Today's Passage - 1 Corinthians 12:2

1 Corinthians 12:2   You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.   As Paul has stated in this passage, the second reason the church has lost the Spiritual gifts is because we used our natural life to think about spiritual matters.  When we think about spirituality, we often relate it to personality.  We feel that a person with good personality must have good spirituality, but the reality is that the two might not have anything to do with each other.  Personality is your nature, but spirituality resides in the spiritual level.  What is spirituality?  It's the ability for one to hear the calling of the Holy Spirit.  If one has good personality, but he cannot hear the voice of the Spirit, then it doesn't really help.  If one has bad personality, but can hear the voice of the Spirit, and willing to follow the voice of Spirit, then his spirituality must be good.   When we talk about gifts in the church today, we often relate them to talents, but the truth is that gifts and talents are totally unrelated.  Talents are born with, but can also be acquired, but gifts are acts out of the prompting of the Holy Spirit.  It doesn't mean that what you learn must not be a spiritual gift, but your gift is not necessarily your specialty.  We understand this basic concept but we become nervous when we exercise the gifts and we end up using our natural talents to control spiritual matters.  That's why many people in the church are not exercising by our gifts; on the one hand we don't know the gifts that God has granted us, and on the other hand church doesn't provide the environment to exercise our gifts.  Therefore, we end up serving according to our talents, and we just talk about what our expertise and hobbies are.  It is important for us to devote our talents for God to use, but aside from talents we must also exercise our spiritual gifts.   May God help us to have a humble heart, let the Holy Spirit come and guide us.  Let us know our gifts and let us operate in church not just by talents but also gifts.  When the gifts start operating and power of the Holy Spirit is released, the name of Christ will be lifted high and thousands will come to the Lord.  We do not see signs and wonders at church today because we neglect to teaching and exercise the gifts from the Holy Spirit.  May God restore such truth so that the church may be benefited.   Pray with Pastor Tong   Lord, may your re-open our eyes and hearts, so that we may see all kinds of grace of your Holy Spirit.  Help us to restore spiritual gifts in our church, so that we may benefit from the gifts and let people of the world turn back to you.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!     Find out more about ROLCC English Ministry!