TALENTS AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS by Rev I.O Akano

 TALENTS AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS by Rev I.O Akano

Text: - Mathew 25:14-29, Luke 15:19  

Talent is a natural skill or ability God has given to every human being regardless of his belief-system. Spiritual gift on the latter hand is exclusive to born again Christians. Properly defined, spiritual gift is a divine endowment given to a Christian who has accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour for the purpose of edification of the body of Christ - The Church.

      Read I Corinthians 12:7 and Romans 12:6

      Another significant difference between talent and spiritual gift is that, while talent is given for personal benefit and for profit, spiritual gifts are given for the purpose of winning souls for Christ.

-          God selectively gives out spiritual gift to disciples according to their ability and readiness, or maturity. We are therefore not given the same number or type. This difference however does and should not create rooms for envy and covetousness.

-          It is also important to know the same Spirit of God gives out all spiritual gifts disproportionately. Mathew 20:10, 1 Corinthians 12:13-14.

God expects each one of us to use our gift without excuse, just like Moses did when he argued with God on his physical weakness. Both talents and spiritual gifts are meant to serve and honour God; and we shall not lose our rewards when faithfully discharged. Acts 9:36-39. Remember Dorcas, who was revived from death because the testimony of her good works which were the product of her talents and gifts. 1 Timothy  4:14, 1 Corinthians 3:17

Warning

-          Do not misuse the gifts and talents

-          Lack of spiritual gift in the life of a Christian exposes him/her to spiritual attack when the enemy strikes.

-          Above all we must allow our behaviour and conduct preach Christ to those around us either in our place of work or place of abode-1Thessalonians 5:22

-          Avoid everything that is evil

Brethren are we all good stewards of the talents and spiritual gifts that God endowed us with? A day of reckoning will soon come on these various endowments, but make necessary amendments not to be found guilty.

As we approach the end of the revival programme on stewardship, join the servant of God, Dr. I. O. Akano as you read and pray through the last part of the message. God bless you as you do so.

: TIME AS MEANS OF OUR STEWARDSHIP

TIME AS MEANS OF OUR STEWARDSHIP

TEXT: Eph. 5:15-16

Time is the measure of the length of our existence. To God, time is neither short nor long. What you put into it according to His purpose is what matters to God. To man however, the grace of existence is short and therefore must be wisely used. The Bible says, man’s life is like dew that lasts but for a short moment. As stewards therefore, we all shall give account of how we use our time, not necessarily how long but how well. (Note and compare Methuselah and Enoch in Genesis 5:21-27). What have you realised? Enoch walked with God throughout his lifetime, though short from human’s view but with good records to his credit. However, his son Methuselah lived far longer than his father and all humans, but no credit was given of his time being spent in, for or with God. What record will be displayed for you after your sojourn on earth and you appear before the Almighty God?  Reflect on this please and turn to God in prayer judging yourself in the light of His words and made a decision to be a good steward of God with your time

 

                        God’s Expectation

v  We must use our time for God on the Sabbath in worship and service. Read Exodus 20:8-9

God created the world for six days and rested on the seventh day. So on the Sabbath day which in Christian era is now the first day of the week (Sunday), we are to worship God and rest that day. Before Christ’s intervention, violation and abuse of the Sabbath attracted very stiff penalty. Read Exodus 31:13-15, Numbers 15:32-35.      

Whoever worked on the Sabbath in the Old Testament days was stone to death. Today, with Christ resurrection on the first day of the week, most Christians now regard and use Sunday as the day of Worship. Acts 20:7, I Corinthians16:2-5.

v  Our time is to be wisely used as the five out of ten virgins displayed wisdom as they all wait for the Bridegroom. Mathew 25:1-13

The five wise virgins were wise because they were mindful of exigency of time, by making provision for the exigency of the unpredictable future in which they had extra oil with them. The other five who were adjudged foolish thought of only the present, nothing of the future. In other words, they did not value time in totality and consequently missed the Bridegroom.

Read Proverbs 20:19 - They paid no attention to the real issues at hand. They went about gossiping, serving as table-bearers. When you come to church to worship or go for any programme refuse to be distracted.

      -     Each of us has Twenty-four whole hours a day, how wise do you use every hour, minute and second? Fill your time with purposeful activities, time is money do not waste it.

       -      Avoid procrastination, what you can do today, delay it not till tomorrow (Proverbs 27:1, James 4:13- 14. Remember always that you only have your today, tomorrow belongs to God.

Read Luke 12 and consider the foolish rich man.

  He thought not of God the giver of life, time and blessings. He lost everything because the owner of life and time took them from him. Similarly in Acts 24:24-25, Felix had the opportunity to receive the gift of eternal life one day, but ignorantly he delayed and the chance never came back to him. How often have you also acted like Felix, saying you will consider the matter of salvation another day.

-          Read 1corinthians  7:29, Isaiah 55:6-7, Do not let earthly values blind u to the reality of the ‘shortness’ of time ; now is the appointed time , tomorrow may be too late.

-          Eccl 3:1-9, since everything is programmed according to the passage of time, be a good steward of the time entrusted to you by God, use your time to serve God. He expects profit from you in terms of time He invested in you. Set your priorities right and plan your daily usage of time. Planning will earn you the benefit of deriving maximum opportunities to advance in life and get fulfilled.

-         This will also help you to avoid Satan’s traps to lure you into temptations.

Finally beware of time wasters like entertainment and electronic devices that consume a disproportionate opportunity to earn a living. Meditate on Psalms 39:4-5.

This is another truth seen in stewardship of time, think and pray as you reflect on this message again. Other resources God endowed you with will equally be accounted for one day. So remember, Time is of God.Let us move on to be revived as God blesses us using his servant, Dr. I.O. Akano on Day 3. Be determined to be a good steward of God with all the resources He endowed you with. Stay well and blessed