The word for today-UCB

Have You Found Your Place Yet?			24 Oct 2012
'To prepare God's people for works of service.' Ephesians 4:12
The story's told of a pastor who went to the railroad station every night to watch the express train roar through town. His congregation wondered why. When suspicions arose a deacon followed him, watched him, and asked what he was doing. He replied, 'This train is the only thing that comes through this town that I don't have to push!' God hasn't called your pastor to do everything in church, He's called them 'to prepare [you] for works of service.' So, have you found your area of service yet? Are you functioning in it? Paul writes: 'Just as there are many parts to our bodies, so it is with Christ's body...God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, then prophesy whenever you can, as often as your faith is strong enough to receive a message from God. If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. If you are a preacher, see to it that your sermons are strong and helpful. If God has given you money, be generous in helping others with it. If God has given you administrative ability and put you in charge of the work of others, take the responsibility seriously. Those who offer comfort to the sorrowing should do so with Christian cheer' (Romans 12:4-8 TLB). C. S. Lewis said, 'Joy bursts in on our lives when we go about doing the good at hand, and not trying to manipulate things and times to achieve joy.'