1 Peter 4:10

1 Peter 4:10

Thoughts from Jed Carpenter

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written devo
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“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the multifaceted grace of God.”

1 Peter 4:10

Behind the Scenes
Slide

When you say Yes to following Jesus and ask Him to be your Lord and Savior, the Bible tells us that He takes up residence inside us (Gal 2:20) and His Holy Spirit dwells in us (Gal 4:6). We are told that we become temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16, 6:19).

Slide

As a result, we are given two different things: Fruit of the Spirit and Gifts of the Spirit. Jesus told us that we would know His true followers by the fruit we see in their lives (Matt 7:15-20), and we are told in Galatians 5:22 what that fruit is: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Every believer, as they learn to more deeply abide in Christ and allow Christ to rule in their lives, should demonstrate these fruits. They are for all believers, at all times.

Slide

In addition to the fruit of the Spirit, God gives us each at least one gift of the Spirit. Unlike the fruit, we do not all have all the gifts (Rom 12:6-8) and having one gift or another is not the exclusive sign of God’s Spirit inside us. (This is why Jesus told us to look for fruit, not gifts!)

Slide

1 Corinthians 12 gives us a good breakdown of some of the Spiritual gifts. Verse 7 tells us that these gifts are given to us “for the common good”, and Romans 12 tells us that we are given them through the grace of God alone. So, these gifts are not for our good, our esteem, or our benefit (although when you live a life doing what God has called you to do, it is very rewarding). We are not the point. God is the point, and serving His people out of an overflow of His grace is the point.

Make it Real (1)
Slide

So, with that context in mind, let’s look at today’s verse. I see three really important lessons for us in this verse:

1. You have a gift! If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit dwells in you, and through the Spirit, you have been uniquely made to bear a specific gift. Now, gifts of the Spirit are not the same as natural talents. I may be naturally talented in different ways, and God may choose to use me in those ways. He may even choose to give me a spiritual gift that corresponds to those natural talents. But talents are about us. Gifts are about God. They are His spirit living in us in a way that we could not do apart from Him. They are unique urgings and equipping's that come from Him alone, not from ourselves.

Slide

2. Your gift is meant to be used! God gives us gifts because He has a plan and a purpose. We get the immense honor of cooperating with Him in it. Your gift is not meant to be something that remains private or secret. It is not meant to be used only in the quiet of solitude. Your gift has been given to you to serve the body, to build up and equip the church (Eph 4:11-12).

Slide

3. When we use our gifts to serve, we are being good stewards of the grace we have been given! Jesus has given us so much, and we are so blessed to have His grace in our lives. It is through the grace of God that we are saved (Eph 2:8). But that grace is not meant to stop with us! We are meant to let it take root and produce the gifts God wants us to have. Then we are to take the result of the grace of God in our lives and LIVE IT! This is what it means to be good stewards of the grace of God, to care for what we have been given. And God’s grace is so multifaceted! It has no end, no limitations, no weaknesses! So, there is nothing in His will that His grace cannot accomplish in our lives and through our lives! Isn’t that amazing news?!

Slide

So, this week, as you spend time in prayer with Jesus, ask Him to reveal to you what special gift He has purposed in your life for His will. Ask Him to show you how to take the grace you’ve been given and give it away.

End in prayer (1)
Slide

Jesus,

Thank You for Your grace! Thank You that You did not leave me with no hope for serving and following You. Thank You that your grace is more than enough! Help me to have eyes to see and ears to hear. Teach me what special gift You are developing in my life and how You want me to use it for Your glory and to serve Your people. Thank You for wanting to use me!

In the name of Jesus Christ,

Amen

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“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the multifaceted grace of God.” 

1 Peter 4:10

Behind the Scenes

When you say Yes to following Jesus and ask Him to be your Lord and Savior, the Bible tells us that He takes up residence inside us (Gal 2:20) and His Holy Spirit dwells in us (Gal 4:6). We are told that we become temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16, 6:19). 

As a result, we are given two different things: Fruit of the Spirit and Gifts of the Spirit. Jesus told us that we would know His true followers by the fruit we see in their lives (Matt 7:15-20), and we are told in Galatians 5:22 what that fruit is: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Every believer, as they learn to more deeply abide in Christ and allow Christ to rule in their lives, should demonstrate these fruits. They are for all believers, at all times. 

In addition to the fruit of the Spirit, God gives us each at least one gift of the Spirit. Unlike the fruit, we do not all have all the gifts (Rom 12:6-8) and having one gift or another is not the exclusive sign of God’s Spirit inside us. (This is why Jesus told us to look for fruit, not gifts!)  

1 Corinthians 12 gives us a good breakdown of some of the Spiritual gifts. Verse 7 tells us that these gifts are given to us “for the common good”, and Romans 12 tells us that we are given them through the grace of God alone. So, these gifts are not for our good, our esteem, or our benefit (although when you live a life doing what God has called you to do, it is very rewarding). We are not the point. God is the point, and serving His people out of an overflow of His grace is the point.  

Make it Real

So, with that context in mind, let’s look at today’s verse. I see three really important lessons for us in this verse: 

  1. You have a gift! If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit dwells in you, and through the Spirit, you have been uniquely made to bear a specific gift. Now, gifts of the Spirit are not the same as natural talents. I may be naturally talented in different ways, and God may choose to use me in those ways. He may even choose to give me a spiritual gift that corresponds to those natural talents. But talents are about us. Gifts are about God. They are His spirit living in us in a way that we could not do apart from Him. They are unique urgings and equipping’s that come from Him alone, not from ourselves.  
  1. Your gift is meant to be used! God gives us gifts because He has a plan and a purpose. We get the immense honor of cooperating with Him in it. Your gift is not meant to be something that remains private or secret. It is not meant to be used only in the quiet of solitude. Your gift has been given to you to serve the body, to build up and equip the church (Eph 4:11-12). 
  1. When we use our gifts to serve, we are being good stewards of the grace we have been given! Jesus has given us so much, and we are so blessed to have His grace in our lives. It is through the grace of God that we are saved (Eph 2:8). But that grace is not meant to stop with us! We are meant to let it take root and produce the gifts God wants us to have. Then we are to take the result of the grace of God in our lives and LIVE IT! This is what it means to be good stewards of the grace of God, to care for what we have been given. And God’s grace is so multifaceted! It has no end, no limitations, no weaknesses! So, there is nothing in His will that His grace cannot accomplish in our lives and through our lives! Isn’t that amazing news?! 

So, this week, as you spend time in prayer with Jesus, ask Him to reveal to you what special gift He has purposed in your life for His will. Ask Him to show you how to take the grace you’ve been given and give it away.  

Crystal Garnett

Crystal Garnett

ACF Digital Discipleship Team Lead

End in Prayer

Jesus, 

Thank You for Your grace! Thank You that You did not leave me with no hope for serving and following You. Thank You that your grace is more than enough! Help me to have eyes to see and ears to hear. Teach me what special gift You are developing in my life and how You want me to use it for Your glory and to serve Your people. Thank You for wanting to use me!  

In the name of Jesus Christ, 

Amen 

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