Michael continues, There is no fear in love for perfect love casts out
fear for fear hath torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love. This is the moral of the story of the servants,
the talents and the master. The Master had given his three servants a
number of talents to steward and gain a profit for when he would return at a
later date. The two servants to whom the master had given 5 talents and 2
talents respectively, both doubled their talents. When the master returned he
said to each of these: “Well done,
thou good and faithful servant. Thou hast been faithful over a few
things, I will make you faithful over many things. Enter now into the joy
of your Lord." However, the servant to whom the master gave one
talent, was afraid and buried his master's talent. This wicked and
slothful servant viewed his Master as a harsh, demanding, and unloving
taskmaster. On the other hand, a faithful and just servant serves his master
with joy from a heart of love. The unfaithful servant said to his Master, “And I was afraid, and went and hid thy
talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.” God never
honors fear but He always honors faith.
Because of the cross, we
have the assurance of the resurrection. As Jesus said, “I am the
resurrection, and the life: he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet
shall he live:” According to Sam Parson's song, "The Best Is Yet to
Come" as it says in Romans 8:18, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this
present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be
revealed in us.” Romans 8:29 says, "those
He foreknow He also did predestination to be conformed to the image of his Son." The
purpose is that Jesus Christ would be the firstborn among many brethren. Because Jesus Christ died on our behalf, we are sons and daughters of God, born again of God's Holy Spirit, not of
corruptible seed, but of incorruptible by the Word of God which lives and
abides forever. 1 John 3:2 says, “Beloved,
now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we
know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as
he is.”
What does it mean to be a
"person of God?" A person of God answers "absolutely"
to three questions. The third question is "do you want to spend the
rest of your life learning to become just like Jesus?" A person of
God answers, "Absolutely, that we would be conformed to the image of His
dear son."
In a late-breaking news
story, Dallas police officer Amber Guyger was recently convicted of murder.
According to her testimony she had returned home from a long shift. She
went to what she thought was her own apartment, but it was the wrong apartment.
The door had been left ajar and in the dim light she saw a black man sitting on
her couch watching TV eating ice cream. She panicked, mistakenly thinking
he was there to burglarize her home. She feared for her life and as she fired
two shots she thought, "I'm justified because I'm acting in self
defense." The man's brother said to her after her trial and
conviction, "I forgive you and I love you. If you ask God, He will
forgive you too. Can I give you a hug?" They embraced in the middle of the
courtroom. He and his murdered brother were both Christians. The Judge in
her private chambers afterwards gave her a bible and a hug and said, "read
John
3:16."
Learning to become like our
Lord is learning to forgive. There is plenty of injustice in this world.
Part of repentance is learning that God works all things together for good to
those who love him and are called according to his purpose. King David's
repented after he had sinned with Bathsheba and had Uriah her husband
murdered. His model prayer of repentance is recorded in Psalm
51:1-12 “ Have mercy upon me, O
God, according to thy loving-kindness: according unto the multitude of thy
tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine
iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my
transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only,
have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that you might be justified
when you speak, and be clear when you judge. Purge me with hyssop, and I
shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear
joy and gladness; that the bones which you have broken may rejoice. Hide
thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a
clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away
from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me
the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.”
Despite the tribulation of
this fallen world and the sinful nature that we inherited from Adam, we who
have confessed that Jesus is Lord and have believed that God has raised him
from the dead, have been saved by His grace. God who is rich in mercy and grace works all things together for good
to those who love Him and are called according to his purpose... As
sons and daughters of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse
nation, we're called to shine as lights in this world of darkness.
And in so doing, may we ever
live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ, Michael
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