Differing Gifts

Every Sunday I have been called to handle the most important thing in all the world: I am called to preach the Gospel and I am called to get it right! In June I will be starting a series entitled “Terrorist In The Church” this will be a series on the book of Jude - I am so excited to go through this wonderful little book. Jude tells about people who pretend they are genuine but are in fact imposters. One of the main reasons we have had preachers in our pulpit like Bob Pittman, Sam Cathey - and others that we will have in the days and years ahead- is that it is important to hear a message with the same theme from the same book with a different voice. God uses a variety of people and personalities in Scripture: He uses John that spends a great deal of time with tender precepts, and then Paul who comes across very strong and to the point. He uses Peter who seemed to think Paul was little too tough or complicated at times. The point is God uses men with different personality types and different styles to enhance the growth of the church. This is the reason I have encouraged you - whether it is through preaching, singing, or playing an instrument, don’t get hung up on the style, get caught up in making sure what you are hearing is truth from the Word of God. I am sometimes amazed when you hear people speak about a teacher, pastor or spouse and they say: “Well, what they did was Biblical, I just don’t like how they did it.” (This is where we must be people who have grace flowing out of us - it is our differences that can be used in the body to glorify Christ the most) What they are usually saying is: “I don’t like the style.” Just as in our family, my wife interacts much differently with our boys than do I - We have the same rules, we discipline the same way, we love them with immeasurable depth, however we speak to them, correct them, converse with them very differently. The beauty of that is that there are some things that I can say to them and they will not hear properly or they will misunderstand it… but Michele can speak the same truth, or say virtually the same thing and they “get it.” There are other times that I have to step in and talk to them in “male talk”, more direct, giving direction that all of a sudden a light turns on in their mind! They need us both desperately and God uses both of us to aid in their sanctification - and uses both of our boys to aid in ours. All of this to say…thank God for the different gifts, thank God for the different personalities and styles we have in our pulpit, in our church and in our lives! There have been times that I have needed a swift kick in the spiritual pants and God has sent “professional biblical pants kickers” in my life… there have been other times I just needed someone to pray for me and not correct me but just listen to me, and God has sent those saints also to come along beside me. The wonderful thing about the Word of God is that it can correct us, rebuke us, but it can also comfort us. Take a moment and thank God for someone who God has used in your life to exhort, rebuke or correct you. Then thank Him for the Word of God that is always there for our every need!