The Place of Prosperity in Our Lives: Part 3 — A ‘Time With God’ Audio Devotion

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“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you…” Isaiah 55:1-3

Transcript

Hi, I’m here to help you put first in your life the thing that is most important and that is time with God.

I trust that you are learning to make your time with God more and more important in your life. The more you put God first in your life, the more you see how important it is to do that.

Because of the meaning and purpose that comes into your life and the closeness and fellowship with God that comes in as well, when you take time with God every day and you spend time listening to Him and meeting with Him, your understanding of God grows. Your understanding of what pleases God in your life grows. Your sensitivity to the things of God, to God’s voice in your heart, grows in every way. You begin to grow spiritually. Deepen your walk with God by spending time with Him every day.

This week we’re looking at the theme of the place of prosperity in our lives. We looked yesterday at this great parable given by Jesus in Matthew 25, where he talks about a man who was going away on a long journey who had a number of servants, and he entrusted large amounts of money to three servants, more money to the ones more capable and less money to the ones less capable.

And the one who received 5 talents, a talent was a weight of gold, invested it and got 5 more talents to present to his master when he returned. The one who received 2 talents of gold also invested it and got 2 more to give to his master. But the one who had 1 talent, this is what it says about him.

And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, gathering where you scattered no seed, and I was afraid and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.

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But his master answered and said to him, You wicked lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival, I would have at least received my money back with interest.

Therefore, take away the talent from him and give it to the one who has the 10 talents, for to everyone who has shall more be given, and he shall have an abundance. But from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.

Well, not a very positive report on the man who had the one talent, the one weight of gold.

What was it that held this man back from using what his master had given him wisely?

Well, it was fear, wasn’t it?

He was too afraid to take a risk, too afraid of failure, of disappointment. What would everyone say? He was afraid that he might lose something, and he was afraid of his master’s displeasure, but actually his lack of activity with what his master had given him was what caused his master’s displeasure, wasn’t it?

Fear actually doesn’t keep us from failure. It causes failure.

And what God is not looking for, he’s not looking for mega financial success in your life. He’s looking for you to take what he’s given you and use it in a way that’ll be pleasing to him.

Invest your money in spiritual ways that will bear spiritual fruit and a spiritual reward. Don’t be afraid because God Himself not only is returning one day, but he’s involved in your life right now.

When he sees your faithfulness to his purposes in your life, he takes responsibility for your life, for your finances, for your needs, and for blessing while you are investing his money in your life.

How are you using what God has entrusted to you?

I’m John North.

To go deeper in your faith, visit AFCI.com.au.

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