Your Life with God

Shaped for Serving God

"Your hands shaped me and made me."-Job 10:8(NIV)
"The people I have shaped  for myself will broadcast my praises."-Isaiah 43:21(NJB)
"God works through different men in different ways,but it is the same God who achieves his purposes through them all."- 1 Corinthians 12:6(Ph)

You were shaped to serve God.God formed every creature with a special expertise.Some animals run,some hop,some swim,some fly.Each has a particular role to play based on the way they were shaped by God.Sa ating mga tao rin,each of us was uniquely "shaped" to do certain things.Before architects design any buildings,they ask first."What will it be its purpose?" "How will it be used?".The intended function always determined the form of the building.Before God created us,he already decided what role he wanted us to play on Earth.He planned exactly how he wanted us to serve him then he shaped us for those tasks.We are the way we are because were made for a specific ministry.The Bible says,"We are God's workmanship,created in Christ Jesus to do good works."We are God's work.We are custom-designed,one-of-a-kind,an original masterpiece.God shaped us to serve him in a way that makes our ministry unique.He carefully mixed the DNA cocktail that created us.David praised God and said,"You made all the delicate,inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb.Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!Your workmanship is marvelous."As Ethel Waters said,"God doesn't make a junk."Not only God shaped us before our birth,he also planned everyday of our life to support his shaping process.David continues,"Every day of my life was recorded in your book.Every moment was laid out before a single day has passed."This means that nothing happened in our life that is insignificant.God used all of it to mold you for your ministry to others and shape you for your service to him.God never wastes anything. Hindi niya tayo bibigyan ng talento,abilidad,regalo,life experiences,etc...unless he intended to use them for his glory.By identifying and understanding these factors,we can discover God's will for our life.The Bible says, you are "wonderfully complex." You are a combination of many different factors.To help you remember five of these factors,just remember the word 'SHAPE'
How God Shaped you for your Ministry:
Kapag binibigyan tayo ni God ng assignment,lagi niya tayong binibigyan ng mga equipment na kailangan natin to accomplish it.This custom combination of your abilities is called your SHAPE.
Spiritual gifts
Heart
Abilities
Personalities
Experience
SHAPE:Unwrapping your Spiritual Gifts.
God gives every believer spiritual gifts to be used in ministry.These are special God-empowered abilities for serving him that are given only to believers.The Bible says,"Whoever does not have the Spirit cannot receive the gifts that come from God's Spirit."You can't earn or deserve your spiritual gifts—that's why they are called gifts!They are an expression of God's grace to you."Christ has generously divided out his gifts to us."Hindi mo rin mapipili kung anong gift ang gusto mong matanggap;si God ang pumipili.Paul explained,"It is the one and only Holy Spirit who distributes these gifts.He alone decides which gift each person should have."Because God loves variety and he wants us to be special,no single gift is given to everyone.Also,no individual receives all the gifts.If you had them all,you'd have no need of anyone else and that would defeat one of God's purposes—to teach us to love and depend on each other.Your spiritual gifts were not given for your own benefit,but for the benefit of the others,just as other people were given gifts for your benefit.The Bible says,"A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church."God planned it this way so we would need each other.When we use our gifts together,we all benefit.If others don't use their gifts,you get cheated and if you don't use your gifts,they get cheated.This is why we're commanded to discover and develop our spiritual gifts.Naglaan ka na ba ng oras to discover and develop your spiritual gifts?An unopened gift is worthless.Kapag nakakalimutan natin ang basic truths about gifts,it causes troubles in the church.Two common problems are,"gift-envy" and "gift-projection".Yung una nangyayari kapag kinukumpara natin ang gift natin sa iba,hindi tayo nasisiyahan sa binigay satin ng Diyos,at nagseselos na tayo kung paano ginamit ng Diyos ang iba.Yung pangalawa naman nangyayari kapag ineexpect natin na matatanggap ng lahat ang regalo na meron tayo,do what we are called to do and feel as passionate about it as we do.The Bible says,"There are different kinds of service in the church,but it is the same Lord we are serving."Sometimes spiritual gifts are overemphasized to the point na napapabayaan na yung ibang factors that God uses too to shape us for service.Our gifts reveal one key to discover God's will for our ministry,but our spiritual gifts are not the total picture,may apat pa here it is:
SHAPE:Listening to your Heart
The Bible uses the term heart to descibe the bundle of desires,hopes,interests,ambitions,dreams and affections we have.Our heart represents the source of all of our motivations—what we love to do and what we care about the most.Even today,we still use the word in this way when we say,"I love you with all my heart."The Bible says,"As a face is reflected in water,so the heart reflects the person."Your heart reveals the real you—kung sino ka talaga,hindi kung sino ka sa tingin ng iba at kung sino ka sa tingin mo.Your heart determines why you say the things you do,why you feel the way you do,and why you act the way you do.Physically,each of us has a unique heartbeat.Same as we have each unique thumbprints,eye prints,voice prints,our heart also beat in slightly different patterns.It's amazing that out of all the billions of people,no one had a heartbeat like yours.In the same way,God has given each of us a unique emotional heartbeat that races when we think about the subjects,activities,or circumstances that interest us.May pakielam tayo sa ibang bagay at wala sa ibang bagay.These are clues to where we should be serving.Another word for heart is passion.May mga bagay na we feel passionate about at may mga ibang bagay na wala tayong masyadong pakielam.Some experiences turn you on and capture your attention while others turn you off or bore you to tears.These reveal the nature of your heart.Habang lumalaki ka,nadidiskubre mo na may pakielam ka sa isang bagay na walang pakielam ang iba kahit isa sa pamilya mo.Where did those interests come from? They came from God.God has a purpose on giving you these inborn interests.Your emotional heartbeat is the second key to understand your shape for service.Don't ignore your interests.Consider how they might be used for God's glory.There is a reason why do you love to do those things.Repeatedly,the Bible says,"serve the Lord with all your heart."God wants you to serve him passionately,not dutifully.People rarely excel at the tasks that they don't enjoy doing or feel passionately about.God wants you to use your natural interests to serve him and the others.Listening for inner promptings can point to the ministry God wants for you to have.How do you know when you are serving God from your heart?The first telltale(means indication)sign is enthusiasm.Kung ginagawa mo what you love to do,hindi na kailangan na may magmotivate sayo,magchallenge or magcheck sayo.You do it for the sheer(means complete)enjoyment.You don't need rewards,payment or applause because you love serving in this way.The opposite is also true:When you don't have a heart for what you're doing,you are easily discouraged.The second characteristic of serving God from your heart is effectiveness.Whenever you do what God wired you to love to do,you get good at it.Passion drives perfection.If you don't care about the task,it is unlikely that you will excel at it.In contrast,the highest achievers in any field are those who do it because of passion,not duty or profit.We have all heard people say,"I took a job that I hate in order to make a lot of money,so someday I can quit and do what I love to do."That's a big mistake.Meaning is far more important than money.The richest man in the world once said,"A simple life in the fear-of-God is better than a rich life with a ton of headaches."Don't settle for just achieving "the good life",because the good life is not good enough.Ultimately,it doesn't satisfy.You can have a lot to live on and still have nothing to live for.Instead of aiming "the better life",serve God in a way that expresses your heart.Figure out what you love to do—what God gave you a heart to do—and then do it for his glory.
Understanding your Shape
"You shaped me first inside,then out;you formed me in my mother's womb."-Psalm 139:12(Msg)
Only you can be you.God designed each of us so there would be no duplication in the world.Walang tao na kaparehas mo ng factors,you're unique.That means no one else on earth will ever be able to play the role God planned for you.If you don't make your unique contribution to the Body of Christ,it won't be made.The Bible says,"There are different kinds of spiritual gifts...different kinds of serving...[and]different abilities to perform service."Now,we will look at the rest of your SHAPE for serving God.
SHAPE:Applying your Abilities
Your abilities are the natural talents you were born with.Some people have a natural ability with words:They came out of the womb talking!Other people have natural athletic abilities,some are good at mathematics or music.When God wanted to create the Tabernacle and all the utensils for worship,he provided artists and craftsmen who were shaped with the"skill,ability,and knowledge in all kinds of crafts to make artistic designs...and to engage in all kinds of craftmanship."Today,God still bestows those abilities and thousand of others,so people can serve him.
All of our abilities come from God.
Even the abilities used to sin are God-given;they are just being misused or abused.The Bible says,"God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well."Since your natural abilities are from God,they are just as important and as "spiritual" as your spiritual gifts.The only difference is that you were given them at birth.One of the most common excuses people give for not serving is "I don't have any abilities to offer."This is ludicrous.(means very foolish) You have dozens,probably hundreds,of untapped,unrecognized,and unused abilities that are lying dormant (means not active but able to be active.) inside you.Many studies have revealed that the average person possesses from 500 to 700 different skills and abilities—far more than you realize.For instance,your brain can store 100 trillion facts.Your mind can handle 15,000 decisions a second,your nose can smell up to 10,000 different odors.Your touch can detect an item 1/25,000th of an inch thick,and your tounge can taste one part of quinine in 2 million parts of water.You are a bundle of incredible abilities,an amazing creation of God.Part of the church's responsiblity is to identify and release your abilities for serving God.
Every abilities can be used for God's glory.
Paul said,"Whatever you do,do it all for the glory of the God."The Bible is filled with examples of different abilities that God uses for his glory.Here are just few of those mentioned in Scripture:artistic ability,architectural ability,banking,boat making,candy making,designing,farming,fishing,gardening,making music,needle work,leading,planting,carpentry,sailing,selling,being a soldier,teaching,writing poetry and literature,etc...The Bible says,"There are different abilities to perform service,but the same God gives ability to all for their particualr service."God has a place in his church where your specialties can shine and you can make a difference.It's up to you to find that place.God gives some people the ability to make a lot money.Moses told Israelites,"Remember the Lord your God,for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth."People with this ability are good at bulding a business,making deals or sales,etc...If you have this business ability,you should be using it for God's glory.How?First,realize your ability came from God and give him the credit.Second,use your business to serve a need of others and to share your faith with unbelievers.Third,return at least a tithe(10 percent) of the profit to God as an act of worship.Finally,make your goal to be a Kingdom Builder rather than just a Wealth Builder.
What I'm able to do,God wants me to do.
You are the only person who can use your abilities.No one else can play your role,because they don't have the unique shape that God has given you.The Bible says that God equips you "with all you need for doing his will"To discover God's will in your life,you should seriously examine what you are good at doing and what you're not good at.If God hasn't given you the ability to carry a tune,he isn't going to expect you to be an opera singer.God will never ask you to dedicate your life to a task you have no talent for.On the other hand,the abilities you do have are a strong indication of what God wants you to do with your life.These are clues to know God's will for you.If you're good at designing or drawing,it is a safe assumption that God's plan for your life includes that kill somehow.God doesn't waste abilities;he matches our calling and our capabilities.Your abilities were not given just to
make a living;God gave them to you for your ministry.Peter said,"God has given each of you some special abilities;be sure to use them to help each other,passing on to other God's many kinds of blessings."At this writing,nearly 7,000 people are using their abilities in ministry at Saddleback Church,providing every kind of service you could imagine:repairing donated card to be given to the needy;finding the best deal for church purchases;preparing meals;composing songs;doing research of sermons or translating them,etc...New members are told,"Whatever you're good at,you should be doing for your church!"
SHAPE:Using your Personality
We don't realize how truly unique each of us is.DNA molecules can unite in an infinite number of ways.The number is 10 to 2,400,000,000th power.That number is the likelihood that you'd ever find somebody just like you.If you were to write out that number with each zero being one inch wide,you'd need a strip of paper 37,000 miles long.To put this in perspective,some scientists have guessed that all the particles in the universe are probably less than 10 with 75 zeros behind it,far less than the possibilities of your DNA.Your uniqueness is a scientific fact of life.There never has been,and never will be,anybody exactly like you.God loves variety,just look around.He created each of us with a unique combination of personality traits.God made introverts and extroverts.He made people who love routine and those who love variety.He made some people "thinkers" and others "feelers".Some people work best when given an individual assignment while others work better with a team.The Bible says,"God works through different people in different ways,but it is the same God who achieves his purpose through them all."The Bible gives us plenty of proof that God uses all types of personalities.Peter was a sanguiene.(means confident or hopeful.)Paul was a choleric.(means made angry easily)Jeremiah was a melancholy.(means a sad mood)When you look at the personality differences in the twelve disciples,it's easy to see why they sometimes has interpersonal conflict.There is no "right" or "wrong" temperament(means the usual attitude)for ministry.We need all kinds of personalities to balance the church and give its flavor.The world would be a very boring place if we were all plain vanilla,people come in more than thirty-one flavors.Your personalities will affect how and where you use your spiritual gifts and abilities.For instance,two people may have the same gift of evangelism,but if one is introverted and the other is extroverted,that gift will be expressed in different ways.Woodworkers know that it's easier to work with the grain rather than against it.In the same way,when you are forced to minister in a manner that is "out of character" for your temperament,it creates tension and discomfort,requires extra effort and energy and produces less than the best results.This is why mimicking(means copying the behaviour of others)never works.You don't have their personality.God made you to be you.You can learn from the examples of others,but you
must filter what you learn through your own shape.Today there are many books and tools that can help you understand your personality so you can determine how to use it for God.Like stained glass,our different personalities reflect God's light in many colors and patterns.This blesses the family of God with depth and variety.It also blesses us us personally.It feels good to do what God made you to do.When you minister in a manner consistent with the personality God gave you,you experience fulfillment,satisfaction,and fruitfulness.
SHAPE:Employing your Experiences
You have been shaped by your experiences in life,most of which beyond your control.God allowed them for his purpose of molding you.In determining your shape for serving God,you should examine at least six experience from your past:
•Family experiences:What did you learn growing up in your family?
•Educational experiences:What were your favorite subjects in school?
•Vocational experiences:What jobs have you been most effective in and enjoyed most?
•Spiritual experiences:What have been your most meaningful times with God?
•Ministry experiences:How have you served God in the past?
•Painful experiences:What problems,hurt,thorns,and trials have you learned from?
God uses the most to prepare you for
ministry.God never wastes a hurt.In fact,your greatest ministry will most
likely come out of your greatest hurt.Who could better help an alcoholic revover than someone who fought that demon and found freedom?God intentionally allows you to go through painful experiences to equip you for ministry to others.The Bible says,"He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.When others are troubled,we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us."If you really desire to be used by God,you must understand a powerful truth:The very experiences that you have resented or regretted most in life—the ones you've wanted to hide and forget—are the experiences God wants to use to help others.They are your ministry!For God to use your painful experiences,you must be willing to share them.You have to stop covering them up and you must honestly admit your faults,failures,and fears.Doing this will probably be your most effective ministry.People are always more encouraged when we share how God's grace helped us in weakness than we brag about our strengths.Paul understood this truth,so he was honest about his bouts(means a period of time when someone suffers from illness)with depression.He admitted,"I think you ought to know,dear brothers,about the hard time we went through in Asia.We were really crushed and overwhelms,and feared we would never live through it.We felt we were doomed to die and saw how powerless we were to help ourselves;but that was good,for then we put everything into the hands of God,who alone could save us,for he can even raise the dead.And did help us and saves us from a terrible deaths,yes,and we expect him to do it again and again."If Paul had kept his experience of doubt and depression a secret,millions of people would never have benefited from it.Only shared experiences can help others.Aldous Huxley said,"Experience is not what happens to you.It is what you do with what happens to you."What will you do with what you've been through?Don't waste your pain;use it to help others.
Using your shape is the secret of both fruitfulness and fulfillment in ministry.You will be most effective when you use your spiritual gifts and abilities in the area of your heart's desire,and in a way that best expresses your personality and experiences.The better the fit,the more successful you will be.