Scripture
For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
~ Matthew 25:29 (CSB)
Quote
Everything we have is a gift from God. You cannot divorce stewardship from life; they are one in the same.
~Ya’akov
The first rule of Christian Stewardship is: “Every thing belongs to and comes from God.” Other than our free will, we have nothing. Even our breath is on loan from God. The sin of the Lazy Servant was not his limited ability or his one talent. The master knew he had less ability; his sin was in his attitude toward his master and his laziness. Look at what he says to his master…You’re a harsh man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed. — Matthew 25:24 (CSB) He may as well have called him a crook and a thief. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. The man is lazy. The other two servants went to work immediately; the lazy servant simply dug a hole in the ground and buried the money. How long would it take you to bury a sack of money? An hour at most and the master was gone for a year or more. What was this servant doing with all that time? Nothing other than killing time.” This is the indictment: he was lazy. He was a couch potato, a TV buff who was good for nothing. Listen folks, God has surrounded us with hurting people; have you noticed? There is work to be done. I know it is hard to find a soul who wants to repent and trust Christ but you have to admit, the world is full of hurting people who you and I could minister to in Jesus name if we were not so wrapped up in our own comfort and pleasure. Not only do we err in thinking that our money is ours, we err when we think time is ours. God convicts me more about wasting time than money and I’m sure I’m guilty of both.
There is at least one more very important point in this parable: God has given everyone something. I remember John Mark Stallings, son of coach Gene Stallings. John Mark was born with Downs Syndrome but he had the gift of encouragement and he used it to the max. God has given you some things that He expects you to use. Are you using your mind, your time, your ability and your money to help others and to glorify God? If you don’t use the gifts that God has given you to help others and glorify HIM, He will eventually strip you and leave you with nothing. Selfishness leads to poverty in God’s kingdom. These folks who get all they can, then can all they get and then sit on the lid so no one else can get any will end up with nothing. Until we give it away, nothing is ours to keep. In God’s kingdom, we get by giving, we win by losing and live by dying. If you are thinking: “I’m not in God’s kingdom yet,” you are wrong again. You are in it and it is time to live accordingly. I know there are those who are fully convinced; “The more I save, the more I have.” Ask yourself this one question: for how long? How long will you keep what you’ve saved for yourself? The wicked servant buried his master’s money. He was insuring himself that he would not lose it. What happened to the money he buried? The other two servants were rewarded but the lazy servant was stripped of everything. Never take God’s resources out of circulation. It is a sin against God’s economy and it is foolish.
- I want you to say a special prayer for Dot and Roger Burcham. They got some disappointing news yesterday. The doctors told them it wouldn’t do any good to draw more fluid off of Roger’s lungs. They were both heart broken. Please say a prayer for this dear couple. Other than yours truly, Roger is the only survivor of the 9/11 PRAYER GROUP. It was John Tanner’s idea to meet on Friday and pray for the construction of the FORTE and for our country. The group prayed every Friday for ten years. Members were: John Tanner, Hugh Fitzgerald, Luther Roberts, Milton Chaney, Bill Cagle, Kenneth Narrell and Roger Burcham. Joe Eaton meet with us occasionally.
- Mrs. Edith called last night: they had to move Larry Bennich to HH. He is in an ICU on 6th floor and the prognosis is dismal. They will be moving him to a comfort care room soon. Pray for Larry and his sweet wife Linda.
- I’m a happy camper. I got my semi-annual cortisone shot in my right knee yesterday. I hate shots but especially in the knee. The only ones that hurt worse are in the heel. I screamed with that one. Everyone in the clinic heard me. When I walked out of the clinic, Maw Akers said, “I knew you were back there, I heard you scream.” Maw was a pistol with a capitol P. She loved Bill Clinton. She had an 8X10 glossy of him on her wall. I told her, “Maw, God aint going to bless this house with that picture on the wall.” Of course it was like water off a ducks back: like getting Luther off of CNN. It was not going to happen.
- I didn’t eat any stew Wednesday night but I ate a bowl yesterday. All it needs is more red pepper but I was afraid I would get it too hot for some. Next year we will make a mild and a hot. I like it so hot it makes your nose run.
- TRUNK-A-TREAT @ DBC Sunday Night at 5:30.
- TRUNK-A-TREAT @ GRACE POINT Wednesday night {Oct.31} at 6:30.
- REVIVAL coming soon: November 4-7.
- The lame stream media is blaming Trump for the pipe bombs. It’s Trumps rhetoric that has stirred the pot. Before it’s over with, they will blame Trump for 9/11. If he was old enough, it would probably get credit for the holocaust.
- Lord willing, I am carrying four of my five little ones to the volley ball tournament in Huntsville, including the Chloe Bug. Yeah, I am crazy.