Michigan Conference Campmeeting 2021: How Much More?

<p>Free sharing permitted under the Creative Commons <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/">BY-NC-ND 3.0 (US)</a> license.</p>

Michigan Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Dave Christenson

Master Guide Skills Development

Understanding Your Spiritual Gifts

You are about to enjoy a presentation recorded at the 2021 Michigan conference camp meeting held at Cedar Lake, Michigan. We pray that the Lord will bless you as you listen. Our Father, we thank you for the time that we have had together this week for a chance to work on learning a little bit more about how to help your kids and help us that your love can shine through us and send your Holy Spirit to guide us as we do that. And especially today here, so that people can hear what you need them to hear. And not just my words. We ask this in my name. Amen. So we're looking at spiritual gifts this afternoon. So it's important for master guides. We want to develop personal skills and in ourselves and in the youth that we work with. So what is a spiritual gift and is there a difference between a spiritual gift and a talent? So a natural ability may be something you're bored with, like physical coordination or maybe it's a talent you developed through the years, such as playing a musical instrument, spiritual gifts. These natural abilities or talents may be useful or entertaining, but they deal with the surface things of life. The root cons, concern of one's relationship to God is left untouched. And I'm gonna say that depends a little bit on, on the teacher, because there, for instance, there are some music teachers who will bring in the, who will tie in some of that kind of thing. And there are some PE teachers who will tie in some, some spiritual things, but by and large talents and abilities affect people on a temporary basis, not an eternal one. And spiritual growth isn't necessary for their development. You know, maybe a woman that opens her home for dinner, guests and social gatherings, maybe she's selling Tupperware. You know, you don't know what the motivation for doing things is. It, it? So, so we'll be getting, we'll be go going through the list. What is the motivation for it? For a spiritual gift? It's based on love for God and love for humanity and self gaining glory. That's not the thing, you know, and then Paul tells us, unless we, our motive is right, it's worthless. So what is the goal of spiritual gifts as opposed to natural abilities? Spiritual gifts are granted for the common good to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ. That's pretty broad statement, but that, that is the reason for spiritual gifts so that we can have the, the tools and abilities that we need. You know, as, as, as we talk about this stuff, you ask yourself, what is my motivation and goal in this area? And these gifts conform the basis for our individual and collective service for God. That will go touch on a few references here. If in the Christ object lesson we learned that if if you're not receptive to the spirit, you're probably not gonna have them. And contrast must not hinder unity. We have different gifts placed in the church. Not all are imparted to every believer, but you don't have to have money to get 'em. You don't have to be an intellectual giant to get them, which is really good news for some of us. They're promised to every servant to Christ. We don't talk about them a lot, but unity and cooperation are essential to, if we're gonna be using them. A spiritual gift is a special ability given to a member of the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit that enables him or her to work effectively with joy in helping the church carry out its mission to the world. Now, we don't want to confuse the gifts and spiritual gifts with talents. Only Christians receive spiritual gifts. These gifts enable us to minister in such a way that God will have power that will tell on hearts. And they're different from the fruit of the spirit. Fruit of the Spirit is reproduced in each Christian by the Holy Spirit. And everybody's supposed to have all the fruit, but not every spiritual gift is given to every Christian. And let's not confuse gifts with roles. You know, I may be an evangelist while someone else has the gift to teaching, yet we are all witnesses. Witnessing isn't a special gift of the spirit given to select persons. It's a role that all Christians share. There have been times in the past where in, in a couple different churches where I have had Pathfinder clubs, I've been able to utilize members of my club in teaching a Sabbath school, an adult Sabbath school class. And there it was a week when part of the lesson was on witnessing. And so this is the part that I, I had for my pathfinders. Are you ready? I had a half dozen people. Half dozen of the kids walked down the center aisle. Now the preacher, my, my class was in the sanctuary, okay? So I had kids walk down the center aisle and everybody was carrying something and they walked around my class one time and then walked out, didn't say a word, and I just ignored them. But this happened near the beginning of the class. And so then we were going through the lesson and we're getting down toward the end and which is where they put the part of the stuff on witnessing. And then I said, did anybody notice anything unusual happening near the beginning of the class today? And usually they're huh huh? And then I said, maybe like some, some kids walking through, oh yeah, yeah. And, and some of them remembered it. And of course, as any good Sabbath school class has, we have to have late comers. So they didn't see it. So then the people who were already there told the late comers what they had observed. And I said, now, do you know what just happened? You just gave a witness of what you saw. How much preparation did you have for that? Well, they just told what they saw. You know, they, they didn't need to look up any scriptures or have memorized how to explain the 2300 days, or, you know, they just told what they had experienced. They saw the kids. And it was interesting, every time I do that, it takes at least three people to come up with the list of most of the stuff that was carried. You know, you know, sometimes I had somebody carrying a crutch, somebody who's carrying a lunchbox. I don't remember what all you know, but it's just everybody is supposed to do some witnessing. That's just a part of us being us. This shouldn't be a big surprise to anyone for any good thing that, that God comes up with. The devil wants to come up with a counterfeit. He isn't original. He doesn't come up with totally new ideas. He just makes counterfeits of, of good things that the Lord has. So the counterfeit gifts are more often associated with the more miraculous, such as miracles, healings, speaking in tongues and, and prophecy. They get more attention. Miracle working will be one of the signs of the end, but we need to test them carefully by scripture. So we're gonna look at different categories, and while I think of it, administration, the ability to organize, manage and supervise, working with and through others to achieve goals. This meaning is to steer like the helmsman or, or pilot of a, of a ship. And here we're talking the ability to plan and launch projects to meet the needs, needs of God's cause. Apostleship, this isn't a word we commonly use today. It means to be sent out, especially commissioned to represent the church in the broader ministry. Here it might be more the spirit given ability to begin work in new churches. Discernment, the analytical capacity to discern between truth and error. Right and wrong. When I, this one comes up, one of the names that comes to my mind is Doug Bachelor. He is speaking tonight and tomorrow twice. Yes, he's, he's do got Saturday night. So we'll, we'll have three chan ti chances to see him evangelism, the ability to so persuasively present the gospel of Jesus, that people are led to become his disciples. And here we have the guy walking up to somebody sitting down at the mall. He says, sir, while your wife finishes their shopping, perhaps you'd like to get ready to die. Well, that's one way to approach people exertion. This word is derived from the same word that Jesus used for the comforter or Holy Spirit. One who comes alongside to encourage. Also it is the ability to stimulate people to action in the service of God. So it, they, they here what's being used as in as encouragement. Okay, so here we have the illustration of the pastor going into the church at 10 30. And you know, he's, he's got some questions about what all you know, he, he is not feeling all that great. But afterwards, someone comes up to him and says, great sermon pastor. We need to pray for our pastors. They're people just like the rest of us, but they have challenges that the rest of us don't have. And you're with, you know, there's good things and bad things, aspects of what we call the great advent movement where pastors are moving usually within five years or less. And, and this can put a real strain on them and, and we need to pray for our pastors. It's actually permissible to tell your pastor you're praying for them. And because that will encourage them knowing that someone is praying for them. And sometimes they need something to spark their social life too. They're people like the rest of us. Another gift is faith. The ability to, to see a vision of what God wants done. And the underserving accomplish unser confidence to accomplish it regardless of the obstacles. A name that comes to my mind on this one is Danny Shelton. And three, ABN Giving the ability to share personal assets with joy and eagerness so that people are helped. And God's work is advanced the, and notice its personal assets, not assets of somebody else, helps the ability to unselfishly meet the needs of others through some type of practical help. The exercise of this gift often releases those with teaching and preaching gifts to minister to the word of God. But I think you might also find it w in people that show up at community service events in ADRA hospitality, the ability to open one's home graciously so the guests are put at ease and are refreshed both physically and spiritually. Intercession the practice of praying earnestly and sincerely on behalf of others and their special needs knowledge. The ability to easily master a body of truth is also the ability to score and recall a fund of knowledge from God's word to meet the needed hand. And again, Doug Bachelor comes to my mind on this one, leadership, the ability to inspire and lead others in various ministries within the body of Christ. This gift is exercised with the attitude of a servant serving the unusual desire and capacity to render services to others. This might be in the form of raking leaves, shoveling snow or you, you, there's all sorts of stuff that can be done, but it, it is, these are tight ways. We are rendering service to others. Mercy, the capacity to feel sympathy with those in need, especially those who are suffering in miserable. And to manifest this sympathy in some practical way with a cheerful spirit. So as to encourage and help those in need missionary, the ability to minister across cultures pastoring or shepherding the ability to counsel, to, to shepherd counsel and encourage believers in their walk with Christ and service in the church and community. Also one who enables and equips prophecy primarily this refers to the gift on one who's called to receive divine revelation from God to be communicated man, but secondarily to the capacity to preach so that the Bible comes alive to the hearer. So now Dave's gonna go out on a limb here, and this is Dave speaking. Okay, I leave room if God wants to send another prophet for the last days, I believe with all my heart that he sent Ellen White and her, her writings are meant for us to be read and applied as they, as you know, if they fit, fit the situation. But I leave room for him. If he wants to send another prophet or two or three, he can do that. So I would expect that it to be showing. So if he does, I would expect it not to be in North America. I would expect it to be somewhere else where people would be. Well he's only gonna send it if it, if they're gonna be a be be a value. Pardon? Yeah. If people will listen. Yeah. Teaching the ability to in instruct and explain the Bible truth so clearly in such a detailed way that those willing to learn will understand wisdom. The ability to penetrate into a matter. Seeing the situation in its larger relationships and imparting wise council from God's word. I like this illustration here. Age doesn't always bring wisdom. Sometimes age comes alone. Anybody met somebody that sort of fits in that you don't have to name names. How do you go about discovering your spiritual gifts? Let me back up just a little bit, just for the fun of it, cuz there's, I'm looking for a volunteer to read something to the group. I will stand next to you so that the recording can pick it up. When we began planning for impact India, 2006, Ron Watts, president of the Southern Asia division, informed us that modern day miracles are taking place in India. He wrote, expect it to happen. Permit me to share one miracle, which happened in November. Jay and Eileen Lantry, fellow missionaries with my wife in I Singapore 30 years ago, just returned from India where they participated in a hundred village series at the close of each evening meeting prayed with those in attendance. I will now quote Jay. Within moments, the man stood by my side and pointed to his withered right arm and badly twisted hand. Both were useless. He too wanted prayer for healing. I asked, Lord, if it is to your glory, please grant his request. Immediately it happened. I opened my eyes and washed his arm slowly straightened and extend until it matched the other arm. Then like time lapsed photography of an open flower. I watched his fingers reshape themselves normally. Gradually, he began to wiggle each one simultaneously. Then he waved his hand and arm while jumping for joy and praising the Lord. That is the last I saw of I experienced the presence of the, the Holy Spirit in a magnitude I have never since previously. So that sounds like something from the Old Testament or the New Testament, but our God hasn't changed. He is the same, the things that he chooses. No, he, I I remember Brother Lantry, he was my, he was our pastor part of the time when I was a little kid long ago, far away. So how do you discover your spiritual gifts? Well, you need to pray earnestly that God will reveal them to you need to consider the desires of your heart. Also get active in the work of God. Listen to comments of Christian friends. Someone else should be able to recognize your gifts and evaluate your success. Now, how do you get active? Where do you get active in the work of God? Well, long ago, far away, Lord appeared to this guy and says, Hey, I've gotta work for you. Do. He says, I can't do it. He says, yes, you can't. No, I can't. I don't, I don't have the equipment. God says, well, what do you have in your hand? He says, I got this stick. He says, okay, you're gonna use it. And Moses used it. Start where you are. You know, and you know, I, It it's permissible to move from one part of the vineyard to another. You remember I showed you that illustration on how to teach part of physics using the Pinewood Derby. Well, Ken Neal was an area coordinator for a while, and then he, after a while, he felt it was appropriate for him to drop that and to go work in another part of the vineyard. And I, I certainly don't fault him for doing that, I miss him. But, but you know, he's still working for the Lord. So I'm gonna say, if you don't know what to do to get active in the work of God, we'll start where you're at. So what are the results of discovering your spiritual gifts? You'll know more of God's will for your life and where you best fit into the work of the church. You'll know better how to cope with diversity and conflict in personal relationships. You'll have a greater sense of identity and partnership with Jesus, and you'll have greater joy in service for the Lord because you're matching the work to, to what works best. You know, using the gifts that you have, you'll be better equipped to win your friends relatives, pathfinders and adventurers and whoever you meet to Jesus. And you can apply these gifts in your ministry if it's in pathfinders or adventurers or wherever you end up. Now In the handout, you should have a tool for figuring out your spiritual gifts. We're not gonna do that right now because this is the kind of thing that if you really want the results, you need to set a ti set some time apart where you can prayerfully do this in a quiet, uninterrupted manner. And we're at camp meeting on a rainy day on, on a Friday afternoon, and I want you to be able to take the time that you need to do it. But that's something that, that you can, that you need to do on your own. Any questions on what we've been covering? Okay, so let's just wrap this up then. Our father, we thank you for giving us spiritual gifts for your willingness to do that, to share with us the, the awesome power that you have. We know that you will u give them to us to use and if we use them, they can grow. But also that if we don't use them, we will lose them. Help us to be good stewards of those and all of our time and energies that we can glorify you. We ask this in my name. Amen. Amen. To listen to more of these presentations, you may visit the audio archives@misd.org slash audio 2021 or search for Michigan conference camp meeting wherever you get your podcast.

Back to Menu

Series

Master Guide Skills Development

Understanding Your Spiritual Gifts

Parent Series

Parent Conference

Sponsor

Recorded

Other Teachings in Series

Understanding Your Spiritual Gifts

Sound Doctrine