Last time we spoke about the story of the parable of the talents. I shared about how I believe Jesus was trying to emphasise the value of what He was about to pass onto His disciples and also onto us! Yet He knew He could only speak to them in a natural way that related to both the day and way of the times. So He used the value of a talent to represent what? He was giving them. That through Faith in Him, they would see impossible become possible, achievable and reality to them . Which is outworking ones faith !
We left off with the following two thoughts.
1. For unless we are willing to do all we are able to do, then often God will not move, He waits for us and our willingness.
2. That our ceiling of our ability, is His floor to raise us up from, the very point break through to most miracles
Let’s continue on with the Parable and see what happened to one who received one talent..
So let start in Matthew 25:18
He who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money.
Interesting thing about this servant was He risked it by burying it. What if someone dug it up? Did he guard it day and night? Because remember it can’t be as much as the others, YET it was still 16.4 years’ worth of wages so half a lifespan, and 32 kilograms in weight, that he hid!!! Remember, 1 talent of silver is currently worth around $39,126.08 NZD (32 kilograms x 1,222.69 NZD ) or 1 talent of gold is currently worth around $3,268,745.92 NZD (32 kilograms x 102,148.31 NZD).
Imagine burying something so valuable ! Could you sleep easy knowing someone could dig it up or find it ! You could try and guard it, but you would need to leave it at some point for food,sleep etc
Selah here for a moment !
Think about how emotionally ,physically or spiritually this could or would affect you, knowing some day the master would comeback too.
Did this servant risk even more ? Maybe he did ? The different is the other two tried and this servant did not !
I remember one morning getting a call from a electrician who had arrived do some work in our new building. He said “your builder has got a bit excited and inclosed the walls and ceiling, now I will have to pull it all apart, so I can do my work” .
I said ok and sat down disheartened, as the Lord had spoke to us that if we build the place in excellence. He would cover the bill, but if we were to cut any corners then the bill was ours in this project ! I said to the Lord “now the building will not be built in excellence, as we have to pull it all apart again ! Do we replace these boards etc ? “
The Lord spoke this amazing revelation to me. He said “ah ! I have asked you to build the building in excellence not prefection. As excellence allows for mistakes on the Journey”
Suddenly I realised we had done our best and this was just a mistake on the journey. So we were still building the building in excellence. My heart then was over joyed !
I think this is a good place to stop today ! As I wonder how many times we have discerned our efforts as they did not happen as we thought they would ! The verse that comes to mind is this.
Isaiah 55:8-9 (TPT)
“For my thoughts about mercy are not like your thoughts,
and my ways are different from yours.
As high as the heavens are above the earth,
so my ways and my thoughts are higher than yours.
The wrong thing done in faith is always greater than the right thing done in doubt ! For as the scriptures way with out Faith it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6)
Finally to conclude.
If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done? Proverb 24:12
Grab your journal as its challenge time.
1. Ask the Lord to reveal to you those times when you believe you failed Him or let Him down ! You tried and it did not work out as you planned. Write them down
2. Now with each one hold it up to the Lord and ask him to show how He saw these moments or actions. Write these down.
3. The choice of how you see these moments are now up to you from your eyes or thoughts or His ! If you want to nolonger see them in your eyes or thoughts. With each one say this prayer :
Father I choose to lay down my thoughts and how I see this situation or circumstance ……………(say what situation it relates too).
Then pray or say: Father I choose to pick up how You saw this situation or circumstance ……… ( name the situation or circumstance ) also Your thoughts about it ( say what he showed you about this situation or circumstance) thank you for this revelation and I believe n faith it is the truth Amen
Repeat with all your situations, take time with each, as often these mindsets have taken time to establish and will take a time to be broken down,
4. lastly here is a beautiful passage I would you to read and answer on the journey Paul’s words in Romans 2:4
Do the riches of his extraordinary kindness make you take him for granted and despise him?
Haven’t you experienced how kind and understanding he has been to you?
Don’t mistake his tolerance for acceptance.
Do you realize that all the wealth of his extravagant kindness is meant to melt your heart and lead you into repentance?
Father I prayer for Your children, I know you are so eagerly waiting for them to come to you and see total transformation of them mind as per you word in romans 12:2
May they now stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around them , but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how they think. This will empower them from this day forward to discern Your will as them live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes. Amen
