Hello and welcome! To start I would like to say if you took part in the Friday Challenge I am sharing this Scripture:
We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. Romans 12:6-8 (emphasis added)
Please know that I am a committed and teachable student of The Rabbi. That being said I do not want to get in the way of God’s word and His plan for each person’s life. Friday was not for me to cast the "gift of encouraging" on anyone.
On to today’s blessing of Scripture….
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When was the last time you asked God to show you something unique about you?
The Bible is full of people He created with unique characteristics and abilities that He can use to accomplish His work. The key is that we have to be willing to let Him use us the way we are. God used, a slave, a shepherd, a farmer, a son of a prostitute, a housewife, a peasant girl, a tax collector, a doctor, and a fisherman.
Are you a passionate person like Paul?
Are you physically strong like Samson?
Are you a Hannah who is willing to give her children for God’s use?
Are you a leader like Moses?
As I have been studying different people in the Bible and learning how God used them to fulfill His purposes, I met Ehud. His story is in the book of Judges in the Old Testament. Please read http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges%203:12-31;&version=31;
Ehud was left handed. In his day that was considered a handicap. God used Ehud’s perceived handicap to bring Israel victory. This story includes some not fun details, but I am grasping real tightly to what I am considering a really neat detail. He was left handed! You see I am left handed and even though I would not consider it a handicap in my life I have stood out from the crowd many times. Please don’t get me wrong there are many other people who deal with much greater issues than this. God used this story to speak to my heart and to my life message of Living My Life On Purpose. He created you and me just how He wants us, and when we submit all of who we truly are to Him, He will do great things through us. He created us to have an intimate relationship with Him. In this relationship He will teach us and develop us so we will fulfill the purpose He has for us.
He is a God who can use anyone in any circumstance to build up His kingdom and bring glory to Himself. Amen!
May you come to Him just as you are and allow Him to do great things through you.
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Drifting or Dwelling
14 hours ago
9 comments:
I love how you said " He created you and me just how He wants us." I have looked at others gifts before and felt envy, but the gifts he gave me are the special gifts just for me! Because he knows me and knows what would benefit me.
Great job, my back yard friend! (Backyardigans)
Nichole, God has given to each of us special gifts and talents for us to use. We are unique. I love these verses in Romans they are such an encouragment. Gordon, my hubby, has been preaching on the book of Romans on Sunday mornings. This book of the Bible holds so much for us. Thanks for the reminder to look within and thank God for making us the person He would have for us to be.
I think one of my God-given gifts is the gift of compassion, along with discernment. I've alway been able to "feel" pain with others and to discern a situation behind the scenes. Even though the "surface" shines bright, I can often tell when someone is suffering at a deeper level.
I am thankful for the gift, even though there have been times when my "understanding" has taken its toll on me. I try to attend to each person, one on one, rather than being consumed by the whole. I'm inclined to think that I get this from my father, also.
peace~elaine
Oh Nichole this is a WONDERFUL post! I absolutely LOVE finding the uniqueness in myself and in others. Not only did God create us the way He wanted us with all of our unique qualities, but He specifically chose those unique qualities to fullfill His plan for our lives. When we use our unique qualities in tandem with the unique skills He has given us and the unique spiritual gifts He has given us then we are truely living out His purposes and LOVING it because we are being who we really are!
Sorry, this topic excites me. Can you tell? :D
We just began a study on spiritual gifts in my SS class and I am so excited about it. I am pretty aware of my gifts but I have no doubt that I will learn a lot in this study.
Love ya!
Happened on your blog today. Great post. Yes, how wonderful that we are each so unique and God can use ALL of us when we surrender to Him.
Nichole, this fits so perfectly with everything the Lord is teaching me at the moment. I love how HE stages everything to fall into place for each of us to learn what it is He is teaching us. Praise the Lord!
I'm left-handed, too! My sister used to always try to re-train my brain to use my right hand when I was little...but my left-handedness prevailed! My hubby is left-handed, too...but none of our kids are.
Thanks for reminding me that God made me special. He gave me lots of love and compassion just as he did for you...that's why we have hit it off so well! :) Love you, Lee
Good Morning, God has special gifts for us all, he knows what we all can do and what is good for us, and what he wants for us to challenge with.
Thats why he is such an awesome God.
Great post~~ One to take the rest of the day to ponder for sure.
Have a great week'
Sharon
One way that God has used to show me my talents is to use others to speak into my life. Sometimes we can't see the good things that God has placed in us, but others likely can. :)
God doesn't make mistakes, only those things which are good come from God. :)
Sonya
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