Begin with 2 minutes of silence and stillness before God.

Have you ever received a gift that you didn’t want? Maybe your birthday is close to the beginning of the school year and someone gives you school supplies. How disappointing is that? Practical, sure, but not very fun. What about receiving a gift that’s thoughtful, meaningful, and obviously hand-picked for you? That’s sure to bring a smile to your face. In today’s passage, Paul is talking about gifts, but not material gifts like you might purchase for someone. He’s discussing gifts of the Spirit. Paul discusses the many types of spiritual gifts, but he outlines some very important points to remember concerning them. In verse 11, he writes “It is the one and only Spirit who distributes these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.” (NLT). Before that, Paul told them in verse 7 that these gifts are given to help the body of believers, not to bring division or confusion. He concludes this section by discussing how each gift is serving a greater purpose when believers come together in unity in ministry.

He compares this to an actual body, with various parts that all work together to keep one body functioning properly. He says that this is how the body of Christ functions. This discussion of spiritual gifts might be new to you, but if you’ve been around church at all, you’ve probably heard of times when some gifts were elevated over others, while the other extreme is the notion that expecting a believer to serve in their area of gifting might be completely ignored. Author Phylicia Masonheimer writes, “The Spirit personalizes His gifts to the people of God, but He does not do so for their own glory or attention. He gives us gifts so we may bless others, reach the world, and glorify God.” We can agree, based on this passage in 1 Corinthians, that spiritual gifts have a good purpose within the body of believers and are given to us for our help. When a believer operates in his or her area of gifting, the whole body benefits.

Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• Are you aware of how you can serve in the body of Christ with your gifts? Have you ever taken a spiritual gifts test or thought about how the Lord might be growing you in an area of service? To take a spiritual gifts assessment, go to: https://rock.venturechurch.org/SpiritualGifts

Family Devo: 1 Corinthians 12 

By: Cody Smith 

When partnering with your family to know, love, and follow Jesus, we strive to create and share content filtered by the Head-Heart-Hands model.

Head: the knowledge of God and His Word | Heart: the personal connection from scripture | Hands: a missional mindset

Head:

In today's reading from 1 Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul talks about the spiritual gifts given to believers by the Holy Spirit. He explains that there are different kinds of gifts, but they all come from the same Spirit. Paul uses the analogy of a human body to describe how each believer is a unique part of the body of Christ and that every part is important and necessary for the body to function properly.

Heart:

The heart of Paul's message is the importance of unity and understanding within the body of Christ. He wants the Corinthians, and us, to recognize that we all have different gifts and abilities given to us by the Holy Spirit. No one gift is more important than another, and we should not compare ourselves to others or feel inferior or superior because of our gifts. Instead, we should celebrate our differences and work together in harmony, using our gifts to serve and build up one another.

Hands:

The practical application for us is to discover and use our spiritual gifts for the benefit of the body of Christ. We should seek to understand and appreciate the gifts of others, realizing that we are all interconnected and dependent on one another. We can ask the Holy Spirit to reveal our unique gifts and talents and then use them to serve God and others. We should also encourage and support one another in using our gifts, creating an atmosphere of unity and collaboration within the church.

Today, let's take time to reflect on our own gifts and talents. Let's ask the Holy Spirit to guide us in discovering and developing those gifts for the benefit of the body of Christ. As we interact with other believers, let's appreciate and celebrate the diverse gifts they bring to the table. Let's encourage one another to use our gifts and unite to advance God's kingdom.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for the gifts You have given us through the Holy Spirit. Help us to recognize and develop these gifts for Your glory and the benefit of the body of Christ. Give us wisdom and understanding to appreciate the diverse gifts of others and to work together in unity. May our gifts be used to build up Your church and spread Your love to the world. In Jesus' name, amen.