Pray the word with David Platt is a resource from Radical.net.

I work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft.

And behold, I have appointed with him, O Holiab, the son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, and I have given to all able men ability that they may make all that I have commanded you.

So that's a little longer passage than we normally read and pray according to on this podcast, but the reason I wanted to read all six of those verses is because, well, I love these verses and the way they describe God's grace in giving ability, intelligence, knowledge, craftsmanship,

to devise artistic designs, to work in all kinds of ways in gold, silver, and bronze, and cutting stones, and carving wood, to work in every craft.

I have given God says to all able men ability that they may make all that I have commanded you.

When I read these verses, I think about all the different skills and gifts and knowledge and craftsmanship, abilities that he has given to so many different people, like I think about doctors and the skills and abilities they have.

I think about teachers and the skills and abilities they have. I think about craftsmen who make things. I think about artists.

I think about all kinds of different people with all kinds of different skills, abilities, crafts, knowledge, intellect, and it all comes from God.

To see every picture of craftsmanship and skill and ability in people as a good gift from God.

We know this. The Bible clearly teaches every good gift comes from God, including every ounce of intelligence, every bit of knowledge, every ability in crafting this or that or making this or that or doing this or that.

And God gives abilities ultimately for his purposes to be accomplished.

So I want to lead us based on these verses to praise God for the different gifts and skills he's given to each of us and to people around us and to pray that God would help us and others to use these gifts for his good purposes.

Just like with anything, all kinds of good gifts can be used in unhelpful ways. So God, we praise you for your grace and each of our lives for abilities you've given to us for education, experience, skills that you've given to different ones of us in different ways.

God, we we praise you. We may not feel as skilled as the next person in this or that, but God any skill we have in anything is evidence of your grace and we praise you.

We pause today to praise you for the good gifts you've given to each of us for good gifts we see and others when we see someone excelling at their craft.

We see someone excelling at their job. God, we know that's a good gift from you. We give you glory for the way we see your good gifts at work in different people.

And God, we pray that every ounce of intelligence we have every single ability we have even down to the most basic of abilities.

The ability to speak, the ability to hear, the ability to work in any capacity. God, with unique skills that you've entrusted to different people. God, we pray that you would help us to use these gifts for your glory.

Every gift we have today used for your glory and I was to give glory as we see your grace at work and all kinds of different people's gifts and abilities around us.

I think about my time with you this morning and just praying, take my life, let it be consecrated all to you, every ounce of intellect, every word for you.

Every word for my lips, every single thing I do with my hands, every single place I go with my feet. God, we pray that you would be glorified with all the good gifts that you've given to us by your spirit.

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