You’ve probably got this phrase memorized by now, “my house is full of little things”… but instead of the useful and meaningful contrasts this week, I’ll start by saying that some of those little things would be considered “unusual”.  Take for instance the smooth, round stone that sits on one of my bookshelves.  It’s rather non-descript except for the fact that it’s very smooth and fits nicely in the palm of your hand.  While unusual, it is significant because it came home with me after my second trip to Israel.  I picked it up in the same location where David would have searched for the stones to use in his slingshot before he met the giant Goliath on the battlefield.  According to the professor who was guiding us on this particular tour, David’s stone would have been roughly the size of a baseball. 
            We don’t really think of a sling shot as being a life-threatening weapon because the picture we have of them comes from TV shows like Dennis the Menace and Mayberry RFD.  The toy versions were just that- toys.  But the kind of sling shot David would have used to protect his father’s sheep and those used by ancient armies were much more lethal.  In fact, before spears, swords and daggers became a part of ancient warfare, a man who was adept with a sling shot was the most prized soldier.  It took two years of training to become a skilled “slinger” and even now, those who use them are quite impressive.  Stones hurled from slingshots have been clocked at speeds equivalent to a pitch thrown in a major league baseball game, up to 90 mph!
            But why keep a stone which appears to be more of a souvenir than a tool of destruction on my bookshelf?  It’s not just a nice piece of memorabilia for show and tell.  It’s what it reminds me of.  We are all familiar with the story (1 Sam. 17:1-54).  King Saul and his soldiers are camped near the Philistine city of Azekah.  The Philistine army is camped across from them.  The battle is at a stand-still.  The Philistines have put forth a challenge.  Their champion warrior, Goliath of Gath (another Philistine stronghold) will battle against a soldier from the Israelite army- winner take all.  Goliath is a monstrous height and has a pompous attitude to match it.  He stands at the edge of his camp every day and taunts the Israelites waiting for a man to meet him on the battlefield.  King Saul, who was noted to be an excellent warrior in his own right (1 Sam. 11:1-14) and tall compared to his fellow countrymen (1 Sam. 10:23) should have been the one to answer this challenge, but he is reluctant to fight.  This is nothing new for Saul.  He is often found hiding (1 Sam. 10: 20-22)!  David arrives on the scene with supplies for his brothers who are serving in the army and is incensed that this arrogant Philistine has been allowed to literally thumb his nose at the Lord (1 Sam. 17:26) day after day.  What follows is rather comical as Saul tries to offer the conventional armor of the day to assist David when David volunteers to take on Goliath (1 Sam. 17:32, 38).  The armor was too cumbersome for David.  He was used to and skilled with a sling shot.  So, the armor is shed, his sling shot is taken in hand and five stones are collected and placed in his pouch.  But only one was needed to do the job (1 Sam. 17:49).
            David’s “battle” against Goliath is not the only epic battle in the Bible.  Perhaps the most epic battle occurred on a lonely, barren mountaintop just outside of the New Testament city of Jericho.  Only that battle was not fought with weapons.  Jesus has been fasting in solitude for 40 days and now at the conclusion of this time, Satan approaches with 3 “offers” but each time Jesus declines citing Scripture (Mt. 4: 1-11).  Why?  Satan has offered food, fame, and power.  Who wouldn’t want those?  But Jesus knows full-well that Satan’s offers are lies and the best way to battle a lie, as tempting as it may be, is with the Truth.  You and I are faced with battles every day.  We may not be fighting the same battles, but no matter what kind of battle we face, our weaponry is as effective as a stone in a sling shot, if we use it.
            Justain, our group leader, stood before us one evening during Bible study and said, “I was reading in Ephesians today and it reminded me of this”.  He proceeded to put on his helmet and vest from his days in the army.  His (disabled) rifle leaned up against the fireplace.  His gear was an illustration of Paul’s words.  We are not left unequipped for the battles we face (1 Cor. 10:13).  Like Jesus, we have powerful weapons at our disposal, the most potent being God’s Word (Eph. 6:10-17).  When the battles you face present you with lies you are tempted to believe, use God’s Word to combat them.  You will be amazed at what happens when you do (Jas. 4:7).
Ann H. LeFevre, M.Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre           

            STICKY NOTES!  They are one of the things I find to be most useful in my life.  When I was in seminary my textbooks were filled with them.  A fellow student called me “the sticky note queen” but they sure came in handy when I needed to find information quickly.  The original yellow color was not planned.  It just happened to be the color of the scrap paper which was available the first time they were printed!  Sticky notes come in a variety of colors and designs now, but no matter the color I’m using, they are helpful tools when it comes to reminding me of what needs to be done, information I might need to know or even a little dose of encouragement throughout the day.
            Sometimes I think of the Bible as God’s grand sticky note to me.  It is full of reminders, information and encouragement.  In the New Testament He spoke through His Son (Heb. 1:1-2), His disciples and particularly through the writings of Paul which comprise half of all the New Testament books.  Paul wrote to the believers in Rome saying, “I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness and filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another.  Yet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again because of the grace God gave me.” (Rom. 15:14-15).   It is in the same spirit I share a list of “sticky notes” that I spent some time compiling here with you.  Although this list is by no means exhaustive, it has some gems that have been very meaningful to me on my journey of faith.
            Rom. 12:9-21 is a list of actions every believer should aspire to do: love without hypocrisy, abhorring evil, clinging to good, devoted to and giving preference to other believers, and more!  It’s a tall order, but worth the effort.  1 Cor. 13 is perhaps one of the most well-known New Testament passages which exhorts every believer to demonstrate a higher love which reflects the love Christ demonstrated toward us.  In 2 Cor. 13:5 Paul instructs the believers to “examine themselves” to see if they are in the faith.  If the spirit of compromise is present, they are forgetting that Christ is in them and this should be evident in their lifestyle.  Gal. 5:16, 22-26 features the tell-tale evidence that a believer is “walking by the Spirit”.  When you look at a tree full of apples, you know it’s an apple tree.  When someone looks at your life and sees love, joy, peace, patience and the other fruit of the Spirit, they know you are Christ’s.  Eph. 4:25-32 contains instructions on living which include: laying aside falsehood, speaking the truth, dealing with anger, and being kind and tender-hearted.      Phil. 3:14; 4:4-6, 9 admonishes us to press on toward the goal of Christ by placing our thoughts on things which are right, true and several other virtues.  We are not to be anxious about worldly concerns as these distract us from the goal.  Col. 3: 5-10 is all about putting on the “new self” and shedding the “old” which is tangled in immorality and impurity.  New life in Christ is free from those heavy weights of sin.  1Thes. 5:14-22 concerns the way we deal with one another when we find sin present in our lives.  Examining oneself is the start of that process.  2Thes. 2:3 informs us that we are not immune from deception, so it is wise to be alert about what we hear and see.  1Tim. 6:11-12 contains Paul’s instructions to his young protégé Timothy.  “Fight the good fight of faith” Paul writes along with a command to pursue a number of attributes pleasing to God.  2 Tim. 2:15 stresses the importance of being a diligent servant in all we say and do for the Lord, particularly in understanding His Word.  Tit. 3:9 contains a stern warning to “avoid foolish controversies” as they are “unprofitable and worthless” and Phile. 1:5-6 encourages the demonstration of love, faith and forgiveness toward those who have sinned against us.
            Five other writers, James, Peter, John, Jude and the unknown author of Hebrews also have some “sticky notes” to share.  Jam. 5:13-18 speaks of the power of prayer.  1 Pet. 1:13-16 reminds us to prepare our minds for action and to be holy while 2 Pet. 1:1-11 commands us to live by high standards above and beyond worldly ones.  1 Jn. 2:15-17 also tells us to “love not the world” while 1 Jn. 4:1-3 instructs us to “test every spirit” so that we will stay true to the Lord.  2 Jn. 1:6-7 encourages us to “walk in love” and 3 Jn. 1:11 challenges us to do good and not to imitate evil.  Jude 1:20-23 is another list of action verbs concerning the out-working of our faith:  build, love, wait anxiously, have mercy and save those trapped in sin.  Heb. 11:1-12:2 extols faith and cites examples of those who live by it.
            Take some time this week to go through some of these passages.  You will be challenged, strengthened and inspired by them!  And, if one particularly strikes you- write it on a sticky note and put it up somewhere where you will see it every day!
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre           

            There is something wonderful, almost magical, when you look at an ancient piece of art and imagine the craftsman who made it creating it with his/her hands.  That was how I felt looking at the beautiful bowls and urns in the museum at ancient Corinth.  What surprised me most was the perfection of the shapes.  We are so used to the precise abilities of machines and computers it was surprising to see how accurate the potters were.  Not only that, but also the perfection in the art that decorated them.  They truly were objects of beauty. 
            I have numerous bowls in my home too.  Most of them are rather plain compared to the ones I saw in Greece, but in some ways their simplicity has a beauty of its own.  I have glass bowls, ceramic bowls and even a set of classic Tupperware bowls that were a gift I got at a bridal shower!  My bowls range in sizes too.  I have a HUGE bowl I use for one particular coleslaw recipe that is always a hit at picnics and I have some tiny ones too that I played with in my dollhouse when I was a little girl.  One bowl, a gift from my daughter-in-law when she was dating my son, sits on the dining room table and is usually holding fruit; another bowl sits on the book shelf holding a collection of coins from all around the world.  Some bowls are used in the kitchen for cooking and food storage; others are merely decorative.  In summary, there are a lot of bowls in my house and they have many uses and each serves its own purpose.
            Paul addresses the issue of spiritual gifts in a similar manner in Romans 12:3-8.  He begins by encouraging the believers there to live in humility towards one another (v.3).  He then likens the fellowship of believers to a human body.  Paul says a body has many members, but they do not all have the same function (v. 4).  He illustrates this in his letter to the Corinthians as well (1 Cor. 12:12-31) stating that though the body has different members with different functions, each part is necessary for the body to function properly.  Paul encourages the Roman believers to use their gifts “accordingly”.  In other words, use them for the purpose they are best suited for.
            What exactly is a “spiritual gift”?  There are several well-known lists in the New Testament that describe them (Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11; Eph. 4:7-12; 1 Pet. 4:10-11) as special abilities the Lord places in the believer to serve others in the community of faith and to send forth the Gospel.  These abilities are more than just a knack or talent a person has.  They are placed in the believer at the moment of salvation when the Holy Spirit takes us residence in us (Eph. 1:13-14).  Spiritual gifts are found in the Old Testament as well, but they were only given for a time and a specific task (Ex. 31:3; Jud. 3:10; 14:6).  Just as the Lord endowed the faithful in Old Testament times with a specific gift for a specific task, the spiritual gifts now present in the church are also specific in that each has a particular function in building up the body of believers (Rom. 12:6-8).    Lawrence Richards observed, “It is important to note that each NT passage on spiritual gifts focuses our attention on the Christian community.  Gifts are exercised within the context of a caring, loving fellowship with the purpose of building individuals and congregations to spiritual maturity (Eph. 4:12-16)”.
            How does a person discover his or her spiritual gift/gifts?  Several people have developed “tests” which help to determine one’s spiritual gift through a series of questions and while they are beneficial, not everyone has access to them.  While a test can be helpful, the best way to discover a spiritual gift is in the context of serving others and building close personal relationships with other believers.  Just as a toddler discovers the muscles in his legs that help him to walk instead of crawl, we learn of our spiritual gifts when we see how God uses them to minister to others and when others see and acknowledge them at work in us.  Muscles do not get stronger when we do not use them.  The same is true of our spiritual gifts.  In order to know what they are, we must use them.  This means we must become involved in some sort of ministry or service in our congregation or fellowship.  There may be a bit of trial and error that takes place as we discover the gifts God has given us, but the more we serve, the more evident those gifts will become.
            It is also important to note that in each of the aforementioned lists, no hierarchy of value is mentioned.  Simply put, all the gifts are important, although not all of them may be as obvious, and some certainly carry more responsibility/accountability than others.   Using the body as an illustration is a good lesson (see 1 Cor. 12 again!).  Like the assorted bowls in my home, the spiritual gifts have different functions, but all are necessary and useful.  When it comes to spiritual gifts, each one of us is a bowl.  Which kind are you?
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre