I know it has been a while since I posted last, but I got married and am on my honeymoon.  Can you blame me?  This morning as I was reading in Romans, something jumped out at me, especially since we have heard God speaking over and over that we are to have a ministry like Paul’s.  Obviously, as I have been reading the writings of Paul, I have been paying close attention to what I can glean from his wisdom and his ministry.  Naturally, I was paying close attention when God began speaking through these two verses.

This is what the verses read: “For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— 12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me” (Romans 1:11-12).

Paul did not just have a desire to visit the churches and preach to them, his desire was to come to them and impart something to them.  Specifically, He wanted to impart some spiritual gift to them that they may be strengthened and established.  He longed to bring them what they needed to grow and build the Kingdom of God.  Now, each place that Paul visited was different, and though he was directing this to the Roman church, I can see him speaking this to each one of the churches he was an apostle to.  Each church was different and needed something different to make them strong and established to bear the fruit of the Kingdom.  Even though Paul was an amazing man of God, He did not have everything that all of these churches needed.  Because we are all different and have different spiritual gifts and strengths, each of us have spiritual gifts that make up who we are that are actively imparted just by being around others.  It does not take any work for me to build someones faith because it is something I walk in and impart just by being with them.

However, there are many spiritual gifts that I do not walk in to the fullest and these are not actively imparted just by being around me.  When people or churches need one of these gifts imparted to them, it is a sovereign act of God!  However, it is my responsibility to seek what another person or people need that this gift of God may flow through me.  I am a conduit by which anything I do not have directly can flow straight from the Throneroom of Heaven to those who need it!  If I am living the way I should and seeking that the Lord will use me in the greatest way possible, He will flow through me in great and unexpected ways!!!

Even though this is something that my wife and I have been called to walk in directly as we go around the world strengthening churches, it should never be discounted from our everyday lives.  God has called each and every one of us to use everything we have for His glory and for the strengthening and encouraging of the Church.  When I say the Church, I do not mean any small local body, but the Body of Christ as a whole.  Each and every time we gather with our Christian brothers and sisters, we should be seeking to encourage and strengthen them in the best way possible.

Today, Katie and I have been given the opportunity to visit a local church with our new friend Hector.  It is our desire as we go to be a blessing and impart some spiritual gift to this Mexican church even while we are on our honeymoon.

What have you done today to prepare yourself to strengthen your brothers and sisters in Christ?  What has God given you specifically to pour out on those around you?  What are the things that you directly impart onto those around you just by being near them?  Are you asking the Lord to use you as a conduit and to prepare yourself to pour out the things you do not have onto others?  Ask Holy Spirit to reveal your direct imparting gifts and to strengthen and use you to be a conduit of His Kingdom to be used to pass on anything that others may need!

I bless you with a powerful gift of impartation both of the things that are already in you and the things that others need!!! I bless you to be used of the Lord where you are and always to desire to give out what God has given you to give!!!