Watching the Space Shuttle Launch!

There are several things on my "bucket list." I would like to drive the Mississippi Delta from Yazoo City to Memphis. I should have done this when we lived in MS. I would like to swim in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in the same day!

I have always wanted to see the space shuttle launch in person. Since NASA is discontinuing the program this might have to get scratched from my list.

I know everyone has seen the shuttle launch on television. It is a breath taking image. I have wondered if it is that powerful on television, what would it be like in person?

I think somethings are only experienced in person. Imagine if Moses would have experienced a burning bush on television, on his laptop, or his phone. There are somethings that God intends to be experienced in person. I would like to remind you that God will orchestrate amazing events to put you in the right place at the right time to experience what He has planned. We sometimes look at the events in our lives and scratch our heads wondering exactly what God has planned - and then - it all begins to make sense. We have that moment where the shuttle launches before us and we begin to understand why we are in the providential space we are in! The fact is we could have watched the events God had planned from afar and would have missed the beautiful details. Many things simply have to be experienced firsthand. Some episodes of our lives aren't intended to be DVR'd, but to be watched live and in person. I am thankful that God placed me in a position to watch this "shuttle launch" in my life!

Good with Gifts?

I do not think we need to go through a serious explanation of spiritual gifts. Suffice to say that each believer is given at least one spiritual or grace gift. I am not so concerned with attempting to explain to you biblical grounds for spiritual gifts. Instead I would like to compel you to ask if you are good with these gifts. The Holy Spirit has really been using this question in my life to analyze my motives and my stewardship. We often think about being a steward of what God has given us in the financial realm. Stewardship from a Kingdom perspective should deal with other things such as time, talents, and spiritual gifts. This all has propelled me towards asking if I am a good steward of the spiritual gifts I have been given?

Here is the important question - are you using your spiritual gifts for the building of the Body of Christ. The spiritual gifts are not given for the edification of yourself or for you to keep buried away like some prized antiquity in an Egyptian Museum. The Father, in His Sovereignty, blessed you with one or several spiritual gifts. His expectation is that you would use those gifts. I believe one of the reasons that the church is so dysfunctional is because 1) the majority of believers are not even aware they have a spiritual gift and 2) many of those that do know their gifts are not using them.

EVERYONE in the church must be keenly aware of their spiritual gifting and be willing to faithfully share those gifts for the building of Christ's Body - The Church.

I encourage you to take this spiritual gifts inventory. Also, here is a great resource from LifeWay that will explain the various gifts.