Using your Spiritual Gifts

Using Your Gifts Takes Effort

Be Prepared

As we learn our talents and gifts that God has given us. Its our duty our responsibility to hone those gifts to prepare to practice your talents. God puts something inside you need to pull it out and sharpen the blade. Practice your skill. What good does a dull knife do when skinning a deer.

1 Samuel 16:14–20 NKJV

But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him. And Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely, a distressing spirit from God is troubling you. Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. And it shall be that he will play it with his hand when the distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well.” So Saul said to his servants, “Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me.” Then one of the servants answered and said, “Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the Lord is with him.” Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by his son David to Saul.

We have to be prepared!

David wasn't chosen because he was a man after Gods own heart. Even though that was his best quality. He was chosen because he played well look at verse 17 “ Find me someone who plays well”.

1. Be Diligent

David played the hard because he was prepared but he was diligent

David was chosen because he played the harp well. He played the harp well because he was diligent, he had to work hard to become good. You may have a skill but if you don't practice it will not become great. God wants greatness!

Texas Long horn game

Are you prepared to rearrange our priorities?

1 Samuel 17:31–37 NKJV

Now when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul; and he sent for him. Then David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!”

31-

God had given David these Gifts. He gave him the gift of music. God gave him the gift of a warrior. But David had to prepare he had to work hard, David had to set priorities. David had to hone his skills.

God gave him the talent!

God gave him the opportunity.!

But it was David who seized that opportunity!

He spent countless hours practicing his harp. So that one day he could be in the position to be called by Saul. God gave him opportunities to hone his skills as a warrior through the fighting of lions and bears. But David had to respond. He had to do what was uncomfortable. What might hurt him. So that he would be in the position to stand against Goliath the Giant who mocked the Lords Army with the courage and faith that God had led him out of the paw of the Lion and so will he fro the grips of the Giant.

Example of Turkey and Jelly

2. Excellence in all you do

Philippians 4:8

Philippians 4:8 NASB95

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

We should not strive to be perfectionist for our own sake not to be the best by competitive by spirit. But to be excellent in what we do. So that we may please the Father.

The Father was excellent when he made the creation. As you watch the sun rise in the morning is there anything other than excellence in His work? As we work as we do things for other so shall we be excellent in the things we do. So that others will see the Father through us.

Martin Luther said” The Christian Shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on his shoes but by making good shoes,because God is interested in good craftsmanship.”

Mary ellis story, Story of Charlie

3. Persevere to the end.

Acts 20:24 NKJV

But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

acts 20

Story of the Ranch How it changed through time

Story of my Grand mother

How can you use my spiritual Gifts

By being prepared by honing your talents, by being diligent being careful how you use or don't use your Gifts