DCLM Higher Everyday 17 November 2022 — Talents for fruitful toil 3
DCLM Higher Everyday 17 November 2022 Devotional by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Talents for fruitful toil 3
TOPIC: TALENTS FOR FRUITFUL TOIL – 3
TEXT: MATTHEW 25:24-30
25And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
26His 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:
27Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
28Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
30And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
MEMORY VERSE: “And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (MATTHEW 25:30).
MESSAGE:
Using the parable of the talents, our Lord Jesus Christ, illustrates the principle of compensation for spiritual service in the kingdom. In this last part of the parable, we encounter a “wicked and slothful servant,” who would not make any attempt to invest the lone talent given to him. The talents were distributed to each servant “according to his several ability… because he knew all men” (Matthew 25:15; John 2:24).
Every resource at our disposal, material or spiritual, has been wisely allocated to each of us, according to our ability for effective utilization. Each of us is, therefore, accountable to God for what we do with the talents God has made available to us. Slothful servants will regret perpetually in Christless eternity.
My friend, do not think of the slothful servant only in terms of the past. He lives in the present; he may be someone in your Church, school or family. In fact, it may be you and your buried musical and teaching gifts. Your local Church needs them but you are hiding them. Repent now!
QUOTE: Slothful servants will regret perpetually.
CHALLENGE: Avoid the lot of slothful servants.
PRAYER: Oh God, stir me in my spirit that I may serve You with all that is within me.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
