People Power

So here we are in the 9th Month of The New Year WHAT! It's already September WOW! and it's the end of the week so as we prepare ourselves let's take a moment to reflect on this Read: Ephesians 4:7-16 Bible in a Year: Psalms 143-145; 1 Corinthians 14:21-40 The whole body . . . grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. —Ephesians 4:16 A man was boarding a train in Perth, Australia, when he slipped and his leg got caught in the gap between the train carriage and the station platform. Dozens of passengers quickly came to his rescue. They used their sheer might to tilt the train away from the platform, and the trapped man was freed! The train service’s spokesman, David Hynes, said in an interview, “Everyone sort of pitched in. It was people power that saved someone from possibly quite serious injury.” In Ephesians 4, we read that people power is God’s plan for building up His family. He has given each of us a special gift of His grace (v. 7) for the specific purpose that “the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (v. 16). Every person has a job to do in God’s family; there are no spectators. In God’s family we weep and laugh together. We bear each other’s burdens. We pray for and encourage one another. We challenge and help each other to turn from sin. Show us, Father, our part in helping Your family today. —Poh Fang Chia Are you a spectator or a participant? What gifts do you have? In what ways can God use you to help others grow closer to Him? We need each other to get to where God wants us to go. INSIGHT: The various types of spiritual gifts are listed in Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:7-30, Ephesians 4:11, and 1 Peter 4:10-11. That no two lists are identical would suggest that each list is not exhaustive. God intends that we use these grace gifts to serve, instruct, encourage, edify, equip, and empower the church so as to glorify Him (1 Cor. 14:4-5,26,31; Eph. 4:12; 1 Peter 4:10-11). In Ephesians 4, Paul highlights the teaching gifts that help build up and mature the church (vv. 11-16). Apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers are gifted in proclaiming and teaching the Word of God. Sim Kay Tee