I have always had a "secret" desire to BE a missionary. To me, a missionary is a person who travels outside of the US to tell people about Jesus, help build churches in areas of poverty, and many other related things.
Each time a missionary comes to speak at our church it is brought back up in my mind that I would just LOVE to go "sell all of my possessions and follow Him" to the ends of the earth.
Well... recently we had an awesome family at our church, Beau and Rachel Barton, who are living in Mexico (http://www.freedom-ministries.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=27&Itemid=57) came to share all of the wonderful things God is doing in and through them there. Those thoughts started back up in my mind again. This time, I did something different... I began praying for God to CLEARLY speak to me about what these thoughts mean in MY life. Because our God is faithful to show us what we ask for, He spoke to me in a clear voice...
"You ARE a missionary!" "Your mission field is in Selma, Alabama!" "Do not waste time.
Continue in the mission I have put before you!"
Wow! Thank you, LORD!! There are so many ways the enemy can sneak into our minds and try to distract us from what the Lord has put right in front of us. I am called to be a missionary right here where I am! In fact, I was called here from another place. Just because I'm not out of the country doesn't mean this is not a place for missionary work. Therefore, I will never have to wonder again if I am in my true calling. I know that I am! Now, I can concentrate on the person God wants me to be. Hallelujah!
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Monday, December 1, 2008
Talents...
Yesterday in our College/Career SS lesson we looked at "The Parable of the Talents" in
Matthew 25:14-30...
"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'
"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'
"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'
"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
I have found myself intrigued by the "talent" for some reason. The talent is equal to 75 lbs. With the price of gold today, that's $954,840.00! Wow! That's a lot of cash to just hide in the ground! This parable uses money as an example that we can relate to. But, what God wants us to see is that He gives us spiritual gifts that we are to go out and put to work for HIM. They are ALL to be used in furthering HIS KINGDOM. When we obey by doing this, we will be given an abundance and allowed the pleasure of further work for Him. But, if we just sit on them, or hide them in the ground, we will stand before our God in judgement for those actions!
God gives these gifts to us according to our ability. Then, as we grow in our relationship with Him and use these gifts according to His purposes, He will give us more to use! It's really very simple... USE IT OR LOSE IT!
What gifts or talents do you have that you have not used to bring glory to God?
Have you been busy trying to use gifts or talents that others have?
Have you hidden your gifts or talents in the ground?
It's kind of a tough lesson, I know. But, one worth pondering.
Let's pray:
Dear God, thank you for trusting me with the many gifts and talents that you have given me. Please open doors and show me the way to use them to further your kingdom. I am sorry that I haven't used them to the best of my ability, but I ask now, Father, that you give me another chance to bring glory to your name. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Matthew 25:14-30...
"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'
"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'
"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'
"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
I have found myself intrigued by the "talent" for some reason. The talent is equal to 75 lbs. With the price of gold today, that's $954,840.00! Wow! That's a lot of cash to just hide in the ground! This parable uses money as an example that we can relate to. But, what God wants us to see is that He gives us spiritual gifts that we are to go out and put to work for HIM. They are ALL to be used in furthering HIS KINGDOM. When we obey by doing this, we will be given an abundance and allowed the pleasure of further work for Him. But, if we just sit on them, or hide them in the ground, we will stand before our God in judgement for those actions!
God gives these gifts to us according to our ability. Then, as we grow in our relationship with Him and use these gifts according to His purposes, He will give us more to use! It's really very simple... USE IT OR LOSE IT!
What gifts or talents do you have that you have not used to bring glory to God?
Have you been busy trying to use gifts or talents that others have?
Have you hidden your gifts or talents in the ground?
It's kind of a tough lesson, I know. But, one worth pondering.
Let's pray:
Dear God, thank you for trusting me with the many gifts and talents that you have given me. Please open doors and show me the way to use them to further your kingdom. I am sorry that I haven't used them to the best of my ability, but I ask now, Father, that you give me another chance to bring glory to your name. In Jesus' name. Amen.
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