He didn't give you gifts that he doesn't want you to use. If you have a gift, you're supposed to use it. If you have a talent, even if it's not a quote-unquote spiritual gift, you can consecrate it in such a way that it functions like a spiritual gift. And so you use that for his glory. Anytime God gives you something, whether it's money or talent or position of influence, it's an invitation for you to use that gift to serve others and to glorify God.
Hello and welcome to Destined for Victory, where we feature the preaching ministry of Pastor Paul Shepard. Always a pleasure to have you with us. Today we want to help you understand how to examine your spiritual gifts. And how to examine your heart so that you can use the uniqueness of who you are to bring glory and honor to Jesus Christ. Remember to come see us at pastorpaul.net to listen to Destined for Victory on Demand.
That's pastorpaul.net. You can also subscribe to the podcast at Apple Podcasts, at Spotify, or wherever you enjoy podcasts.
Now, here's today's Destined for Victory message: becoming an excellent steward of our talents. The Bible doesn't teach everything happens for a reason.
Some stuff just happens. But what God does is takes what happened, even if what happened wasn't necessarily his will. And y'all who were abused and all kinds of horrible things have happened, that wasn't the will of God. But God takes what happens, and He says, if you'll give it to me, I'll work it together for you. For good.
So it wasn't good. in some cases, but I work it for good. Because you're called according to my purpose. At the end of the day, God says, it is my purpose that prevails in the life of a child of God. And so I thought Um, when we got to this section, and I called him, we were still in one of the other tees.
I said, I'm going to get to a section, and I need you to slip down and spend a Sunday with me. I want to interview. He said, Oh man, that'd be so exciting. And so then it turned out, you know, he couldn't do it because he's in Vegas right now with Kevin. But I called him and said he was on his lunch break.
I said, How much time you got? He said, I got about an hour and a half. I said, Oh, I don't need that much time. Let's go on and do this right now. And that's what we just had this chat.
So the fact is, I want you to hear. He started out first of all saying, Lord, I want to make sure I'm doing right by my kids as now as a father. And he said, The Lord told him, Then you got to get your family in church. You can't raise kids and raise them outside of faith and think they're going to turn out the way you want them to turn out. And so he said, with that, I said, okay, I need a church home.
And then one of the elders at Abundant Life, Keith, he just mentioned him, told him, oh, no, you need to go to church. I go too. And he told him about me and described me as a cool dude from Philly. And I thought when he said that again in our interview the other day, I said, look at that. And now you're working full-time, making big money with a cool dude from Philly.
Yeah. You know Kevin, now Kevin not as cool as me, but I'm just saying. You know. I'm just saying, you know, he got his second cool Philly dude in his life.
Now, that one makes me look bad at the bank.
Now, trust me when I tell you. He makes me look very bad at the bank. But I make him look good in the kingdom, so yeah. That's the way that rolls.
So. But he just came, and as he described, you know, I was sitting outside your house last. And I said, Lad, what are you doing at my house? He said, Oh, no, I'm out there. Whenever I'm working graveyard, I'm until they radio and I got to go somewhere else in East Palo Alto.
I'm sitting outside your house. And he said, they ain't gonna mess with my pastor. It was a violent time, but they ain't messing with him. And he said, I remember he was telling me: he said, Oh man, if they look wrong on that street, they're going to get a couple of hot ones in them. We do.
He wasn't playing at all. Oh, and it's so funny. When I told the guys yesterday in MOD that I'd be doing this interview with a friend Terry Brown, who was a cop in East Palo Alto when he joined my church, one of the guys at MOD yesterday, I won't call his name, but he told the brothers, he said, Oh man, next time you talk to Terry, apologize. Because I was one of them kids in East Palo Alto that he. Honestly, that's what he said yesterday.
Tell him I'm sorry. He said, Give him my name. He'll know who I was. Yeah. And I said, look at this.
God is helping me to disciple folk he used to run around East Palo Alto with. But you know what? God works things together. And so here was a father wanting to get his kids in church, and he did, and all that. And he became one of the men that we discipled in those years.
And so he was there when that growth first began to happen. People started getting saved every week. And when he describes, I had forgotten it until he mentioned it two days ago in this interview: a time when I had a cold I couldn't shake. And we said, well, one of the problems is on Sundays, the church got to the place we were in this warehouse in East Menlo Park, and we ended up having four services every Sunday because when God started doing what he had promised he would do, we ended up with a 7:30. 9.30 1130 5.30 p.m.
Sunday uh worship schedule. And so between the services, I would still try to be Pastor Paul, and I'm out there meeting and greeting, and I'm wet and all of that. And I'd run back in the office and grab a little snack or something, run back out, second service, run back in. And he said, you were getting sick and you couldn't shake it. And I met with you and said, Look, let's pull together a team of folks because we got to get you away from this.
Because you're you're not Going to make it if you keep doing this. And that's how the armor bearer ministry at Abundant Life started in that season. And as he referred to Bishop Gideon Thompson, one of my lifelong big brothers. and their church had a dynamic armor bearer ministry. And so I sent Terry and some guys out there, and they came back and set it up for me so that I could make it in those days.
Of growth when we were in that small building until later on, God blessed us to build a 2,100-seat sanctuary in Mountain View. And so. He was referring to that, and he said, That helped me to gain a love for taking care of my pastor, not only as a cop, but just in general, as my volunteer ministry. And so, when the Lord led him away from the police force, as you can see, his passion was still to be protective. And some of you have something in you, whatever that something is, and it is of God.
And you have to find out what you're supposed to do. With it. In some cases, it's voluntary, but your fulfillment will come because it's not about the way you earn your living.
Sometimes your living partners up with your passion, and other times, the passion simply is a money engine. For you to do what God's called you to do. Both are legitimate.
So sometimes you make money at the thing you're passionate about. That's wonderful when it happens, but don't limit yourself to that. Because, as we find from the first century apostles, sometimes God simply uses what they do. In Paul's case, he was a tent maker. And that's how he made his money while he traveled Europe preaching the gospel.
And then later, he would have people come alongside him. And for instance, when he developed what became the church at Corinth. He was starting out in Corinth as a tent maker, and he would work, make tents during the day, and whenever, and then he would find pockets to preach and to share his faith and all of that. Then eventually, some other folk came and said, We'll do the working. We'll make the money for our little posse.
And then you full-time get out there. And that's how the whole church of Corinth got started because they learned that passion sometimes just pays the bills, and sometimes other passions cause you to be effective in the kingdom of God.
Some of you have to start looking at your shape.
So, as I go through the rest of This talents part of the series, I want you to be thinking, he didn't give you gifts that he doesn't want you to use. If you have a gift, you're supposed to use it. If you have a talent, even if it's not a quote-unquote spiritual gift, you can consecrate it in such a way that it functions like a spiritual gift. And so you use that for his glory, whether it's just for personal and spiritual fulfillment or whether it's something that you can use to make earn part of your living with.
So examine your spiritual gifts and talents and abilities. Examine your heart. The Bible says God has put good things in our hearts, and He wants a return on His investment in us. A good man, out of the good treasure of His heart, brings forth good things.
So some of you got a bunch of goods stuffed inside of you. and you've done nothing to get it out. And so God doesn't want a bunch of good. People who doing nothing. 'Cause that makes you no good.
Yeah. Because the good that's in your heart doesn't matter. Because you're not getting it out to anybody.
So examine your heart, examine your abilities, aspirations, all the things that are good in terms of your aptitude, the things you're good at. How can I use this to the glory of God and the benefit other people? Because all of that is ministry. Ministry is everything we do out of love for God to win the loss, edify believers, and meet people's needs in general, even if they're not in the kingdom. Don't go away.
The rest of today's Destined for Victory message featuring Pastor Paul Shepard is coming right up. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. That's why Destined for Victory is here, to teach timeless truth for a victorious life by pointing people to Jesus Christ. And you can help.
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Well, if you really want to know how God wants you to use your gifts and abilities for His glory, don't merely read what Jesus said. Look at how he lived.
Now, here's the rest of today's Destined for Victory message: becoming an excellent steward of our talents. Church folk, we got to get this straight. We're not supposed to just be all about the church. You give your first allegiance to the kingdom of God. But ultimately, how are you going to be Christ-like and you don't do what the Bible says Jesus did?
Acts 10, there's a verse that says Jesus went about doing good. Then it says, and he healed people. But he was a good guy. Deed doer. He went about doing good, which is why the only folk that didn't like Jesus were religious people.
When the pagans saw him, they were excited. Hey man, it's Jesus.
So They liked him. Because he wasn't coming for them. You know, all y'all going to hell. That's not what he did. He sat on a well so he could talk to a lady that the other ladies in town wanted nothing to do with.
You remember that you ever read John 4? She's at the well noon. You didn't go to the well. At noon. Normally.
The women went early in the morning. or after dusk. Because you didn't want that hot sun. He sitting on the well at noon when a lady comes by herself. And strikes up a conversation with her.
Not hitting on her, hey, girl. That wasn't that. That wasn't it. It was kingdom business. And he struck up a conversation.
And he let her get off of her chest what he knew was already there. He said, Would you give me some water? She said, Well, first of all, you're a Jew, I'm a Samaritan. What are you doing talking to me? Y'all have nothing to do with us.
And she was saying, Y'all look down on us. I'm surprised one of you even bothers to notice me. And she said, Furthermore, if you came up here for a drink, how come you don't have anything to draw with? And he said, Well, I need you to do the drawing, but I want to let you know I do have something, and if you get what I have, you will never thirst again. And you know that encounter, and it changed her life.
She ran down to the town and said, Come see a man who told me everything I did. He didn't tell her everything she did. But by the time he talked about them six men So you have five of them. And now you're with the six. And she knew he knew enough That this is not just an ordinary guy.
And it changed. her life. And I want to tell you, God wants to make you a good deed doer. He wants to send you to the world not only to preach with words, sometimes your best preaching is with no words at all.
Sometimes your best preaching is when actions. and smiles. And good deeds and encouraging words. Yes, sometimes God will sprinkle it with a word of knowledge or stuff like that. Just like happened there, can happen in your life.
You got to understand when you're a child of God, He's not able to use you in any particular way. You just have to make yourself available. That's what I want to say. Make yourself available to God. One of my cousins sang with the Thompson Community Choir in Chicago years ago when they did their best recordings.
And one of their favorite songs I loved is: Lord, I'm Available to You. And that song, I play it often in my car sometimes as I'm driving from appointment to appointment. Lord, I'm available to you, I'll do what you say do. And then it talks about the fact that, in fact, I jotted down the words because I wanted to give it to you. Lord, I'm available to you.
My will I give to you. I'll do what you say, do. Use me, Lord, to show someone the way. and enable me to say, my storage is empty. And I am available to you.
That's what you need. You need an empty storage. Lord, I'm emptying myself of personal plans and objectives that aren't yours.
Some of y'all can't be filled with God's priorities because you're full of carnal priorities. And so you have to have start making sure your priorities are reflective of what God wants for you. That's what Terry did. He said, Lord, I'm not. I want to raise kids in a way that makes them productive citizens.
He said, well, you don't have them in church. And I want to tell generations that he we're talking this was in the 90s, but it's still true, it's more true now. Y'all can't raise decent kids and let them decide whether they won't come to church. Unheard of. Unheard of.
Unheard of. That's not the way kingdom people do it. That's the point I'm trying to make. Kingdom people have kingdom priorities, and I know it's old-fashioned. We're boomers, I get it, but we were raised, it wasn't an option.
Saturday night, get yourself bathed and ready for church Sunday morning, period.
Now I never in my life heard do you feel like going to church. Never heard that in my whole life. Do you feel? And you're a minor living under my roof? Once you get on your own, I can't make you go to church.
As long as you live here. On Sunday morning, you're going to be at church. And that was all it was. I'm sleepy. Sleep at church.
You're gonna see you gonna be at church. That was it. And you know back in the day it was Sunday school Before it was service. Come on, so I need I need my my my my old school people Sunday school at my church, 9:30. To 10:30.
That was Sunday school hour. And then my church started at eleven when I was a kid. And so from 10:30 to 11, we had a half hour, and there was a little Chinese guy who had a store around the corner. And he opened up on Sunday mornings 'cause he knew them High Street Church of God kids were going to come around there Sunday morning at 10:30. We would go in in shifts.
He'd only let a few in at his tattoo. The rest of y'all come in later. And we go in and we get nile laters and charms. And come on, some of y'all. And you're getting them.
And back then, if you had a dollar, you would OD. You just straight up OD. Any y'all O deers? Oh man, you were talking about because you had them dime things and all like that. Oh man, you come out and got your nihilators and we stuff them.
And we dressed up to go to church. We had to dress up back in the day. And so we had, us boys had a jacket and all.
So you stick your nihilators here and you just, because you're not supposed to eat at church, but what the saints don't know won't hurt them. And so that's. Yeah. And we would be sitting in the back of the church. But we didn't have an option.
We were going to be at that church hearing the word of God whether we wanted to or not. And Terry brought his kids and his wife and Finn. They joined the church. And then he became, he's already a cop, he's already got that going. But he said, how can I use this passion for protection?
And he became my first army. And did you notice the name of his company? Armor Bearer Protection Services Incorporated. That started 'cause he wanted to take care of Pastor Paul. I told him Friday, I said, Does Kevin know he owes me a thank you?
He cracked up.
So And an offering would be nice too, but with with Because he broke off real good, I understand, these days. And all that. But here's my point. Look at how God has shaped you. Cause you got stuff you don't need to leave the planet inside of you.
that you need to get out of you. Whether it is for your money making, whether it is for your fulfillment of your spiritual calling, whatever it's going to result in, and sometimes, as in the case of Terry, it's both. And he said, I am so fulfilled, knowing that I am fulfilling this calling God put on my life. To glorify him and to take care of people who are doing good things and make a good living at the same time. And did you note, you married people, did you note that you don't destroy your family trying to fulfill your calling?
When I asked him, I said, Kevin just had you in Europe, and now you're in Vegas, and then finally you get to go home for Lord. He said, I'm equally yoked. He told me in the part that I did in the air, because we talked quite a while. He said, My wife knows how I make my bag. That's his money, y'all.
Money, money. My wife knows how I make my bag, and she's good with it. She knows where I am, what I'm doing, that I'm doing a good thing. We're in constant talk. We're talking all the time.
She's catching me up on what's going on at home. If something needs to be addressed at home, I deal with it and what have you. He said, We are a team. And teams, marriage is a team. And you who are married, don't try to fulfill the calling while ignoring the team.
Do what God's called you to do. and fulfill his purpose Glorify him, advance your family at the same time. Thanks so much for being here with us on Destined for Victory. Today's message, becoming an excellent steward of our talents, as well as any of our recent messages, are available on demand at our website, pastorpaul.net. While you're there, be sure to check out our online store for some great resources to help you grow in your Christian faith, including books and DVD messages from Pastor Paul Shepard.
That's pastorpaul.net. Well, shortly before Pastor Paul went home to be with the Lord earlier this year, he was teaching a group of messages about stewardship, a series we're airing now on Destined for Victory. But right in the middle of it, he took a one-week detour and inserted a special message that was weighing heavily on his heart. The message is called Sometimes You Have to Encourage Yourself. It's filled with practical advice, and as he always did, he delivered that message with his signature humor and down-to-earth style.
Now, this message has never aired before on Destined for Victory. It's not available anywhere else but right here, right now. But this month, in appreciation of your most generous gift to Destined for Victory, we'll send you this exclusive message as either a DVD or a streaming link. Again, that's sometimes you have to encourage yourself one of the last messages Pastor Paul ever preached, and it's only available right here for your most generous donation to Destined for Victory. You can give by phone by calling 855-339-5500.
That's 855-339-5500. Or visit pastorpaul.net to make a safe and secure donation online. You can also mail your gift to Destined for Victory, Post Office Box 1767, Fremont, California, 94538. Here, Destined for Victory, we believe in the power of prayer, and today we'd like to pray for you. Use the contact feature at the top of our homepage at pastorpaul.net and share your request with us.
That's pastorpaul.net. I have walked with God long enough and I have led God's people long enough to realize that one of the things we have to learn to give an account to is how we go through. What we have to go through. You do know just because trials are common to the human family. doesn't mean everybody handles them right.
If handled the right way, trials will often lead to triumph. Find out how tomorrow in our message: Becoming an Excellent Steward of Our Trials. Until then remember. He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion. In Christ, you are destined for victory.
