Our Partnership with God –
Charles Stanley
I don't know how some in today's church got the false idea that
the preacher is a servant and the folks in the pews are just members. No one is
a bystander in God's kingdom! All believers are in partnership with the Lord (2
Cor. 6:1). He chose to work through mankind to accomplish the gospel mission on
earth. To borrow a biblical metaphor, we are the workers cultivating and
harvesting His fields (Matt. 9:37-38).
God gave one or more spiritual gifts to every single believer to
aid in the work for His kingdom. We each need this special "wiring"
to carry out our unique role in His plan. He knits that spiritual gift into our
personality and inborn talents to create a useful and effective servant. And
just to be clear, there is no such thing as a non-gifted believer.
Believers are the Lord's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
for the purpose of good works (Eph. 2:10). Spiritual gifts are not our own
abilities. The Holy Spirit manifests them through us. Remember, it is the sap
running from the vine into the branches that produces fruit (John 15:5). In the
same way, the Spirit lives and works through God's followers to bring forth
acts of service. The Lord's power is behind it all. Think of that when you are
tempted to shy away from God-given opportunities.
God's awesome power is present in and available to every
believer. The Holy Spirit equips us to obey the Lord in whatever He calls us to
do. Don't waste your life sitting in a pew! Get busy using that spiritual gift.
The fields of this world are ripe for harvest (John 4:35).
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