October 10, 2011
Bible Study Verses
Romans 12:4-8
For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. (NIV)
I'm one of those guys that likes to "roll my own." Ammunition, that is. Yes, I like to reload my rifle ammunition and ammunition for my friends and family.
There's something therapeutic about taking a bunch of empty rifle brass and turning them into a thing of beauty - ready to shoot cartridges. It takes a commitment of time and resources, but it's worth it.
The cost of the reloaded ammunition is usually about half or less than the cost of new, and I get to load it the way I want it. This is really important because what I load is what I think will perform best in my rifle and for my hunts.
A few years back my son and I used .375 Remington Ultra Magnums on our elk hunt. Those babies are expensive! Every factory load that we fired cost us about five dollars. The rounds we reloaded for practice were a fraction of that amount. The reloads we used on our hunt were less than half the cost of new. And, they were a better load with better performance in our rifles for the hunt we were going on.
And, after "emptying" the cartridges, we can reload them and empty them over and over again!
(Cliff S)God gives believers many blessings, some intellectual, some material, and some spiritual. We're commanded in these verses to share what God gives us. A favorite song by Hillsong has these lyrics: "I know I'm filled to be emptied again, the seed I've received I will sow." That's what we're supposed to do!
We're to be like those cartridges that we filled so we can empty them again. Another illustration is filling your ice chest with bottles of water to be shared with your buddies on your hunt. Similarly, God fills us with our gifts and we're to share them with the body, our fellow believers, and those that need to come to faith in Jesus.
So, if you've been blessed with wealth, share it with the body by helping those in need. If you're an encourager, speak words to others that will inspire them to persevere. If it's teaching, teach truthfully and well. If you're a believer reading this, share your faith in Christ with those that need Him. I think you get the message.
Let's not be like ammunition or a bottle of water that sits on the shelf that never gets used for its true purpose. Let's get out there and give ourselves away and make a difference in our world for Jesus!
If you choose to reload your ammunition, you must be disciplined in each and every step. Every cartridge must be checked over and over again and each step in the process must be taken so you don't make a mistake that could cause damage to your firearm, and possibly you!
