Charles Stanley's Daily Devotional today

Our Partnership with God
1 CORINTHIANS 12:4-11

I don't know how some in today's church got the false idea that the preacher is a servant and the folks in the pews are just members. No one is a bystander in God's kingdom! All believers are in partnership with the Lord (2 Cor. 6:1). He chose to work through mankind to accomplish the gospel mission on earth. To borrow a biblical metaphor, we are the workers cultivating and harvesting His fields (Matt. 9:37-38).

God gave one or more spiritual gifts to every single believer to aid in the work for His kingdom. We each need this special "wiring" to carry out our unique role in His plan. He knits that spiritual gift into our personality and inborn talents to create a useful and effective servant. And just to be clear, there is no such thing as a non-gifted believer.

Believers are the Lord's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for the purpose of good works (Eph. 2:10). Spiritual gifts are not our own abilities. The Holy Spirit manifests them through us. Remember, it is the sap running from the vine into the branches that produces fruit (John 15:5). In the same way, the Spirit lives and works through God's followers to bring forth acts of service. The Lord's power is behind it all. Think of that when you are tempted to shy away from God-given opportunities.

God's awesome power is present in and available to every believer. The Holy Spirit equips us to obey the Lord in whatever He calls us to do. Don't waste your life sitting in a pew! Get busy using that spiritual gift. The fields of this world are ripe for harvest (John 4:35).

Charles Stanley's Week 11 Prayer: Deliver from Corruption

Thank you for joining with us in 140 Days of Prayer. Let's pray.

Father, thank You for loving and protecting Your people. We pray for those who serve as leaders in our government--that they would seek You and submit themselves to You. We know that there are those who would lead us away from Your best for our land. Father, You know them by name and love them. Shed light on any who would lead us astray so that they realize their sinfulness and repent of their wrong choices. We ask that You would draw them to Yourself, convict them of their sins, and bring them to salvation. Contend with their plans, Lord--do not allow those who seek to confuse or control people to prosper. Thank You for being our righteous Judge and King. We praise You for hearing our prayers and bringing hidden things to light. In Jesus' name, Amen. (See Isaiah 3:12-13.)