Tag Archives: spiritual gifts

August 8, 2025 · 6:06 AM

Seeking Spiritual Things

In John 6, Jesus fed the 5,000 before He and the disciples crossed the Sea of Galilee. When they returned, the crowd wanted another miracle as they referenced the manna in the wilderness. Jesus replied He was the Bread of Life. Like the woman at the well, they were looking for Jesus to satisfy their physical needs while He was offering to take care of their spiritual needs. Like them, we often prioritize the physical over the spiritual. Throughout Scripture God speaks to giving us spiritual things. He’s prioritizing the eternal over the physical. We then must learn to seek the spiritual things He offers us.

Here are some Bible verses on the spiritual blessings He offers:

1. All my words are clear and straightforward to everyone who possesses spiritual understanding. If you have an open mind, you will receive revelation-knowledge.

Proverbs 8:9 TPT

2. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.

Romans 8:5 ESV

3. I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.

Ephesians 1:16-17 NLT

4. It is love, then, that you should strive for. Set your hearts on spiritual gifts, especially the gift of proclaiming God’s message.

1 Corinthians 14:1 GNT

5. Open my eyes [to spiritual truth] so that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law.

Psalms 119:18 AMP

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May 27, 2024 · 5:30 AM

Every Day Gifts

One day as I was walking back to my car from dropping off my son at school, I heard someone calling my name. I looked over to see a friend of mine who was standing with a man I didn’t know. As I walked over, I felt the Holy Spirit say, “He needs to be encouraged.” After introductions, I began to hear the prompting of the Holy Spirit to bring up certain things. I began saying everything I was hearing to him, and he began to cry. I kept sharing these words of encouragement as long as the Holy Spirit led me. He then said, “I know we don’t know each other, but can we hug? You have no idea how much I needed to hear all that today.” After a bear hug, I told him that God sees his struggles and brought me over to tell him all those things. We’ve been friends since that moment.

When we think of spiritual gifts, we tend to think of the “big” ones listed in 1 Corinthians 12 like prophesy, words of wisdom, healing, performing miracles, discernment and interpreting tongues. Those can seem like wonderful gifts to have, but can also feel overwhelming to think about using. These gifts can be used anywhere, but are primarily seen in the church. However, there’s another set of spiritual gifts in Romans 12:6-9 that I see as every day gifts you can use at work, home, sporting events or anywhere you go. These gifts are serving, teaching, encouragement, giving, leadership and kindness. The gifts are for the people you come in contact with. If you look around, you’ve been perfectly situated to use these every day gifts God has given you. Which of them has God given you?

1 Corinthians 12:7 says, “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other” (NLT). It may not feel like it, but you have spiritual gifts given to you by God. It’s time to unwrap them, hone them and use them. If you’re unfamiliar with what your gifts are, you can take a spiritual gifts assessment and it will show you. The transformation of the Church going from a cruise ship to a battleship begins with the believers using their gifts outside the church building. We have been equipped to change lives, to make a difference in our communities and to restore people to God. He is ready to use the gifts you’ve been given so we must stir them up, listen for the prompting of the Holy Spirit and use them in love wherever we go each day. Take some time today to read all of 1 Corinthians 12 and let it challenge you to mobilize and use your spiritual gifts to grow the Kingdom of God.

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April 3, 2023 · 5:46 AM

Energizing Your Gifts

A few weeks ago my wife said, “If Pricilla Shirer ever comes to Houston m I want to see her.” I got out my phone and found out she was going to be in Houston within the month. We bought tickets to the event and then went. It wasn’t just her though. It was her dad, Dr. Tony Evans and her siblings too. There was a lot of great content throughout the event, but one of the incredible things to me was seeing the different members of this family operating in their gifts. Anthony Evans led us all in worship. Dr. Tony Evans preached. Chrystal Evans Hurst, who has a podcast, shared like it was just the two of you in the room. The youngest, John, shared the story of when they found out their mom had been diagnosed with cancer. Then Pricilla taught from 1 John. Every one of them used their giftings effectively and communicated the Gospel.

When you look at the disciples that Jesus chose, it wasn’t a group that anyone would choose for students. However, Jesus didn’t choose them for their family name or their grades in school. He choose normal, every day people with different gifts to be able to turn the world upside down with the Gospel. Peter had the gift of leading and preaching. John had the gift of being a friend and teaching. Matthew was very logical and accurate which shaped the way he recorded the works of Jesus and wrote his gospel. I could go through the list one by one, but just know that they all had their strength and used them effectively to spread the Gospel. Those that heard them were amazed because they didn’t expect much from them based on who they were. However, when we operate in our God given gifts, everything changes.

1 Corinthians 12:6 says, “The same God distributes different kinds of miracles that accomplish different results through each believer’s gift and ministry as he energizes and activates them” (TPT). God has given you gifts from His Holy Spirit that need to be activated, energized and developed for His purposes. The disciples were people like you and me. They spent time with Jesus who stirred up those gifts in them. We stir ours up the same way. We energize them by using them when given the opportunity. However, they must be developed and honed. God’s gifts to us are usually raw and it’s up to us to mold them, shape them and make them better. Don’t wait on someone else to take charge of your gifts. Seek out your pastor, ministry leader or someone else to help you develop and use what God has given you. The world needs your gifts and the Holy Spirit is ready to empower you to accomplish what God created you to do.

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January 23, 2023 · 5:43 AM

Unplugging Wells

During the Covid pandemic, while people were in lockdown, people had a lot of time on their hands. They had to stay home when they used to go out. Some people took that as an opportunity to rediscover their hidden talents, hone their skills and develop their talents. I watched several videos and read stories of how people were investing their time into these things. Their lives had become so busy before the pandemic that they quit practicing or using these skills and eventually forgot they had them. The pandemic gave almost all of us a rare opportunity to reset our schedules, manage our time better and rediscover ourselves. Once it ended though, most of us went back to living the way we were before it. We forgot the lessons learned and put our talents on the back burner again.

Genesis 26 starts off by telling us there was a great famine that caused people to move, including Isaac. God told him not to go to Egypt, but to stay in the same country. When he arrived to the area the Lord told him to go, he found favor with the king and purchased land. When he planted crops, God gave him 100 times more than he planted. The Philistines were jealous and filled his wells with dirt. Verses 17-18 say that Isaac moved to the valley and reopened the wells his father had dug, but the Philistines and filled up after his death. There were fights and struggles over it, but he kept unplugging them until he had enough water for his people and flocks.

1 Timothy 4:14-15 says, “Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecy spoken over you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you. Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress” (NLT). Each of us have plugged up wells in our lives. These wells are spiritual gifts, talents and skills that we were given to serve the Lord with. We’ve allowed them to be plugged up by our schedule, our mismanagement of time and daily distractions. It’s time to redig those wells and give your attention to them so that you make progress in them once again. You weren’t created to make a living. Your God given purpose lies in the gifts and talents He gave you. Unplug those wells and use them for His purposes once again. That’s were you will find fulfillment and purpose for your life.

Photo by Frans van Heerden:

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December 23, 2022 · 5:26 AM

God’s Gifts

One of the things we most associate with Christmas is gifts. There is something exciting about getting a gift with your name on it, especially when the gift is perfect for you. It’s a good reminder that God gives us gifts we need. James 1:17 tells us that every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father. The gifts He gives are intended to help us navigate this world, help others to know Him and to grow. He gives each one of us gifts, including you. 1 Corinthians 12 lists several of these spiritual gifts if you’d like to research. However, the greatest gift He has given us is His son. Because He sent His son, we can have everlasting life when we believe in Him. Take time today to thank God for all the gifts He’s given you.

Here are some Bible verses on God’s gifts.

1. Let us praise God for his glorious grace, for the free gift he gave us in his dear Son!

Ephesians 1:6 GNT

2. .Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them accordingly: if [someone has the gift of] prophecy, [let him speak a new message from God to His people] in proportion to the faith possessed.

Romans 12:6 AMP

3. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 4:10-11 ESV

4. For sin’s meager wages is death, but God’s lavish gift is life eternal, found in your union with our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One.

Romans 6:23 TPT

5. I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

John 14:27 NLT

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April 19, 2021 · 5:55 AM

Maximizing Your Gifts

One of the first talents I realized I had was the ability to memorize. It was pretty cool as a young kid. By the time I was in high school, I could study for a test from my locker to the classroom and ace the test. I began to hear words like, “No fair, I hate you for that and not cool.” When I started working, I again used it to gain a competitive advantage in sales. In one role, I had to take certifications. We would all fly to one city on a Sunday night for the test on Monday morning. Anything less than 95% was considered failing and there was a lot of pressure on these tests. I began to pretend to be stressed like everyone else. No one would go out to eat because they’d be up all night studying. I used to pretend to go to my room too to study. I’d wait about ten minutes then head out to a nice dinner. I allowed the people around me to make me feel like I had to minimize my gift.

I love Romans 12 because it talks about the different gifts God gives us. Verse 6 says, “God’s marvelous grace imparts to each one of us varying gifts” (TPT). I also love that it says the He gives each one of us gifts. That includes you. Don’t believe me? It’s repeated in Ephesians 4:7. It says, “However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ” (NLT). The problem most of us face is that we’ve spent a lifetime minimizing our gifts because of what other people think. For some, we’ve suppressed them so long, we may have even forgotten we had them. However, it is still in you, a more than likely just needs to be stirred up to be reactivated (2 Timothy 1:6). Because of your gifts, God has specific purposes and plans for you.

Timothy must have been facing the same pressure as a young minister. In 1 Timothy 4:12, he reminded him to not let anyone look down on him because of his age. He went on to say in verse 14, “Don’t minimize the powerful gift that operates in your life” (TPT). Timothy like us was tempted to minimize his gifts because of what other people thought or said. Just like Timothy, you and I need to not let others look down on us or minimize the gifts. Choose to worry about what God think rather than others. Use the gifts God has given you to make a difference where you are. When we minimize the gifts we’ve been given, we’re like the man who buried his talent in the sand. Instead, be like the ones who took their talents, invested in them, used them and doubled them. The more you utilize them, the greater impact you will have.

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November 16, 2018 · 6:15 AM

Giving God’s Gifts

It’s hard to believe Christmas is just around the corner. Since we were children, we have been taught to anticipate getting gifts. If you were like my brothers and me, you would try to take a peak at them early. It was hard to see them there every day, and to live with that anticipation. Then on Christmas morning, the fun would begin when we could go outside and use those gifts so the neighbors could see. Whether it was a bike, a walkie-talkie or a new football, the greatest part of the gift was putting it to use.

Every one of us has been given gifts by God. Some of the gifts we receive when we ask for them and others are given to us to help us accomplish His will for our life. When you know what your gifts are, it’s important to use them for the benefit of others. They weren’t given to you to keep for yourself. When you use them for others, you revive the blessings that come from giving. Don’t be stingy with your gifts. Give and it shall be given to you. The more you give them for the benefit of others, the more God can trust you with His gifts.

Here are some verses on the gifts God gives.

1. God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.

1 Peter 4:10 NLT

2. May all the gifts and benefits that come from God our Father, and the Master, Jesus Christ, be yours.

1 Corinthians 1:3 MSG

3. For example: The Spirit gives to one the gift of the word of wisdom. To another, the same Spirit gives the gift of the word of revelation knowledge. And to another, the same Spirit gives the gift of faith. And to another, the same Spirit gives gifts of healing. And to another the power to work miracles. And to another the gift of prophecy. And to another the gift to discern what the Spirit is speaking. And to another the gift of speaking different kinds of tongues. And to another the gift of interpretation of tongues. Remember, it is the same Holy Spirit who distributes, activates, and operates these different gifts as he chooses for each believer.

1 Corinthians 12:8-11 TPT

4. Wisdom is a gift from a generous God, and every word he speaks is full of revelation and becomes a fountain of understanding within you.

Proverbs 2:6 TPT

5. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God [that is, His remarkable, overwhelming gift of grace to believers] is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

ROMANS 6:23 AMP

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November 6, 2018 · 5:49 AM

Developing Your Spiritual Gifts

Every one of us have things we are naturally gifted at and things we are not so good at. In today’s world, we have been spreading the lie to people that they can be anything they want to be. If you are not built a certain way or have superior skills, you will never be a professional athlete no matter how much you want to be one. Instead, i recommend that you look at the what has been given to you, develop those skills and use them for in a field where they can bloom. We get the biggest bang for our buck when we develop what we are gifted with rather than what we’re not gifted with.

Romans 12:6 says, “God’s marvelous grace imparts to each one of us varying gifts and ministries that are uniquely ours” (TPT). That means that not only are you naturally gifted, you are spiritually gifted as well. God designed each one of us to fit perfectly into His plan so He gave us spiritual gifts to use for His purposes. The problem is that many of us don’t use or develop the gifting that God has given us. They often lie dormant inside of us and we miss our holy calling going through life unfulfilled.

When Paul was writing his last letter, he started it off by saying, “I’m writing to encourage you to fan into a flame and rekindle the fire of the spiritual gift God imparted to you when I laid my hands upon you.” He was talking to Timothy, but it was to each of us. The word he used for rekindle means to develop the gift. It’s up to you and I to first know and understand the gifts God has given us, then to develop them so we can maximize our potential. Because you have a unique gift, you have a unique calling. While you can do a lot of things on this earth, you won’t be completely fulfilled until you activate your gifts and operate in them.

If you’ve never taken a Spiritual Giftings assessment, try this one to see what gifts God has given you. Click here.

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June 27, 2018 · 5:54 AM

Fanning The Flame

I consider myself somewhat of an expert when it comes to building campfires. I spent years in a scouting program, and I know to build a fire it requires three things: oxygen, fuel and heat. One of my favorite things to do on a camp out is to restart the fire in the morning from the embers. I move back all the ashes, find a small ember, add some kindling and blow on it. It doesn’t take long before I get a roaring fire and can start cooking breakfast. To me, there’s just something cool about starting that fire from the embers. It reminds me that it doesn’t take much to get a fire going.

When I read 2 Timothy 1:6, I think of starting that fire in the mornings. It says, “That is why I remind you to fan into flame the gracious gift of God, [that inner fire–the special endowment]” (AMP). Paul was reminding Timothy, and us, that each of us have God-given gifts inside of us that we have to keep going. They may be embers right now, but they can be fanned into a great flame. Just like a campfire, they need oxygen, fuel and heat in order to keep growing and to stay ablaze.

The heat comes from God. He’s the one who put the gifts in you. It’s up to you to add the fuel. The kindling required to ignite it is spending time in prayer and reading God’s Word. The oxygen needed to keep it going is putting your gifts into practice. When we neglect the gifts in us, we choke out the flame by cutting off its oxygen. God has created you for a purpose and has given you the tools you need to accomplish that which He created you for. It’s up to you to breathe new life into them and fan into flame those gifts.

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April 30, 2018 · 4:30 AM

The Giftings Trap

I’m often guilty of wishing I had someone else’s giftings. Have you ever felt that way? I can hear someone preach, and wish I could explain things the way they do. I’ve read other authors and thought, “If only I could write that well.” I’ve heard people give some wise advice and wondered why I can’t think of things like that. It’s a dangerous trap to fall into because I’m failing to be appreciative of the gifts God has given me. In those moments, I discount the very things God wants me to use for His glory.

If you look back across the years of your life, you will see a lot of ups and downs, mountains and valleys. In the low moments, God is smoothing off your rough edges and is sharpening the gifts He placed in you. It hurts to go through those times, but it’s in those valleys that God prepares you for your calling and destiny. Coming out of the valley, it’s natural to think you have nothing left, but even the little you have, used for God will be enough to fulfill your purpose.

2 Corinthians 8:12 says, “If you are eager to give, God will accept your gift on the basis of what you have to give, not on what you don’t have” (GNT). In other words, God isn’t expecting you to give Him someone else’s gifts. He’s expecting you to give Him what you have matter how small you think it might be. It’s time we quit comparing ourselves to each other when it comes to gifts. God didn’t give you their gifts because He didn’t call you to reach the same people they are called to reach. Give what you have and God will use it in ways you can’t imagine.

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