Word for the Day December
10
By:
Evang. Cascille Hammack
***Christmas Outreach for the Homeless December 18 at Capital Area Alliance for the Homeless.
"Do
not neglect the gift that is within you.." 1 Tim. 4:14
Negligence is defined in the dictionary as "Failure to use reasonable care, resulting in damage or injury to another."
When we neglect the gifts God has given us, much damage is done. The work of the Lord of reaching souls for eternity,
healing and setting captives free can not be done if we neglect the gift He has entrusted us with. He has equipped every
believer with gifts to be used for His glory. Jeremiah 48:10 warns, "Cursed be he that doeth the work of Jehovah
negligently." (Darby translation) Another translation (NIV) states, "A curse on him who is lax in doing the
LORD's work!" It is very serious to neglect your gift. It prevents the Lord's work from being done and the
consequences are devastating.
Jesus
told the parable in Matthew 25 of the talents to warn that our place and service in heaven will depend on the faithfulness
of our lives and service here. Matthew 25:29 says, "For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an
abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him." In the parable, the talents represent
our gifts, resources and opportunities to serve God while on earth. They are considered by God as a trust that we are
responsible to administer in the wisest possible way and to the fullness. In the parable, He illustrates a master
who distributes to three servants money according to their abilities. Two of the servants double the return on their
talents and when the master returns and He replies, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful
with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness." The
one servant who He gave one talent to reports to Him he has buried his in the ground (and he makes excuses
as to why). He replies, "You wicked, lazy servant!...Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten
talents...throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
(Mt. 25:26, 28, 30). Read all of Matthew 25.
Proverbs 18:9 teaches, "One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys."
God gave us His all in sending His Son to die as a penalty for our sins. He requires all of us, our
entire heart surrendered to Him and for us to use the gifts He has given us to the fullness for His glory and the building
of His kingdom.
"...He is a rewarder of them
that diligently seek Him." Hebrews 11:6