Lord, today, we dedicate our ministries to You
As gemstones in Your temple that Your Spirit can shine through.
You gave these holy gifts to us, now we submit to You.
And so as we walk faithfully in everything we do,
Let us be good stewards of these gemstones in Your Temple
For we are only stewards--any good proceeds from You.

1 ¶ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.  3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.  4  For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:  5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.  6  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;  7  Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;  8  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.  9  Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.  10  Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;  11  Not slothful in zeal; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;  12  Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;  13  Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.  14  Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.  15  Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.  16  Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.  17  Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.  18  If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.  19  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.  20  Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.  21  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

1 ¶ Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.  2  Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.  3  Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.  4  Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.  5  And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.  6  And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.  7  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.  8  For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;  9  To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;  10  To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:  11  But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.  12 ¶ For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.  13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.  14  For the body is not one member, but many.  15  If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?  16  And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?  17  If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?  18  But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.  19  And if they were all one member, where were the body?  20  But now are they many members, yet but one body.  21  And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.  22  Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:  23  And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.  24  For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:  25  That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.  26  And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.  27 ¶ Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.  28  And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.  29  Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?  30  Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?  31  But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

If you read the Scripture below, it becomes very clear that these gifts of the Spirit are not the same as natural talents and gifts.  These are imparted by the laying on of hands of the presbytery and prophecy.  They are given by God according to the will of God.  They cannot be learned or taught.  They are imparted or given.  They are supernatural, beyond what is available to an unsaved person.  Every gift that God gives to the Church can be and is counterfeited by the flesh and natural and carnal mind of man, and also by evil spirits.  Although this is true, those who have their senses exercised by reason of use can discern the difference.  Those who have their conscience seared cannot tell the difference.  This includes the nine gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12 and the five gifts mentioned in Ephesians 4, and the three gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13.
 
 
 

1 Timothy 4:14  Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.  15  Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

 

2 Timothy 1:6 ¶ Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.