The World – Every good and perfect gift, August 4, 2025

     The purpose of the Church is to prepare and equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (Ephesians 4:11-16)

       “At that time, the kingdom of heaven will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability.” (Matthew 25:14-15)

If God’s will is such that He changes your “ability”, it does not become a “disability” – but instead a “different ability”. In this case, pray for wisdom and continue your mission. 

1. Gifts are from the Father.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)

·      The gift must be received.

·      The gift must be opened.

·      The gift must be used.

2. Gifts are given to serve others.

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. (1 Peter 4:10)

3. Gifts can’t be taken away.

You can use it, abuse it, hide it or throw it away – but He can’t take it back.

“For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.” (Romans 11:29)

4. Your calling and gifts are given to build His Kingdom.

Jesus said, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last.” (John 15:16)

5.  Jesus will reveal to you through the Holy Spirit: where, when and how you are to use your gifts. Jesus said: “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the sold. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Can you be faithful to a whisper that no one else can hear except you?      

6. If we don’t use our gifts and calling to build His Kingdom, then Satan will use them for worldly purposes.

But many aren’t using their gifts to fulfill their calling.

1. “If I was a great person – I could and would do something great for God. You don’t understand the family I come from or anything about the mistakes I have made in my past.” When the religious Sadducees and Pharisees brought the disciples before them because they had been doing miracles and people were accepting Jesus as Savior, the scripture says, “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13)      

2. “If I had a great talent or charisma – I could and would do something great for God. You don’t understand, I have never been really good at anything special.” When God was moved by the cries of His people, he called Moses and told him to go and tell the Pharoh to let the people go. “Moses answered, ‘What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you?’ Then the Lord said to him, ‘What is in your hand?’ ‘A staff’, he replied.” (Exodus 4:2) The Lord then showed Moses how he would use the ‘staff’ in his hand to deliver God’s people.

3. “If I had more money and other resources – I could and would do something great for God. You don’t understand, I am barely making it from payday to payday and am lucky to have an apartment.”

“The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, ‘Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.’ Elisha replied to her, ‘How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?’

“If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus:” (Philippians 2:1-5)

Don’t compare your “gift” to others.

Don’t compare your “results” to others.

Don’t coerce others to comply to your “gift”.