Page 74 - Christ in You - The Hope of Glory

talent came up and said, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping
where you did not sow, and 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.' 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 received my money
back with interest. Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the
one who has the ten 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. And cast out the worthless slave into the outer
darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

There are no members of God’s household who have not been entrusted with a deposit
by which they can bring increase to the kingdom of God. All who have been born of the
Spirit of Christ have received the Spirit of God to indwell them. They have each been
allotted a measure of faith.

Romans 12:3-8
God has allotted to each a measure of faith. For just as we have many
members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we,
who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
And since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let
each exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith;
if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his
exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who
shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

You may discern that you are not gifted to the same degree as another. This may be
true enough, for each is granted a measure of faith and grace. You may have the equivalent
of one talent of gold, while another has five talents. You as surely have the Spirit of Christ
indwelling you as every other member of the body of Christ. Will you be as the wicked
servant and take this treasure and bury it in the earth of your flesh, bringing forth no return
for the King? You should tremble at Christ’s parable. He calls such members of His
household “wicked” and “lazy.” Heed the advice that Paul gave to Timothy.

I Timothy 4:14
Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you...

II Timothy 1:6
For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you...

In other words, employ that which God has given you. Stir yourself up. Arouse
yourself from slumber. Do you not know that you will give an account of your stewardship
of the gift of God? Do not allow yourself to be lulled to lethargy by the dullness of others.
God will bring you to account for that which has been entrusted to you. Do not allow
yourself to be cast into the outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of