Because of Him

DEVOTION

1 CORINTHIANS

BECAUSE OF HIM

1 Cor 12:4-6

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

NIV

This is of course a prelude or an introduction to a dissertation on the gifts of the Spirit, but as we can clearly see, has some great truth within itself. It does not matter if we are recipients of gifts, or doers of serving or working all that we have and do are because of God almighty, the creator of all things. We also see that Paul is making sure we know all about the trinity, the divine Godhead. The gifts are of the Spirit, the service is from the Lord and the working is from the Father. If we think for one minute that anything we are or have is because of anything we actually cause, we are so filled with self-pride we are blind, and cannot see God. It is true that is the way of the world, that is most if not all unbelievers place themselves in the center of their universe. All that they are and have is due strictly to their own accomplishments, their own knowledge, their own skills, and their own hard or smart works. They are the author of all they are and have. No one has given them anything; they give themselves all the credit. Oh sure some may say that another person was responsibility for them heading in a certain direction, or inspired them to pursue a particular path in life, but it is still them who did and gained all they have. We cannot say that, it would be as through we are refusing to acknowledge our God. We cannot say we are the force behind our life. We serve jealous God, it is true, and He wants the glory and so richly deserves it. If we are complimented for something we do, we most always say it is due to the Lord working in our life, anything less would be prideful. Even if we have a certain talent and seem to have had since our birth, and people call it a natural talent, it is still God given, because He knit us together in our mother’s womb, it is a God given natural talent. If we pursue the highest educational level known to man, and become one of the foremost knowledgeable expects in some field, it is because God gave us the ability to learn. Whatever we do, whatever we know, whatever we become, we cannot take the credit, we must acknowledge God. It is because of Him.