In Touch - December 11, 2005

In Touch Daily Devotional 
by Dr. Charles Stanley

Sunday December 11, 2005

Good Stewards of God’s Grace

1 Peter 4:8-11

Do you know how God defines success? True success is becoming the person God wants you to be and achieving the goals He has for you. But God doesn’t just cast nebulous goals out before us and leave us to our own devices.

Instead, He not only provides His Holy Spirit as a guide, tutor, and comforter, but He also equips every single believer with at least one unique gift. The Bible teaches in 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12 that at salvation, God imparts to each believer a gift intended to fulfill the purpose He has for that person’s life.

God is responsible for the effects and fruit of each believer’s ministry. However, the believer himself is responsible not only for discovering his giftedness, but also for putting the blessing to use in the ministry to which God has called him.

In the same way that God holds us accountable for our physical treasures, we are also answerable for the use of our spiritual gifts.

In fact, it is impossible for a believer to be Spirit-filled, or living within God’s will, without serving others. It is how He designed the body of Christ. The way He meets most needs is through fellow believers. God is effecting the results, but He’s doing it through us, because the ministry of every believer is to love God, love others, and serve both.

Have you identified your spiritual gift(s)? Are you using your giftedness to reach out to others with God’s love? Ask Him to reveal His plans for your talents.