What do you have?

Happy Sunday!

What if being blessed was a requirement, and not being blessed was a sin?  

It definitely changes the dynamic and should cause us to question what we have been taught or brainwashed to believe.  Jesus told parables to make his spiritual lessons come to life for the listeners.  In what we call the Parable of the Talents, Jesus describes an interesting scene.  A man was planning to go away on a trip.  He was a rich man because the scripture says he called his servants and gave each one some money.  You know the story.  He gave one five, one two, and one one talent.  We know that our talents as in business savvy, and musical genius can produce a financial return but the talents in this scripture were monetary denominations.  One source that references Nave's Topical Bible Commentary, says a person with five talents of gold or silver would be a multimillionaire by today's standards.  

Why was Jesus telling a story about being faithful with finances?  Great question!  I'm so glad you asked!  Later in this same sermon, Jesus described the end times.  He said when he returns with all the holy angels with him, he will divide the people of the world into two groups. Each group will be blessed or cursed based on a particular criteria.  Matthew 25:35-36 reveals the means by which they will be evaluated..."It is yours because when I was hungry, you gave me food to eat. When I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I had no place to stay, you welcomed me into your home.  When I was without clothes, you gave me something to wear. When I was sick, you cared for me. When I was in prison, you came to visit me."(Easy-to-Read Version).  There is nothing on this list that will not require some expense.  We need money to spread the Gospel, we need money to feed, clothe, and assist the poor, and we need money to visit those in prison.  Now, don't go all super spiritual on me!  Don't tell me about your vow of poverty because you can't find that in the Bible.  If you think about it with an open mind, those that claim to live a vow of poverty have a home, food, and clothes provided for them by their religious order.  The homeless on the streets of your city will never choose poverty over a safe, warm, and dry place to live and food to eat.  Jesus is the greatest business owner of all time!  He wouldn't instruct his employees to do something and not provide them with the necessary equipment to get the job done!

Dr. Bill Winston continued the series, "Receiving Your Inheritance" with the subtitle, "Living In The Power of the Blessing".  Romans 4:13 says, "It is clear, then, that God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was not because Abraham obeyed God’s laws but because he TRUSTED God to keep his promise."(Living Bible).  Abraham was confident in the promises of God!  He had the Blessing and now that same Blessing has been given to us!  Galatians 3:13-14 says, " Christ paid the price to free us from the curse that the laws in Moses’ Teachings bring by becoming cursed instead of us. Scripture says, “Everyone who is hung on a tree is cursed.”  Christ paid the price so that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to all the people of the world THROUGH Jesus Christ and we would receive the promised Spirit through faith."(God's Word Translation).  The Blessing is on us!  We have been endued with power for success and we are commanded to use the blessing to "be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth".

I know what you may be thinking!  You just don't know Cynthia, I don't have anything valuable.  That's exactly what the woman told the prophet in 2 Kings 4:2.  Elisha said, "What is it that you want me to do? Do you have anything of worth in your house?"  The woman said, "I don’t really have much of anything. The only thing I have in my house that might be of any worth is a jar of oil."(Voice).  You know the story, the little bit of nothing turned out to be just enough to provide for her family and save her children from slavery.  I'm personally asking God to reveal to me what I have in my house.  I'm committed to listening, and obeying.  Please pray for me.

Love and prayers, Cynthia