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What God Has Invested in You
'...His...riches...in the saints.' Ephesians 1:18 NKJV
Paul prayed for the believers at Ephesus that they might know what God called them to do and understand the 'riches' He had invested in them. Think about this:
(1) God knows what He's invested in you. He doesn't redeem you one day and take you to Heaven the next. He calls and equips you to fulfil a certain purpose in this world. Christ taught that some of us are five-talent people, some are two-talent people and some are one-talent people (Matthew 25:15). That's why it's a mistake to draw comparisons. It's not what you have that determines your reward, but what you do with what you have. It's when you bury your talent because you're afraid to risk and fail, that you get into trouble with God.
(2) God protects what He's invested in you. Do we sometimes disobey God? Yes. Does He discipline us? Yes. And your response to Him can either lengthen or shorten your season of discipline. But does God abandon us? Never! '...God's gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.' (Romans 11:29 NLT)
(3) God expects a return on what He's invested in you. When you get to the end of your life, what will you have to show for it? God gave you time, talent, and treasure. Are you using them selfishly or are you using them to serve Him and bless others? '...We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive...according to what he has done, whether good or bad.' (2 Corinthians 5:10 NKJV)
The songwriter put it this way: 'Only one life, 'twill soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last.'
written by Bob Gass
'...His...riches...in the saints.' Ephesians 1:18 NKJV
Paul prayed for the believers at Ephesus that they might know what God called them to do and understand the 'riches' He had invested in them. Think about this:
(1) God knows what He's invested in you. He doesn't redeem you one day and take you to Heaven the next. He calls and equips you to fulfil a certain purpose in this world. Christ taught that some of us are five-talent people, some are two-talent people and some are one-talent people (Matthew 25:15). That's why it's a mistake to draw comparisons. It's not what you have that determines your reward, but what you do with what you have. It's when you bury your talent because you're afraid to risk and fail, that you get into trouble with God.
(2) God protects what He's invested in you. Do we sometimes disobey God? Yes. Does He discipline us? Yes. And your response to Him can either lengthen or shorten your season of discipline. But does God abandon us? Never! '...God's gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.' (Romans 11:29 NLT)
(3) God expects a return on what He's invested in you. When you get to the end of your life, what will you have to show for it? God gave you time, talent, and treasure. Are you using them selfishly or are you using them to serve Him and bless others? '...We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive...according to what he has done, whether good or bad.' (2 Corinthians 5:10 NKJV)
The songwriter put it this way: 'Only one life, 'twill soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last.'
written by Bob Gass
