Getting in the DOOR

Unlocking the door isn't as hard as you thought it would be!

We've all heard the parable Jesus told which Matthew shares in Chapter 25?  About the Master of the Land going away on a long journey, and he calls three servants to him and gives each of them a certain measure of responsibility based on their ability and willingness to work.  Then he gives each an appropriate amount of money suitable to begin the work he has tasked them with, but only enough to get things started.

He leaves it to them to be resourceful and find the way to bring the increase that each servant is very well aware he wants to see when he returns.

There is no time frame put on the journey; they had best get to work right away!

To the most cunning and clever of his servants, one who has nothing but the wits and will to do something about it, he gives 5 talents of whatever the measure of money was in his day.

To the one who has a little gumption, while less cunning and clever than the first, he gives two talents.

To the servant he knows from past experience only does the minimum his job description calls for and never puts himself out or goes beyond he hands over just one talent.

Sure enough!  He heads out on his journey and enjoys the privileges and joys his position allows him. After a time he returns to his Land and calls the servants to give an account of themselves.  He is eager to hear of their triumphs and trials and how they overcame to expand his lands as they all were well aware he wanted done.

The first gives him the 5 talents back and adds 5 more to the pile!  He accomplished the work and found a way to not only make back the original funds but doubled those funds.  The Master is well pleased with him and says so.  A reward will surely be his this day!

The second hands over the two talents and shyly, adds the additional two, secretly wishing he'd done a little more, but sure he'd given his best to the job entrusted to him.  Another hardy "well done!" booms forth from the Master, who is pleased that he, too, doubled what he'd been given.

Then the third makes a weak and sniveling speech about how he knew what the Master wanted but excuses and reasons why he did nothing except return the one talent he'd begun with and performed minimally only the bare necessities his job called for.

"WICKED!" the Master proclaimed this servant.  Wicked, because he knew what was desired yet did nothing to attain the goal, remaining lukewarm, neither risking the money and losing it nor putting any effort into increasing it.  "WICKED!" he was proclaimed, and the one talent hastily taken from him.

I want to focus for a minute on the second servant.  He wasn't given as much to work with as the first servant, yet he accomplished the exact same results.

HE DOUBLED THE MASTERS INCOME.

HE RECEIVED THE EXACT SAME ACCOLADES.

"Well done good and faithful servant!"

We have a tendency to compare ourselves to other people; this usually leaves us feeling like we

a.)  come up short, which discourages us
b.)  come out ahead, which tends to build selfish pride which ultimately SLOWS US DOWN

The Master didn't compare the servants to each other.  He held each individually responsible to perform according to the blessings and abilities He gave each of them.

We are not in a race against each other.
We are not in a contest against each other.
We are not the standard and our abilities displayed is not the goal!

Meeting the Masters requirements is the only goal.  Meeting the Masters requirements is the only result that counts for anything.  Running the race He designates for us individually is the only race we are entered to run.

He was pleased with the second servant, for the second servant accomplished the FULL MEASURE of the goal set before him; he doubled what he'd been given to work with.  He didn't try to imitate the first servant, he didn't slack off because he knew he had already outdone the third servant.  He completed his race, he finished his course and the Master was well pleased with HIM!

The practical application is simple.

You do your best with what the Father has given you to work with and don't concern yourself with or compare yourself to anyone else. You do what God requires of YOU.

Eyes on JESUS.  Thoughts on Gods Word.  Heart steadily following the Holy Spirit.  Then you too will hear the sweetest words by the most High, Holy, Just, Perfect, Loving, Almighty GOD:

"Well done, My Good and Faithful Servant; enter into the JOY of the LORD!"

A little Practical Application of Biblical Truth will change your life!

Proverbs 24: 1-12

Do not be envious of evil men,
Nor desire to be with them;

Sometimes what is evil actually looks like fun, like they are having such a good time, and who are they hurting?  They are having sex with whoever they want, they drink and laugh and joke.  They are even “there” for each other when there is trouble – my Christian buddies aren’t always there for me! They don’t make such demands on my, like those in the church do.  They don’t judge me or expect more of me.  What can it hurt to be friends with the unbeliever?  That isn’t really being yolked to them, we’re not married or anything!  And I don’t get drunk, in fact, usually I’m the designated driver, so aren’t I doing a “good thing” hanging out with them?  Being there to protect them and others from harm?  They know I’m Christian, I don’t have to shove it down their throats or anything. 

But the Lord clearly advises us:
² For their heart devises violence,
And their lips talk of troublemaking.

In fact, the Lord wants the best for us, so He reveals that we need wisdom and knowledge to live a good life, to “build a house”, a life, that is “worthy of the calling with which we have been called” Ephesians 4:1

³ Through wisdom a house is built,
And by understanding it is established;
⁴ By knowledge the rooms are filled
With all precious and pleasant riches.

⁵ A wise man is strong,
Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength;
⁶ For by wise counsel you will wage your own war,
And in a multitude of counselors there is safety.

In fact, it is wisdom that will give us the strength to withstand evil, and to recognize the need to avoid those who chose evil over God and His truth.  Because we are engaged in a spiritual battle every minute of every day, even when we fail to recognize that truth.  To fight a winning WAR you need strength and not physical strength but spiritual strength which only comes from the Lord Himself!  So don’t be FOOLISH….

⁷ Wisdom is too lofty for a fool;
He does not open his mouth in the gate.

Don’t let evil people inch you into evil.  That’s how it happens, it’s just one tiny step in the “wrong” direction, then another tiny step, and soon you are in full blown evil!

⁸ He who plots to do evil
Will be called a schemer.
⁹ The devising of foolishness is sin,
And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

¹⁰ If you faint in the day of adversity,
Your strength is small.

You WILL faint in the day of adversity, because your strength in your flesh is very small and very weak.  Only in the power of the Holy Spirit will you find the strength you need to do the work the Lord has called you to do.  And that work is important!

¹¹ Deliver those who are drawn toward death,
And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.

This is the purpose, the plan of God, the command Jesus left His disciples with!  Be witnesses of Him, that people would receive salvation-LIFE, because they are stumbling along toward eternal death otherwise!
¹² If you say, “Surely we did not know this,”
Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it?
He who keeps your soul, does He not know it?

God knows our hearts.  He gives us the desire of our hearts, it is His Holy Spirit that works in us to will (want to) and do (action) His good and perfect will.
And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?

Talk about your treasure in Heaven!  We obey, reap the Harvest to His Glory and we receive RICH REWARD for our obedience to Him!

PRAY FOR OUR CIVIL SERVANTS; POLICE OFFICERS AND FIRE FIGHTERS

The targeting we are seeing of police officers for assassination is all part of satans plan to bring destruction to Gods beloved creation.  The enemies entire purpose is to kill, steal and destroy, as Jesus revealed, recorded in the gospel of John chapter 10 verse 10.

Christian brothers and sister, prayer is and remains our most powerful weapon!  We call on all the Body of Christ to pray for local law enforcement and for individual officers.  Pray for all civil servants who put their lives on the line every day to serve and protect the lives of citizens of this country!  Fire fighters and police officers in particular.

For JOY!

It occurs to me that JOY simply must be far greater than I've ever begun to imagine it could possibly be, for how great a joy must it be that the hope of attaining it was incentive enough for Jesus to endure the torment, torture, pain, shame and humiliation of the cross?