Everyone Has A Gift
Greetings,
“Now you are the Body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.” 1 Corinthians 12: 27-30
Today I am just full of questions. Like why can’t the answer to the seven questions listed above be YES? Why does everyone automatically assume that the answer to these questions is no? Especially when Paul usually asks a question with the answer being no, he normally spells it right out…..like “shall we continue sinning so that grace may abound?” The answer is, “by no means.” Paul never comes right out and says that the answer to these seven questions above is no and I find it very interesting that he doesn’t. Plus, in the original Greek text there is no evidence that the answers must be no to these important questions.
Think about it? Are all apostles? Yes, anyone can be sent by God to do a certain task. Are all prophets? Yes, anyone can give a prophecy. Are all teachers? Yes, I believe that anyone can teach someone else about something they know in Christ. Do all work miracles? Yes, the Spirit can move in anyone to perform a miracle of sorts. Do all have gifts of healing? Yes, any believer can lay hands on someone and they can be healed. Do all speak in tongues? Yes, I believe anyone can speak in tongues as the Spirit enables them. Is this list of gifts totally exclusive or is it possible that it is really totally inclusive? I have witnessed these gifts being used by a multitude of different people over the years and with excellent results. The truth is that with God all things are possible and HE can use ANYONE of us at ANY time He desires for ANYTHING He desires. Now, I agree that some folks tend to walk in these various gifts more often than some others, but that does not mean that the rest of the Body can’t flow that way at times also. Again the question is are these gifts exclusive, just for a chosen few, or are they totally inclusive and available to the whole Body at any given moment as HE sees fit? After all WE are the Body of Christ and “EACH ONE OF YOU is a part of it”
Anyway, it is the “greater gifts” that we should be desiring after all. According to the passage that follows this one…. those greater gifts are Faith, Hope and Love, with Love being the greatest. Remember I am just asking questions here today, but I feel they are questions worth asking and investigating, Thanks for allowing me to think out loud today, and remember none of what I suggest is set in stone. However, I do speak from over 39 years of experiencing the gifts in a relational, simple, organic, housechurch setting. I have witnessed all of the gifts in operation at various times without title, special recognition, or pay. When we gather together relationally in Christ these gifts just flow in simple ways without fanfare for the good of the entire Body. I do not deny the gifts, but I give them room to operate in all the members of the Body as Christ sees fit. It is not a big deal, but rather something I see as a normal part of everyday fellowship. I know my thinking is outside of the box, but this is church the way I have lived and experienced it since 1976.
Love and …..
Kirk Out !
notesfromthebridge 
Yes there is no doubt that all of these gifts are all available to all of us Christians as they are given for the building up of the body….. and if you have a desire to help in this regard and you have no ‘hidden aggenda’ in your request, you will be given what you ask for. And yes today you may move in one and tomorrow on the other…
I have written several things on this subject. Look at “GodsHand” on my family website “Witherdens.com”.
However I believe there are 2 things here.
ALL have access to these gifts but there are also those who have been appointed by God to be like administrators or ministers of these Gifts. These are those who are truly the least in the kingdom.. and they tried serve the others. These lowly servants/slaves serve as Christ served and usually get the same treatment that Christ got here on earth… but get the reward of a “Well done good and faithful servant/slave” and are invited to sit at His Table at the Wedding Feast of The Lamb of God…
Something like that.
To me administer and minister simply mean dispensing, or caring for….and that still spells anyone, anytime the Spirit so designates…but that’s just my thought. I appreciate yours also, “BK”
Yes agree 1000%.. however there are those of us who have a PASSION in our serving that comes from where Paul’s passion comes from… and that usually only comes from a direct face to face meeting with the Lord such as for example… Paul had… read all of Colossians 1… if you can identify with Paul in all he says there then maybe you’ve had that face to face…. but not all Christians identify with what Paul says… but that does NOT make the LESS than Paul. They just have a different place in the body.
Yes each and everyone of us can do/say exactly as jesus did and said… in fact He said we could and would do more…. but not all are the same.. not all ASK for the gifts… and very few ask for the greatest gifts… why… well you decide that for yourself.
I agree we can move in all of the gifts…if we allow the Holy Spirit to use us. Yes, some are more receptive in certain gifts than others. Have I prophesied?… Yes…Have I laid hands on the sick?…Yes…Have I spoken in tongues?…Interpreted?…. Yes. If God can use me….then Yes, we can all walk in these gifts every single day. We can do it in Love and Faith. I am opened to be used!!!!!
Amen to that
If we are receptive and yielded to the Holy Spirit we are able to be a vessel of great value to the Body of Christ and those yet to know HIM. It is not by effort or trying to minister, but a simple by product of merely abiding in the Spirit of Christ. It is up to me to keep my flesh out of the way as much as possible.
Amen
One other thought is that the word ‘gift’ is grossly mistranslated. The word for ‘a present’ is completely different than this one. The better translation would be ‘manifestation’ which then would elimiate the special class of ‘the gifted few’ who lead all the rest of us! “BK”