Spiritual Gifts

Hope you were encouraged and spurred on in your faith by our talk on spiritual gifts at Sunday @ 6 last night or at any of our services.

Do you know what your spiritual gift or gifts are? If not, be brave! Ask a Christian friend you love and trust to get their opinion - someone who will give you honest, truthful feedback. Pray to God and ask him too! And try out your gifts and you may discover you have a real passion for something (eg welcoming new people or encouraging others in their faith).

Hold Onto God's Promise

Richard reminded us yesterday about God's promise to us in 1 Corinthians 10:13, and encouraged us to learn this verse from memory:

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Richard also reminded us to 'blow out' temptation (like blowing out a newly lit match) when we feel its beginnings.

Was there anything else you were encouraged or challenged by in Richard's sermon?

The Stumbling Block Principle

A big idea from last night's sermon: The Stumbling Block Principle!

As Christians we are to be people who build other people up in love with our knowledge and not cause other people to stumble in their faith!

When Paul discovered the more mature Christians at Corinth were pushing the less mature Christians (against their conscience) to eat food sacrificed to idols, Paul said this:

Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall. (v13)

How does this transfer to us in the 21st century?

Well - here's a thought: by your behaviour are you building up other people in their faith in Jesus or are you making them stumble? Let's be guided by love for our brother and sister in Christ by how we behave around them!