Use Your Talents 10.11.08

Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today we are continuing our studies on the book of Matthew, please read Chapters 25-26 in your Bible or you can Click Here to read them online.
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Today we will read about more parables; the plot to kill Jesus; the Lord's Supper; Jesus sorrow and prayer to God; Judas bretraying Jesus; and His trial. Today's message focuses on the importance of realizing that God has given us all talents. We are to use those talents for His glory in order to see an increase of our own.

There will come a day when all will see that wealth, possessions, or popularity will be seen for it's true value, absolutely worthless. Jesus represented Himself in a parable, "For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey." (Matthew 25:14-15). These talents did not belong to the servants, they were to be managers of the goods that he entrusted them with. The goods represent the opportunities and abilities that God has given us as a means to be used for His glory.

The servant who received five talents recognized this, traded his talents and increased them, "Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.....And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." (25:16,20-21).

Likewise, the servant who received two talents did the same, "And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.......He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." (25:17,22-23). This servant was not expected to gain more than two talents because he knew he had been given according to his ability. Both servants doubled their talents and were equally commended.

However, the third servant who had recieved one talent put no effort in increasing his talent, instead he put it away, "But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money........Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents." (25:18,24-28). This servant attempted earthly security, in which he put his lord aside until it was convenient for him to increase his talent. The consequences of neglecting the opportunities to serve his master were irreversible; there was no second chance to relive his life.

We have all been given talents that are to be used for God's glory and the more we use them the more we receive in return. How do we use our talents to serve God? We can go to church every oppotunity we get, help serve in our church, tell others about Jesus, give tithe, help someone, put others before ourselves, give unwanted clothes or items to those who need them, the list goes on and on. No matter how broke we are someone else has less than we do.

Today's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Just as we received Your Son, Jesus as Lord, we continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as we were taught, and overflowing in thankfulness. May our words, our actions, and our thoughts be full of praise as we consider all that we have and choose not to dwell on that which we have not. Above every other blessing is the gift of the blood that was shed to save us from our sins. And the greatest gift yet to come is the inheritance that awaits Your faithful servants in our eternal dwelling in heaven. In Jesus' name....Amen.

Have a wonderful and blessed day!
God bless you,
Christina

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