Tag Archives: Gifts

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on February 1, 2016
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Gifts of the Spirit — Rev. David J. Schreffler

 

Image result for pictures of gifts of the spirit'                     February 1, 2016

The theme I have selected for February are the different gifts of the Spirit that Paul speaks about in his various letters. Those gifts include:

Romans 12: prophesying, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leadership, and mercy. The list in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 includes the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in tongues and interpretation of tongues. The list in 1 Corinthians 12:28 includes healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

Considering spiritual gifts is a necessary exercise for everyone to undertake every so often. There are spiritual gifts inventories that you can find on the internet, and I highly recommend you complete one in 2016. Some inventories also give you examples of ways to utilize those gifts. But the most important thing to remember is this: the gifts we have are not ours, they are divinely given gifts given by the Spirit to be used as G-d desires. And the gifts we have today may not be the gifts we had ten years ago, and may not be the gifts we have ten years from now. But gifts are to be used, not hoarded. And, all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit are to work together, like the members of the body (as Paul so beautifully taught, 1 Corinthians 12:12) to produce the full working of the Spirit among the members of the church.

So, February will be about the gifts of the Spirit. Hopefully they will warm the heart and challenge the faith as we approach the season of Lent.
Pastor Dave

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on November 23, 2015
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Release The Gifts — Rev. David J. Schreffler

 

People release lanterns to celebrate the traditional Chinese Lantern Festival in Taipei...People release lanterns to celebrate the traditional Chinese Lantern Festival on the first full moon of Lunar New Year in Taipei county March 4, 2007. The lanterns are released in belief they will bring good luck and blessings. REUTERS/Richard Chung (TAIWAN)

November 23, 2015

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

“Our self-image is formed early on, based on feedback from parents, teachers and other authority figures—and changing it isn’t easy. It doesn’t come from inspiration (or perspiration), but from letting the Holy Spirit transform you. How? ‘By…renewing…your mind.’ Recalling when his boys were young, one preacher says they were playing with a toy lorry, complete with the sounds of grinding gears and roaring engines.

‘I didn’t pay much attention as I unwound from the day’s stresses. Distractedly, I glanced down and noticed the boys were now running an airplane down an imaginary runway. ‘What happened to the lorry?’ I asked. ‘Daddy, this is a transformer. It can be transformed into whatever we want!’ they explained.

God made the first transformer. He created man in such a way that He could pull a woman out of him. From one creative act God transformed the man into a marriage, the marriage into a family, and the family into a society. He never reached back into the ground again because the power to transform was intrinsically placed in man. All kinds of potential are locked into your spirit. And for the Christian, transformation at its optimum is the outworking of the internal. God placed certain things in you that must come out…and when you’re tired of trying to unlock your own resources, allow Him to release in you the power to become whatever you need to be.’‘ (LCC Daily Devotions, Let God Transform You – October 20, 2015)

“G*d placed certain things inside you that must come out.” We are protective of the gifts G*d has blessed us with. So often there a are people in the church who possess a certain gift, but something prevents them from sharing that gift. Sometimes they are prevented by their own fear of failure. Sometimes they are prevented by other’s fear of their success. And sometimes they are prevented because they do not believe their gifts will be welcomed. Every person has been blessed with their own unique gifts – gifts for ministry, gifts for leadership, gifts for organization, and gifts for just being present. And the gifts do not stop there – yet we hold these gifts inside to either protect them, or to protect ourselves. However, if we are willing to release the gifts to G*d, and put away the need to control our and other’s giftedness, we will find that the gifts of G*d are truly wanted and needed.

Pastor Dave