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Faithful (Loved) or Lazy (Selfish)

Matthew 25:21 (AMP) His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little, I will put you in charge of many things; share in the joy of your master.’

This is one of my daily prayers: ‘Lord, let me be a good steward today with everything that you have placed in my hands.’ I want to honor God with everything that I do and say. Most of that has to do with the value I put on the people and things that are presented before me. Do I love them more or less than God? I have to love God more. One of the things I have learned is that we have misunderstood what the love of God means, and we become selfish. One such story of not understanding the love of God is found in the parable of the talents. The man that received the one talent in this parable buried it.

Matthew 25:24-25 (AMP) “The one who had received one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a harsh and demanding man, reaping [the harvest] where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter seed. So I was afraid [to lose the talent], and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is your own.’

From what we know about Jesus, does this match His nature? Did this servant know the true heart of who He was serving? Would the Master have put it in the servant’s care if He did not trust him?

Matthew 25:26-30 (AMP) “But his master answered him, ‘You wicked, lazy servant, you knew that I reap [the harvest] where I did not sow and gather where I did not scatter seed. Then you ought to have put my money with the bankers, and at my return I would have received my money back with interest. So take the talent away from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’ “For to everyone who has [and values his blessings and gifts from God, and has used them wisely], more will be given, and [he will be richly supplied so that] he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have [because he has ignored or disregarded his blessings and gifts from God], even what he does have will be taken away. And throw out the worthless servant into the outer darkness; in that place [of grief and torment] there will be weeping [over sorrow and pain] and grinding of teeth [over distress and anger].

There were two responses:1) “You were faithful.” 2) “You were lazy.” The Greek word for lazy is okneros, defined as to delay, slow, tardy, slothful, lazy. Another terminology defines it as, “pertaining to shrinking from or hesitating to engage in something worthwhile, possibly implying lack of ambition.” Rick Renner says about okneros, “It carries the idea of a person who has a do-nothing, lethargic, lackadaisical, apathetic, indifferent, lukewarm attitude toward life.” It is hard to be faithful when you do not know your worth. This is why it is so important that we seek God as our vital necessity. This is cultivating a relationship with Him.

Did the third servant lack anything to perform the way the others did? Their strong hold was their mind. Love is a powerful force. When you know who you are in Christ there is no holding you back from seeing your talents and gifts as valuable to what they were given to you for. You will start seeking out ways to glorify Him through them. Keeping your focus on Him and not them.

2 Peter 1:3 (AMP) For His divine power has bestowed on us [absolutely] everything necessary for [a dynamic spiritual] life and godliness, through true and personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 

Ephesians 6:10 (AMP) In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might. 

Ephesians 6:10 (TPT): “Now my beloved ones, I have saved these most important truths for last. Be supernaturally infused with strength through your life-union with the Lord Jesus. Stand victorious with the force of explosive power flowing in and through you.”

This word “strong” is an explosive power that has been deposited within us as a vessel. God is the giver, and we are the receptacles into which this power is deposited.

Ephesians 1:19 (AMP) and [so that you will begin to know] what the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His [active, spiritual] power is in us who believe. 

This is real power. A demonstrated power that raised Jesus from the dead that now lives in you. Here is the best part, it is backed by His might. It is backed by His strong hand, like He is the body builder with the great big muscles backing us up. This makes me feel wrapped in His love even more. One last thing. This will put a balance check in our why. We are backed by His power. We can do and still have pride, which will totally make it wrong. My stewardship has nothing to do with me and all to do with Him.

Philippians 2:3 (AMP) Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit [through factional motives, or strife], but with [an attitude of] humility [being neither arrogant nor self-righteous], regard others as more important than yourselves.

I am deeply loved, but so are you. My gift and talent are not more important than anyone else’s. Actually, it is not mine; it is His, it was given to me to manage. I want to steward well and that means I also must love well. Good and faithful has to do with how I value what He values. The most precious gift that He gave me is my salvation, my new life in Christ. Which means I am now a minister of reconciliation (2Corinthains 5:18). My gifts and talents were meant for this ministry (ministry of reconciliation), not “MY MINISTRY”. When selfishness sets in, we have become like the person with one talent and buried it. We have buried it in self.

I know the title of this blog will get a lot of passes, but if you read through, I pray you hear my heart. I want you to be in freedom and understand the dynamic love Christ has for you. It is through that love that we have been given everything needed for this dynamic spiritual life in Christ. When we surrender to that freedom, we live bigger lives than we could have ever dreamed of for ourselves (Ephesians 3:20). It is all for His glory. I want to hear “well done good and faithful servant.”

Adonai, our Jehovah, our Rock, You are Marvelous and Wonderful. Your Glory is what we seek. Thank you for Your Son, to be our Salvation. Thank You for the Holy Spirit to be our Teacher. Thank You for Your Word to be the Light in our lives. We repent for making decisions on our talents and gifts based on how we feel or how we want to be seen. All of it is for You and should be done with You. Jesus came so that we can have a dynamic spiritual life, and that takes surrender. We choose a life of surrender. We choose faithfulness instead of laziness. We choose to give of ourselves freely instead of holding onto what cannot last forever. You are our eternity. You are our mighty fortress. You are our strength. You are Holy. We are deeply loved by You. Let all that You put in our path be for Your glory. Let us be good stewards with whatever we have been given today. We choose peace today. We choose joy today. We choose hope today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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What shoes are you wearing?

Job 17:9 (AMP) Nevertheless the righteous will hold to his ways, and he who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.

I am in the book of Job right now. Job had gone through some rough days, days I do not know how I would have responded myself. It all stands on how you think. I have hopes that I will be strong. Weakness causes us to make permanent decision in temporary discomforts. God is my strength. God makes you stronger and stronger as you go through things with a godly attitude.

I am also going through a verse-by-verse study of the book of Ephesians. In Ephesians 6:13-18 we are told to put on the full armor of God. In verse 15 is states, “and having strapped on your feet the gospel of peace in preparation [to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news].” These shoes were a part of the weaponry of the Roman soldier. They started at the knees and were made of metal and leather. They were vicious weapons. They wrapped around the calves. Why, because the enemy does not fight fair and looks for weak points. The bottom of the shoe was affixed with sharp, dangerous, protruding spikes. They extended beyond the front of the shoe. The spikes were intended to hold the soldier in place during the battle, making him virtually immoveable.

That is what happens when you keep your mind and attitude right. You become less affected by the difficulties and challenges you face. The enemy cannot move you. The peace of God protects and defends you from the hassles and the assaults of the enemy. The peace of God is what holds you in place. If the enemy is foolish enough to get in your way, just keep walking.

We are to be prepared for this. How? Keep the Word of God bound to your mind. You cannot do that if you do not spend time in it. In other translations it says to “shod your feet.” It means to bind. It did not say to slide on the shoes. Most shoes today we wear for comfort, and we tend to pick the ones that are easy to slide on and off. These shoes were formed and bound so that they could not be slid off easily. That is how the Word is supposed to be planted in our minds.

Deuteronomy 11:18 (AMP) Therefore, you shall impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul, and tie them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as bands (frontals, frontlets) on your forehead. 

What is the opposite of peace? Stife, fear, pride…. It all stems from being out of balance with the love of God.

Proverbs 15:18 (AMP) A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger and patient calms disputes.

Proverbs 29:22 (AMP) An angry man stirs up strife, and a hot-tempered and undisciplined man commits many transgressions.

Ephesians 4:31 (AMP) Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor [perpetual animosity, resentment, strife, fault-finding] and slander be put away from you, along with every kind of malice [all spitefulness, verbal abuse, malevolence].

Here are some definitions of what some of these words mean:

  • bitterness: a negative attitude that can cause problems with others
  • wrath: a hot, fierce and passionate emotion
  • anger: a worldly type of anger that can result form frustration
  • clamor: noise, commotion and uproar
  • malice: a negative feeling or state of mind.

Ephesians 4:26-27 (NKJV) Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.

The Greek word for wrath here is orgidzo. Meaning someone who’s mood is so upset that they become so upset and bent out of shape over any issue. Someone will hold onto something quietly, slowly allowing it to build up inside of them. It becomes stronger and stronger inside of them until they explode and make permanent decisions in temporary circumstances. Instead of pushing it away and asking for their strength to come from God, they will hold onto it, embracing it, nourishing it. Wrath becomes their companion. They have given up peace and the enemy has their foothold into their mind.

I had a night recently of uneasiness and did not get much sleep. I was not at peace. I was not angry, but there was some strife that wanted to play with my mind. It went on into the next morning. My imaginations were just going, and I had never given the opportunity for the answer to be given, because I did not ask the question. As soon as I asked the question, the answer brought me peace. In Philippians 4:8 we are told, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” I did not use the excuse that I could not find anything virtuous and praiseworthy, so I went searching for it. I asked the question. My imaginations were squashed. No man knows the intentions of another mans because we do not know each other’s hearts. Do you want to? Then ask. Refuse to give the enemy a foothold into your mind. Prepare before hand with the weaponry of footwear, preparation of the gospel of peace.

Abba, Father, Adonai, You are so Marvelous and Wonderful. Your Name we lift up within our hearts and minds. Thank You for Your Son, Love incarnate. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, our Comforter and Teacher. Thank You for the revelation and gift of Your Word. We repent for holding onto to wrath and strife as a comfort to us, believing it will give us strength. We understand that it is not a weapon of Your warfare, but of the devil’s. We choose today to bind our minds and our hearts with Your Words. Peace is a position that You gifted to us and anything that tries to rob us of that should be seen as an enemy. We repent for not putting on Your Love and standing out of our position by trying to win the battle on our own. We are not fighting against flesh and blood. We repent for allowing rejection and strife to take a foothold, when that is no longer something we should be receiving. We choose forgiveness today. We choose love today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. In Jesus Name, Amen.