Daily Devotion in Romans 12

Daily Nugget:
God has plans for every Christian. To better equip each child of God and to bring Him the glory, each is given a gift(s) to better serve the Saviour.

These gifts are not the gifts the early church had before they were given the entire Word of God. These seven gifts (Romans 12:6-8) are necessary to get the work of God done in today’s world. They include the gifts of:

• Prophecy. This is not the same ability prophets and early disciples had. We have the entire plan of God in His written, preserved Word of God. We do not need to foretell the future as they did in Old Testament days.
  
  This gift of prophecy is taking the Word of God and helping others understand it better. Noah Webster in his 1828 dictionary defines the gift as the ability, “to preach; to instruct in religious doctrines; to interpret or explain Scripture or religious subjects …”
• Ministry. This God-given gift gives a great burden to a Christian to meet the needs of others.
• Teaching. This is a gift that allows one to help others better understand the things of God.
• Exhorting. This important gift helps one be an encourager to others — a most needed gift, especially among God’s people.
• Giving. This gift gives one the burden to meet others’ needs by their giving — giving of things and of themselves.
• Ruling. This gift allows one to be a leader. Too many think they have it, but few have the God-given ability to lead God’s people.
• Mercy. This gift gives one a heart to have understanding, patience, and kindness with others.

If you are a child of God, God does not plan for you to just sit. He desires that you serve Him and help others. He has given you at least one of the above gifts given in this church age. What are your gifts and are you using them to help others, honor God, and bring others to know and serve the Lord better?

Additional reading on this subject: God's Toolbox.

Today’s Thought: 
“They that bury their gifts make a grave mistake.” — Author Unknown

Words to Understand:
Condescend: to stoop to a lower to what is normal
Conformed: to make like another to fit in; be like others
Dissimulation: not hid; without being concealed
Fervent: with excitement; done energetically
Recompense: payback; reward
Slothful: lazy
Transformed: changed; an altered state

Today’s Reading:
Romans 12
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.