Wednesday, April 20, 2016

There is Only One Measure Of Value In God's Economy

My Utmost For His Highest
 
All the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen… —2 Corinthians 1:20
 
“Jesus’ parable of the talents recorded in Matthew 25:14-30  was a warning that it is possible for us to misjudge our capacities. This parable has nothing to do with natural gifts and abilities, but relates to the gift of the Holy Spirit as He was first given at Pentecost. We must never measure our spiritual capacity on the basis of our education or our intellect; our capacity in spiritual things is measured on the basis of the promises of God. […] If we have received the Holy Spirit, God expects the work of the Holy Spirit to be exhibited in us.[…] Never forget that our capacity and capability in spiritual matters is measured by, and based on, the promises of God.”  CHAMBERS
 
If you are a Christian, God has gifted you, through the Spirit, to accomplish a particular purpose that God has for you. (Romans 12:4-6) “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,  so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them …”  We must be careful that we don’t challenge God by comparing ourselves to other Saints, wishing we could do what they do or feeling less about ourselves because  we are not gifted in the same way that they are.  Our challenge is to be found faithful what God has providentially accomplished through His Spirit. (Ephesians 4:7) “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.”  I was thinking about my 20 year high school class reunion. That is the first time many of people who graduated with you have seen each other.  Life and gravity has changed everyone.  But everyone is hoping no one notices.  As it happened, I had just finished a yearlong school with the Army.  I was a major, a helicopter pilot, about to go to graduate school.  Was sporting a gorgeous wife on my arm. I looked significantly different from my high school days.  By the way, all of the attributes I had intended to be downplayed, with the exception of my wife … but my wife told everyone she met .. so much for the ruse.  One of my high school buddies was talking to me, apologizing, well basically for not being me.  I looked him squarely in the eyes and asked “Do you have a job? Are you taking care of your family? Then I think you are pretty successful”
 
You see, it’s not what we don’t have but what we do have that matters.  We often overlook what we have because of the glitter if what someone else has.  Moving from the worldly to the heavenly, our particular spiritual gifts have great value in God’s economy.  Just as you don’t think less of yourself because you are not the President, you should not think less of yourself because you are not a great speaker or a missionary or whatever.  Now, if God has gifted you in those areas, and the point is that you are not exercising those gifts, well that’s called disobedience. Another topic for another day. (1 Peter 4:10-11) “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.  […] If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever.” ELGIN
 
Charley Elgin

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