Today's Word From God

Spiritual Gifts (7)

We are now ready to get more specific with the individual motivational gifts. As you meditate on them you may recognize some of your personal characteristics and those of your friends and family. It may take a while for you to identify your gift right away, so be patient and give yourself plenty of time. When you do recognize your gift, realize that it is your gift for life and that as you grow stronger in the Lord, your gift will also mature.

Train yourself to be sensitive to your reactions to your likes and dislikes and your motivation for doing what you do. For example, if you are asked to help someone move, and you agree to help – examine how it makes you feel. Are you agreeing because you feel obligated or because you really enjoy helping people? If you really want to help someone because you enjoy helping others, chances are that your gift may be “Service”. If you do it mainly because you are obligated or for any other reason, you can probably mark “Service” off your “Gift” list.  Keep in mind that we are not excused from “Service” just because we don’t have that particular motivation!

Motivational Gift of PROPHECY – Characteristics

• Strong desire to understand the Bible and God’s Word to His people
• Strong discernment
• Able to forsee the consequences of decisions made
• Strong desire to help others to correct their bad decisions – (not their feelings and not their attitude)
• Not interested in whether or not they are accepted by others, just that others know the truth and don’t make choices that will bring them more problems

Ways the Gift of PROPHECY can be used:

• Teaching
• Moral Concerns
• Church Council
• Counseling
• Personnel Committee
• Church Officer
• Group Committee Leader
• Worship Committee
• Prayer Groups

Motivational Gift of TEACHING – Characteristics:

• Strong desire to clarify truth
• Desire to search out and study God’s Word in detail so they can validate the truth
• Carefully investigates the Word of God
• Very interested in words and the way they are used
• God-given interest in getting details correct

Ways  the the gift of  TEACHING can be used:

• Bible Teaching
• New Member Training
• Mission Education
• Vacation Bible School
• Sunday School
• Church Training
• Church Council

Motivational Gift of ADMINISTRATION – Characteristics:

• The ability to see the overall picture
• Can clarify long-range goals
• Can see and understand what needs to be done
• Knows who can do the job the best
• Likes to appoint the individuals to do them

Ways the Gift of ADMINISTRATION can be used:

• Records and Statistical Data
• Church Finance
• Financial & Budgeting Resources
• Office Administration
• Insurance Committee
• Priority Planning
• Church Council

Motivational Gift of SERVICE – Characteristics:

• Can become grieved when they see the person they are serving squandering their time and wasting it on minute things
• Greatly delighted in giving of themselves to serve when they see the other person is investing their life in worthwhile projects
• They are willing to invest service in your life in order to help you get what you want out of life, then you, in turn, are going to be motivated to do more
• Has the gift of giving of themselves in order to help someone else to succeed in whatever their interest is

Ways the Motivational Gift of SERVICE can be used:

• Hospital Ministry
• Deacon Ministry
• Benevolence Committee
• Social Ministries
• Missions Committee

Motivational Gift of GIVING – Characteristics:

• Gives more and expects less
• Ready and willing to give of their finances to see that a project is accomplished
• Will make personal financial sacrifices in order to give a large amount of money

Ways the Motivational Gift of GIVING can be used:

• Stewardship Committee
• Moral Concerns (Poverty, Politics, Family)
• Outreach Ministry
• Church Finances
• New Ministries

Motivational Gift of EXHORTATION – Characteristics:

• Has the ability to see your potential and desires to motivate you to reach that potential
• They have discernment and may sometimes seem nosey
• They usually make good counselors
• They want you to learn something and move on to the next step of action

Ways the Motivational Gift of EXHORTATION can be used:

• Vocational Guidance
• Youth Ministry
• Counseling
• Ministry to Families
• New Member Training
• Church Leader Training
• Nominating Committee

Motivational Gift of MERCY – Characteristics:

• Reaches out with genuine love which uplifts, soothes and heals those who are hurting
• This gift keeps others on their toes because even if words are not spoken, they can pick up on the feelings and attitudes of others
• Has a greater vulnerability to deeper and more frequent hurts because of lack of love

Ways the Motivational Gift of MERCY can be used:

• Prayer Groups
• Hospital Ministry
• Couseling
• Benevolence
• Homebound Ministry
• Social Ministries
• Mental Health

Tags: Administration, Church Council, Church Officer, Consequences, Counseling, Decisions, Discernment, Exhortation, Giving, Moral Concerns, Motivational Gifts, Prayer Groups, Prophecy, Service, Spiritual Gifts, Teaching, Truth, Worship Committee