There is a story about a group of animals that started a school. The courses offered were running, climbing, swimming and flying. They decided that every animal should be proficient in all the courses. The duck exhibited great skills at swimming but waddled as he ran. So he had to stay after school to practice his running ability. This caused his webbed feet to crack and split which in turned caused his swimming to become only average. The rabbit started at the head of the class in running, but really struggled in swimming. Because of so much make-up work in swimming, he caught pneumonia and dropped out of school. The squirrel had outstanding ability in climbing, but became extremely frustrated in flying because he always had to start at the ground rather than from treetop. He soon developed joint difficulties and found it extremely difficult to climb. The eagle was the proverbial non-conformist. In climbing class he could beat everyone else to the top of the tree, but instead of climbing, he insisted on using his own way of getting there. When he refused swimming class, he was expelled from the school.

The moral of this story is obvious to all of us, but is it so obvious when we apply the same truths to ourselves? God has gifted each one of us with certain abilities. When those abilities are used, we prosper, but when we are forced into areas outside our abilities the result is often guilt, frustration, mediocrity, and failure. You were created by God to be you--nothing more and nothing less.

Who are you? You have been created by God Himself not as an accident, not as some cosmic joke, but specifically created by God to be in a personal relationship with Him so that your life would have significance and importance. The Apostle Paul wrote about this correlation in Ephesians 2:8-10.

We do not live in isolation nor do we live apart from God’s influence and mark on our lives. God has a purpose for each one of us and in this series we are looking at discovering our own personal SHAPE. We have looked at our spiritual gifts as believers and we opened the door to your hearts to discover your God-given passion. We now move to the ‘A’ of our God-designed SHAPE and look at abilities.

In this Biblical picture from Ephesians, Paul talks about the nature of our salvation and relationship to God. We need this salvation because our sin has separated us from God Himself. This relationship flows out of God’s grace. Through active faith, we receive God’s salvation. Paul is clear that this does NOT happen by any work on our part or else we would brag about it. It is verse 10 that serves as the launching point of using our abilities under the Lordship of Jesus, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” This whole thing started with God at the beginning. We enter into a personal relationship with God and out of that flows good works. And this is where abilities come into the picture of helping us determine who we are.

I. What are these natural abilities?

A. Each and every ability is given by God. Ro. 12:6, “God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well.” God gives natural abilities to everyone whereas spiritual gifts are only given to believers. The Bible contains hundreds of various abilities evidenced in people’s lives. These abilities come from God and we all have different natural abilities.

B. It is because of our love relationship with Him that we use those abilities for His glory. 1 Cor 10:31, “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Every one of us, according to those who know these things, has between 500 and 700 abilities. Most of them we don’t even know we have. How thrilled I was when Tony Dungy, coach of the Super Bowl champ Colts, gave God the glory for that great accomplishment. What was that about? He was giving God the glory for his coaching abilities as well as the athletic abilities of his players. Deut 8:18 says, “Remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.” The Lord gives you the ability to make a meal, cut grass, wash dishes, shovel snow, bake desserts, set up tables, balance financial books, sell a car, catch a football, et al—all to the glory of God.

C. Your abilities show God’s plan for your life. What you are able to do is what God wants you to do. Heb 13:21, “God will equip you with all you need for doing His will.” God doesn’t ask you to do something beyond your ability to get it done. Your abilities are not an accident, but were intentionally given you by God. God has a purpose for your life and has called you to know Him and to serve Him.

D. Another thing about abilities: Like tax deductions, if you don’t use them, you will lose them. In the Parable of the Talents (Matt 25:28), Jesus said, “Take the talent from him who didn’t use it and give it to the one who has 10 talents. To whom much is given, much is also required.” If I don’t exercise, I lose muscle strength. If I don’t practice, I lose that skill. If I don’t think, I lose my mind.

II. That is what abilities are, but how do I know what abilities I have? There are 4 steps from the Bible that help determine what abilities God has given you.

1. Estimate, evaluate and assess your abilities. Ro 12:3 (Phillips), “Try to have a sane estimate of your capabilities by the light of the faith God has given you.” Most of us can quickly decipher what abilities we don’t have, but Peter Drucker, the modern business guru says, “Know your strengths. The most important thing is to know what you are good at.” It is not too late in this New Year to take an abilities assessment. Do it on yourself. Ask your husband/wife. Ask some close friends. There are also a lot of books that can help in this area like Finding a Job You Can Love by Art Miller.

2. Dedicate your abilities back to God. Keep in mind that our God-given abilities can be used for good or for evil. Your ability to organize can be used to rescue or to rob. Your computer skills can help people or steal their identities. You can sing praises to Jesus or sing about rape, suicide, and mayhem. Romans 12:1, “Offer yourself as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him.” Tell God something like, “God, I know you have given me these abilities. I want to use them for your glory and for your Kingdom. I give them back to you so that you can use them in my life the way you want to.”

3. Cultivate your abilities. Prov 19:8 “Do yourself a favor and learn all you can. Then remember what you’ve learned and you will prosper.” (Good News) Most of our abilities are in the raw and need to be developed. You don’t just sit down at the piano and begin to play Beethoven. You don’t pick up a saw for the first time and build a house. God has invested those abilities in your life for a purpose. Don’t let them rot away. Sharpening and strengthening those skills is a spiritual thing because it is our responsibility to use to the best of our ability what God has given to us. One day each one of us will stand before God and give account of what we did with what God gave us. Please don’t confuse commitment with skill. I can be absolutely committed to replacing Donovan McNabb, but!?? Commitment alone is not the answer, nor is skill alone for that matter. The bottom line is this: our lives are God’s gift to us. What we do with our lives is our gift to God.

4. Use your abilities. Don’t hide them under a bushel. 1 Peter 4:10, “God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other.” A flashlight is no good in the dark if it is not turned on. It is only as you use your abilities that God will use you to bring His light, His Word, and His presence into your sphere of influence; and we will be blessed because of it. I believe God purposefully designed it that we need each other. If we were all alike then everyone else would be unnecessary. No one has every ability, and so we are all dependent upon each other because no one is self-sufficient.

God has given you abilities to use to serve God and to serve one another. Let me ask you to consider two questions:

Of all people why has God brought me to SUMC? Why didn’t He put me in some other church? What does God want me to do for Him right here?

How could using my abilities make a difference at SUMC?

It starts by giving your self as a living sacrifice to God by grace, through faith and then you become God’s workmanship using your abilities for His glory.

Thank You for Taking The Time to Read This Message.
May God Use These Words to Help You and Strengthen You.