R369 Using Your Gifts for God

Each of us have gifts given to us by God and today with The Encouraging Word teaching of Dr. Don Wilton will discover how we can use this is The Encouraging Word broadcast with Dr. Don Wilton well-known author, evangelist, pastor, and today as he dives into this topic.

Your gifts for God will head with Ephesians in just a moment the doctor will to what you know we're here to pray with you as well can reach us at 866-899-WORD. Many are using that number to also order the new book from Dr. Wilson on the pray for our nation resource 31 days of prayer for my nation can take a peek at that on our website right now TE W online.org.

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Now today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton is church.

He did some wonderful things for you and for me. He provided us with the means to be able to, everything that God wants us to be.

The church is a vital part of God's plan for mankind. I want you to turn with me to Ephesians chapter full we going to be looking at three passages of Scripture this morning as we condescend to the subject using your gifts for God before we read here, let me say to you that there is a real sense in which, spiritually speaking, the church is like a buff play dinner.

Now some of you may wonder how in the world can you find a parallel between the church and above for a minute.

Well, if you want to go and eat some food and have a wide selection go and enjoy. About five because typically I buff a meal presents a whole variety of food that a whole variety of people can select and choose from and it's not that I'm calling some of you carrot sticks and others of you broccoli box but it is simply this, that if we want to grow physically. What happens is that during our lifetime we eat food that builds our body physically and nutritionist will tell you that you need this and you need that you need vitamins listen vitamins that you have all kinds of things that build up your body and make you what you also your teeth unfold out so you can see at night and that you got good bones and on and on. The list goes in all of these components come together to make us healthy the church. The Bible tells us, is God's means to enable us to become healthy. This church as I believe it ought to be the case in all evangelical churches has one program anybody says to you, what is First Baptist Church do you can tell them one thing that we are here to reach people for the Lord Jesus Christ.

We have one program but we have multiple ministries in order to enable us to reach people for Christ multiple ministries and the ministries that we have in this church and all New Testament evangelical churches provides a buff play of nourishment for all people to partake of various something for everybody.

And the way in which all the components function together in God's house is by virtue of the fact that everybody who is a part of this body contributes what they are able to contribute to enable the body to be the body. God intends it to be. Some of us of this in some about so that some of us are public and some of us are private and I know that as I look around this congregation, and as I think back over the tradition of this church that the faithfulness of God's people have in essence been a major factor to the health of this church over the years nondangerous say to you again.

Beloved friends that the health and well-being of the community and we live is in direct proportion to the health and well-being of the local church.

I believe that one of the reasons why Spartanburg South Carolina is such a good healthy community is because this churches blast. This community is blessed with many churches in Spartanburg that are healthy good bodies of Christ functioning the way they are supposed to function. If you think about the churches in this community. That's for the way God intended it to be.

You have a week church you going to have a week community. You have a week community. You gonna have a week strike. You have a week strike. You gonna have a week nation and when we talk about the United States of America falling apart moderately. The way in which we correct these things is to go back to the local church is not going to be solved in a ballot box is going to be sold in the heartbeat of God's church. That's the way that God intended it to be because we are the body of Christ. I'm going to say to you today beloved friends that the influence upon this community this week is going to be in direct proportion to the godly influence that we received right now in God's house we as the scattered church are going to take it from gathering together as the gathered church and we all going to share this with those in the workplace and the marketplace of life. Ephesians chapter 4 verse 11. It was the Lord Jesus Christ gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastas and teachers in order to prepare God's people for works of Sir so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back in full by the waves blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up in him who is the head that is Christ full from him the whole body, joined together and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and moves itself up in love parodies as each part does its work turn with me to Romans chapter 12 please turn the Romans chapter 12 verse three.

Listen to this full by the grace given me I say to every one of you do not think of yourself more highly than you or Bud draw the think of yourself with sober judgment. Curators in accordance with the measure of faith that God has given you when we go back to Ephesians 4 verse seven. What are we going to read but to each one of us grace has been given according to the measure that God has given to us.

Romans chapter 12 verse four, verse three. In accordance with the measure of faith that God has given to you. Verse four just as each one has one body with many members. Carrot is but little thing the big finger index finger, but ahead of body, legs, feet first, all these different components listen to me. Just as each one has a body with many members, so it is that these members do not all have the same function, so it is in Christ we who are many, look around here tonight. We you are maybe form one body and each member belongs to all the others. We all have different gifts, according to the grace given us their lives coming back again. Ephesians chapter 4 verse seven but to each one of us grace has been given as Christ has apportionment. Look at Romans chapter 12. Each member belongs to the other. We all have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let them use it in proportion to the exercise of these faith if it is serving, let them serve deacons if it is teaching Sunday school life Institute preschool children youth let them teach. If it is encouraging, let him encourage if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously if it is leadership, let him govern diligently if it is showing mercy, let them do it cheerfully.

Turn with me to one Corinthians chapter 12 the next book in the New Testament follows the book of Romans, one Corinthians chapter 12 now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant, go to this school. There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.

There are different kinds of service but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all man and you can go on and read about the characterization of these different gifts. It seems to me that if we understand Ephesians chapter 4 that what God is done through the apostle Paul is that he has categorized gifts into three areas that they are. There are those that are gifted to deal with situations thereof. Those, secondly, that all gifted to deal with sinners. And thirdly, there are those that are gifted to deal with science and all of us say well you lost me on that blast born preacher because I'm not assigned, but wonderful news for you this morning. Doesn't matter what your wife is if you given your heart to Jesus Christ your assigned brother, you're not armed to the teeth.

You can tell her that you can say I'm a site you know why it's not because of anything that we are.

It's because of everything that Christ Jesus is in us. That's what Jesus Christ does for us, he makes us brand-new. There are those who are gifted to deal with situations. The Bible tells us that some were equipped to guide the church in ways it ought to go. The apostles, but they were also those who were equipped to God. The church in what it ought to know not just to guide the church in the way of port to go back to God. The church in walked it ought to know what we know is very important because what we know is going to Dublin how we live. If you have a weak theology you gonna have a weak lifestyle. It is absolutely guaranteed. But secondly, there are those who are gifted to deal with sinners.

They called evangelists here in Ephesians chapter 4 our churches, many people like that our community have many people like that that God has placed a particular giftedness upon them. I think of Dr. Billy Graham, one of the most humble and gracious man in this world.

God has blessed us so much through the ministry of his servant.

There is no question about Dr. Graham's gift in evangelism. It is the hand of God placed upon his servant. It has nothing to do with his servant.

It has everything to do with the God who he serves. Our church has men and women who are particularly gifted to deal with situations. We have men and women who are particularly gifted to deal with sinners, of which we all are, and still believe we have those who are gifted to deal with science. These fall into two categories there in Paul's letter to the Ephesians. Those called to attend to the flock that all the postures and those called to teach the flock. They are teachers now friends listen to me.

All of these three categories are general categories in the word of God and under these categories, multiple ministries this if you please is the one program of the church.

The multiple division of ministries that God's word talks about in Romans and in first Corinthians is leaking estimable joy that God gives to us as members of the body of Christ to be able to serve him. What does it mean when you usual gifts to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. I should imagine this morning that each one of us could think about somebody in this church and the church is that we grown up in that has impacted our lives in a remarkable fashion might've been a Sunday school teacher might've been an already old GIA leader someone emissions someone in some organizations, somebody somewhere, somehow, has impacted our lives will.

The Bible says that when God's people is the body of Christ pool their resources and every member plays his or her part that there are five benefits that result then we give them to you quickly because they found right here in this great passage of Scripture number one. It enables others to be prepared for service. Look at verse 12 to prepare God's people for works of service. If I had a desire for my children. It would be as they grow up, that they would become prepared to serve God. What a lofty goal for us to have as a church that our children are going to grow up being prepared for works of service that when they sit with you and I assert that probably the driving point in their hearts and lives as believers is Lord Jesus Christ.

How can I serve you. Second for the building up of the body that's also found in verse 12 for the evening of the body. The apostle Paul is talking about straight crop loss KR a TOS in the Greek text. He is building up strength what Paul is saying here is listen when the members of the body of Christ function as the members of the body of Christ and with every member of the body of Christ does his or her work. The result is that the body of Christ becomes all that we become strong that we stand firm that we going to be able to stand up coal that our children and our grandchildren are going to grow up as young people, and ultimately as adults and leaders who are strong listening to Dr. Don Wilton our teacher here on The Encouraging Word. Please don't go away to be back with the rest of today's message using her gifts for God protect powerful concept of not only how we become strong, but how we pass that along to our children and grandchildren for me as a relatively new grandparent. It's wonderful to see how God is using resources like we find it The Encouraging Word to help strengthen my relationship with my grandchildren. That's kind of port in the love of God's word God see Encouraging Word Janet into our website lightly dropped by TW online.org is the address that's DEW online.org would love to connect you with those resources including the daily Encouraging Word Bible guide get a hard copy we sent out every quarter or sign up for it online today begin receiving it within the next 24 to 48 hours online at tewonline.org. That's tewonline.org.org.

Now that today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton. There's 1/3 fundamental benefit unity in the fight verse 13 until we all reach unity in the fight is being said in Scripture. Many times from Genesis to Revelation that if there is any method or approach that Satan would utilize to destroy a nation. It would be to divide a nation cause people to become separated. If Satan wants to destroy the church.

He will upset the unity of the body is what happens when all members of the body of Christ with the little finger or a big drink when all members of the body of Christ. Each do their part. What happens from him who is the head, the whole body is held together by every supporting ligament, according to what the apostle Paul tells us in verse 16 of chapter 4 unity in the fight but there's 1/4 one.

Knowledge of Jesus knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

He says, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the Molly of the son of God, you know, we spend a lot of time going to school and starting a B's and C's Pythagoras's theorem joining the dots together, wondering what in the world.

It's all about. Eventually qualifying to become engineers and teachers and doctors and lawyers and and all the other things in between. But there is nothing that supersedes the importance of being able to come to grips with the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, knowing who he is. Paul put it like this. He said let this mind be in you which was also in the Lord Jesus Christ. But there is a first point and that is maturity.

That's a wonderful expression there in verse 13 and we become mature, what is it mean to become mature in Christ.

That means that we have obtained the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. You know, one of the joys that I have is a postures meeting men and women in this congregation who have attained the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Have you ever met somebody who spiritually speaking you look at them and you say those people. There are so matures virtually they have come to grips and all growing in coming to grips with the whole measure of the fullness of Christ and the Bible says my friends that when the body of Christ functions together, each playing its part, that what we do for others by giving gifts to God is. We enable others to prepare for service to be built up and strengthened in the body to be unified in the faith exercise. A knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and to grow to maturity in him. What does this do for us what is it mean to us.

Verse 14 through 16. Paul tells us about number one. It means that we will stand firm. Look at verse 14, then we will no longer be as infants, tossed to and fro by all the deceitful scheming in our young people over 70 or 80 of them as we speak right now or up in the mountains at a youth camp. I want you to know that as you' there is one thing that I pray for our young people is that when they graduate from high school and they go on to college, that they are going to be able to stand firm. You know folks that there are many young people who grow up inside the church when I go off to college, you cannot find them spiritually. Those wins come along. The deceitful scheming of mankind. All the philosophies the mocking the peer pressure and all these things begin to waft in and move over and all of a sudden you turn around and your children know where spiritually the Bible says my friends when the body of Christ functions together as God intended us to be. We are in a blow to stand firm. Second, means that we will grow in him.

I love this maturational physiological spiritual growth that Paul keeps coming back to the talks about it in verse 15 he says we are going to grow up in him who is the head, that is the Lord Jesus Christ then finally but not conclusively. It means that we going to be able to function properly. Look at verse 16 from him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love is each part does its work. It's like a football team.

I guess Steve I appreciated your mysterious analogy about two mysterious teams that played the sparse week and it was so apropos.

There's nothing more wonderful than going to watch a ballgame. You know the strengths of the bowl team is determined by its ability to function properly.

All you need is one of those players not to do what he is supposed to do in the context of his function and you got a touchdown or you got a good point scored against you I team that functions as a team that comes together in accordance with its purpose. There is an understanding they know exactly what the plays they know where they going what they doing and what they are supposed to be and as we've heard from God's word today teaching Dr. Don Wilton there is a team ready to respond to you as well.

You are not built to do this alone. The body of Christ. The community of the church is important part of who we are in this ministry. It's not just your church my church.

The church you just drove by our responsibility as a part of the body is to encourage one another and we love to pray with you and for you my phone number is 8668 chapter number down stored in yourself. It's 866-899-9673 or email us at online@tewonline.org that you've heard the pastor's been preaching from the pulpit but now as he steps in the studio. Once you open your heart to what he wants to share from his heart.

You rated to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm so happy to hear that wanting to pray this prayer with me today. Dear God, I know you love me very, very, and I know that the Lord Jesus Christ came God on the cross that I might day. I painted my I confess my sin by Jesus name I pray, if you prayed that prayer. Let me be the first one to welcome you to the family of this is wonderful. I hope that you know how much I'm going to be praying how very important this is for me. Call us so we can talk to you to connect you race you can begin this wonderful journey. And in just a moment I'm in a come back with the final if you just put the pastor to rededicate your life to Christ to give your life to Christ of the first time we have wonderful resources talk to Don what you have absolutely free. If you call us at 86688668999673. Pray would you put some resources in your hands. Just know we're here for you at 866-899-9673, and online at tewonline.org. He will find great resources like this, our nation, prayer, and our founding fathers understood everything and everything that we are is rooted in your own our own.

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It's a powerful resource you can see our website tewonline.org to your call about getting your copy at 866899 word 866-899-9673 before we get away closing thoughts from our pastor and chief encourager Dr. Don Wilton here I am again one day.

This is been, you know, one of the things I want to say let's you know we've got so many means to be able you can email. We all wear a family we stay connected so your very gone and I want relationship needs in mind. I'm walking in your shoe and I want to pray for you.

Please don't stop Corliss writers keep trying keep giving. Keep connecting keep rejoicing, keep celebrating, keep striving God is on he strode.

This is the Encouraging Word and now you know why I times.

Dr. David all that stay connected between now and tomorrow. This week has wonderful messages from Ephesians and Romans tomorrow as a matter fact in Ephesians be hearing from Dr. Don about why we are so and working to celebrate those differences tomorrow on the Encouraging Word. I hope you'll join us. Invite a friend between now and then stay connected on our website W online.org that's tewonline.org G while you're there sign of the daily Encouraging Word email from Dr. Don powerful insight from God's word wonderful application daily Encouraging Word devotional sign up online tewonline.org