WHERE HAVE YOU KEPT YOUR TALENT
And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness;There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth……………………Matthew 25:30.
Matthew 25:15-30. Where have you kept your talent? That you do not have a talent is not true; God gave you a talent, but where have you kept your talent?. This is the parable of our Lord. A man had three servants, before he travelled, he gave one of his servants five talents, he gave one two talents and he gave one, one talent. He gave then according to their capabilities because God will not give you what will kill you; it is the devil that can give you what will kill you. The servant who had five talents traded with five and doubled the profit to ten; the servant who had three traded with it and doubled it to six; but the one who had one talent felt he was bigger and more talented than what he is given, so he buried it. When the master came he asked what they did with the talent, the five said I traded with it and made another five, and the three said I made another three with it. The one said ” I know who you are, you are a very hard person, you always like to reap where you have not sowed, you gave me one I hid it and this is your talent, I did not trade with it” The master then said “even if you did not trade with it, why did you not deposit it in the bank? it would have yielded interest, because you did not do anything with the little, that was given to you, I will take it away from you, and give it to those who have; Because those who have will add more abundantly and those who do not have, from whatever they were even given, we will take it away from them.” This is a parable for you and I, God gave you are a talent, but majority of you, have hidden your talents, you have not used your talent. Romans 8:29-30…..For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren….This means that God foreknew you. Jeremiah 1:4-5…Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you….So God knew the reason why He created you. Psalm 139:14….I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. 1 Corinthians 3:9….For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building…God called you because He wants you to serve Him. Matthew 4:19….Follow Me, and I will make you Fishers of men…..You are God’s fellow workers. 2 Corinthians 5:20…..We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us…..Ambassador means representative of Christ; you are a representative of God, you are a representative of the Nation. Philippians 3:20…For our Citizenship is from heaven, from which we also eagerly waiting for the …….Our citizenship is not from here, but it is from heaven. Hebrew 13:14….For here we have no continuing City, but we seek the One to come….You are a Child of God, you are from Heaven, you are not from this Earth.
Psalm 82:6…I said “you are gods and all of you are children of the Most High”….You are from heaven, you are not from this earth. God created you, God made you to be His own servant. It is not about title, but about responsibility, about what the Lord has ordained; you are ordained by God, either you are a pastor, a prophet, or an evangelist or not, it is not about title, but about what God says, about the purpose of God. The purpose of God is upon your life,God has given you talent;He has given you what to use,in expanding his kingdom that will make His kingdom to progress. God has given you talent but where have you kept your talents? You have the talent, you have the gift, that can turn situation around, that can make things happen.
There are three people God created on earth ;
(a) People who watch thing happen:
They are full of surprises;Things that are not supposed to surprise them, surprises them;They are always amazed at how things happen.
(b) People who make things happen.
(c) People who careless;
They do nothing; God made you to make things happen.Where is your talent, where have you kept your talents? God has created you to be a blessing to many generations. There are some people that are perishing right now, you are the solution to their life;there are some people that are in trouble right now, you are the solution to their life; there are some potentials that the Lord deposited in your hand, He deposited them in your life, but where have you kept your talents? Are you using your talent? Are you using the gift God has give to you?
John 6:44&65….For no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by my Father…If you are not drawn by God, you will not be here, It is because you are drawn by God to be in his presence, that is why you are here. When the disciples were telling Jesus to eat, He said “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work “…. John 4:34. John 5:17….Jesus answered them, “My father has been working until now and I have been working”..Jesus has been working and God has been working up till now, He said I am still working. John 9:4-5….I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day…..As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world…You are the light of the world. Matthew 5:14…You are the light of the world. A city that is set on the hill cannot be hidden…..Nobody lights a candle and place it under the table, but they put it on the lamp stand to bring light to those who are coming into the world. To put it on the lamp stand means to expose it, to stand out, to make yourself known. This is the time people must know why God called you; this is the reason why people must know why God kept you alive. The bible says “I shall not die, but live; the reason why I have to live, is to declare the work of God, and to use my talent for God, is to use my gift for God. God has called you to use your talents for Him, this is the time to rise above the shadow, to rise above circumstances, to rise above what is tying you down, to rise above what is holding you back and say “I am going to serve my God”. Even if everybody decide not to serve God, I am going to serve my God. When people come to Jesus Christ, they are so much concerned about what God will do for them……what are you doing for God?…….
The Reasons Why People do not serve the Lord:
1. People bury their talent because of selfishness:
Some people are selfish, when things are working well, they are with God, but when things do not work well any more then there is no God. You do not need to serve God because He is blessing you, you do not need to serve God because He is giving you money, you do not need to serve God because everything is beautiful for you. There are times when you need to face challenges, and you face and overcome those challenges, so that people will know that your God is great. There can be no testimony without trial, when you face trial, that is when testimony will come. Majority of us are too selfish, too much concerned about ourselves, not about God, God must be first. Elijah told the widow of Zarephath “thus says the Lord, prepare my own first, then after that yours” How many people will consider God as number one, how many people that when they get their salary, will say before I spend anything, God must be number one; how many people will get an opportunity, you will consider God as the first. Until we make God first, God will never put us as first. God can put you as His priority because you have put Him as your priority. Exodus 20:2-3….I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage;You shall have no other gods before me….Your gold can be your God, your job can be your God, your business can be your God. You did not come to church last week because you were at work, your business has some issues that you have to solve. Every body is just giving excuses, this is the time, it is not about you, it is about God, it is not about your family but about His kingdom, it is not about your life, it is about God. When a man’s way pleases God He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
He gave you a talent, you have not yet discovered it; there is something inside you. Peter believed that there is something inside him that can make things happen the first time he healed a crippled man. There is something inside you that can make things happen. Acts 3:4&6…..And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said “look at us.” Then Peter said “silver and gold I do not have………” There are some people in your life that are not crippled physically, but may be cripple financially, spiritually, emotionally, maritally, and business wise, but you are the solution to their lives; God has given you authority to trample upon serpent and scorpion; He has given you authority to make things happen. God did not make a mistake when he created you, when He saved or called you. When God made you, He knew what you are going to be; He knew you will disappointed Him, He still created you. God knew Saul will disappoint Him, yet He created him; God knew that Pharaoh will go against Him yet He created him. Exodus 9:16….But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up…..There is a reason why God created you, He did not create you to cause pain, He created you to bring joy, He created you to bring life, He created you to make things happen. Have you made profit with your talent, how many people have you brought to church? How many people have you brought to the kingdom of God? How many evangelism have you made? People are dying everyday, have you talked to them about Jesus? If truly you are proud of your God why can’t you tell somebody about Jesus? If you have something and you are so sure of what you have, why can’t you declare it to people? God has deposited something in you, where have you kept your talent? The talent that God gave you is God’s, it is not yours; He gave you that you might use it, and He want you to use it and make profit with it. Either you use it or you don’t use it, He is going to take it back again. You must not be an unprofitable servant, be a profitable servant. The one who created the world has a purpose for your life, He can handle your problem, He is bigger than anything, this is the time to use your talent for God.
The attitude we show to God, determines how God operate in our life. God’s hand is not shortened that He cannot save. Isaiah 59:1….Behold the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save…..You have been praying, He has heard you, because in the acceptable time, he has heard you, in the day of salvation, He has helped you. Behold, this is the acceptable time, this is the day of salvation, it is our iniquities that has separated us from God, why can’t we get away from that iniquity and move closer to God. Use your talent for God, what He gave you, He will request for it, the bible says “we shall all appear before the judgement seat of Christ” 2 Corinthians 5:10…For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ,…..The talent that God gave you, are you using it to equip, the church? Are you using it to bring more people to the ministry? some people use their talents contrary to the will of God, contrary to the purpose of God, contrary to plan of God, and such a person cannot be profitable because it is not what God gave you that talent for. Galatians 6:7…..Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows that he will also reap….. there is nothing that we sow that we will not reap, God is asking you where have you kept your talent? Everybody will give account, on that day everyone will appear before the judgement seat of Christ, each of us will receive what we have done to our body. We cannot all hold the microphone but some of you your own calling might be to equip the ministry. As you populate God’s kingdom, He will reward you abundantly. some people say am not gifted, God can never create something that is not gifted; He has created everything that is gifted; everybody has his/her own role to play. Stop discrediting yourself, stop looking down on yourself, God has deposited something in you, and you must use it for this generation; you must use it to populate His kingdom, you must use it to expand His kingdom, you must use it to make His kingdom to progress, you must use it to lift people up, and to lift up the glory of God. Ecclesiastes 1:4….One generation passes away, and another generation comes but the earth abides forever……God knows the role you will play in His kingdom, and He has given you the authority to do it; the responsibility the Lord has given onto you how are you using it? How are you fulfilling your purpose? God is ready to do many things for us, He is ready to do exceedingly, abundantly and above.
People do not use their talent because they are selfish, and selfishness leads to excuses. God know what He wants to do in your life, every position you are in use it for the glory of God. If you are married or single, use it for the glory of God, use it that your service will touch heaven and heaven has no choice than to release its blessings upon your life. Because heaven knows it is not comfortable for you, it is not convenience for you, but you made yourself uncomfortable, in order to serve the Lord and to make His kingdom to progress. By making excuses you cannot serve God, the only way you can please God is to put all these pressure behind you, and let God be first. Where God is taking you to, there is nobody who can stop God from where He is taking you to. There is no power of darkness, that can stop God where He is taking you to. “But you yourself can stop Him”. God knew what He made, Saul; for but Saul made a choice to fall, a choice of stubbornness, a choice of disobedience, a choice to go against God, you have to make a choice.
(2) People do not use their talent because of spiritual attack:
Some people are attacked by the devil not to do it. The time people want to serve God that is the time attack will come, but you will overcome it today in the name of Jesus Christ. Some people their past experience made them to cool off, spiritual attack might be from some people in the church, who are demonized, enemies of progress, people who do not want good things to happen at all, their look might even scare you, but do not be afraid. Jeremiah 1:8….Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you……Anyone who wants to serve the Lord will not look at any body’s face, some of you border about want peolple will say “I don’t want them to say anything bad about me” If they do not say anything bad about you; that means you are doing the same thing like them. Isaiah 54:15…..Indeed they shall surely assemble, but not because of Me, whosoever assembles against you shall fall for your sake…..Some people think they are fighting for God, but they are fighting for themselves. The way the church is; determines the way the head of the church is; If the head of the church is an occultic man, the whole of the church will be filled with the power of darkness, if the head of the church is a tale bearer, his Church will be filled with tale-bearers, if the head of the church is a wicked man, there will be wickedness in the church, if the head of the church allows rubbish in his church because he does rubbish, the church will be polluted. Use your talent for God, there is no spiritual attack, that can overcome a child of God, there is no spiritual attack that can destroy the child of God, there is no power of darkness that can destroy the child of God; there is nothing that can stand against the plan of God for your life; there is nothing that can disturb the work of God that He has started in your life. You do not need title or to be ordained or proclamation from people, but God has already declared it, use your talent for God. Do not bury your talent, if you use it diplomatically then you will not serve God correctly or you will be a spirit filled person, and you will have your principle with God.
Where have you kept your talent? Let us serve God with all our heart. We must get out of hypocrisy, we are not Pharisees we are the children of God. Let us be open, let us do the work of God the right way we are supposed to do it. The devil has nothing to offer you, Jesus has everything to offer you; so do not be afraid, do the work of God.
Remain Blessed In TheLord
Apostle Matthew Oluwajoba
General Overseer (CUMI)
