This morning, I was reading through the Book of Matthew and Holy Spirit brought something to my attention, one that is DEFINITELY worth sharing! Let’s take a look at Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus was talking about the Kingdom of Heaven:
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them and made another five talents. And likewise, he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground and hid his lord’s money. After a long time, the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
“So, he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
‘Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
‘But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed. So, you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So, take the talent from him and give it to him who has ten talents.
‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
The Bible is the Living Word of God, and what I love MOST about it – is how Holy Spirit brings “front and center” what we need for whatever time we are in, and so I ask you (as I had to ask myself…):
WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THE TALENTS GOD HAS GIVEN TO YOU?
To be honest, I had to ask for the Lord’s forgiveness because I realized that although I thought I had been using ALL my talents that the Lord has given me to serve and worship Him, I realized that that has not been the case… Let me get even MORE transparent… As many of you already know, God has called me to be one of His Scribes, and while I DO walk in my calling in being a Scribe, I have not FULLY walked in the FULLNESS of it… You see, a bunch of years ago Holy Spirit gave me the idea of a Christian novel He wanted me to pen, and while periodically I have wiped off the dust of the manuscript from time to time, diligently setting out to write more (it is up to 90 type-written pages now), this has been a “work in progress” for a number of years… (a number of which I am unwilling to admit…) In reading the above passage this morning, I realized that I have been holding out completing it due to self-criticism. The type that causes “writer’s block,” the type that freezes me and in frustration to put back down on the shelf, to gather dust time and time again. You see, just like the “lazy servant” who was afraid – I have only been 90% functioning in what the Father has called me to do! Instead of trusting in the Father to continue doing a good work through my obedience of submission to my talent, I have only been trusting in myself! And I didn’t even realize it! I had to repent!
FEAR IS NOT OF GOD
If God has entrusted you with talents (and He has…) YOUR responsibility is to walk IN them! Listen – we can DO NOTHING in and of ourselves! But if you are part of God’s Called Remnant, He is expecting you to allow Holy Spirit to do a GOOD work THROUGH you! Hey – if God brought you to this blog post, there is a REASON for it! I am ONLY responsible for walking IN my calling as a Scribe for the Lord! Whatever happens AFTER I walk in that obedience is the responsibility of Holy Spirit – NOT me! I CANNOT save or CHANGE or MOTIVATE anyone! Only Holy Spirit can minister these Words to you! (And I pray He does!). One of my all-time FAVORITE shows is “The Chosen” which is a dramatic series that portrays what the relationship of the Disciples *might* have been like while they walked with Jesus. The reason why I love it so much, is because although it is a fictional work based upon the Bible, it shows that the 12 Disciples were people JUST LIKE you and me! If you want to know more about it, you can click on the link below. This is a ministry that I support and am so thankful for because many people are coming to know Jesus in a personal way! (Click on link below)
One of the key Bible passages Dallas Jenkins, The Chosen’s creator, writer and producer, is from Matthew 14:17-19, which talks about how Jesus fed the five thousand people following Him with only 5 loaves and 2 fish. I love that Brother Jenkins expresses this, for it is true of ALL of us walking in accordance of our callings, using our talents so that Holy Spirit can further the Kingdom of God. Mr. Jenkins says:
“It’s not your job to feed the five thousand, it’s only to provide the loaves and fish.”
The Apostle Paul put it this way in 1 Corinthians 3:6-9:
“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.”
How do you know that someone doesn’t NEED to be blessed by whatever “talents” God has entrusted to you? Your obedience could make the difference in them coming into the Kingdom or NEVER hearing or experiencing Jesus as their Savior! It is a HUGE responsibility for those of us Who are part of God’s Called Remnant to walk in the plans God has for our lives! (Which by the way, if we have accepted Jesus as our Savior; made Him Lord OVER our lives, are no longer our own BUT His!). Jesus gave His life for us! Shouldn’t we allow Holy Spirit to do a good work through us?
In John 15:1-27 tells us:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
The crazy thing about it – is that walking IN our callings, allowing Holy Spirit to be glorified and do His work in us is the absolute BEST feeling in the world! To glorify God! To be a blessing to someone else, especially someone hurting, someone NEEDING to know AND experience the Father’s love – I mean WOW! Now THAT is a life WORTH living! And imagine how wonderful at the end of this earthly life (and the beginning of our eternal one!) to come in contact with ALL those that Holy Spirit to bless THROUGH whatever talents God had created you to use!!! He is SUCH a good, good Father! Remember the Bible tells us that it is NOT God’s will for ANY to perish! (See 2 Peter 3:9). My biggest fear is NOT utilizing all my God-given talents and hearing someone say:
“Kelly, WHY didn’t you write that book that would have reached me where I was at when I needed it most? It would have led me to the Lord!”
The horror of that! (Not that God can’t or won’t use someone else with THEIR talents to do what He originally gave YOU to do… Believe me, He can and will!). But when I stand before Him, I want to know that I fulfilled His calling on my life – not because we are saved by works – we are NOT. But just in the knowing that Holy Spirit was able to use me as His vessel for His glory! I can think of NO BETTER fulfillment of my life than that. I hope you feel the same!
So, if you don’t know WHAT that calling is, all you have to do is ASK HIM! Oh, the joy it must bring the Father when we are seeking Him to fulfill His purpose in the lives He has given us! Psalm 139:13-16 tells us:
“Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
Ephesians 2:10 tells us:
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
There is no better way to live than to apply the talents we have been created with to glorify the One Who created us! I hope the words of this post excites you and makes you want to see JUST what God will do with you if you only allow Him! Truly I tell you that THAT is where the peace that passes ALL understanding comes in! THAT is where the joy that will flood your soul will occur! Don’t believe me? Give yourself a chance to TRY and see what God will do with whatever you commit into His hands! I promise you, He is NOT a man that He would lie! He has chosen YOU for SUCH a time as this!
Well, I would write more – but I need to go and apply that other “10% of my talent” to the novel that God has inspired me to complete. 😉 Until my next post, God bless and keep you, God smile upon you and fill you with His good and perfect peace! Shalom and Shalom!!!
9
0
20