Gifts for Today

Training Category: Spiritual Gifts For Today

The Bible describes spiritual gifts in a way that sets them apart from natural talents (human abilities) and the fruit of the Spirit (spiritual fruitfulness). Read on for importance of making this distinction.

Spiritual Gifts and Natural Talents or Human Abilities

Bottom line: All we have comes from God so in that sense natural talents or human abilities, whatever they might be, are all gifts from God. Whether spiritual or natural gifts, we should use them for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31) as faithful stewards (1 Cor 4:2) of that which He has given us.

1. In order to discern God’s voice, you must be seeking Him. Being intentional, deliberate and fervent about hearing from God means you must seek Him out in the same manner.

Jeremiah 29:13

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

2. How’s your Bible Study Routine? Discerning the voice of God requires the Word of God. Your time in the Bible should be a priority at all a times but especially when you need to discern the voice of God.

Romans 10:17

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

1. The HOT Topic.

2. Discernment provokes a negative reaction for many Christians. Perhaps they are familiar with an overly suspicious, constantly negative church member who seems to delight in sniffing out scandals or taking on theological error. Some self-styled “discernment” ministries online establish guilt by association, make leaps in logic, and promote uncharitable assumptions.

3. When discernment goes wrong, it leads to a accusatory and suspious spirit that smears people right and left.

We Need Discernment

1. It’s unfortunate that discernment gets a bad rap because, the truth is, we need it desperately. We need discernment when we come into contact with people who may be helpful in some areas and harmful in others. And one of the ways we grow in our ability to discern is by encountering people we may disagree with, not by automatically categorizing everyone into camps of “safe” and “dangerous” and then blasting likeminded individuals for stepping outside the lines.

2. Those…

You don't get wisdom out of a textbook.  You don't get knowledge enough to make you wise.  You don't receive understanding from simply hearing others.  Experience is one of the most valuable tools in acquiring wisdom. 

You can hear lectures on swimming.  You can read books on swimming.  You can understand the buoyancy of water from observation, but until you jump in the water and get some experience, you won't have true wisdom about the water and that may make all the difference between swimming and drowning.

Experience is the best teacher. Wisdom begins and ends with the fear of the Lord.  It isn't a fear of being struck by lightning or struck dead but it's a deep,abiding, holy reverence and respect for the Lord and for His Word. In Proverbs 9:10 Solomon said "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Ho…