The Gift of Prayer

Last night we had some friends over and Dad was flipping through a book and it mentioned something about the "gift of prayer". Have you ever heard someone pray aloud just magnificently? I really appreciate it, since I'm praying those beautimous words as well that I could've never thought of. I never really thought about prayer being a gift, but I know when I pray aloud it's just not the same as other people. I don't have the gift! When I pray in my head, I don't use many words. I start out that way, but when I can't think of the word I just use the idea, since God knows what I mean. And sometimes I use phrases like, "Well, gosh!" or "kinda weird" and that's fine for me, but when you're leading other people in prayer it doesn't work as well, ya know?:) So I don't have the gift, but I appreciate it in other people!

So have you ever thought about prayer as a gift? Now that you have? Do you have it? I just thought that this was an interesting thought... who'd have thunk?

Different Gifts

This isn't something deep really, just something I thought was funny out of my Bible reading.

I personally think Paul is the best writer in the whole Bible. But in 2 Cor, he says, "Some say, "His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing." It made me giggle to think of Paul being a wallflower in the Corinthian church! Since we all only know Paul through his writings, we think of him as impressive and witty and smart, and hence a good speaker. But God didn't make him amazing at everything - but writing was all he needed to reach people even 2000 years later!

Ok, that was probably pointless to everybody... but I thought it was kinda cool.

Spiritual Gifts in the Church

I read in 1 Corinthians this morning, and it talked about the different spiritual gifts that God strategically placed in the church. Normally I wouldn't put the whole passage, but it is all very important to my point and you can't miss it!

Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable... But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater gifts.

I once listened to a sermon by the ever awesome Dale Thompson talking about this. And it is very true and perfect how God puts people in the church. For instance, in our church we have a great teacher. We have an apostle who can speak different languages. My dad is a good administrator. We have many people that are great at helping others. You can't wish you had someone else's gift, because yours is just as important as the passage says. Just like the song... "Oh-oh we need each other"!

This was perfect timing for me, because today is the rehearsal, if I may, of our first movie night. Please pray for us as a church in this outreach, that each member may each incorporate their gifts and not hold back, and that is successful for the kingdom of God!