THEMATIC BACKGROUND from: God's Birthday Gift

   To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the 
   common good.”                          I Corinthians 12:7

Each of these gifts are spiritual gifts - to be distinguished
from the natural talent we are born with - they are gifts of our
second birth - and can transform an apparently untalented person
into someone who has a remarkable ability to minister to others.

We often miss the full significance of what God has given us
- we miss it because we fail - to ask ourselves:
"How has God gifted me in particular - as an individual?”

What gifts do you have?

What gift or set of gifts has God poured out upon you so that you
might love and serve your God and your neighbour in the way God
has intended especially for you?

I want you to think about that - to try to identify within
yourself what God has given to you - to use in his work.

									
CREATIVE CLOSING
We are going to take a moment right now to start thinking about the
the way God uses us to be a gift to others. 

Identify some of the ways that God ministers through you.  Thank Him 
for the ministry gifts that you are aware of and ask Him to draw others 
to your attention today or in the days to come.

So let us have a moment to think and to rejoice about the way God
ministers through us, to others, by His Spirit in us.

(Time of silent reflection)


copyright - George Hartwell, 2002, 2005
            Rev. Richard J. Fairchild - Spirit Networks, 2002 - 2006
            please acknowledge the appropriate author if citing these resources.