I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Sunday morning, the 16th of November, 2025, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.

We start in the Book of Exodus 35:10:

”All who are gifted artisans among you shall come and make all that the Lord has commanded”

- they were building the tabernacle for God.

Then we go to Mark 6:3:

”Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary…”

Who were they speaking about? Jesus Christ. Jesus was an artisan. Jesus was a tradesman. Yes, the Greek word “tektōn” means “carpenter-builder,” so He probably worked with wood and stone. We need to use our gifting to glorify God. We have a widow who stays with us here at Shalom, and she is a very godly woman. She is a quiet woman, she’s not a preacher, but I want to tell you something now, she preaches with a paint brush. Yes, she is a talented artist. Just hanging behind my chair right here in my prayer room is the most beautiful painting that she painted for me, many many years ago of the Holy Nativity and even as we are approaching Christmas, it is very important to me again, to see the little Babe in a manger with His mother and father, literally looking onto Him. She preaches with a paintbrush.

I also have a grandson here at Shalom. I have many grandsons, this one is very young. He is a gifted worker with leather. He’s not shy, but he’s a quiet cowboy. With his hands, he makes leather belts, he makes bridles for his horses, he makes halters to catch his horses in the field, and he expresses his love for Jesus through the gifting that God has given to him. Today, I want to say to mom and dad, let your child express their love for Christ through the gifting that the Holy Spirit has given them, whatever it might be, because through it, God will get the glory.

Do you remember Saint Francis of Assisi? He was a member of a very wealthy family. He gave it all up and went out to live with the poorest of the poor. He built a monastery basically with his bare hands. Now, I don’t know if it is an actual fact or not, but it is attributed to him as having said, “Preach the Gospel at all costs, and if you really have to, use words.” Very interesting!

Today, use what God has given you. We can’t all be evangelists, we can’t all be teachers, we can’t all be ministers, but we can all use the gift that God has given us to glorify His Son.

Jesus bless you and have a wonderful day,
Goodbye.