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Time to Move Out of Smallville
Did you admire Superman when you were a kid? It's sort of difficult not to look
up to one of the great superheroes of all time. For over 75 years the Man of
teel has captivated and thrilled fans young and old as he fights for truth, justice,
and the American way.
But...it wasn't always that way. Before Clark Kent was Superman, he was
Smallville. At least that's what Lois Lane considered him to be. And what
started as a nickname has become a modern retelling of the Superman
mythology now in its eighth season.
Viewers and critics alike seem to love the CW show Smallville. More than
just great effects and compelling storylines draw folks into the Clark Kent
early years, though. I believe that there's just something about the idea of
a person with superpowers gaining enough confidence and concern about
the world around him to fulfill his destiny and become the hero that Metropolis
so desperately needs.
Wouldn't it be great to have superpowers? Flying, lifting cars like they were
a feather, and being bulletproof wouldn't be so bad, right?
And what would you do with your powers? As many people have stated -
"with great power comes great responsibility."
Maybe you consider yourself 'smallville.' Just an ordinary person with no
extraordinary abilities. But I have exciting news for you! God Himself has
given you a 'superpower' called 'spiritual gifts' or 'spiritual abilities.' Here's
how the Bible describes this concept:
Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special
abilities the Spirit gives us. I don't want you to misunderstand this. A spiritual
gift is given to each of us so we can help each other (1 Corinthians 12:1, 7).
This spiritual gift is a God-given ability that you didn't have before you
trusted in Jesus Christ as your only hope of salvation. According to the Bible,
at the moment of salvation a spiritual 'superpower' was deposited into your
life so you could help others and make a difference for eternity.
Not only that, but your spiritual gift is something God uses as a weapon
in the fight against the forces of darkness.
I'm really not kidding here, check out what Jesus Christ said:
I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it (Matthew 16:18b).
Jesus states plainly that it is His plan and purpose to mobilize an army
called the church to exchange blows with the 'powers of hell.'
So what does all this look like? Well, don't picture some freaky sci-fi scene
that looks more like a scene from Hellboy 2 than real life. Using your gift to
fight evil really does look like real life. The 'powers of hell' is the reason behind
poverty, injustice, racism, prejudice, violence, and most of all the spiritual
blindness that ultimately lands people in hell forever.
And that's where we come in with our supernatural ability. We use our gifts
to help build up the church so that the church can go out and conquer the enemy.
OK, so now you know you have this spiritual superpower, and like Superman,
you need to discover which one you have so you can fulfill your destiny!
Fortunately, you don't have to guess on this one. The Bible contains several
lists of spiritual gifts (Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4) so you
can read and pray through them, then get busy in the universal battle.
The bottom line is that you have a super ability and you have a super critical
choice. There are many, many Christians who are distracted by their own
little battles - so they sit themselves out of combat and let the powers of
hell have victory in their corner of the world. Make the choice today to get
out of spiritual 'smallville' and join the fight.
In the words of Timo Cruz in the film Coach Carter:
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that
we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our dark that most
frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is
nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people don't feel
insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not
just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine,
we unconsciously give other people to do the same. As we are liberated
from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. Sir, I just
wanna say thank you . . . You saved my life.
May you overcome your many fears and save many lives.
Head: What you need to know about this truth
At the moment of salvation, each Christian is given a supernatural ability
to help others and build up the church so that the powers of hell can be defeated.
Heart: What you need to feel about this truth
Feel like a superhero with superpowers, because in reality, you are.
Hands: What you need to do about this truth
For a great web site that will help you discover your gifting and fulfill your destiny, visit:
Source: Dare2Share.org
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Creation Q & A
