SOAP Devotional 2014-04-24
Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer
Scripture:
God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen. (1 Peter 4:10, 11 NLT)
Observation:
Every believer has been given spiritual gifts by God from a wide variety of gifts. These gifts are so we can serve on another and we should use them well. If the gift a to be a speaker, then we are to speak as though God himself were speaking through us. If it is helping others, then we should help others with all the strength and energy that God supplies for us to do that. If we use the gifts God has given us to the full extent of the gift then everything we do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. After all, all glory and power belongs to him forever and ever! So be it!
Application:
Three power phrases in this passage 1) “God has given each of you a gift” 2) “Use them well to serve one another” 3) “everything you do will bring glory to God”. Gifts were not just given to special people. All believers have a gift of some kind to accomplish things the church needs. There are a wide variety of gifts and if you are a believer, you are to use those gifts with all that you have. Knowing all along that God is the one empowering you to use the gift. These gifts are not for yourself or to build anyone up. They are to be used to serve one another. They meet needs in the church. When we use the gifts God gave us, then he alone will get the glory. It all belongs to him anyway.
Prayer:
Father, I am not only thankful that you have given me gifts to serve the church, I am glad that I can serve with others who are gifted in areas where I am not able to serve. Help me to not only fully serve with the gifts you have given to me, but help me to accept the service of others in those other areas. And let me always give you all the glory, and honor, and power forever and ever for only you are worthy of praise!