Author	Thread: LIVING A GENUINE CHRISTIAN LIFE
vkjewell View Profile History	LIVING A GENUINE CHRISTIAN LIFE Posted : 5 Jul, 2010 01:10 PM This question was posed to ME through a devotional today ~ I am not a handy man. If there is a household project, like a plumbing leak or anything mechanical - forget it. God has not given me any "natural" gifts for such things. I have a friend who can fix or assemble anything. It comes naturally to him, and he loves to help me. This same person looks at some of my abilities and marvels. We appreciate the gifts God has given to each of us. These differences have created a need for one another. The Scriptures describe the Body of Christ in the same way. Each person is a member of His Body with gifts and talents designed to make His Body perform as a multi-talented group, all playing to the same tune . . . Imagine if the parts of the human body decided they didn't want to fulfill their parts any longe . . . What "part" are you in His local (your "oykos" church family? What has He equipped YOU for? What role has he called you to play in God's Kingdom on Earth? Hope I spelled that Greek word right! I'll go first since I brought this up . . . One of the gifts I share with my local body is teaching the Word of God to very young children; and I often get to use another gift, writing, in order to share God's heart in a way that reaches theirs. Your turn . . . Post Reply
carmi View Profile History	LIVING A GENUINE CHRISTIAN LIFE Posted : 29 Jul, 2010 10:12 AM This is a wonderful topic and inspires me to share what God has given me ever since I became a Christian, it is the gift of Prayer & Intercession,side by side with the gift of Evangelism. Chuck Swindoll wrote in his book "Church: Purpose, Profile & Priorities" that the hardest thing about evangelism is prayer. From experience, I have learned it is not my work but God working when we share the Gospel, and in prayer He pours out His Mercy and His Power to manifest in the winning (conquest) of the soul. The Church as His body will function well if it relies on that Power to keep it whole and alive, directed and in harmony. In many churches it is after Salvation that the believer's battle begins, and sadly, I am inadequate when it comes to patience in discipleship. Others more gifted in this area produce better results than I do so I leave it to them. The other gift God has so lovingly blessed me with is the gift of writing inspirational poetry, a subtle way of evangelizing. Many thanks, carmi Post Reply
gharold View Profile History	LIVING A GENUINE CHRISTIAN LIFE Posted : 3 Aug, 2010 05:48 AM Val, you spelled it phonetically, but it's usually transliterated "oikos", which is the common word for "house". This issue is major problem in the church at large. Many churches are half full of pew sitters that only come to church on Sundays for their weekly worship fix and never involve themselves in the life of the body of Christ. As a result the Church suffers because we ALL desperately need one another for the body to function properly. I'm afraid that it will take a good dose of suffering to wake many of these people up and to see the need of the vital connection with God's people. Imagine how the kingdom of God would advance if God's people were all vitally active with one another and engaging the world as salt and light. Post Reply
justme7157 View Profile History	LIVING A GENUINE CHRISTIAN LIFE Posted : 16 Jul, 2011 10:44 AM Dearest G, Some of those 'pew sitters' as you refer to them may have other restrictions in their lives. I've been attending my current church for a little over a year, and because I work full-time and care for my mother who has dementia, I rarely have time to do necessary errands (shop, dry cleaning, medical appointments for myself), let alone serve. Before my mother became ill I served regularly at my previoius church and in my community. Everyone has a story, and calling someone a 'pew sitter' without knowing their story is not what I would call a Christian attitude. Just sayin'. JM Post Reply