God’s Imprint on Our Lives Fearfully & Wonderfully Made …we were made for God’s glory, pleasure & purpose “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:13-14 “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good….All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as He wills. ” 1 Corinthians 12:7,11

Review  We have taken a closer look at the following spiritual gifts  Evangelism  Exhortation  Faith  Giving

The Gift of Healing  The spiritual gift of healing found in 1 Corinthians 12:9 is actually plural in the Greek. “Charismata iamaton” is literally translated “gifts of healings.”  This spiritual gift is closely related to the gifts of faith and miracles. All spiritual gifts are to be exercised in faith, but gifts of healings involve a special measure of it.  This gift is interesting in that there is no guarantee that a person will always be able to heal anyone he or she desires. It is subject to the sovereign will of God, as all spiritual gifts are.

Given to Glorify God & Draw People to Him  This gift is given at various times and places to reveal the God of heaven to the sick and tormented. If healing is not granted, then we can conclude that God has greater plans for letting the person go through the illness or infirmity.  The spiritual gift of healing is an intimate one as it reveals the heart and compassion of God.  Healings reveal that God is near to His people and He cares about their sufferings.  Healings are meant to draw people to God through His Son Jesus Christ. God wants those healed to respond in faith with thanksgiving and love as the leper did in Luke 17:15-19, and as the demon- possessed man did in Mark 5:18-20.

Physical Healing Leads to Spiritual Healing!  By God’s grace, physical healing should lead to spiritual healing (faith in Jesus) and eternal life with Him in heaven.  Those who have this gift are compassionate toward the sick and pray over them regularly. They have great faith and trust that God can and will heal some and are not deterred when He chooses not to.  Those who have this gift are ultimately concerned with the spiritual well-being of those being healed and their relationship with Jesus.

Do you have the gift of Healing? Those in Scripture gifted with Giving:  The Twelve had the gift of healing (Matt. 10:1)  The Seventy (Luke 10:8-9),  Peter (Acts 5:14-16), and  Paul (Acts 3:1-8).  Do you have a deep compassion for people who are sick?  Do you have a deep conviction that God can heal anyone he chooses?  Do you enjoy praying for people who are sick?  Have you seen God heal someone?  When God heals someone, are you excited because it helps to reveal his power to others?  Do you long for the coming of God's kingdom, when there will be an end to all sickness since sin and its effects will be no more?

The Gift of Knowledge  The spiritual gift of knowledge is also known as the “word of knowledge” or “utterance of knowledge.” People with this spiritual gift love God with “all their mind.”  The gift of knowledge is an understanding of the things in this world and in our lives that is founded in the Gospel and rooted in the Scriptures. The gift of knowledge allows a believer to relate the Scriptures, and particularly the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to all aspects of life in this world.  The Greek word for this gift is “Gnosis” and it simply means knowledge and understanding. This gift is closely related to the gift of wisdom.

Communicates Truth Effectively!  The word of knowledge: the ability to research, remember, & make effective use of a variety of information on many diverse subjects.  One with this gift is usually well-versed in the Scriptures and often has much committed to memory.  They can retain the truth and communicate it effectively at the appropriate times.  These people love to study, love to learn, and are not content with a surface-level knowledge of topics.  They are compelled to conduct thorough research & compile their findings so others can benefit from their long hours of focused study.

Committed to Know Scripture  Throughout his ministry, Jesus frequently quoted the Old Testament Scriptures from memory because he had committed himself to studying Scripture so faithfully. Jesus also rebuked the scholars of his day because they studied the Bible but failed to love him, which is the purpose of all study (John 5:39).  This gift is often given to those who teach, preach, and evangelize.  God uses people in the church that have the Spirit-given ability to understand, in an exceptional way, the great truths of God’s Word and to make truth relevant to specific situations in the church. This way God is able to speak to the believers in each generation and in each church.

Do you have the gift of Knowledge? Those in Scripture that were gifted with Knowledge:  Ezra (Ezra 7:10)  Solomon (Ecclesiastes 1:13; 7:25; 8:9)  Timothy (2 Timothy 2:15)  Do you love to study?  Do you have a good memory; retain & compile lots of information?  Have others frequently pointed out your ability to know and understand God's Word?  Do people often come to you with difficult problems and questions from the Bible, seeking your insight because they know you will have the answer or find it?  In studying God's Word, have you found that new insights & understanding of difficult subjects come easy to you?

The Gift of Mercy  All Christians are called to be merciful because God has been merciful to us (Matthew 18:33; Ephesians 2:4-6). However, there are those with an extra measure of mercy who serve as the “hands and feet” of God, to the afflicted.  Those with this gift have great empathy for others in their trials and sufferings. They are able to come alongside people over extended periods of time and see them through their healing process.  The Greek word for the spiritual gift of mercy is “Eleeo”; means to be patient & compassionate toward those who are suffering or afflicted; concern for the physical as well as spiritual need of those who are hurting.

The Merciful  Those with this gift are able to “weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15) and “bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2).  These people are sensitive to the feelings and circumstances of others and can quickly discern when someone is not doing well.  They are typically good listeners and feel the need to simply “be there” for others.

Do you have the gift of Mercy? Those in Scripture that were gifted with Mercy:  Dorcas "was always doing good and helping the poor" (Acts 9:36).Acts 9:36  The good Samaritan  Do you find yourself being drawn to people who are needy, hurting, sick, disabled, or elderly?  Do you often think of ways to minister to those who are suffering?  Do you sense a great deal of compassion for people having personal and emotional problems?  Do you find that when you visit those who are suffering it brings you joy rather than depressing you?  Do you find yourself responding to people more out of compassion than judgment?

The Gift of Service  The spiritual gift of service, or ministering, covers a wide range of activities in its application. It is given to render support or assistance to others in the body so as to free them up for ministry.  There are two Greek words for this gift. The first one, found in Romans 12:7, is “Diakonia”. The basic meaning of this word is “to wait tables,” but it is most often translated in the Bible as “ministry.”  It refers to any act of service done in genuine love for the edification of the community. The word “Antilepsis” is translated "helping". It has a similar meaning: to help or aid in love within the community.

Quiet, Humble Background Helpers  The Holy Spirit endows some believers with this gift to fill the many gaps of ministry. The goal is to energize the church & free up others to use their gifts to the fullest.  They have a heart devoted to Jesus and a desire to follow His command and example in Matthew 20:25-28Matthew 20:25-28  Those with this gift do not seek recognition or a position in the “spotlight,” they just love to help out. They are content with serving in the background knowing that their contribution will bless the church, display the love of Christ to the world, and bring glory to God. Pope Francis washes the feet of a prisoner at the Casal Del Marmo Youth Detention Center

Joy-Filled Servants Who Glorify God!  These people tend to demonstrate a servant attitude, loyalty, attention to detail, and responsiveness to the initiatives of others. They function well in positions of detail and assistant leadership.  Those with the gift of service or helps plays a very important role in a needs-based evangelism and outreach.  The gift of helps/service is the ability to joyfully work alongside another and help that person complete the task God has given them.

Do you have the gift of Service/Helps? Those in Scripture gifted with Service:  Phoebe, Priscilla, Aquila, Tryphena, Tryphosa (Romans 16:1-4,12),  John Mark (Acts 13:5).  The Jerusalem church deacons  Do you enjoy helping others become more effective in their work?  Do you prefer to labor behind the scenes?  When someone is doing a job poorly is your first instinct to help them instead of criticize?  Do you prefer to work in a supportive rather than a leadership capacity?  When you hear of someone with needs, do you offer your services if possible?  When someone asks for your help, do you have difficulty saying no?