A Resolution for 2020


4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 
1 Corinthians 12:4-7 

New Decade, New Year, New Goals, New You. Perhaps that was you 28 days but you have since lost your vigor and are trying to just make it through each day. Maybe in the last few days of December you were energetic, organized, and excited to take on the new decade and close out some projects that have been open for several years. This was going to be the year when you finally lost those pounds or hit that physical fitness goal, or perhaps completed your Bible in a Year. But now that we are 1/12th of the way through the year, your enthusiasm is waning and you are just trying to keep up with the several responsibilities that you already have.

And while I do not want to pile on to you, I would urge you to consider adding just one more resolution to your list: Resolve to serve your local church this year. If you are like the norm, you are in a category of church members who have not found ways in which to serve your local body. Paul reminds us in his letter to the church at Corinth, that while there is one Spirit, there are a variety of gifts given by the Spirit. And not only that, but that there are various manifestations and degrees of given gift among the body of Christ. So, while, the Pastor has been gifted by the Holy Spirit with the gift of teaching, there may be many other brothers and sisters in the church who have varying levels of that same gift who can use that gift in various ways. They may be able to utilize that gift in teaching the children or the youth or perhaps in leading a small group Bible study at their homes. The point is that each person who is gifted by the Holy Spirit is actually gifted for a purpose. Paul lets us know in the seventh verse that it is for the common good; the building up and the edification of the church.

The question is, are you using the gifts that the Spirit has given to you? Or are you grieving the Spirit by neglecting to do the work that He has called you, equipped you, and enabled you to do? If you fall into that category, I implore you to meet with your pastor and seek ways to serve the body of Christ that you have committed to join with. When you join the body of Christ, you did not join passively to just sit there and support it financially. As Peter put it, "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace" (1 Peter 4:10). In another place, Paul told the Galatians that as they found "opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Gal 6:10). If you do not know where it is that you can serve, one great way to find out is to speak with the elders and deacons at your local church. I am sure that they will find a place for you. But probably the easiest way to do so is to just look around. I am sure that you will find many needs within your body that could use somebody like you. So, while I commend you in continuing your Bible in a Year resolution, I would also commend you to add service to your local body as another resolution.

If you are already serving in your local church, I praise God for that. Might I suggest that you also look for other people who are not serving to raise up your replacement. I am sure that there are many folks around you who would benefit greatly from your experience and mentorship and this would be just another way for you to be active in discipleship. No matter where it is that you are serving, no task is so small. Even Christ said that whatever we do for the least of these, we do for him (Matt 25:40). Go serve your King!

Grace and Peace,
Alex Galvez

To never miss an article, click on the "Subscribe" button at the top of the blog page (https://aogalvez.blogspot.com/)
****************************************************

Question? Comments? Post in the comments or send me an e-mail: OverflowBlog@outlook.com

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Balance

Image
"For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." 1 Timothy 4:8 (NIV) This past weekend (Month even) has been a very busy one. It often happens that when life ramps up, we cut the unimportant things out of our lives in order to accomplish the tasks we identify as most critical. To all my followers, I want to apologize for my having cutting this portion of my life out for a period of time and I will do my best to have more consistency. A years ago, the United States Army deployed a digital "fitness" test to its soldiers and certain respondents received a message that read, "Spiritual fitness may be an area of difficulty. You may lack a sense of meaning and purpose in your life. At times, it is hard for you to make sense of what is happening to you and to others around you. You may not feel connected to something larger than yourself. You may question your
Read more

Satisfaction

Image
“…for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Philippians 4:11b (NIV) This has been a very busy month for me in terms of traveling around. I returned home from Brazil after a long three weeks and, after two days, I now find myself back in a hotel in the great city of Duncan, Oklahoma. Although it is slightly inconvenient to me, in terms of my schedule for studying the word, prayer, and working out to live in a hotel for almost a full month, I have found great comfort in the words from the apostle Paul. A man who has murderous attempts on his life, been imprisoned on multiple occasions, beaten up, shipwrecked three times, and bitten by a snake was able to find a state of contentedness regardless of what situation he was in. Talk about finding complete joy. This is the same joy that the beloved disciple wrote of many times for other believers to embrace. And this is a joy that over the years I have learned to develop and enjoy. That no matter what situation I find
Read more

Light

Image
“And this is the message which we have heard from him and announce unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:5 (ASV) Darkness is not a real thing. Cold is also not a real thing. They are just words that we have made up to define the conditions of an environment or state of existence at a specific period or periods of time. What do I mean then when I say that they are not real things? Well, what I mean is that the darkness that we see (or cannot see because of) is not because it is overwhelming, but because it lacks light. Darkness is the absence of light. When light comes into existence, because light is something real, darkness is expelled. That’s the same with cold. Cold is simply the absence of heat. It is not that it is cold and then at some point it shifts to being hot. It is simply that the heat that exists is too miniscule that it cannot bring warmth to anything. In verse five, we read that God is light, but not a weak source of light
Read more