Luke had the gift of an investigative journalist, presenting the words in a plain, logical, orderly fashion, making matters crystal clear.

The apostle Paul inventories spiritual gifts that God has given for the edification of the church, including ministry of the word and practical service.

God has gifted all His called-out ones, expecting them to use those gifts with the pillars of godly wisdom for the edification of the Body of Christ.

Some may feel that they have not been gifted by God, yet God has gifted every saint. All gifts are from above and are meant to be mutually complementary.

Paul reveals God's plan to save all Israel (Romans 11:25-36); the ultimate gift to His saints is the ability to help in the reconciliation process.

Biblically, a talent has nothing to do with ability, skill, or aptitude. The Parable of the Talents goes far beyond making use of skills and abilities.

God's promises to give us the desires of our hearts, His Holy Spirit, wisdom, and spiritual gifts to edify the Body all come with strings attached.

Paul desires to convey to the Corinthians three primary principles to help them use and manage the gifts God had graciously and abundantly bestowed on them.

If God's people keep their focus upon His purpose for them as outlined by His Holy Days, they will be able to accomplish the work God has given them.

God's Sabbaths are inestimable blessings which should not be squandered; we must tend and keep these blessings, avoiding the careless use of hallowed time.

Each individual in the church has at least one spiritual gift. This fact has confounded many because they look at themselves and see nothing special.

We have the obligation to bear spiritual fruit, heeding the lessons of the cursing of the fig tree, and the parables of the barren fig tree and the talents.

Jesus selected disciples with disparate temperaments, unifying them to accomplish a steadfast purpose. God disperses a wide diversity of spiritual gifts.

God has singled each one of us out individually, calling us, gifting us with capabilities, and preparing us for eternal life as members of His family.

We are called to fulfill our job as a steward, entrusted with managing, protecting, preserving, attending, and increasing what has been entrusted to us.

To watch world events but to ignore our spiritual progress and overcoming is a foolish and futile exercise. We need to watch how we conduct ourselves.

The sanctification process is slow and methodical with no dazzling pyrotechnics. Each of us are given a basic set of gifts to serve our spiritual siblings.

We earn God's favor by obedience; there is a direct tie between submission to His will and His favor. The more one submits, the more favor and grace accrues.

God the Father has given us life, He and His Son living their lives in us. God expects us to live now, in the moment, not waiting for a better day.

When we find our proper niche of service in the body of Christ, we will experience more joy and fun than a human being ought to be allowed.

God protected Enoch from death so he could teach Noah, providing the godly instruction that Methuselah and Lamech (Noah's grandfather and father) failed to give.

God's mysteries have been in plain sight from the beginning of time, but carnality has obscured them from mankind.

We have our physical job, and then we also have our spiritual job. They go hand in hand. We are a witness to those we work with and to all those we meet.

God has given us certain gifts and the space to use them. He expects us to use them properly in service to Himself and the Body, and requires an accounting.

Jesus Christ expects His followers to serve while expecting nothing in return. Whoever wants to become great must fill the role of an unpretentious servant.

The Peter Principle is a concept in business management developed by Laurence J. Peter: People in a hierarchy tend to rise to their level of incompetence.

God has called us to be servants with humble attitudes. We are also expected to grow beyond that low-level position, gaining skills to perform well in our next job.

God has ordained that His chosen grow while residing in an environment of transience and corruption created by Satan and perpetuated by those rejecting God.

Without well-defined plans, projects become quickly derailed. Both time and energy are wasted in the absence of carefully established goals.

Are we ready to sacrifice as was Moses, realizing that our precious calling is far more than the imaginary quest of Don Quixote?

We have all been placed into the Body of Christ with unique gifts God has graciously given to each of us for a pleasing burnt offering service.

The Parable of the Talents teaches the need for diligence in using the gifts of God. God expects us to use our talents to His glory and in the service of others.

God has a plan to bring all to Christ, but each in his own order. We cannot have a proper understanding of the plan if we do not keep Christ as the focus.

The purpose of the ministry is to train members for service to God, edifying them, equipping them for their job, and bringing them to spiritual maturity.

We must be careful in our approach to our spiritual riches so we do not fall into the same trap that people with abundant physical wealth fall.

The virtue of love is the overarching framework for unity, demanding rigorous control over the tongue, understanding its capacity to destroy.

The church exists because of what God has purposed and done, not because anything we have done. When pride exists within us, God can do nothing with us.