SUNDAY WORD: DEALING WITH DISTRACTIONS

Luke 10:38-42 (NIV):

At the Home of Martha and Mary

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

This Word was on my heart this week as I’ve been really busy with a lot of projects-and the LORD kept whispering to my heart about Mary and Martha and learning how to trust Him, and stop being distracted. I’m still dealing with this and I still have those projects but I want to share what the LORD ministered to my heart about this topic during this process.

Now Martha opened her home to the LORD. In other words, Martha invited the LORD into her day to day life and responsibilities because she opened her home to him. So how many of you can relate with this? You say, LORD I entrust this day unto your hands, I invite you to take freewill over my actions and decisions and interactions? A few of us are like this-we have this prayer of invitation with the LORD-which is what Martha did because she opened her home to him. But some of us, don’t even invite the LORD in. I want to emphasise this point-if you don’t invite the LORD into your heart, your home, He will not come in:

Revelation 3:20 (NIV)

20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

Martha had to invite him in by opening her home up to Him. She basically opened herself up to Him. Have you opened yourself up to Him? Have you invited Him in? To invite means to ask. This is why you have to accept the LORD into your heart firstly.  

So Martha invited the LORD in and so He came in. And you have to understand something, whenever you invite the LORD into your life, everyone around you will be affected because the atmosphere surrounding your home, and your heart has changed. He has come in-and so He brings change. Hence everyone around you, everyone close to you, will meet Him through you-they will all be affected. This is when you have invited Him in. A quick word on this: Don’t force your Christianity down people’s throats-your life should be a testimony because we are living sacrifices:

Romans 12:1 (NIV)

A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

The Holy Spirit will speak through you and your actions to those people-just invite Him in and He will move. This is why the Word says:

John 3:30 (NIV)

30 He must become greater; I must become less.”

He will speak through you-and He changes you:

Romans 12:2 (NIV)

2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

This was how Mary, Martha’s sister met the LORD. Mary sat at the LORD’s feet listening to what He said. A couple of things about this:

Firstly, Mary sat. In other words, she positioned herself to receive from God. Some of us struggle with positioning ourselves to receive from the LORD. We want to do everything ourselves, we don’t want to leave anything to Him, we think we can do it better-I get it-I’ve been there before and it is an area I battle with consistently but this is why we have to learn to submit to Him in spirit so that the flesh can become less convincing in our lives. The Spirit desires what is contrary to the flesh. (Galatians 5:17).

And the truth is our spirit is willing to receive, but the flesh is weak! (Matthew 26:41).

So we have to learn to be positioned to receive from Him-to be still and know that He is God. (Psalm 46:10).

The irony is, Martha made the invitation but Mary received the benefit of His presence.

So Mary sat-she was positioned to receive. And when you are positioned to receive He speaks. This is why it says Mary sat at the LORD’s feet listening to what he said. If she was listening, He must have been speaking. And the text does not say what He said to her which is another level of revelation because what He says to you, will be personal to your situation. We are not even privy to the conversations between Mary and Jesus. It was strictly between them-this is relationship.

Some of you, practice religion-Religion is Martha-you say a prayer of salvation and then go about your business and wonder why your life is the same instead of sitting at His feet, waiting to listen, positioned to receive a genuine connection with Him. The problem is not that He is not there the problem is you are not listening. It doesn't matter if the work you are doing is for the Kingdom-God desires time with you and you alone-this is relationship. We all struggle in this area-but it is important to flag it and attend to it consistently-spend time with the LORD.

And you have to be positioned first-be still-wait on the LORD-and then He will begin to speak:

Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV)

13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

The invitation into the home-is the invitation into the heart. But have you sought Him? Have you sat down? If you have, that is where the change happens, if you have not, there won’t be a change because your actions have not reflected your decision-He is there but you are not ready to receive.

Now this is where it gets interesting-I identify with Martha in this passage-and to be honest, we all have seasons where we go through Martha-the struggle with the flesh, with taking matters into our own hands-and Mary-submitting to the will of the Spirit. But I ask you, who is closer to the LORD? Even from a position of simple visualization this is obvious: Mary is because she was literally sat at His feet.

They were both in the same room but Mary was sat at His feet. Which is why some of us when we go to church, we don’t connect with the message, we don’t know why people are driven to tears in praise and worship, why they are so excited-you even think He might not be there-I guarantee you He is, if it is a Spirit filled church-the LORD is present but are you in relationship like Mary? Are you at His feet-because if you are, you will here Him speak-hence those that connect with the message, and feel His presence in church for instance. Or are you Martha? He is there but because you have no genuine connection with Him, you cannot even feel His presence.

So Martha was distracted because whenever we are far away from the LORD it means the flesh is winning. Distraction is a personality trait of the flesh not the Spirit. The fruits of the Spirit do not have distraction as an element (Galatians 5:22-23).

So Martha was distracted meaning she lacked focus-she got lost in her to do list-as well do sometimes. I can identify with Martha-sometimes the work load is a lot, sometimes you are just extremely stressed-but you forget the answer is right there. He is the answer. He gives peace:

Matthew 11:28 (NIV)

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

This is why Mary was at peace but Martha was stressed.

I can relate to Martha in this passage so much because sometimes you get lost in your responsibilities and you don’t even realize you have wandered away from His presence. Btu then Martha went to the LORD-its interesting because when she went to Him even though she was previously lost in her preparations, even though you are lost in that project, those responsibilities, when you go to Him in prayer, He answers.

Martha went to the LORD to complain-to vent. And that too is okay-I always say prayer is conversation-the Lord is also your friend so you can be honest about your feelings.

Martha complained about Mary because she was upset that Mary was not helping her out. God spoke to me about this this week-He reminded me that we come to Him complaining don’t you care about the amount of work I have to do? Why aren’t you helping me? Or we come and say Lord why did you give me that position, its too much effort; LORD college is too demanding and sometimes even when we are in this stressful place, we complain about people and come to God saying Lord, why don’t you speak to my husband/wife/sister/friend they are being a pain. We make them the focus of our problem.

But God always answers in a way you never expect which makes me smile. Jesus firstly called her name because He calls us by name (Isaiah 43:1).

And the LORD told her her heart-when you come to Him, He shows you the source of your problems. And He said to her, she was worried and upset about multiple things-because that’s what happens when you’re stressed-you become worried, upset, irritated-all fruits of the flesh as well. Everything is annoying. And that was what the LORD said-He is the spiritual surgeon-He knows the root of your problem.

And He said to her:

Luke 10:42 (NIV)

42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

In other words, Martha was expending her energy carelessly. This is an important point-usually you think the best way to handle that assignment, that project, that person is according to your own agenda-but it is not. When you take your issue to the LORD-He shows you how to handle those issues. He told her, few things are needed-which is the opposite of what she was doing because she was worried about many things.

God shows you how to move smarter and faster.

And Mary chose the one thing-Him. And the LORD said it will not be taken from her.

In other words, Jesus was saying to Martha, and to you and me by extension-stop stressing about that person, position, and whatever preparation you are dealing with-focus on me and everything will fall into place.

He gives you peace and wisdom and direction: He provides you with solutions.

Its also interesting that Mary did not speak in this excerpt-when you are close to God, when you sit at His feet, you will find peace and discernment to handle your situation.

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Q: What are you dealing with right now that is draining you? How have you handled that situation?

THE SOCIAL MEDIA REALITY

Some women face the challenge of self-acceptance in this present day and age of glamour and superficiality. Obsessed with instagram poses, likes, and social media attention and lies, they become obsessed with a façade that only exists in the screen of imaginations-created through a selfie stick filled with enhanced Photoshop aspirations-channeled into the doorways of social stigmatizations, they face the fury of followers who want more attention.
 And it worries me immensely that women face this deception-it worries me that young girls growing up in this generation have no idea what it means to have self realization-they struggle with identity because they focus on superficiality-and it feeds into their lives, it gives them lies, births desperation in their personalities as they seek for a social media identity-so why does it seem the more women fall into this stream of dreams-because social media poses, and jet setting postures that feed a female’s decision to change her initial dream into a nightmare dressed in distraction-ready to give away her aspirations as they become saturated with female poses that redefine the meaning of attention; poses that reclassify what it means to be successful and to impact a generation-through the lens of a technical fence, through the glare of a mobile defense, they create images that hold an illusion-that create more problems than solutions and confuse themselves through the social media attention it births in their steps creating chaos and delusions as it manifests in their daily decisions. And yet young girls are exposed in this new dimension, this generation that imposes stamps of approval on women for showing off their figures, rather than understanding the power in mental intuition; this generation that supports through its actions a female’s decision to display suspicious locations that can only be birthed so easily-without a blemish of hard work and determination-through a male’s constant objectification that speaks through financial flows of inundation-designer bags and labels surrounding her demeanor-eating away at her composition and yet she smiles and snaps another image to feed the admiration of followers that claim this position. It worries me-that women don’t understand the power in education-that so many women are aspiring to be more plastic than potent in their God given aspirations. There are a few that stick out of this mold of greed and lustful attention, there are some that still understand the power behind books and words that speak of dedication, hands that work in determination, minds furious with business aspirations, ready to redefine what the world thinks is a woman’s place and her position, ready to add to the description that is birthed into the world’s daily decisions as they host positions of power in board rooms and dominions graced with admiration after working through education, focusing on their talents, determined to make a mark on their generations. Yes, there are those few that are remaining that see past the façade of social media disguises, and have no part and want no say in these devilish distractions because they understand the envy it births in a female’s focused attention-they understand it creates an environment of greed that takes away the talent stored in a woman’s intuition. And even men are growing up in this generation misunderstanding what it means to be a gentleman that is built to lead, choosing instead to raise fists; eager to receive the gift of sweat filled labour they did not engage with- ready to be showered with praises of ethics they fail to imbibe; confusing social values, speaking lies. misunderstanding that answers are only birthed in the path of consistency in character produced in daily grind. Mixing determination with an obsession of paper planes flying on the wings of lazy aspirations as they sit idly in the hallway of attention to prove themselves through words that fail to manifest into actions that show genuine dedication. And this is all a product of false images through a social glass that transfuses reality through a snapshot of reconstructed identity. Don’t fall into that trap of leaving behind your calling and identity as you chase an illusion that never faced the breath of reality. Those images and pictures you crave through the social lens-lead only to graves. Graves of dead dreams silent with the social media snap of a perceived reality that actually does not exist-a ghost is what hosts these images. Mind you I am not talking about every single depiction that comes through screens of Facebook, Twitter and Youtube communications amongst other growing networks of conversations-no. There are few men and even fewer women-but who really cares how the scale tips when both sides are subject to the mirage of being a false witness-both sides of the same humane depiction of a generation-are birthing dead aspirations-chasing images-focused on false attention-while fewer still understand the deception that is birthed through these social avenues that still garner attention-people speak against this enhanced depiction of women that have jet set lives that speak only of lustful decision, but still they focus and desire to be on that ride-failing to understand there are no dreams to be received when one crosses the path to a deceased mentality. That is the dangerous exchange that takes place that so few refuse to face. But like I said, not all women and not all men misuse these devices of illusion-some speak through them to communicate a language of truth to the present generation-some use them to inspire others in their daily regrets and struggles, some use these tools to speak the Word of truth, while others show how to grow in one’s personal attributes, so you can choose how you want to use your social media tool-don’t misuse these technological routes for a personal prose that speaks only of hues that hold no truth. Don’t fall into that group-it is a mass of sinking bodies buried under photoshopped views.
Are you one of the few? Are you one of those that speak from a platform of truth? Are you one of those eager to give back to the generation you have been placed in to move?
I hope you are part of these few-they grow and give back to society’s weaknesses in their truth-and I admire every single one of them for standing up in truth-for recognizing the power in self-identity-rather than creating false illusions of vanity hosted in vain views. Yes, I admire them-they are the brave few-who understand their position and do not wish to occupy someone else's shoes.

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Q: What do you think about social media? How has it affected you?

DYSFUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

Relationships foster connections, they build nests of communication, filled with the chirping of consistent conversations, eager to be heard, happy to laugh, ready to weep and available to receive from another companion-a sense of a cherished union.

If there is anyone present in your life that feeds the energetic plug of deceit and leaves you shocked in a spiral of electric heat, if there is a person, or a position, that drains all your energy and leaves you constantly charged with hefty defeat, then you must release them back into the air of silenced perception. The air of silenced perception is inhabited by people that you have not yet met with connections, it is a space where people roam around but they hold no space in your heart-the difference here is, this is an expired communication.

And hence just like any sour tasting produce gone stale with inattention, it is time to translate that experience into a present of gifting your future with freedom from the past.

Don’t feel bad for making that decision. It was necessary in order to move forward.

You see, people struggle with understanding how deceit proceeds. They see it in their daily connections, they inhabit it in their homes and even their close circles of conversations, they tolerate and make excuses for people that have created a space of deception to monitor and occupy a position that should be surrounded with serenity-an inner sense of stability. This is because they have decided to give into the imagination of recurring second chances. Like, what if he does not behave that way anymore? Maybe next time he won’t speak to me with such a disgusted reaction? Maybe she is struggling with an inner sense of torture?

But who made you the monitor of another person’s conscious decisions?

 Who made you the arbitrator to resolve inner torments that struggle for attention within another person’s perception? You do not have to carry the weight of another person’s burdened decisions. It is not your responsibility; neither do you have the authority to occupy that space in their daily decisions. So excuse yourself from their inner chaos. Don’t apologize for moving forward with your life-where you supposed to stay still and die? In the space of rejection? The space of incomplete conversations? A lack of communication? A consistent taste of disappointment and growing feeling of urgent resentment? Why carry another person’s decisions as part of the luggage you have to deal with in life’s daily situations? It is not your place to decide or determine whether they are struggling with an experience from their past-you should not be the object of their backlash. So excuse yourself from that situation. I am dealing with relationships that add more pain than purpose-relationships that give you less joy than you bargained for. There comes a point, where you will have to make a decision, to move forward, or to stay still and become statuesque in desperation-draining day by day, month by month, and even week by week as you give in to their consistent tantrums. I believe, we have been placed on this earth, to receive and to give-and if you are giving more than you are receiving that is a withdrawal that has been overcompensated on your compassion. That is an exchange that is corrosive with the presence of corruption. It is an experience that reeks with an emotional dysfunction. And you are the bait that is being used to balance the scales of another person’s actions.

So you have to make that decision-for the sake of your family, for the sake of yourself-for the sake of your future and even your present position. Do you want to move forward or stay standing still in a position of confusion? I don’t believe we should house relationships that steal from the bank vault of our humanity-relationships that steal joy, happiness and peace, and birth deceit, deception, and dissolution at your feet as you limp forward trying to struggle to push them ahead in your daily attentions.

Don’t weigh yourself down with that decision-let me tell you a secret-life does not respect these sort of decisions-destiny has no time for your emotional overcompensation-it does not understand why you would place yourself as a sacrifice on the alter of selfish desires inhabited by another person’s life-because that is not your position. So stop stepping out of your direction, stop blinding your path and move forward! Let go of whoever is holding you back from your future. They cannot come with you on this adventure-but you could join them and live consistently in an awakened nightmare filled reality. That is your decision.

Family is not a choice-it is a part of your composition. So I am only talking about the people that form the vault of your daily evaluations like friends and even intimate partners you have chosen to allow to wonder into your inner recluse-the sanctuary of your most cherished possessions-be careful what treasures you give them in time, money and attention, they may not be positioned to respect or even to respond to the value in your evaluation.

Your evaluation of your time may not translate to their calculation of your effort. And so it is an unbalanced equation.

So make that decision to move forward-release yourself from the grasp of delusional dedication-there is no such thing as a friend that offers bitterness for consistency, there is no such partner that gives you stress when you try to give them serenity. That is just not a transaction that has a bright future-so make the right decision and give yourself the gift of your present decision-to move forward, and to return them back into the air of silenced perception-the space inhabited by people that have not been welcomed into your inner path, your daily direction. That will be the best decision for them, and more importantly for you-this would unleash in you the strength to move forward because you have silenced the voice of negativity in your conscientiousness and now, you have an ear ready to receive destiny, because remember-destiny does not partner with distraction.

They face different directions-so let these thoughts occupy your attention as you evaluate, elevate and de-activate connections, to be able to embrace yourself, to be able to progress into your future, to unleash that inner fire that lies dormant because it is constantly quenched in an environment of stale saturation.

A product of a flood of fake ties kept afloat by the sacrifice of your sanity in exchange for their lives. Don’t hold to that lie-let them go so you can be free to realize the power of being re-energized into a path filled with pebbles of purpose dotting the lines for destiny to be birthed in your life.

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SUNDAY WORD: SOW IN FAITH

Matthew 25:14-30 (NIV):

The Parable of the Bags of Gold

14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,[a] each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

When you start to use your gifts they multiply. And this is demonstrated through the teaching in this passage. Notice the parable here of the man going on a journey who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. So firstly, you need to accept the calling the LORD has given you to start to walk in your gifting. He has called each and every one of us-but have you responded? This is the first step if your initial question is “how do I know my talent?” I have a bigger and better question-have you answered the call of the LORD on your life?

The man called his servants. This also indicates that you must be submitted to the will of God for your life and trust He has a great purpose for your life:

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV):

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

And this is also clear from the passage because the man entrusted wealth to these servants. Hence the LORD wants to bless you. And He will give you gifts according to your abilities:

Hebrews 13:20-21(NIV):

Benediction and Final Greetings

20 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

And this is why each man was given different quantities-because we have different qualities and we each have specific assignments to carry out in the Kingdom and for the Kingdom. And don’t qualify this as being exclusively preaching-because that is not the truth-it could be teaching, medicine, law, graphics, design-only the LORD knows and only He can tell you because it comes from Him.

The Word even says in Matthew 25:15 He gave to each according to His ability. And then he went on his journey.

What did he give them? Bags of gold-wealth. And wealth means an abundance of valuable possessions or money-this means once more that the LORD has plans to prosper you as Jeremiah 29:11 says. This also means you have treasure within you that only the LORD can show you because He gave it to you.

And each man had a personal encounter because each received according to his ability-hence don’t rely on your friend’s talents or your friend’s unique relationship with God or even that of your family’s-you need to experience Him by yourself.

Notice something, the man who received the five bags of gold went at once, meaning he did not waste time, because he already knew the quantity he had received, and he put his money to work, and what did he gain? Five bags more!

This is so important. Listen carefully-faith without deeds is dead (James 2:17). You may have received the bags of gold and you are still waiting-then how do you expect your faith to produce fruit? You need to partner your faith with your feet and move!

This man did-and he gained five more. This is because his faith produced fruit. Notice the quantity gained (5) was exactly equal to the quantity received (5). This is to show you that there is balance in the Kingdom-in other words, your talents will bear fruits in the same area, that will expand to other areas-it will be directly correlated and related to the original talent you received, and when you invest it in works, it will produce a harvest in that quantity-a harvest of faith! And this also happened for the man with two bags of gold. He put his faith and his feet to work and produced two more-because each produced according to his ability.

You may ask, why didn’t the master just give them the ten bags and four bags respectively? Because the latter half needed to be produced in the place of faithfulness-they came out of the seed of faith invested:

Luke 16:10 (NIV):

10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.

So when you start putting your talent to work, the talent the LORD has given you and shown you through His call on your life, it will produce fruit:

John 15:5 (NIV):

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

But then there is always that believer that lacks faith-are you one of them? Are you a believer overcome with fear? Notice this man received only one bag, which is interesting-because it shows once more-each receives according to his ability-and his seed is a reflection of his personality-he received one-and what did he do with it? He dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. Do you know it is a sin to hide your talent? How you may ask? Well what happened to him? He was thrown out of the Kingdom:

Matthew 25:30 (NIV):

30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

It is no mistake this parable is called the parable of the Talents. There is a talent the LORD has deposited in you to be sowed in faith to produce fruit.

This man did not do so-he hid it. Out of fear. Because fear will always make you hide. This is not a sign of faith, the Spirit gives faith, the devil gives fear:

2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV):

7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

So if you are being told to hide your talents-and that you cannot do what the LORD has placed on your heart, that is the voice of the devil not the LORD. And the devil is a liar so don’t listen to him:

John 8:44 (NIV):

44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

That gift you have received is not your own, it comes from the LORD, so come to Him so He can awaken you into your calling, and you can begin to speak in the gifting He has placed in you-don’t be like the man who received the bag and hid it.

The master returned and settled accounts. In other words, the LORD will ask you, what have you done with the gifts He has given you? Do you want to be like the first two, who produced more fruit or the one man who was too afraid to sow in faith?

When you sow in fear, you will not reap in faith. Let’s take it a step further, the ground is akin to the flesh because man was made from dust-so when you sow in the ground, you sow in the flesh not in faith. Hence this man sowed in the ground because he was afraid. When you are afraid, despite your intentions, no matter how good, when you move in fear, it will always take you the wrong way!

The men who showed their faith in deeds were rewarded with plenty. (Matthew 25:21-23). Once more I emphasize, it is a sin not to use the gifts the LORD has given you because they were entrusted into your care to be used.

It’s interesting how the man who received one bag of gold had a skewed understanding of the LORD-this is because he did not know Him. Yes, he had answered the call and was a servant, but he applied his gifts wrongly. He even admitted his fear (Matthew 25:25). So he came back to his master the same way he left. Also this man hid the talents in the wrong place-money is kept in the bank not in the ground. If he had been listening to the LORD, he would know to put it in the bank-because faith will always lead you to fruit! (Matthew 25:27).

When it is kept in the bank, it yields interest because it is meant to be kept in the bank. But it cannot do so in the ground. The same way, when you use your talents in the right place, they yield interest, so are you hiding your talents in the ground? In other words, are you using them wrongly by employing them in the wrong manner? In the flesh? The flesh does not produce fruit-it is not in its nature. This is why the talent could not yield fruit in the ground because it was a product of faith and could not multiply when partnered with fear.

This is what this servant did. The nature of your talents are to multiply. Whenever you use your talents in the right manner, and in the right space, they grow. This servant was chastised because he used his talent in the wrong manner by using it the wrong way, and hiding it in the wrong space.

And how was he described? As wicked and lazy. Does this sound like characteristics of the LORD or the devil? I am trying to make you understand the link between how you choose to employ your talents, and what they say about your faith. The servants who employed their talents properly were described as good and faithful because they moved in faith!

Which adjectives do you want to describe you? Good and faithful or lazy and wicked?

The lazy servant was told he should have invested his money so he could have received interest-in other words, he should have used the money he received in a proper manner.

The talents the LORD has given you are made to multiply.

So stop blocking your blessing and get to work! Sow in faith not in fear. The fruit is dependent on the seed.

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I discuss more about how to walk in faith. Check out my video on hearing the voice of God.