Notes of Faith January 19, 2026
Pastor’s Pen Pulpit
May 14, 2000
“SERVING IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERING”
I Peter 4:10-12
It is not by accident that the passage on serving God (vv. 10, 11) occurs in the context of verse 12:
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing happened to you.
Suffering is designed to press us into service. Verses 10 and 11 deal with the subject of spiritual gifts. A spiritual gift is a capacity for serving God.
QUESTIONS ABOUT SPIRITUAL GIFTS - verse 10
1. Who has a spiritual gift? “As each one of you has received.” Each believer has at least one spiritual gift. I Corinthians 12 is a Biblical commentary on gifts and their usage.
2. When did you receive your spiritual gift? I take it as being when you were saved - “as each one has received.”
3. What are we to do with our gift? Employ it in serving one another. My gift is for your benefit as your gift is for my benefit.
4. What is the nature of our gifts? These are grace gifts - “as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” The gifts are not ours. They belong to God. They have been granted to us to manage for Him.
THE CLASSIFICATION OF GIFTS - verse 11
1. Speaking Gifts - For a list of the speaking gifts see I Corinthians 12. “Oracles of God” Speaking gifts are to be exercised in the context and content of the Word of God.
2. Serving Gifts - Serving gifts are also listed in I Corinthians 12. They are to be exercised in the strength supplied by God.
THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE OF THE GIFTS AS THEY ARE EXERCISED IN THE CONTEXT OF HIS WORD AND IN HIS STRENGTH - verse 11
So that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.
• These are His gifts.
• We are His people.
• It is in His Word and by His strength that we are to serve.
• He gets the glory. None of it belongs to us.
So beloved, if you are suffering today, let God use it to press you into serving Him!
Love to you all,
Charles Covington
1 Cor 12:4-11
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
Our gifts from God are given that we might bless others! Let us use them to bless and glorify God!
Rom 8:16-17
16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
Phil 1:27-29
27 Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; 28 in no way alarmed by your opponents — which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. 29 For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake…
2 Tim 1:12
2 For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.
2 Tim 2:3
3 Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
1 Peter 3:13-17
13 Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, 15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; 16 and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.
Rev 2:10
10 'Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Ps 100
100 Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful singing.
3 Know that the Lord Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving
And His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
5 For the Lord is good;
His lovingkindness is everlasting
And His faithfulness to all generations.
Matt 5:10-12
10 "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
We have an enemy that tempted mankind to disobey God and literally destroyed the perfect life that God intended for us. In His grace and mercy God provided a way to pay the debt of our sin that we could never pay…the perfect sacrifice of the Son of God, Jesus the Christ, that we might be redeemed to a glorious and perfect eternal life. How could we not be willing to suffer at the hands of our enemy for the glory of God?! Praise Him in and through your suffering and give Him glory for the complete work of Jesus that we might be saved, sanctified and glorified!
Pastor Dale