-- Friday, 8/20/10 -- USING GOD'S GIFTS THE WRONG WAY -- Judges 14:6a

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J.R. & Bonnie Ricks

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Aug 19, 2010, 6:39:45 PM8/19/10

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USING GOD'S GIFTS THE WRONG WAY -- Judges 14:6a NIV

The Spirit of the LORD came upon him in power so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat.

Samson had been given a gift by God – incredible strength. When the lion attacked Samson, scripture says that the "Spirit of the Lord came upon him," and he was able to tear the lion apart with his bare hands. Apparently Samson's great strength was the only gift he received from the Spirit, because in other matters, he wasn't exactly a spiritual giant.

Take this situation of his marriage to the Philistine woman, for instance. First, Samson was determined to marry a Philistine woman rather than choosing a bride from his own people – even though God had specifically told them not to marry outside of Israel. Second, he didn't bother to give God the credit when he was able to kill the lion. In fact, he didn't tell anyone at all what had happened, including his parents. Last, he used the situation with the dead lion as a means to selfish ends, posing a riddle to his new wife's people that they could not possibly solve without assistance. Here was a man, gifted by God in a very special way, who used his gift for selfish purposes rather than for what God intended.

Each person who becomes a child of God is given a special gift by the Holy Spirit – at least one, and sometimes more, gifts of the Spirit that God intends to be used for His purposes and for His glory. But we, just like Samson, sometimes get our priorities skewed, turning these gifts toward selfish ends… making them profit us in some way rather than edifying the body of Christ and bringing glory to God.

What are your gifts? What special Spiritual gift (or gifts) has God given you? Have you prayed to receive the gifts of the Spirit (there are at least twenty-one of them!)? Have you studied the gifts you've been given, learning how to better use them in God's service? Have you prayed for understanding and direction in knowing what God wants you to do with your gifts? Or are you a Samson, turning your gifts to your own interests, to fill your ego and possibly your wallet?

Pray for the gifts of the Spirit. Pray earnestly. And when you receive them, ask God to show you how He wants you to use them in His service and to His glory.

Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. … There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There areAugus different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:1, 4-7 NIV

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