Receiving God’s Blessings

  There are many of preachers talking about receiving God’s blessings these days. They’re usually packing the house of some mega church, people pouring into the aisles and pews to find out if it is so. It is the new add word to get people to go to church. We are promised all sorts of wonderful things while the person truly being blessed is the preacher who takes hard earned money and spends it on himself. Yes, God does bless those  who live in His will, but the word “blessing” is a little confusing. There is the blessing that is bestowed upon us through God’s grace. However, a better word to describe God’s program of giving is “investment.” He invests in us and, like any good businessman, He expects a return on His investment.  

This is the Parable of the Talents that is found in Matthew 25:14-30. “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.  There isn’t anything unusual today about entrepreneurs traveling to foreign countries and investing in overseas businesses . These people were probably very similar to independent businessmen of today who had skills and trade, practicing their art for whoever would hire them. Back then they were probably slaves however, our economy is very similar. These people freely engaged in their business borrowing money and reinvesting it to make a profit they would share with their investors much like bankers today. There hasn’t been much change in  the system, except that when the United States was created, it was determined that a man could not go to prison for his debts. Many of those who came to America came via debtors prison. The state of Georgia was created for this purpose.

  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.  In today’s economy a talent is a special ability that one either learns or receives from God. Back then a talent was their term for money, and here when the Bible speaks of talents it is referring to money. I believe for the purpose of this writing we could use either meaning. 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.  God invests in our ability much like bankers invest in us today. If you have had steady employment, and paid your bills on time an investment company would deem you a sound risk. Some people’s ability to make money is greater than others, so while some are loaned millions, others are only loaned thousands. God’s economy is a little different in the case of  investing in your talent or in His case your ministry. All ministry investments are equal as far as the reward system of God.  You could be the pastor  of a mega church where you minister to thousands, or your ministry could only involve a few people. All ministries are equal in God’s eyes. I think that people not understanding this truth keeps many of us from getting involved.  Each and every person who sits in a pew is a minister of God regardless of their scriptural knowledge.

  After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. In this account the lord represents our Lord Jesus Christ and the servants are Christians. We have an obligation to God to perform our duty as Christians just like we have an obligation to pay our mortgage or car loan. As we will read this a  story of faith. We are given special abilities to serve our Savior. “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.’

  Jesus was taken up into heaven to sit on the right side of our Heavenly Father until His enemies are made His footstool. At some point Jesus will return for His beloved bride, the church. We will be taken up to heaven to ever be with our Lord.  There we will celebrate the “Marriage feast of the Lamb” We will appear before the “Judgment Seat of Christ,” and have our works tested by fire. Fire being the “Word of God.” Those of us who have not served our King accordingly will suffer loss of reward. We will not lose our salvation because it is a gift from God. Those of us who served the Lord will receive their just reward and enter the “Kingdom of Heaven” without suffering loss.

Now here is the person who did not make the best use of their investment they received from God. “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.’ I regret many of the decisions I have made in my life. Even though I have been a believer all my life I spent a considerable amount of time away from the Lord. I went to church, but I lived my life according to the world. I neglected countless opportunities to share my faith and instead of speaking Christ boldly I shrank back into the crowd. I have failed many people in my life, and I believe that is why I am so determined to share with you what I have learned through my faithfulness. The sad and lonely times we spend without our Savior doesn’t have to be that way. He is there within us anxiously waiting for us to have fellowship with Him. It seems difficult at times to conform to His will, but I am a living witness that it is not a hard life. It is the sinner who has the hard life. All He asks of us is to simply have a conversation with Him. A daily relationship just like any other human being on earth. If we will only do this I promise you He will take care of the rest.

 “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.  Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. Our lazy friend blames the Lord for his inefficiency. He says he was afraid and that fear caused him not to invest his talents, instead of standing for Christ he buried his abilities into the crowd. This fear he proclaims is an excuse for laziness and self indulgence.  True fear of the Lord is the beginning of all knowledge. He accuses God of being unfair and dishonest with His business dealings that He is a hard master. Many people today blame God for their sins and their inability to live according to Gods Word. Nothing could be further from the truth. Righteousness and justice are the foundations of His throne. If we cannot work directly for the Lord, if we do not have the skills to manage a ministry on our own, then at least we can help those of us who are serving the Lord. We can give time, money, and use our testimony to the glory of God.

  ‘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.’ I have prayed over this verse many times, and since I surrendered my life to Christ  I could not understand how anything could be taken from someone who had nothing. The individual who knows God  and does not take advantage of the opportunities that are given to him eventually hardens his heart beyond repair. You cannot profess to be a Christian and not serve Christ. James tells us that, “faith without works is dead. Show me a person who has faith and I will show you their works.” This lazy servant is not losing his salvation because you cannot lose something you never had in the first place. This is true of natural law as well. If you sit in a chair all your life sooner or later you will not be able to walk. We have to exercise our faith and our faith will increase. We will have a greater desire for spiritual things.  We must be  indwelled by the Holy Spirit in order to understand the workings of God, but if we are enlightened by God, and we refuse to walk in the light He will cease to give us opportunities to serve. The person who continually rejects salvation will eventually lose the chance to be saved.

I urge everyone with true diligence to actively search for their service to God. Start by taking time on a daily basis to read the Bible and spend time in prayer. For the last 16 years I have been taking kids to church. I wake up early on Sunday morning driving  around to pick them up and take them home. I am a bus driver. It has been the most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life. I have met hundreds of kids I would   never have had the opportunity to meet kids who have changed my life much more than I have changed theirs.