Question 1

What are some of the gifts God gives to me?

Accepted Answer

John 3:16“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”2 Corinthians 9:15Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!The greatest gift God gave us was his Son. Through the gift of God’s Son, Jesus, he also gives us eternal life.Luke 11:13“So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”Acts 2:38Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”1 Corinthians 12:4There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all.2 Corinthians 1:22He has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.God gives us his Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives us wisdom, insight, comfort, advice, spiritual gifts, and the power of God to work through us.Ephesians 1:3All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.When we belong to Christ, God gives us special spiritual blessings.James 1:17Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.God gives us only what is good and perfect. He does not give us anything bad.John 10:28“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me.”Acts 11:18When the others heard this, they stopped objecting and began praising God. They said, “We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life.”Romans 5:15-17There is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.Romans 6:23The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.1 Peter 1:3All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation.God’s gifts are not only what he gives us; they also involve what he takes away. He gives forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life, while taking away sin, guilt, and condemnation.Acts 17:25“Human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need.”God satisfies our every need.1 John 5:14-15We are confident that he [the Son of God] hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.God delights in answering prayer. If we are asking in line with God’s perfect plan and with the right motives, God will give us what we ask for.Psalm 84:11The Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.God gives us many good things.

Question 2

In what ways has God shown generosity in what he gives to me?

Accepted Answer

Romans 5:15There is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ.Romans 10:12They [all believers] have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him.God has generously offered us the gift of living forever in a perfect world. It is a gift we do not deserve and could never earn—something far beyond our means—yet he bought it for us at great personal sacrifice. If God were not so generous, he might only offer this gift to a privileged few or require us to accomplish a certain amount of good works before receiving it. But God offers this same gift to all who trust in Christ to save them, and all he requests in return is our love. How could such a generous God not deserve our wholehearted devotion?Titus 3:6He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.God has also generously given the Holy Spirit to all who believe in him. God doesn’t provide his presence just to the ultra-righteous or to giants of faith. He provides his presence to everyone who believes in him.1 Corinthians 12:1, 4, 6-7, 11, 18, 22, 27Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don’t want you to misunderstand this. . . . There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. . . . God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. . . . It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. . . . But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. . . . In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. . . . All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.God gives every believer special abilities and unique spiritual gifts.

Question 3

How does God give?

Accepted Answer

1 Timothy 2:6He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.God gives sacrificially. He gave his Son to become human and give up his own life so that we could have eternal life.2 Corinthians 8:9You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.God gives unselfishly. He shares everything he has with us.Mark 8:6-9So Jesus told all the people to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves, thanked God for them, and broke them into pieces. He gave them to his disciples, who distributed the bread to the crowd. A few small fish were found, too, so Jesus also blessed these and told the disciples to distribute them. They ate as much as they wanted. Afterward, the disciples picked up seven large baskets of leftover food. There were about 4,000 men in the crowd that day, and Jesus sent them home after they had eaten.2 Corinthians 9:8God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.Ephesians 4:7-8However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. That is why the Scriptures say, “When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people.”God gives generously and abundantly. His gifts to us are beyond our imagination.Joel 2:23-24Rejoice, you people of Jerusalem! Rejoice in the Lord your God! For the rain he sends demonstrates his faithfulness. Once more the autumn rains will come, as well as the rains of spring. The threshing floors will again be piled high with grain, and the presses will overflow with new wine and olive oil.God gives faithfully, and provides for us in every season.Ecclesiastes 2:26God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please him. But if a sinner becomes wealthy, God takes the wealth away and gives it to those who please him. This, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind.Matthew 25:15“He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.”1 Corinthians 12:11It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.God gives personally. He plans thoughtful gifts according to our abilities and character.John 3:16“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”Acts 11:17“Since God gave these Gentiles the same gift he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God’s way?”God gives without discrimination. He made people of all nations, tribes, dialects, races, and ethnic groups and sees them as equal.Romans 5:8God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.God gave us his greatest gift when we deserved it least. The gift of salvation is not based on our merit but on his goodness.James 1:5If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.God gives without resentment. He is a joyful, cheerful giver.

Question 4

What are some gifts I can give to God?

Accepted Answer

Deuteronomy 6:5“And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.”Hosea 6:6I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.1 Corinthians 13:8Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!Seeking to love and know God more is the greatest gift we can offer him. He deserves our whole heart, our full devotion.Psalm 51:17The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.We can give God our humbled spirits and repentant hearts.1 Samuel 15:22Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.”We can give God our obedience. When we obey him, we give him the gift of ourselves for his use. This shows God our commitment and devotion to him.Revelation 1:6He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.We can give God glory. Our humble service and obedience bring honor and glory to God.Matthew 25:34-36, 40“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ . . . And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’”When we offer gifts to God’s children who are in need, we are offering gifts to him.Psalm 54:6I will sacrifice a voluntary offering to you; I will praise your name, O Lord, for it is good.We can give God our offerings with a grateful heart. These offerings can include using our talents, abilities, and gifts for him, giving of our financial resources, ministering to those in need, and more.Psalm 107:1Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.We can give God our thanks.Psalm 76:11Make vows to the Lord your God, and keep them. Let everyone bring tribute to the Awesome One.We can give God fulfilled vows, a symbol of our commitment to him.Exodus 35:22Both men and women came, all whose hearts were willing. They brought to the Lord their offerings of gold—brooches, earrings, rings from their fingers, and necklaces. They presented gold objects of every kind as a special offering to the Lord.Matthew 26:7-13While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head. The disciples were indignant when they saw this. “What a waste!” they said. “It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.” But Jesus, aware of this, replied, “Why criticize this woman for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me. She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”We can give God our lavish worship.Malachi 1:7-8“You have shown contempt by offering defiled sacrifices on my altar. Then you ask, ‘How have we defiled the sacrifices?’ You defile them by saying the altar of the Lord deserves no respect. When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn’t that wrong? And isn’t it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.1 Corinthians 16:2On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don’t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once.We can give God our first and our best.2 Chronicles 31:12The people faithfully brought all the gifts, tithes, and other items dedicated for use in the Temple. Conaniah the Levite was put in charge, assisted by his brother Shimei.2 Corinthians 8:11-12Now you should finish what you started. Let the eagerness you showed in the beginning be matched now by your giving. Give in proportion to what you have. Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have.2 Corinthians 9:7You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”We can give financially to God’s work.2 Corinthians 8:5They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.We can dedicate ourselves to God. Commitment is a pledge to always be there—like in a marriage. God has committed himself to us; we, in turn, commit ourselves to him, which is the basis for a trusting, eternal relationship.Romans 12:1And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.1 Corinthians 6:19-20Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.We can give our bodies to God. In other words, we dedicate our body to be used for good and not evil. We commit to taking good care of our bodies, which are the home of God’s Holy Spirit, just as we take care of God’s church. We do not allow impure and harmful things into our bodies because of the damage they can do. When we give our bodies to God, we receive the wonderful blessing of his Spirit working unhindered through us.

Question 5

What are some gifts I can give to others?

Accepted Answer

1 Corinthians 13:4-7Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.We can give others the gift of love.Matthew 6:14“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.”Ephesians 4:32Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.We can give others the gift of forgiveness. This reflects God’s greater gift of forgiveness to us.Proverbs 31:28-29Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!”Romans 12:10Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.1 Peter 3:7In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.We can give others honor and respect.3 John 1:5-6Dear friend, you are being faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God.We can give others the gifts of hospitality and friendship.Mark 6:38, 42-44“How much bread do you have?” he asked. “Go and find out.” They came back and reported, “We have five loaves of bread and two fish.” . . . They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish. A total of 5,000 men and their families were fed.2 Corinthians 8:12-14Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have. Of course, I don’t mean your giving should make life easy for others and hard for yourselves. I only mean that there should be some equality. Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal.2 Corinthians 9:9As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”We can give of our money, service, and other resources to meet people’s needs.Romans 1:11I [Paul] long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord.We can give others a spiritual blessing by encouraging them to grow stronger in the Lord.

Question 6

In what ways do God’s gifts help the church?

Accepted Answer

Ephesians 2:19-21So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.Jesus brings the gift of unity to the family of God.Romans 12:3-8Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.1 Peter 4:10-11God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ.God has given each person spiritual and practical gifts. Some are great organizers and administrators. Others are gifted musicians and artists. Still others have gifts of teaching, hospitality, or service. When everyone in the congregation uses his or her gifts to serve, the church becomes a powerful force for good, a strong witness for Jesus, and a mighty army to combat Satan’s attacks.

Question 7

What are some of the results of giving gifts?

Accepted Answer

2 Corinthians 9:11-14Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God. As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you.Giving gifts to God glorifies him. It enriches our lives and the lives of others because we will both experience God’s generosity and be fulfilled by God’s blessings. People will thank God and honor him as their needs are met—then be encouraged to continue the cycle of giving.2 Corinthians 9:10God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.1 Peter 4:10God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.Both the giver and the receiver experience God’s generosity.Isaiah 50:4The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will.2 Corinthians 9:2I [Paul] know how eager you are to help, and I have been boasting to the churches in Macedonia that you in Greece were ready to send an offering a year ago. In fact, it was your enthusiasm that stirred up many of the Macedonian believers to begin giving.Others are encouraged and comforted by our giving.1 Corinthians 12:7A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.The entire church is helped when we use the spiritual gift God has given to us.Proverbs 3:9-10Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.Ecclesiastes 11:1Send your grain across the seas, and in time, profits will flow back to you.Malachi 3:10“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!”Luke 6:38“Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”2 Corinthians 9:6-7Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”Giving perpetuates the giving cycle. As God has given abundantly to us, so we give abundantly to him and others. Not only does this stir others to give, blessing even more people, but God promises that he will bless us in return for our generosity.Proverbs 28:27Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed.Matthew 10:42“If you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.”Acts 20:35“And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”A giver receives God’s blessing. Giving does not drain us; it fills us.

Question 8

How should I receive gifts from others?

Accepted Answer

1 Corinthians 10:27If someone who isn’t a believer asks you home for dinner, accept the invitation if you want to. Eat whatever is offered to you without raising questions of conscience.We should accept whatever gifts we are offered graciously—especially when we are offered the gift of hospitality. Gifts may not always be to our tastes, or they may seem unnecessary, but receiving them thankfully is an affirmation of friendship.Luke 17:12-13, 15-16As he entered a village there, ten men with leprosy stood at a distance, crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” . . . One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.We should accept gifts with thanks and appreciation.Luke 1:48“For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed.”We should accept gifts with humility and not feel entitled to receive particular ones.Matthew 25:20“The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’”Luke 19:26“‘Yes,’ the king replied, ‘and to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.’”Romans 12:7-8If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.1 Timothy 4:14Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecy spoken over you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you.2 Timothy 1:6Fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you.1 Peter 4:10God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.We should accept gifts with the desire to use them well to serve and bless others.