Anglican Daily Fountain Devotional 23 June 2022
TOPIC: The Purpose Of Spiritual Gifts
12. for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
13. till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
14. that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
15. but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head — Christ —
16. from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Anglican Daily Fountain Devotional 23 June 2022
STUDY: In our reading yesterday, we saw the gifts Christ gave believers to exercise in His church. These gifts are not for individuals to personalise or make merchandise of; rather they are for common use in the body of Christ. Today’s text states clearly the purpose of the gifts which include:1. To equip the church for service in order to fulfil the great commission, and 2. To edify the body of Christ and build it to maturity.
The operation of spiritual gifts in the church is a continuous process and will result in unity of faith. Members will also gradually attain to the full standard of Christ, become stable in faith, and not easily carried away by every wind of doctrine. Today false teachings and prophecies abound with their attendant deadly but cleverly invented stories and sugar-coated messages. Many have already fallen prey; this shall not be our portion.
However, we must ask God to equip His saints with these gifts if they are not available in our groups and to also enable us to operate them (v.15). This will encourage us to speak the truth, and in love. How do you communicate: In love, in lies or harshly?
PRAYER: Lord help us Lord to identify our gifts and exercise them in Jesus’ name. Amen.
