Spiritual Gifts and Changes

In 1 Corinthians 12-13, Paul wrote a lot about spiritual gifts and their function in the Body of Christ. He makes a few really important points:

1) We each receive a specific set of spiritual gifts, according to the Holy Spirit's choosing, the moment we are baptized into Christ by faith.
2) We all have different gifts.
3) Our gifts are given, not for self edification, but for edification of the Body
4) Our differences mean that we should all serve in different ways (according to how we are gifted)
5) We desperately need each other to fill up where each of us are lacking on our own.
6) This happens in the local Body.
7) The end of it all is love.

In so many ways, this is foundational to everything I believe. But I've found that I've been working against this principle in the way I teach. I don't have the gift of prophecy (the prophet is the one who always has that piercing word to say to make people uncomfortable and desiring to correct their lifestyle). This is what a lot of really great preachers have, Charles Spurgeon, Dr. Earl Radmacher, and Martin Luther are great examples of this. Some great preachers are encouragers, Charles Swindoll jumps out to me as a perfect example. The word of knowledge is my primary teaching gift, not prophecy, not encouragement. By this God has made me a better teacher than a preacher. So what I need to do is to embrace it and do what I've been gifted to do; it is according to His will after all!

Every now and then, I get this strong conviction from the Spirit like a fire in my belly that says, "go out, roll up your sleeves, and give 'em a kick in the pants on Sunday," but not usually. Usually, I have a passion for some truth that I want to convey clearly, and to let the truth have its effect over time (the truth will make you free). God has given our church the gifts of prophecy and encouragement through others, and I don't need to be that. "If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?" (1 Cor 12: 17). The best way I can love my little flock is to embrace the gifts that God has given me and use them for their edification. So, it seems that God is bringing notes and powerpoint and other teaching tools back into my life, and I can't wait to see what He has planned. It's going to be an awesome change, because I'm sure, based on the Word of God in 1 Corinthians 12-13, that it's His will for us.