Text: Exodus 4:1-5
(Edited)

“And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee. And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.“

Serving the Lord
We must start by understanding that there are 3 aspects to serving the Lord.

1. Purpose
2. Ability
3. Means

It is the purpose that most people have difficulty understanding or finding in their life regarding their gift within their ministry to Jesus Christ.

Many times the answer can be found in their motivation of what God puts in our hearts for them to want to do, though, in the case of Moses, God had to confront him and demand for him to do what God wanted.  This is probably because he had learned humility through the 40 years of raising sheep in the desert.

It is God that will direct you to your purpose.

Your ability is that which enables you to do the thing God has called you to do – your purpose, which is always the work of the Holy spirit.

Your means is the tools that God enables you to use to complete that purpose.

Example:

Moses purpose was given by God to guide the Israelites to the promised land.

His ability was God giving him the words to say to Pharaoh, it is the Spirit leading him and guiding him to say and do those things that God would desire.

The first means for Moses was the rod, there were other tools as well.  God used a Rod to turn into a snake to display God’s power and therefore God’s authorization of what Moses purpose was (As was temporary leprosy that God used for Moses alone, whereas the rod God used throughout Moses ministry).

It was the miracles that God used as a means to display His power and authority as the stamp of approval upon Moses, throughout his ministry.

Many times when people asked me how to find out their purpose for serving God in their life, I find myself asking what is in their hands – what is the means that they possess.

It is many times (Not always) by starting backward and looking at the means that God has given you that you will ascertain the purpose He has for you in your life, though this is not necessarily the same as the means to perform his purpose.  But God will always be the One that provides the ability within you – it is the Holy Spirit inside of you that enables you to do what God has purposed for you to do.

Spiritual Gifts
Many Believers become obsessed, and even anxious and fearful trying to find out what their spiritual gift is.

We must remember that the gifts of God as recorded in 1st Corinthians 12, and Romans 12, as they are referring too, are to be used for the work of the ministry, not personal edification as many unfortunately attempt to ascertain.

While true, God used the miracle of the rod and leprosy to show Moses that God was with him, and would give him the ability to say and do those things that God desired.  It is a common misunderstanding to believe that the gifts are meant mainly for us.

There is no greater joy than coming to understand and fulfilling your purpose that God has for you within your life, and within this there is fulfillment.

But we need to take our eyes off of our self and fulfilling our own sense of worth in this issue.

God, using you to minister to other people is a natural fruition of serving Him.

Nor are Spiritual gifts meant to make us better people, more spiritual, or even feel a sense of purpose; they are to function within the Church of God, a universal church as a whole, the local church that we attend, or as individuals as a part of the body of Christ – yet the purpose is to serve God as a part of his body.

We are His hands that do the work, His feet that take us where we need to go, His Spirit which enables us to do that which He is given us to do.

It was God’s statement to Moses, “what is in your hands,” that we must remember concerning our purpose, it is the means many times that will define our purpose.

There are books at nausea that will supposedly tell us how to find our spiritual gifts.

You don’t need a book and questionnaire to figure this out, you need the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit will make this known to you at the proper time; just keep in prayer, gently seeking, but patient.

• So, look at what God has presented before you – the opportunity / means that He is given you to serve Him, the means to serve Him will many times indicate the purpose.
• And if you don’t know what your spiritual gift is stop worrying, it is God’s responsibility to show you your purpose, and perhaps understanding the means is a way of doing this.
• Moses did not understand his purpose until God pointed out the means that he gave him to do it.
• Moses could’ve had the purpose, and even the ability, yet it was the means that gave him direction and validity of God’s purpose in his life.

Natural Gifts
Many people have natural gifts, such as singing or playing instruments, and while this may be God’s purpose for their life in glorifying Him; this does not necessitate what God’s designed purpose is in their life, at that time.

I know of many talented people with natural gifts, that thank the Lord for those gifts (Which they should glorify Him, and utilize those abilities) yet they end up getting off track thinking this is their main purpose.  They become proud and forfeit the opportunity of fulfilling their purpose because of their natural gifts.

God can give a person a natural gift of singing, yet this does not necessitate their purpose in serving Him.

• It is God that decides your purpose, not necessarily your natural ability.
• It is the Holy Spirit that gives you the ability, and God will provide a means to fulfill that purpose.

So a word of advice is to stop worrying about your Spiritual Gift as if it is your responsibility to be busy for the Lord.

Be faithful to the Lord in what He has given you to do, what He has perhaps put in your hands, and be content with that.

Because in due time, if there is a greater purpose in serving in the body of Christ, He will make it known to you.

A New Thing
It is amazing that within Christian circles every few years there is a new thing that becomes a preoccupation with authors and teachers and self-proclaimed leaders.

For years it was grace, Ministerial Gifts, Spiritual Baptism, and many others.

Yet these things took precedence over the Will of God in many people’s lives as they become preoccupied with these new things, rather than obsessed with serving God, based upon God’s leading in their life.

So stop worrying, keep praying, keep your eyes open, and commit yourself to serving Him each and every day of your life with whatever means He gives you wherein the Holy Spirit has enabled (the ability) you to do those things that fulfill His will.

Just something to think about.  Brent

“The difference between ‘involvement’ and ‘commitment’
is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast:
the chicken was ‘involved’ – the pig was ‘committed’.”