Everyone Has The Ability To Serve | Pastor Tim Wilcox

The Open Door Church 337

Message: Peter is talking about the sufferings of the world and brings in spiritual gifts. Why don't we get involved? We know our flaws and mistakes.

[04:16-08:20 Tim Wilcox's Testimony - God had a purpose]

There's a lot of labor that goes into running a church, but there's also spiritual gifts. Spiritual gifts are given to everyone who is a believer, to minister the grace of God to others. Ask yourself, "what does it mean to serve?" God has a plan for you. He wants to use you where you are with plans He has for you. We can look in the mirror and not believe who God says we are, because of our strength and weaknesses. The weaknesses are for our reliance on others. Find people in your life who you can be open and honest with, so they can place strengths around you. We as stewards of God's grace, will give an account for our lives before God for the abilities He has given us. The gifts are to show how good God is in our lives, resulting in joy. If there's no joy, you need to reflect on your reason for serving. Don't misunderstand the grace of God, it's Jesus doing everything and we just respond to Him.

1 Peter 4:11 is an overview of spiritual gifts, citing two categories, speaking and serving. Everything can be grouped into these two, one is upfront and the other is going on behind the scenes, respectively. God wants the glory. He has given you all these things in Jesus Christ for the His kingdom. The saying goes,"It doesn't matter who gets the credit as long as God gets the glory." We surrender and ask Him to control us, relying on the Holy Spirit to guide us; it's a continuous process. It's an opportunity to live out the love of God, to live out His praises and His love. Use your gifts for the glory of God.

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:7-11 "But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen." - NKJV