Bible Questions Answered:
“...I see some doing so many things
in this place (the church ed.), and then there are others who do only
a little. Why is this difference among people?...”
Gregory/ Geisenheim (Hesse), Germany
Bible Answer:
Bible Texts:
Matthew 25:14-30 KJV (The Three
Servants)
14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a
man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and
delivered unto them his goods.
15 And unto one he gave five
talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according
to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
16 Then he that had received the
five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five
talents.
17 And likewise he that had received
two, he also gained other two.
18 But he that had received one went
and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
19 After a long time the lord of
those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
20 And so he that had received five
talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou
deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them
five talents more.
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.
22 He also that had received two
talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents:
behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
23 His lord said unto him, Well
done, 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.
24 Then he which had received the
one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard
man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast
not strawed:
25 And I was afraid, and went and
hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
26 His lord answered and said unto
him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where
I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
27 Thou oughtest therefore to have
put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have
received mine own with usury (interest).
28 Take therefore the talent from
him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29 For unto every one that hath
shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath
not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
30 And cast ye the unprofitable
servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of
teeth.
The Master had
three servants, to one he entrusted much, to the second some less,
and to the third, the least of all.
The key word In
our Lord's parable is the word “ability,” verse 15.
The Master knew
well his servants, and he never expected more from them, then what
they were capable of doing! He entrusted his wealth to them,
according to their abilities.
In the church of
The Lord Jesus Christ, exist individuals of various callings,
dependent upon their God given abilities.
When I stand before
God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a
single bit of talent left, and could say,
‘I used everything you
gave me’.
Erma Bombeck
Your talent is
God’s gift to you.
What you do with it
is your gift back to God.
Leo Buscaglia
Ability:
Luke 10:19,20
NLT
19 Look, I have given you authority
over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and
scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.
20 But don’t rejoice because evil
spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in
heaven.”
John 14:12 KJV
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He
that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and
greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father.
John 15:5 KJV
I am The Vine, ye are the branches:
He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much
fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.
Acts 1:8 KJV
But ye shall receive power, after
that The Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto
Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the
uttermost part of the earth.
Acts 6:8 KJV
And Stephen, full of faith and
power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
Romans 8:37 NLT
"... overwhelming victory is
ours through Christ, who loved us.
Romans 12:1-13
NLT
1 And so, dear brothers and sisters,
I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has
done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He
will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him.
2 Don’t copy the behavior and
customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by
changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will
for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
3 Because of the privilege and
authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t
think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your
evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has
given us.
4 Just as our bodies have many parts
and each part has a special function,
5 so it is with Christ’s body. We
are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.
6 In His grace, God has given us
different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given
you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has
given you.
7 If your gift is serving others,
serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well.
8 If your gift is to encourage
others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has
given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And
if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
9 Don’t just pretend to love
others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is
good.
10 Love each other with genuine
affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
11 Never be lazy, but work hard and
serve The Lord enthusiastically.
12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be
patient in trouble, and keep on praying.
13 When God’s people are in need,
be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
I Corinthians
4:7 NLT
"...What do you have that God
hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast
as though it were not a gift?
I Corinthians
12:4-11,28 KJV
4 Now there are diversities of
gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 And there are differences of
administrations, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of
operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
7 But the manifestation of The
Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
8 For to one is given by The Spirit
the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same
Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same
Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of
miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to
another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of
tongues:
11 But all these worketh that one
and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will.
28 And God hath set some in the
church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after
that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments,
diversities of tongues.
I Corinthians
13:2 KJV
And though I have the gift of
prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though
I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not
charity, I am nothing.
I Corinthians
14:12 NLT
Since you are so eager to have the
special abilities The Spirit gives, seek those that will strengthen
the whole church.
II Corinthians
3:5 NLT
It is not that we think we are
qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from
God.
II Corinthians
9:7 KJV
Every man according as he purposeth
in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for
God loveth a cheerful giver.
Ephesians
4:11,12 NLT
11 Now these are the gifts Christ
gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and
the pastors and teachers.
12 Their responsibility is to equip
God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of
Christ.
Philippians 4:13
NLT
For I can do everything through
Christ, who gives me strength.
Colossians
3:23,24 KJV
23 And whatsoever ye do, do it
heartily, as to The Lord, and not unto men;
24 Knowing that of The Lord ye shall
receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve The Lord Christ.
I Timothy
4:11-14 NLT
11 Teach these things and insist
that everyone learn them.
12 Don’t let anyone think less of
you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you
say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.
13 Until I get there, focus on
reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and
teaching them.
14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift
you received through the prophecy spoken over you when the elders of
the church laid their hands on you.
6 Wherefore I put thee in
remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by
the putting on of my hands.
7 For God hath not given us the
spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
II Timothy
2:24,25 KJV
24 And the servant of The Lord must
not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
25 In meekness instructing those
that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance
to the acknowledging of
The Truth;
Hebrews 10:24
NLT
Let us think of ways to motivate one
another to acts of love and good works.
I Peter 4:10-11
NLT
10 God has given each of you a gift
from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one
another.
11 Do you have the gift of speaking?
Then speak as though God Himself were speaking through you. Do you
have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and
energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to
God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to Him forever and
ever! Amen.
All ability
(spiritual gifts), come from The Lord. These gifts given to us, one
day will be required of us.
What have we done,
with what The Lord has given to us?
James 1:17 KJV
Every good gift and every perfect
gift is from above, and cometh down from The Father Of Lights, with
whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Prayer:
Matthew 10:32
KJV
Everyone who acknowledges Me
publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before My Father in
heaven.
Matthew 11:28-30
KJV
28 Come unto Me, all ye that labor
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take My yoke upon you, and learn
of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto
your souls.
30 For My yoke is easy, and My
burden is light.
