Differing gifts of grace have been given to us.

Romans 12:6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; Today’s verse reveals how we are to think about how we are to love each other. Our minds are being renewed so we can prove how good, holy, and perfect God’s will is in putting us into His Son, Jesus Christ. The gifts we have to love each other with flow out of the grace given us by the mercies of God. We might think of each gift as an expression of God’s mercy to us. We learn with the Romans that our gifts differ because God wanted them to differ. If in mercy, He gives grace to each member, then when they love each other, He gets the glory both today and on that day when Jesus returns to be glorified in the saints and to be marveled at by all who believe (1 Thess. 1:10). Through each member of the body, Jesus is preparing His body for that great day when He presents us holy, blameless, and without blemish. His body, His bride, dressed in a white garment, the righteousness of Jesus Christ. The encouragement today is to those of us who prophesy. Prophesying entails speaking forth to someone what the Holy Spirit gives you to encourage and edify. This gift was (and I believe is presently) to be exercised according to the faith allotted or given to you. Paul said this and all gifts are grace gifts, which means they are expressions of Jesus’ love for us. Does it make sense or is it sound judgment to think that Jesus has restricted the expressions of His love for His body since the Scriptures were canonized? Once God’s Word became canonized, did God scale back His mercies to the members of His body? If so, then these verses are muted. It is clear from experience, that the mercies of God still flow among us for His glory today and on that day. If faith rises in your heart to speak words of encouragement and edification, we are not to think that those words rise with the same authority as Scripture. Yes, they are spiritual words from the Holy Spirit, but they were not given to establish a rule or standard by which we are to judge. That standard has been clearly established in the canonization of Scripture which is infalable and sufficient for our faith. It is that very standard that encourages us that these grace gifts are meant to be exercised in loving with Jesus. Give what you receive after testing it by the Word of God, our rule of faith. This is how living to love with Jesus looks in our lives. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com