Motivational Gifts - Part 2

Motivational Gifts – Part 2

By Pastor Gary Wayne

Last week I introduced a new series on motivational gifts, and I did a very basic overview of those gifts that are listed in Rom.12. I used a story scenario to help put them in context.

Motivational gifts are given to us before we are born, with God weaving them into who we are. My actions are motivated by this gifting to where how I respond to life comes from that primary gift.

Overall my goal is not only to help you understand and identify the gifting God places in us individually, but that we will be active in fulfilling our purpose and function that God intends for us when He gave us life.

Text: Romans 12:4-8, 1 Peter 4:10

Seven Motivational Gifts Basic Function:
Perceiver – are the eyes of the body. Service – the hands of the body.
Teacher – the mind of the body. Giving – the arms of the body.
Exhortation – the mouth. Leading – the head of the body.
Mercy – the heart of the body of Christ.

Last week I asked a question: So where do I fit? What is my part, my function?

I think the church is like a giant jigsaw puzzle with LOTS of parts.
It can take some time to figure out where some parts belong. BUT THEY DO BELONG! And a tendency is if I don’t understand a puzzle, I can in frustration throw the whole thing away.

Why is it that some people never seem to fit in?
I know there are lots of reasons, but I want to look at just a couple.

Sometimes Church can be more like a club for like minded people, who gather together around their common ways of thinking.
This can start to look like an exclusive club with requirements from its members to fit in.

But I think too often the reason people don’t seem to find their fit is because of a classic misunderstanding of ministry, or service. Not understanding the church’s function.
What is ministry? Anything I do as unto the Lord.
What do most people see ministry as? Something that has to do with what happens on Sunday morning from 9:00 to 12:00.
What we call church.

What is church? A group of believers following Jesus. Not a building or a Sunday morning happening.

Too often when people attend a Sunday morning church service, their understand of ministry is what flows from that morning gathering.
On a typical Sunday morning, there is: preaching, song leading, playing an instrument, running the computer, children’s church, cookies (hospitality), greeter, servers, etc.

But I want to impress on us that I believe service / ministry to Jesus takes place more importantly after we leave our Sunday morning gathering.

Vernell Ingle’s Dad. He WANTED so bad to be in the ministry, but he was stuck at being a checker for a local grocery store. Then one day he realized that God has placed him there to represent God to people who would NEVER walk into a church. He started viewing his job as his service to God. Praying over his time, over the people that would come through his line. Something shifted, and his numbers for the amount of people that came through his line exploded.

Movie – Chariots of Fire. Eric Liddell was born in China to Scottish missionary parents, now being raised in Scotland. He LOVED running, and felt it was a way to glorify God before returning to China as a missionary.
One day he missed a church prayer meeting because of his running, and his sister accused him of no longer caring about God. He told her that he intends on returning to China, but he feels divinely inspired to run, and that not running would be to dishonor God. “I believe that God made me for a purpose. But He made me fast, and when I run, I feel His pleasure.”
His life greatly influenced people for God. But it wasn’t in a “church” setting.

Nathan Tanner: Here in Seeley Lake, he loved skateboarding. His parents encouraged him to peruse his passion for skateboarding. So he has taken his skateboard all around the world. He personally has led thousands to the Lord.

So what do I do if I don’t know what my gifts are? Easy – obey what you know is God’s word for you, and pursue that which gives you joy. Work as “unto the Lord.”
If you are trying to do “ministry” and it is “chafing” you (rubbing you the wrong way), it probably wasn’t God who asked you to do it. Maybe a “well intended pastor” who needed a warm body to do what he thought needed done.

Col. 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people. Remember that the Lord will give you as a reward what He has kept for His people. For Christ is the real Master you serve. Good News T

Ro 12:6 “Having gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them…”