It's All A Gift!!

1 Corinthians 14:18 . . . I, too, thank God for the Gift of speaking in Tongues! Because, my prayer language is a continual reminder to me that from beginning to end and all in between this salvation journey is all a gift. It has zero to do with any of my own abilities. Actually, I, like Paul, glory in my weaknesses. Why? Because His Grace and power shows up best in my weakness.



2 Corinthians 12:9 & 10 -- I am glad to boast at how weak I am; I am glad to be a living demonstration of Christ's power, instead of showing off my own power and abilities.



It's all a Gift! All of it. 1 Corinthians 1:19 for God says, "I will destroy all human plans of salvation no matter how wise they seem to be, and ignore the best ideas of men, even the most brilliant of them." v24) God has opened the eyes of those called to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, to see that Christ is the mighty power of God to save them; Christ Himself is the center of God's wise plan for their salvation. v)25 This so-called "foolish" plan of God is far wiser than the wisest plan of the wisest man, and God in His weakness -- Christ dying on the cross -- is far stronger than any man. v26) Notice, among yourselves, dear brothers, that few of you who follow Christ have big names or power or wealth. v27) Instead, God has deliberately chosen to use ideas the world considers foolish and of little worth in order to shame those people considered by the world as wise and great. v28) He has chosen a plan despised by the world, counted nothing at all, and used it to bring down to nothing those the world considers great, v29) so that no one anywhere can ever brag in the presence of God.



v30) For it is from God alone that you have your life through Christ Jesus. He showed us God's plan of salvation; He was the One Who made us acceptable to God; He made us pure and holy and gave Himself to purchase our salvation. v31) As it says in the Scriptures, "If anyone is going to boast, let him boast only of what the Lord has done."



It's all a Gift! Salvation, justification, sanctification, fellowship with the Holy Spirit, the blessed Fruit of the Holy Spirit, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, walking in the Anointing of the Holy Spirit, the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and even the Callings are a Gift. Whatever measure of faith and grace He assigns us, whatever process of growth . . .to be content to just be His and trust His heart for you is a Gift.



1 Corinthians 12:4 -- Now God GIVES us many kinds of special abilities, but it is the same Holy Spirit Who is the Source of them all. v5) There are different kinds of services to God, but it is the same Lord we are serving. v6) There are many ways in which God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work in and through all of us who are His. The Holy Spirit displays God's power through each of us as a means of helping the entire Body.



It's all a Gift! And the Holy Spirit has fitted us all together into one Body . . . we have all been given the same Spirit. v15) If the foot says, "I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand," that does not make it any less a part of the body." . . . God has put each part, each one of us, where He wants us. v21) The eye can never say to the hand, "I don't need you." The head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you." v22) And some of the parts that seem weakest and least important are really the most necessary. . . .So God has put the body together in such a way that extra honor and care are given to those parts that might otherwise seem less important. v25) This makes for happiness among the parts, so that the parts have the same care for each other that they do for themselves.

I'm a big believer in "Body ministry."



It's a Gift! Each one of us is a separate and necessary part! And it's His decision which part we are. Herein lies contentment! This puts the "cabash" on that worldly spirit that promotes hierarchical authority, selfish ambition and the human pride that revels in it.



It's all a Gift! There is no more boasting or confidence in the flesh. We rest, contented to be whatever part He makes us, knowing that His love is unconditional and His Friendship the apex.

We rest in the fact that it's really all about Him, and never can be about us. :)



As Kathryn Kuhlman once said, "It isn't golden vessels He needs. It isn't silver that He's asking for. He just needs yielded vessels." He is not a respecter of persons. He'll use every and any yielded vessel. And in case we think we are "it," let's not forget He ANOINTED a donkey to see a Heavenly angel and to speak! We are but dust . . insignificant dust . . yet, HE HAS CHOSEN US TO SHOW FORTH HIS GLORY AND TO REFLECT HIS IMAGE AND TO BE RECIPIENTS OF HIS GREAT LOVE . . . therein lies our significance.



He wants us to know that we can do nothing, but He also wants us to know that He can do everything.



So . . . back to the "tongues." I didn't read a book,or take a class,earn or do anything to speak in the Heavenly language He chose for me. And that same power that freely gives me the ability to pray in the Spirit, gives me the fruit of the Spirit and the Gifts of the Spirit and the Callings of the Spirit. All because of Jesus, and Jesus alone.

TRUE SHEPHERDS POINT TO THE CHIEF SHEPHERD. Here's a simple rule of thumb I've learned recently for discerning teaching: The actual source of all teaching and doctrine is revealed in whom it glorifies. In other words, teaching that emphasizes success through YOUR great discipline or even success through YOUR great faith also tends to aim the glory at YOU. Thus, it is frequently true that faith in faith glorifies your faith, and faith in self-discipline glorifies your self-discipline. BUT faith in God's grace and in the gift of His righteousness glorifies God, because A GIFT CANNOT BE BOUGHT OR EARNED; it can only be received.

Freely we receive . . . freely we give.