOD's Spirit has given us gifts and talents to be used to share good news with your family, friends, colleagues, neighbors, and even your enemies!

You are a gifted child! Will you put your gifts to work for Jesus? If so, please pray with me:

God, I confess that I have been hiding my gifts from the Body of Christ! I want to bring them out into the open. You have gifted me to be good at so many things; please show me how I can utilize my gifts to share the good news that Jesus saves and He saves to the utmost! If you can use anything, Lord, you can use me! I love you and I want to share our love with others. I pray this in Jesus' Name, Amen.


DISCOVER YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS

If you would like discover some of your spiritual gifts, please Google "Spiritual Gifts Inventory" and choose an inventory that appeals to you. Most "tests" are approximately 140 questions and should help you to broadly discover how you might use your spiritual gifts and talents to share good news!






ANNOUNCEMENTS

BRING PASTOR YOLANDA TO YOUR HOME TOWN--Would you like to invite Pastor Yolanda Lehman to come speak or preach at your church or Christian ministry event? Please use the form to the right. Once you click “submit” your information will be privately conveyed to her email address! Pastor Yolanda is available for church anniversaries, pastoral appreciations, women’s day, missionary day, retreats, revivals, conferences, and so much more! Fill out the form to the right to get onto her preaching or teaching schedule!

LISTEN TO PASTOR YOLANDA’S SERMONS ONLINE--To listen to audio recordings of Pastor Yolanda's Sunday sermons, please visit http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/57814 or click the widget to the right on this page!

PUT ALL OF YOUR HOPE IN JESUS--If you have additional questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, "Come to Jesus"
http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com/2009/03/come-to-jesus.html

Pastor Yolanda is now publishing another blog entitled, “A Spoken WORD” in celebration of Holy Hip Hop, Gospel/Christian Rap and Spoken Word. Please check it out @ http://aspokenword.blogspot.com/

You are invited to follow Pastor Yolanda on Twitter www.twitter.com/PastorYolanda

You are invited to be Pastor Yolanda’s friend on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PastorYolanda

Good News has now added a Prayer Ministry. http://www.kindlejoy.com/groups/goodnews

You are invited to leave comments or questions regarding today’s devotional. These comments are public.

EACH ONE--REACH ONE! To share GOOD NEWS with a friend please click the "Share With Friends" button to the right!

Thanks for reading and please come again. Pastor Yolanda extends a very special welcome to all of our friends reading outside of the United States of America! We are honored that you are sharing with us today.

From Pastor Yolanda's blog http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com

COME TO ME AND NEVER BE HUNGRY!

SCRIPTURE

1 Corinthians 11:27-34 (NRSV)

Discerning the body of Christ

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord. Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For all who eat and drink without discerning the body, eat and drink judgment against themselves. For this reason many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

So then, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. If you are hungry, eat at home, so that when you come together, it will not be for your condemnation. About the other things I will give instructions when I come.

DEVOTION

Today, Paul is giving instructions to the church at Corinth regarding how to observe The Lord’s Supper in a holy way. It seems that in Corinth some people were having trouble partaking in a way that truly honored and remembered Jesus’ sacrifice.

Instead of coming to the table humble and repentant, they came greedy and selfish, eating up all the bread and drinking up all of the wine until they were drunk!

In response to this poor behavior, Paul instructed the people to eat at home and examine oneself prior to coming to the Holy Communion table.

In my tradition prior to inviting people to partake of the bread and wine of communion, we invite everyone assembled to ask God for the forgiveness of our sin.

We know that the Bible teaches us that God loves us so much that God gave Jesus to die on the cross to save us from our sin and gift us with eternal life! We know that Jesus instructed His disciples to eat bread and drink wine—as often as they came together--in remembrance of Him.

Isn’t that an awesome request? Jesus asked us to remember Him. But, what is it that we are supposed to remember?

I think Jesus wants us to remember we are loved, cherished, and protected by God’s Amazing Grace! I think Jesus wants us to remember that he died and rose again just as He promised in order to make reparation for our sin and make provision for our eternal life! I think Jesus wants us to remember that we can’t out sin, out fox, or out run the love of God which is revealed to us in Christ Jesus!

I don’t know about you, but I truly want to remember those things! As we come to the Holy Communion table to partake of the Lord’s Supper I don’t want to be thinking about how hungry or thirsty I am. I don’t want to be worrying about whether “Sally” is getting a bigger piece of bread than me. I don’t want to be musing about a fight I had with a loved one.

Instead, I want to come to the Lord’s Supper secure in God’s unconditional love and amazing grace! I want to be at peace with God and at peace with my neighbors. I want to examine myself, confess my sin, receive God’s forgiveness, remember Jesus’ death and resurrection, and then eat and drink with great joy!

It is so awesome that Jesus gave us the Holy Communion so that we can remember Him! As we think of the body and blood of Jesus—again and again—we are compelled to retell the GOOD NEWS story over and over again!

As we boldly declare, “Christ has died! Christ has risen! Christ will come again!,” our GOOD NEWS message goes out into the entire world! As we remember JESUS, we tell our family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors that “Jesus saves and He saves to the utmost!”

Now, ain’ta that good news?!!

Will you remember God love for you and Jesus’ death and resurrection on the cross this day? If so, please pray with me:

Holy One, thank you for loving me so much! Thank you for Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Thank you for the forgiveness of my sin and the sure gift of eternal life. Please forgive me of my sin and fill me with the Holy Spirit. I want to live in the Light of Jesus, remembering his death a and resurrection until He comes again! Help me to share this GOOD NEWS story with others. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

BRING PASTOR YOLANDA TO YOUR HOME TOWN--Would you like to invite Pastor Yolanda Lehman to come speak or preach at your church or Christian ministry event? Please use the form to the right. Once you click “submit” your information will be privately conveyed to her email address! Pastor Yolanda is available for church anniversaries, pastoral appreciations, women’s day, missionary day, retreats, revivals, conferences, and so much more! Fill out the form to the right to get onto her preaching or teaching schedule!

LISTEN TO PASTOR YOLANDA’S SERMONS ONLINE--To listen to audio recordings of Pastor Yolanda's Sunday sermons, please visit http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/57814 or click the widget to the right on this page!

PUT ALL OF YOUR HOPE IN JESUS--If you have additional questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, "Come to Jesus"
http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com/2009/03/come-to-jesus.html

Pastor Yolanda is now publishing another blog entitled, “A Spoken WORD” in celebration of Holy Hip Hop, Gospel/Christian Rap and Spoken Word. Please check it out @ http://aspokenword.blogspot.com/

You are invited to follow Pastor Yolanda on Twitter www.twitter.com/PastorYolanda

You are invited to be Pastor Yolanda’s friend on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PastorYolanda
Good News has now added a Prayer Ministry. http://www.kindlejoy.com/groups/goodnews

You are invited to leave comments or questions regarding today’s devotional. These comments are public.

EACH ONE--REACH ONE! To share GOOD NEWS with a friend please click the "Share With Friends" button to the right!

Thanks for reading and please come again. Pastor Yolanda extends a very special welcome to all of our friends reading outside of the United States of America! We are honored that you are sharing with us today.

From Pastor Yolanda's blog http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com