TO A SPIRITUAL END

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Good morning Haverim from our family here in Kenya ?? East Africa

Reflecting on my life and my family who have passed on before me ….
This morning I have been thinking a lot of the gifted people in my life.

On my father’s side it was 5 boys and they were all gifted in construction.
Electrician, plumber, Carpenter, Stone and concrete mason, and my father was a meat cutter kosher butcher.

So many people focus on the gifts of the Spirit given in the book of Acts…..
But there were other gifts that have been given to us from birth.
And these gifts were given not just so we can earn a living….

I hope today’s teaching will touch you and move you in the direction you were created for.

TO A SPIRITUAL END

As each one has received some spiritual gift, he should use it to serve others, like good managers of God’s many-sided grace….
1 Kefa / 1 Peter 4 : 10 CJB

So many people interpret this as referring to the gifts given in the book of Acts. But why did Yeshua invite four of his tallmidian / disciples with, ” I will make you Fishers of Men ” ? He could have said to Kefa / Peter, Andrew, James and Yochanan/ John, ” come, follow Me, and I will make you Builders of the kingdom of God.” To have said this would have been beyond the realm of their understanding and in all probability, seemed impossible to them. As very young men, these four were likely involved in the same career as their fathers uncles and grandfathers. Fishing was all they knew, but Yeshua recognized how their vocational training could be redirected to spiritual work. Something I see in my own life parallelled, as in my Ministry I tend to build buildings to house women and children…. but also work in producing food to feed these people and the hungry surrounding them.

We can even see this strategy regarding Rav Saul/ Paul. Before his encounter with Yeshua on the road to Damascus, he was a Pharisee, a very high-ranking one at that….. totally committed to what is now known as Judaism and zealous in his beliefs. He could not accept the fact that Israel’s long-awaited Messiah would be scorned, rejected, humiliated and died as a common Criminal on a Roman Babylonian Starous / torture stake cross. Determined to annihilate the Messianic movement, Paul was Swift and thorough in organizing and mobilizing troops to round up believers, dedicated followers, for imprisonment, floggings and even death. Wherever he went, a reputation for persecuting followers preceded him, but Yeshua transformed Rabbi Saul and used his organizational skills to establish congregations not among the Jews but the Gentiles, become the rabbi to the Gentiles, and expand ADONAI’S KINGDOM.

Some of us fear a relationship with Adonai YHVH Hashem because we think He will change us into people we are not. Although this is actually true in a way, it is not in the way we expect. This is part of the wisdom of our creator as we have all been given different gifts…. and these gifts are given to serve an ultimate purpose. When we believe, follow and obey Yeshua, we receive the Holy Spirit / Ruach HaQuodesh, and our character changes according to the new life we have received in Messiah. We will not only find ourselves being convicted of wrongdoing, but also living out the Fruit of the Spirit as Yeshua Begins the work of Transforming Our Lives….. actually redirecting these skills that have been given. His Spirit living in us does not change our personalities or gifts. Upon becoming a true Messianic follower, an introvert will not suddenly become an extrovert, and an easy-going person will not suddenly become uptight and pensive.

In the same way, we still retain our natural gifts, but they will now be energized by the Holy Spirit for Spiritual ends. As a result, we may find ourselves using leadership skills we practiced in business to head up congregation committees. Academic prowess may no longer be limited to learning facilities but too apologetic debates which defend the truth of scripture. Placing others first will lead us to extend kindness and generosity to the needy in our communities and around world. Elohim did not create us to sit and fill a seat in synagogue on Sabbath….
He clearly stated we need to obey His Commandments …. the greatest of these is love your neighbour….. we have all been given gifts because we are created for a purpose of building the kingdom not just feeding our spiritual bellies.
Our skills will not change upon coming to know Yeshua, but our lives and motivations will ! This is the fruit that you will know them by ! And then you will know them by their works as faith without works is dead.
We can trust Hashem YHVH who gifted us will use our unique talents and abilities for the benefit of others, which in turn, builds His Kingdom according to His design.
If the whole world was to really grasp hold of this….. there would be no suffering in this world !!

Our Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for gifting me as You have. I pray that You develop these gifts to their utmost and help me to use them in expanding Your Kingdom. But I also pray others will follow and obey the same Commission and utilize their skills and talents for Your kingdom.
Thank You Adonai Amein[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]