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8/7/2019 Neighborhood Cafe Spiritual Gifts
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Merry Christmas from
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Welcome back to the Neighborhood Caf! Did you get a grip on Gods
word in your Second Cup from last week?
Tell us about a time you gave in to Gods purposes for your life.
How does your understanding about prophecy that has already been
fulfilled help you reconcile confusing end time prophecies?
Are you amazed by Christs New Testament fulfillment of Old
Testament Messianic prophecy? Why does this give you confidence
in our Savior?
Has Gods word about Babylon stood the test of time?
Marry Christmas?Last Christmas, my husband and daughter rolled out this fantastic
antique shopping cart loaded with crazily wrapped packages! The
cart is amazing; I use it every day to sort laundry. Inside weresome traditional Christmas gifts like a skillet I needed, and a cute
purse, too.
My husband is known for choosing creative gifts as well as his
adventures in gift wrapping. Its impossible to guess whats
inside his lumpy, bumpy packages.
Taking a gift from the cart, I could clearly feel a spray pump
and I wondered what it could be perfume? Body spray?
Well, it wasscented it was a bottle ofFrench lavendar multi-purpose cleaner! This was followed by almond floor cleaner and three
or four other gourmet cleaning products, but my favorite was the
teardrop shaped bottle ofeucalyptus mint toilet bowl cleaner.
By this time, David was giggling uncontrollably and I was becoming ever
so slightly annoyed. How many women get toilet bowl cleaner for
Christmas? he barely managed to say through his laughter. Not very
manyI hope! I replied through clenched teeth.
He had even wrapped a duster and a bucket yes, he wrapped abucket! Remember the purse. Look at the shopping cart. Dont hit him
with the frying pan, I told myself. After I had unwrapped the entire
cleaning aisle, David pulled out one last gifta tube with tassels on each
end. In keeping with the theme, I was not surprised to unwrap an
empty paper towel tubebut I was very surprised by what I found
tucked inside: a gift certificate for housekeeping service!
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Now, thats what Im talking about! Thats a GOOD gift!
Tell us about the strangest gift youve ever received._______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Read Matthew 7:11If you, then, though you are evil (or ornery, like my husband) know how to
give ____________ ____________ to your children, how much more will
your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! The first Gift we receive from our heavenly Father is the gift of
salvation through Jesus Christ, who stepped down from Heaven to
deliver that gift on the first Christmas morning. We receive the gift ofthe Holy Spirit, and the gift ofeternal life. But God, because of His
generous and abundant GRACE, doesnt stop there! He POURS spiritual
giftson us, like Santas bottomless bag of goodies.
So before we begin this frantic season of preparing gifts for our friends
and family, lets take some time to unwrap the spiritual GIFTS weve
been given.
What Is A Spiritual Gift?A spiritual gift is a supernatural ability given TO each believer FROM the
Holy Spirit FOR the purpose of helping the church. Jesus didnt issue this
impossible command for us to go and make disciples He actually
equips us to do that by giving us supernatural aptitudes as well as
attitudes.
The ATTITUDES He gives us are the FRUIT of the Spirit so we can act
like Christ with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). The
APTITUDES He gives us are the FUNCTION of the Spirit, the spiritual
gifts and supernatural strengths that make the church work.
God equips us
with spiritual
attitudes
and spiritual
aptitudes.
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What Are the Spiritual Gifts?There are 3 lists of spiritual gifts in the New Testament that use 20
different Greek words; they are found in 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12
and Ephesians 4. As we review this list, put a check beside the gifts that
resonate with you and make your heart beat faster. Or, if someonecomes to mind, write their name beside their gift. In alphabetical order,
the gifts are
ADMINISTRATION this is the ability to plan, organize, supervise and
direct people toward the accomplishment of goals. If you have this
gift, you have a color-coded Christmas list in your pocket and the
store coordinates are already programmed in your GPS. You
assigned three people to four different stores on Black Friday and
you didget every early bird special!
APOSTLE someone who leads churches and has spiritual authority.
If youre an apostle, you have people serving under you to help
accomplish your vision for the church.
DISCERNMENT the ability to distinguish truth and lies. Discerning
people are quick to spot a scam, are very clear on doctrine and can
help point out spiritual attacks or lies of the enemy. If you have the
gift of discernment, you can see things others dont. As a result,
people may not believe you or you may be misunderstood. If you
know someone who has this gift, pay close attention. My husband is
very discerning, and sometimes it takes me years to understandwhat he sees in an instant. I also have the rather unspiritual gift of
stubbornness, which can compound this problem.
EVANGELISM the fervent desire to share the Good News of the
Gospel. Evangelists lead people to Christ on airplanes. Was anyone
here brought to Christ by someone with the gift of evangelism?
EXHORTATION When youre down and troubled and you need
some loving care, and nothingoh, nothing is going right you just
call out their name, and a person with the gift of exhortation will be
there. This Greek word means calling to ones side. This personcomes alongside others with encouragement, comfort, consolation
and counsel to help them reach their full potential in Christ.
FAITHthis is utter conviction about Gods power and promises that
is unshaken by circumstances or obstacles. A person with the gift of
faith is a prayer warrior who is dependent on God and fully expects
Him to show up in big ways.
Your spiritual
gifts are Gods
supernatural
power
working its
way through
your words,
your works
and your walk
to take
His witness
to the world.
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GIVING ability to share your material resources cheerfully and
without thinking of how youre going to be repaid. This is measured
by the size of the givers HEART, not their WALLET. This person
cant find their Christmas list because it was in the pocket of the coat
they just gave away, but it doesnt matter because they are never,
ever done with their shopping.
HEALING to be used by God to make others whole either
physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually. They are a conduit for
Gods power.
HELPS A helper gives support or assistance that frees others for
ministry. They are often overlooked because they work behind the
scenes and their focus is on the success of others.
KNOWLEDGE an intelligence and understanding of Christianity. This
person is a fact-gatherer, an analyzer, an information storehouse.They love learning, libraries, research and investigation.
LEADERSHIP the ability to manage and motivate others to get
involved. Leaders have higher expectations of you than you have of
yourself, which can either push you to greater heights or make you
want to jump off a cliff. Leaders constantly come up with new ideas.
When paired with the gift of administration, amazing things will be
accomplished!
MERCY sensitivity and sympathy toward those who are suffering.
People with the gift of mercy are movedwith compassion, they takeaction to alleviate other peoples pain. They dont just watch
infomercials about starving children on television, they go to Africa.
They touch the lepers and eat with sinners.
MIRACLES to be enabled by God with strength, power and ability
to perform supernatural feats that result in praise to God. Its hard
to find examples of miracles in 21st century America, but in other
countries miracles are abounding.
PASTOR this word describes a shepherd who finds and saves lost
sheep then loves them, patches their wounds, shares their lives, and
keeps watch for predators. You can pastor a church or a small
group; you can pastor your family and friends. A pastor is a people-
person.
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PROPHECY hearing from God and speaking to man. God puts His
words in a prophets mouth, so these words always line up with
perfectly scripture. A prophets words dont always make you feel all
warm and fuzzy inside, because they can expose the secrets of your
heart (1 Corinthians 14:25), but in the end these words will always
strengthen, encourage and comfort (1 Corinthians 14:3).
SERVICE The gift of knowing what needs done and doing it without
being asked. This is the gift you want your children to have. This
person doesnt ask if the garbage needs taken out, they simply see
the overflowing trash can and take care of it.
TEACHING the ability to clearly explain and instruct others on the
things of God and responsibilities of man. A teacher takes
complicated material and makes is seem simple. The end result of
gifted teaching is understanding, application and maturity not just
intellectual stimulation.
TONGUESheres a textbook definition: to speak in a language not
previously learned so unbelievers can hear God's message in their
own language OR the body be edified. And
INTERPRETATION OF TONGUESthe ability to translate the message
of someone who has spoken in tongues. The gifts of tongues and
interpretation are widely misunderstood (that is to say, I dont
understand them!) but what I do know is that 1 Corinthians 16:6
says the gift of tongues should bring revelation or knowledge or
prophecy or word of instruction.
WISDOM the ability to apply spiritual knowledge in practical ways
in everyday life. Someone with the gift of wisdom uses street smarts
and common sense to make sound decisions and give good advice
with an understanding of appropriate scripture, extenuating
circumstances and potential consequences.
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More GiftsThis isnt an all-inclusive list, and there are other few spiritual gifts
mentioned outside of these passages, such as
CELIBACY the ability to remain single without regret so you can
serve the Lord without distraction HOSPITALITY to put people at ease by warmly welcoming them
into your home or church
MARTYRDOM to give your life for the cause of Christ
MISSIONARY to be a servant of the gospel in another culture.
VOLUNTARY POVERTY to purposely give all your material resources
to help others.
Mother Teresa is a picture of many of these so-called miscellaneous gifts
that arent mentioned in the three primary lists. But Jesus Jesus is the
perfect portrait of spiritual aptitudes and spiritual attitudes.
And Even More!There are also skills that can have the impact of a spiritual gift when
they are used to build up the church:
CRAFTSMANSHIP - Exodus 35 refers to artisans called by God to
help build the tabernacle who are filled with the Spirit of God, in
wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of
workmanship, to design artistic works
MUSIC the ability to play musical instruments and sing can be used
to glorify God. Ephesians 5:18-19 says if we are filled with the Spirit
we will speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from
the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord. And in
Psalm 150 we praise the Lord with a full orchestra of musical
instruments.
WRITINGPsalm 45:1 in the New Living Translation says, Beautiful
words stir my heart Both John and Paul wrote about the act of
writing as a way to encourage and instruct the church.
Did you recognize yourself or anyone else in those gifts?_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
There are tests and quizzes you can take to find your spiritual gifts. You
can easily find these online.
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Unwrapping Your Gifts At first, I didnt think the toilet bowl cleaner wrapped up under my
Christmas tree would be part of such a good gift. Sometimes spiritual
gifts take a little bit of patience to unwrap, too:
Sometimes spiritual gifts come wrapped in a problem. You may never know what youre capable of until theres a crisis, a
demand you can't meet on your own power. When we seek the GIVER,
His GRACE will supply the GIFTS the church needs for every situation.
Sometimes spiritual gifts come wrapped in a compliment.Dont shrug it off when someone pays you a compliment. God often
uses the insight of other people to help us figure out our gifts.
Sometimes spiritual gifts come wrapped in a paycheck!You may have developed skills and abilities at work that God would very
much like you to use at church. Likewise, please dont think your
ministry ends when you walk out of church on Sunday morning. Take
these gifts to work and unwrap them on the job! Youll be blessed when
you find fulfilling, energizing ways to use your God-given gifts at work.
Your employer will be blessed when they get supernatural abilities for
the same wage, and the kingdom of God will be blessed when
coworkers see your Christlike attitude as you perform your everyday job.
Sometimes spiritual gifts come wrapped in a request.If you're asked to do something beyond your comfort zone, dont
automatically say no. Your unique gifts might just be the answer to
someones prayers. Pray about it yourself, and see if God is preparing a
new gift for you.
Sometimes spiritual gifts come wrapped in a passion.Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:16, Woe is me if I do not preach the
gospel! Teaching and evangelism were Pauls gifts and he felt the
weight of them. What passion do you carry like a heavy package that
you are compelled to open and use?
What is your Woe is me if I do not____________________!
Seek the
Giver,
not the Gifts.
His Grace is
sufficient
for allcircumstances.
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_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Where Will You Use Your Gifts?
Your gifts are given TO YOU but they are FOR OTHERS, especially the
church:
Read 1 Corinthians 12:7"Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given ________
_________ ___________________ ______________."Read 1 Peter 4:10"Each one should use whatever gift he has received ______
_________________ _______________..."Ephesians 4:12"to prepare God's people for ________________ ______
___________________, so that the body of Christ may be built up" You dont have to have a TITLE or POSITION to use your spiritual
gifts at church, and theres no AGE RESTRICTION, either. The gifts
are not COMMANDS, and they are not CONSTANT. They work in
COMBINATION and they increase with EXERCISE. All of our gifts
work together INSIDE the church to reach those who are OUTSIDE.
What does your church do to reach those who are outside?________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
What do you do to reach those who are outside?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Dont forgetthat your
family is part
of the body
of Christ.
Dont rush to
help a friend
but neglect
your husband
at home.
If you're
married,
your marriageis your first
ministry.
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What Will You Do With Your Gifts? You can react several ways when you receive a gift, whether its a
cleaning bucket or a spiritual gift:
You canRETURN your gift.Have you ever witnessed the embarrassing scene when a child receives
a gift and ungratefully tosses it aside? Thats what Zechariah did in
Luke, chapter 1, when the angel told him his wife, Elizabeth, was going
to have a son. He responded, Do you expect me to believe this? You,
too, can refuse to believe God would give you such an important gift
and can reject or return it.
You canACCEPT your gift.Mary responded differently to the same angel. May it be to me as you
have said, was her humble response. I dont understand how Youre
going to do this, Lord, and I dont know why you chose me but Im
willing to be used for Your glory.
You canEXCHANGE your gift.You can exchange your gift if you dont like it. The instructions are in
Romans 1:25. Never mind that your gift was chosen for Gods glory, go
ahead and swap it for something that fits a little more comfortably.
Read Romans 1:25
They ____________________ the truth of God for a lie, and worship and
serve created things rather than the CreatorYou canIGNORE your gift.
You can put your gift on a shelf and never touch it. Beware if you do
this, because Hebrews 2 says God uses gifts of the Holy Spirit to confirm
the message of salvation, and if we ignore this message we will drift
away from it.
You canUSE your gift.Use your gifts to do something to meet the needs of our brothers and
sisters in the body of Christ. Show your faith and your love, and your
appreciation by using your God-given gifts to do good to others.
Merry Christmas!
Ignoring your
spiritual gifts
makes you
wither awayinside,
harms the
church and
could rob
others of the
chance to
experiencesalvation.
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Its nice to be on the receiving end of a
good gift, isnt it? Its also fun to give
giftsunless you have to fight Black Friday crowds at 3:00 am! Why do
we DO that? Why do we make shopping lists, scour the ads, go out in
the cold and fight the crowds?
Do you go shopping on Black Friday? Oh, yeah! I cant wait to start Christmas shopping!
Never! Id rather have a root canal than root around in the mall.
I let my fingers do the walking, and buy everything online.
I finished my shopping July!
I havent even started Christmas shopping!
Sure, we all want to save a little money, and some people you know
who you are actually enjoyshopping. But what really motivates us isthe look on our loved ones face when they open that package and find
the perfect gift tucked inside.
Tucked inside of each one of you is a very special spiritual gift from your
Heavenly Father. He spared no expense to bring this gift to you, He paid
for it with the precious blood of His only Son. He knows what you need
before you even ask, and He knows exactly what His church needs, too.
He waits for the perfect moment to present His gifts, and then I think
He sits back with a little giggle and knowing smile as He watches as youunwrap the treasures Hes chosen especially for you.
What will you do with your gifts? Will you use them to help others, or
will you let them sit on the shelf? Are you willing to be used for Gods
glory, or do you want to pick your own gifts? He is known for choosing
creative gifts as well as His adventures in gift wrapping!
Merry Christmas, my dear friends.With love to you and your neighbors,Amy
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Prayer Requests Date: ______________________No one can see our prayer requests on the website unless they have the password.
The password is: _____________________________________________________________________________________________
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