-------------- Original message --------------
From: Phil Scovell <[log in to unmask]>

> Do you know your spiritual gifts, that is, concerning serving the Lord? Do
> you know if you have been called, or otherwise, assigned to a ministry? I
> personally have believed for 30 years or more that everyone has a gift in
> the body of Christ, if not more, and that the job of every pastor, if he
> truly is one called of God to the office of a pastor, is to assist others in
> seeing their gift, or gifts, and assisting them in learning how to use their
> gift in the church. I am not referring to any talents or gifts that come
> naturally or with which you are born. Shoot, come to think of it, I don't
> have a single one of those and wish I did. What I mean is, just because you
> can play the juice harp, doesn't mean that is your gift to bring glory to
> God in bring strength to the Body of Christ. It will help and should be
> recognize by a pastor in order that it could be used in the church but it
> doesn't mean that is your spiritual gift. Shoot, when I pastored a
> different church here in Denver, we had a truck driver who played the kazoo.
> Isn't that what they call a piece of cellophane or wax paper stuck between a
> couple of pieces of cardboard or something? You know what I'm talking about
> I think. Anyhow, he had no talents but he asked me before church one Sunday
> if he could talk with me. He told me this was the only instrument he could
> play but he wanted to worship the Lord with it. He showed it too me. It
> was a miniature cardboard trumpet and when you blew through it, you hummed
> through it to get that goofy weird sound. Some other people were standing
> around, a couple of elders, and I said, " Bob, if that is the way you worship
> and you are sincere, you can blow that thing until you have no air left as
> far as I am concerned." Bob said, "Well, I'll play it respectfully, Pastor,
> and I won't play it at any weird times or nothing; just when we are
> singing." I said, "Blow away, Brother." You know why I said ok to his
> request? Because, I knew Bob's heart and how much He loved Jesus. I knew,
> when I heard his little horn, of sorts, that Jesus would be listening, too,
> because Jesus loved Bob as much as anyone else. As we sang that morning,
> Bob blew away on his make shift horn and it was more beautiful than any
> angel's horn, I guarantee you that. So, where are you? What do you feel?
> Does your pastor know your gift yet?
>
> Phil.