Spiritual Gifts

Recently our Sunday school class had us each take a test to determine our spiritual gifts. Although Sam and I were both just reassured on what we already knew were our spiritual gifts it was kind of a wake up call at the same time. My gift - serving and Sam's - encouragement/kind words. I felt this was a given for both of us, but at the same time it was a huge wake up call. I think we were both very convicted by knowing we have not been fully serving the Lord with what he has given us. Yes, we do somethings, but the Lord calls us to fully give up ourselves and our own desires and to take up the cross and follow him.

Mark 8:34–35

He said, “The Son of man is destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death, and to be raised up on the third day.” Then, speaking to all, he said, “If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me.”

In these words he is not saying some days, or the days we feel like it but EVERY DAY. This to me seems pretty intimidating at times. I catch myself thinking, "me?" But I am reassured b/c he wants to use every part of the "body". Even if I am just a "toe", he wants to use me. And an even more reassuring thought is the fact that in my weaknesses he is strong. I have NOTHING to worry about.

So I start out by saying all that to lead to saying how the Lord is really trying to get this across to me. He pointed it out first in sunday school by this test, now today is the first day of Lent in which the focus is to truly take up the cross and fully follow after him, then my women's bible study is talking about how we demostrate our faith. HELLO MANDY....do you think the Lord might be trying to tell you something??? So I write this to not only to tell you how the Lord is speaking to me, but to challenge each person that might read this to be bold enough to deny ourselves and take up the cross and follow him DAILY.

We must make a change in the way we are living. I think the hardest part about this to me is my time. I can be so selfish with my time, but I must continually remember that its not my time but the Lord's time. This line from my bible study really spoke to me:

"Genuine faith in Jesus Christ must and will make a real differnce in the way we live or it isn't really faith."

Faith and actions (the way we live each day) give authenticity to eachother and that is the way I (we) are called to live.

Anyways, I hope this speaks to someone else too b/c I really felt the Lord calling me to share this. Its simple, REAL SIMPLE, but will we do it?