Use it or Lose It: What has God given you?

Use it or Lose It: What has God given you?    Kelly Durant.  1-29-23

Matthew 25:14-33

2. Many people set new goals for their life when a new year starts. Here at the Corps some do it with the case worker. Everyone should have goals and, if not you will be failing God making yourself an unwise steward of your life. If you are not having life happen as you plan it, if God isn’t getting His fair share of you, then who or what is getting in the way? Most always it is your own stubborn self to blame! Do you want blessings for hard work, then get busy! There is a lot to do! 

Notice that we all praise the honeybee for his busy work, but we hate the mosquito! The busy-ness you choose must be prayed over, planned and counseled about, and then executed. You don’t want to waste time and energy you can never get back! Many people choose the wrong activities and disregarding God’s will, they hurt others, and anger God.  

God keeps you and me out of trouble this way, ha! But King David, and anyone with too much leisure time may get into mischief! As Christians we must always be serving, studying, working and being productive in all good things!

3 Some people, however, would love to use your or my time to take them shopping all day or do errands for them! I wish we could spend more time with each other but if you and I do not plan our priorities for the day, we’ll lose all our time in the little the errands of everyone else and not get anything done that we should do! 

It is time to evaluate where your time, talent, and treasure are being spent and determine if you are dedicating enough of it to God or not. He is the judge, not me, but my role is to inspire you to use what you have for Him, or as in this parable of today, warn you of the consequences of not using what you have for God! All I want is for the Lord to tell you what you need to do to come into His joy!

4 In the parable of the talents, we can compare this to our lives. Think of it this way, some people may have 5 abilities while others may have one or two. Some people are excellent with math and money while others are average with it, some people are good with people for good relations and sales, or some people have a musical or artistic ability or sports talent. Everyone has the ability to do something, and everyone is needed!

The talents Jesus referred to were literally pieces of money. But in this parable the lending of the money implied a time value to it for an investment yield, or to spend it to make more by buying and selling, a work value of using your brain and talents to produce something worthwhile. 

God is expecting that you apply what you have naturally been given to make it better and more productive, and most importantly giving a return back to Him who gave it you. 

5 The modern problem we have today in the community is that people are not applying their time, talent, and treasure into things that are useful for God and they are wasting away. In the world some people are content to let the government support them all day to watch TV or sit around playing games on the computer and they do not care at all to progress to develop their selves, work or do anything at all because they don’t see the need to. These people have no goals, no ambition, and no future! The poor ‘we have with us always’, and some are poor due to a lack of the production of anything!

And some people who work so hard at things that will never be of any use to anyone, like the kid who plays video games 7 hours a day and they asked him, “How are you going to make a living at playing a video game that will be outdated in 5 years?” There is no response because it is all wasted time! Or from texting, or social media, maybe only 1 out of 1,000 people can make a living from that!

As in the parable of people who do not use their time, talent, and treasure to produce something for God, they always justify their laziness and self-created limitations, after all they are the victim that no one understands, and they want us to feel sorry for them for being so miserable when it is their own fault their situation!

6. In various Corps we have managed basketball, soccer, and afterschool programs and summer camps. To know what to do we should ask questions and then just listen. If you have not learned to listen to people, you will miss learning life lessons on how to progress in things for the benefit of yourself and others. The question in my mind was, what makes so many be willing to sweat in over high degree heat 10 hours a day, and often all summer long, to do a something that is not making them very rich really?

One of our coach friends explained this to us, that he had a supervisor’s job for several years and he just sat at a desk all day and often worked long hours, and he was making $18 the hour. But he was discontent since he had studied 4 years sports training and physical-therapy and he was not applying himself in what he loved to do. So, he took a cut in pay in order to do what he loves and apply his talent. 

He didn’t worry for the money; it made him feel good to work with kids, it was his show, his passion, his satisfaction, and he was finally able to do what he wanted to. Before we had 120 families involved and it became successful after 3 years of hard work! Our Corps gyms got used and not wasting away! 

7. I wish people would come to serve Jesus with this same passion being willing to sweat all day to preach the gospel! Only people with a passion for Jesus pass the test to gain a position of leadership in God’s service. All good things require sacrifice!

Our coach friend also expressed he even expected us to tell these families about Jesus because he shared that he as a kid he had played basketball in our gym and he recalled that the Captain then always shared a devotional about Jesus. Don’t you and I feel like giving respect to those who respect us and respect our Lord?

So, in order to gain something, you have to be willing to give up something! The man with the one talent buried it. Imagine, he was not willing to let it go and take the risk to apply it so he lost what was not his but could have been his if he would have been more willing to work, invest, and use his brains! But investing pays!

8. Not using your body, your mind, your talent, your money, and your time for God is a sin and crime against God and humanity! Some people serve in God’s work many hours a week, others a few hours, but most do not serve at all! In the end you are not the god of yourself to do as you please; you did not make yourself into being, you and I are God’s property out on loan! So, have you asked God in prayer yet, what you should do to win souls and how to help your community?

It was your mother that formed you into being by a miracle of God’s design and he brings everyone on this earth for a mission and a purpose; the problem is people are too lazy, too rebellious, and too selfish to do what God expects of them! Because people fail God, we have the world as it is! Can God be happy when we, his creation, disobey Him and even reject His Son! I heard a quote once that “people just want to find a comfortable spot and then “stay there until they die”. This sadly sums up the life of many people quite well and since people don’t include God in this life, sadly He will not be there after their soul moves. 

9. But the most dangerous place for a Christian is a comfortable place! When a person becomes so complacent with all the evil happening around them that they do not care anymore about the sin in the world and the exploitative abuses and extreme poverty and oppressions, and all the souls going to hell, then that person is like that one with the un-invested talent, useless to God! We are soldiers in a war on evil, so tell me about your plan of battle! God and all of us are expecting results!

A reality of life is the majority of people out of the billions that exist everywhere never leave their comfort zone, never leave far away from home to accomplish anything for God, for another, or for their own selves. The majority of people never even consider that they could live a life of adventure living out their passions. Only God can give you and me the vision of how glorious life can be if we will only put him first investing in Him, and most of all being faithful (‘til death)!

The problem is often people do count the costs or serving and after determining that it would come at a great sacrifice, then this person decides that they are incapable of making the investment required putting in all the hard work it. What a mistake to choose poorly!

10. No sacrifice for Jesus goes unrewarded.  Matthew 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 

It is sad too few people are willing to have the patience to store up their treasures in heaven, but what I have experienced is just what this verse states, you gain rewards in this life as well and I do not regret serving Jesus despite how it has cost me a few things like suffering a few thefts, getting hepatitis for 6 weeks, and having to move a few dozens of times with 4 little kids but I would not trade this life for nothing else! I have learned to love the ultra-poor and minister to the ultra-rich which is what Jesus did!  

With God you are never allowed to be motionless and unproductive as all things are in motion and like a train, you either get on it when He calls you or you get left behind! God is a God of movement, and He expects production and movement from us! 

11. You can’t allow yourself to become like a stagnant pool of water or you will become poisonous form the bacteria generated from no inflow and outflow. What kills people spiritually, morally, emotionally, and physically is the lack of movement; when a person does not take in and then give out.  

And the bad part too is when someone gives their time to God others those who are stagnant immediately criticize them like they are crazy to invest and spend energy in something that does not give them an immediate payback. 

We have a Salvation Army today because millions have invested in God’s work voluntarily and this is a proof that is God’s work that does store up eternal benefits. William Booth and his wife Catherine were willing to leave the stagnant Methodist church and they lived out their passion to help the people in absolute misery and addiction!   Will the Lord say to you…

12. Matt 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

What are you planning on doing for God this year? God and everyone expects more from you. Have you even considered setting goals of doing more for God, in the church Corps and community? Today make a promise to God, and then keep it! You will be glad you did it when you are in heaven and your reward will be there for you!

Feel Weak? You Are Useful to God!

Feel Weak?  You Are Useful to God!                                               By Kelly Durant   5-19-13

1 Corinthians 1:26-28

²⁶ For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:²⁷ But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;²⁸ And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

2. How many of you have known of disabled people serving in The Salvation Army? I have! All people in life need to be used by God, we are inherently born this way! Everyone wants God to work through them! And He will if we step out by faith!

You have seen this video of the man with no arms and legs, Nick Vujicic, right? Imagine, with his condition, he does great things and is an inspirational speaker! Most people imagine that someone in his condition would never leave home! But he is full of life and inspired, happy and used by God, speaking in public places and travelling. What an amazing man of God used by God despite no arms and legs!

3. One of the first things I noticed and liked about The Salvation Army when I first got involved was that they had a variety of strange characters (even bearded ones, elderly ones) serving in disasters. Then, after visiting their churches, I saw many characters on fire for God out of rehab. No matter the age or health problems, people were serving others and each one was happy to help. I love seeing others get a second chance, how about you?

For example, with Hurricane Rita while in Lake Charles, right after serving in Katrina, I met a man that had metal rods in his entire back because all of the cartilage of his spine had degenerated. He walked rather straight like this (rigid). He had been through a rehab for heavily using cocaine and he said to not be depressed he would find ways to volunteer his time. In disaster service you can find people with all kinds of personal problems, but they are made happy while serving others, making new friends, and hearing about the gospel. God will use anyone willing, no impediments matter!

4. The way to be happy is to make someone else happy! You have heard that simple formula, right? But do you know what makes people happiest? It is to find out that no matter how ugly they may look, no matter how bad their physical problems, weaknesses, or handicaps, there is a God of love that loves them and can still use them despite their conditions and faults! No one wants to feel like life is over, that brings on mortal depression! 

I have always believed that God is a God who cares for the weakest of the weak, and in the world there are a lot of hurting and weak people! We are here as representatives of Jesus to help heal and give meaning and purpose to the lives of everyone we meet. That is what the kingdom of God is about! In the Salvation Army we, and it should be this way with any Christian, carry out activities in which everyone is valued and included with no discrimination of any kind. We must fight to maintain this standard!

5. But for work in society, you are discriminated against considering your past training, capacity, and education amongst other factors. We are an Army but of volunteers and we are made up of wounded healers; But the military Armies of the world, only accept young fit men and women to serve. These requirements exclude about 80% of the population! However, God’s word makes it clear He rejects no one, rather he specializes in the rejects!

When you look at the population at large in the U.S., the majority of the people are either weak, older, or disabled. Even worse they are often depressed and spiritually incapable, or unwilling to do anything for anyone else due to embarrassment, or impediments, from allergies or whatever, not to mention laziness or selfishness. In this country currently about 50% of the people get government support for being either retired or incapacitated somehow. That is a lot when you think about it!

So when we read… 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;…what can we conclude? 

6. That God needs on this earth a people group, an organization, a movement, (or a kingdom of God as Jesus frames it) that is made up of anyone who (whosoever will theology) will …may serve! And if you are not in such good shape mentally or physically, be happy and encouraged! God specifically wants you to serve and be of value! God loves and uses misfits!

When we consider the foolish things or people of the world, not many people here are scholars that can discuss the pious platitudes of philosophy or theology, so it is a comfort that God is not concerned about our education level, or even our physical condition, he just loves us and wants us to be useful and active for Him. In the end we are taking in breath from day to day to serve in the mission to win souls to Jesus, otherwise our lives are just wasted by not preparing for eternity. 

7. How can we not be proud of the Salvation Army for being willing to work with the lowest of the low, the homeless, the addicts, and the ones with HIV? In other countries our line of service includes taking into refuge homes orphans and prostitutes. Your upper class suburban churches do not make these types of people their specialty! But Christians should focus on the despised and the weak, which is where God’s blessings are at!

My wife and I visited several of the rich mega churches in Atlanta and some boldly proclaim they are called to reach the rich middle upper class baby boomers. Hispanics, blacks, and poor (sinners) seemed to not even be in their radar! What a poor and ignorant vision! Ultra-rich churches intimidate the weak and poor! When something is so big you lose the sense of family, I think it is time to break it down into more manageable groups as Moses did in Joshua 14:4-6. Delegation and division allows more attention to each one.

So when we read in 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: Can we not conclude that some Christians do not have the right focus since they are targeting the opposite people of the verses we are studying today? Is the exclusivity to one group the non-discriminatory attitude a Christian should have?  Obviously not! Too many people live in a comfort zone that has them stagnant being ineffective!

8. There is a serious problem within Christianity, too few Christians are actually reading the Bible and obeying what it says, to seek out the low base things of the world and then empowering them to serve in God’s Kingdom.

Three out of every four Americans see poverty as a big issue but Christians interviewed only showed 1 out of 2 believing it concerned them. However, about 83% of evangelical Christians claimed to be involved in helping the poor. What is wrong is that 2 in 3 Christians believe the government should take care of the poor, not them! (See Barna Research Group) But God called us to care for the widows & poor, and even give them a place to serve: The low are the despised, the rejected, the weak, these are the ones God can use! 

For the most part we can be proud of our churches as everyone who comes here regularly does what they are capable of doing, here or in the community, teaching, cooking, and sorting donated food for the poor, visiting the rest homes as well. But we have a long way to go yet to get the local community to do that as well! This community is a challenge, what can we do to get them more involved? Volunteers are always too few! 

I have often wondered; what do disabled or retired people do all day? Wal-Mart’s are full night and day, but in the daytime most beaches or parks are only full of tourists, so what is going on with people everywhere? Where are they all day?

9. You may know a few people who have government support, so tell me what do they do all day? God wants to use them for something good but I have a feeling many people are just deaf to this calling. They have ‘ears to hear’ but they do not hear how God loves them and wants them busy with things that make their lives and the world better. Those indifferent are wasting their time giving them a meaningless life. We must invite them to serve for the fact that God uses the weak. 

We should warn those who waste their time all day. Our society and Christian heritage was built with an attitude and spirit of great sacrifice but more and more people are failing to maintain the volunteer spirit of sacrifice and pureness having a love for God and a love for their neighbor in the community as they should. Being unproductive in the work of God is a sin, especially when you know you should be doing good, and you are not doing it.

Consider these verses that are basic warnings to the people (even Christians) that are excusing their selves for not giving their time in something for God because they think they are too busy or too old, too sick or too handicapped, or living in denial that they are just plain rebellious, selfish, and lazy. Not even pandemics should stop our service to God!

1 Thessalonians 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. I Tim 5: 12 Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith. 13. And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.  Ephesians 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

10. Never think there is nothing for you to do for God! Invite your friends! Do you realize how many people have started coming to church because they first volunteered? I think I told you I came to know the Salvation Army by volunteering for disaster service. 

But people in these past few decades have become self-complacent, people with nothing to do are not giving their time for something noble. This is a sad new cultural trend! It is up to us to be salt and light and to teach others to serve God, and God wants those who are weak to serve despite anything.

Here is a truth: you cannot make yourself any better without first investing in someone else.   

In the end, everyone you know that is weak, everyone that seems not-so-pretty, to be of the nature most people would think they are nobodies, these are the very people God wants and uses! God specializes in using the low, the base, the ugly, the despised, and the not-so-bright. So, if you think you are not worth much, cheer up, you are very wrong, you are one of God’s chosen! Pray now to ask God how to serve Him. Then speak up and let’s get started!