POWER GIFTS

The New Testament speaks of believers being "gifted" by the holy spirit. They are the ways God's spirit works through believers to serve the Lord's purposes.

I think the important part is that one understands these are not a reward. And they are what we experience from the Lord as a personal blessing that has no other purpose.

It can be such a challenge to keep clear in one's mind their purpose. And also to keep focused on obedience, which can be tough if it means accepting God's will in terms of anointing.

The one problem is with those who decide you can only serve God as a pastor. To them that is the dream calling of a Christian. They can see themselves truly serving God unless it is as a pastor.

Of course, if God doesn't call them to such an office then sometimes they will still decide that is what they are supposed to do. So the heart takes charge and the mind goes on vacation.

Which really never ends up being a good thing. And the casualty rate for such choices is always very high.

I remember this one person I knew who had decided being a pastor was the way God was calling. I have to admit there was nothing about this person that remotely suggested that being a pastor would have been God's choice.

I appreciate that the Lord can call anyone that he wants to that office. It doesn't matter are talents, what is important is that the Lord's spirit empowers.

However, I do feel that when one is called to such offices there are some fairly obvious hints that it is the Lord's doing. Not always, but I think it is true most of the time.

In this case, the person was at best, a very poor bible student, has no social skills and spoke so slowly that it would easily put one to sleep. I just couldn't image the person ever preaching in a way that kept people's attention.

As for ministering to people, well it might have been nice if the individual had some capacity to be outgoing or express concern for others. It was obvious from what I could tell.

I did feel bad for the person though. For this was an all or nothing choice. Like if I don't get what I want, then forget it!

At least that was the attitude that was conveyed. Which is never one that gets the Lord's attention in a good way.

Such is the nature of when we let our desire take charge over God's will.