God Gives Gifts Unto People
by Jerry Vander Veen
There are certain gifts that we may not have appreciated in the year and there may be more in the year to come. One man has drawn this conclusion, "Lord, whatever ill may come my way that brings me closer to Thee, I will gratefully accept." There are people that God brings into our lives as well as circumstances we may not appreciate. Ahab did not appreciate Elijah and that is not saying what Jezebel though t of him. "Art thou he that troubleth Israel?" The message of Elijah, from which the Israelites had strayed due to Jezebel and the man with no conviction, Ahab, were confronted with Biblical standards many could no longer remember. The end was Israel turning back to God for one more generation, "And when all the people saw it, they fell onto their faces; and they said, The Lord, He is God: the Lord He is God" 1 kings 18:39 The Lord has not concluded the giving of gifts in the matter of needed personnel as seen in such sections as Ephesians 4:11, 12 "and He gave some apostles; and some prophets; and some evangelists; and some pastors, and teachers; For the perfection of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ."
Every one of the redeemed has been coronated with a specific gift for the benefit of the body of Christ. There are times when an evangelist comes to the church with the gift of drawing in those who have been cultivated and where the Word of God has been sown. God gives pastors with different gifts who are here for today to seek to edify the church and to re-establish what may have been lost, as was the case with the prophet Elijah, who had to beat off the Baal worshippers, and speak to the indifference of the people who seemed to love to have it so.
Today, pastors have to beat off the cults, and battle indifference amongst many. God's intent in all this is, "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ Ephesians 4:123. The most interesting phrase in this verse is "For the edifying of the body of Christ." It is not reasonable for the right hand to do battle with the left hand, and so it is not reasonable for one member to do battle with another. Remember, "The house that is divided against itself can not stand." We , therefore, encourage all to be labourers "together".
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