Thought of the Day May 10, 2019 Difference between ministry and gift
As we reflect on the various gifts of the Holy Spirit that God has poured upon us, we need to make a distinction between ministering in one of the gifts and exercising that gift. Even though I know that some people will not agree with me, but if we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we have all the gifts of the Spirit at our disposal. We may not use any or all the gifts, but like our muscles they are available to us. We don't use at the same time all the electrical power in our house, but our house is fully empowered.
The same is not true about ministering in the gifts. Though I have, by the grace of God, the gift of healing, I have not been called by God into the ministry of healing. Jesus was the exception, of course. He had the ministry of healing, of being a prophet, the ministry of teaching etc. For the rest of us, we may have one or two ministries in which God has called us to exercise, but we have the availability of all the gifts for the building up of the Body of Christ.
At times I exercise the gift of healing, at another time the gift of prophesy, or the gift of teaching, or discernment. But I have the ministry of pastoring.
Why has God gifted us with these various gifts of his Spirit? They are for the service of others, not to point to me but to God. Pray that God would stir up the gifts he has given you, so that when he gives you the divine appointment to exercise a gift for the service of others, you will act in faith and in love and not miss that grace moment. Come, Holy Spirit, come!
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