Hunting

Moose hunting season up here is almost over. I feel like I missed out this whole week. Doug's brother and his two sons traveled up here from North Carolina to go out hunting. So this last hunt was a guy's thing. So far the moose have been very elusive.

I suspect that having all those ATV's out on the trail have given the bulls ample warning that it is probably best not to be found in the same area. Even so, I know that Dave and his sons have thoroughly enjoyed the beauty of Alaska for the last week and all was seen while enjoying a very nice ATV ride.

Speaking about hunting... how about hunting for your spiritual gift or gifts? I have often wondered what my gift is. Everyone that is a Christian has a gift, or gifts. I found it interesting while continuing to read Billy Graham's book today, The Holy Spirit - Activating God's Power in Your Life that he said -

"In I Corinthians 12:7, the apostle Paul says the gifts are given "for the common good" so we are not to use them selfishly. Instead, we are to use them to help each other."

Well I knew that, but here is what I thought was so very good; Billy Graham continued:

"God has also designed the gifts to help "unite" the body of Christ." ....There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. But to each one of us grace [a special gift] was given according to the measure of Christ's gift." ... Thus the gifts of the Spirit should never divide the body of Christ; they should unify it."

Are your efforts within the body of Christ bringing people together, or dividing people? This is a big indication of whether or not we are being filled with the Holy Spirit, or being filled with ourselves!

While hunting for our spiritual gifts, we can narrow it down by asking ourselves - what is it that I do that helps/works to unify Christian's around me? Our goal should be the same as the Holy Spirit's - making the body of Christ a living, healthy, and useful being that will be effectively reaching out to a lost and dying world ---rather than struggling with envying, fighting, angry words --- divisions within the church. Those actions are not evidences of the Holy Spirit, but only ---selfish ambitions.