Matthew 25: 14-30

In this story it seems as if the Master shows favouritism, but the Master gave according to each of the servants’ potential. Like the Master in the story God knows our potential He will not give us something that He knows we cannot handle. And when Christ comes back He will require an account of how we used our talents. No matter how little you have you must do what you can with what you got. Here are examples of some talents.      

Talent of speech

This important talent must be cultivated in the right way. Colossians 4:6 Ephesians 4:29 Let your speech always be with grace because it is a gift from God.

Talent of Influence

Throw a pebble into a lake and it forms ripples that reach the shore. There are many people who are influential. Use thus talent wisely 

Just like in the story talents used are talents multiplied. God expects us to use our talents so that he can bless us with more. Every talent that is not used will weaken and decay. How you use your talents reveals your character. 

How are you using your talents?

Nobody is a whole chain. Each one is a link. But take away one link and the chain is broken. Nobody is a whole team. Each one is a player. But take away one player and the game is forfeited……..you guessed it. We need each other. Isolated islands we are not. To make this thing called life work, we gotta lean and support. And relate and respond. And give and take. And confess and forgive.  And reach out and embrace. And release and rely. Especially in God’s family….where working together is plan A for survival. And since we are so different, love and acceptance are not optional luxuries. Neither is tolerance. Or understanding. Or patience. You know all those things you need from others when your humanity crowds out your divinity. In other words, “be devoted to one another in brotherly love” (Romans 12:10)….

Ziyanda

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

We have heard the message time and time again. For more than 2000 years now the message has been preached that Jesus Christ is coming again. This is a message that can easily be pushed aside. However it is a message that we have to kep in mind. Matthew 25:13 The ten virgins expected  the bridegroom to come quickly but he did not. Five of the virgins did not prepare and were left behind when the time came. We should not think that if we prepare our hearts once then we are ready Christ to come. Every day we should prepare for the great day. Revelation 6:17 Only the righteous will withstand that great day.

John 14:1-2

The Lord is coming, are you ready?

‘In the beginning was the Word and the Word with God and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him. And without him was not anything made’ John 1:1-3 . So often as human beings we neglect the power of the words we say. We so often beat ourselves to a pulp, ridicule others, curse, bless, whilst totally ignoring the impact that those words that we speak have. Proverbs 25:11 says that a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. When we look at the ministry of Christ, most of his miracles were performed in word. For example he would say to the lame, get up and walk. He would say to the dead, little, arise. To the dumb, ephthaphata. He spoke his healing ministry into existence, just as he spoke the creation into existence. Now we, through our words, can choose speak words of comfort to those who need comfort, or we can choose to send others into deep sadness and sorrow through what we say. We speak feelings into existence, and these feeling eventually have a physical manifestation. Would God that we prophesy, speak words of edification to the church, that none be found wanting, and that none be found in low spirits in the church of God. May God bridle our tongues, that we may speak in due season, and speak words that are like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

Thabo Monoto

Judges 2:6-13

The Lord had brought Israel out of the land of  Egypt and into the land of Canaan. The Israelites had driven out some of the inhabitants that had a lived in Canaan. The land had been divided between the tribes of Israel and each of them had been commanded by Joshua to drive out the remainder of the inhabitants that still remained. However the Israelites did not do this. This led to idolatry instead of worshiping God the worshiped the idols of the people who lived around them.

Even though the Israelites disobeyed God when they cried out to him in their distress he heard them and he raised up judges. Judges 2:18 The first duty of the judge was to save the people and then to make sure they stay in the way of righteousness. How similar we are to the Israelites. We commit sin purposefully yet God still hears our cry. He sent us His own son as a judge. Luke 5:32 Jesus Christ came to save us then to lead us in the path of righteousness.