Six words that Will Determine Your Eternity

Carter Conlon from the historic Times Square Church in New York City placed you exactly where you are here in the hole you need to make you live in the apartment is signed into your in the neighborhood where he placed her year on the job will report you. There is no happenstance with God placed you there for a reason. We thank you for joining us for this weekly call to the nation program with Carter, in today's message talks about six very important words weren't so important that they'll determine your eternity. If you are a true believer in Christ should be part of the very foundation stone of your heart. Do you think you might know what the six words found in the Bible are, let's join Carter to find out about this life-changing state. Matthew chapter 25.

Verse 14, six words that will determine your eternity for the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling through a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.

The one he gave five talents. These are deposits of money to another to enter another one, to each according to his own ability and immediately he went on a journey that he who had received the five talents went and traded with them and made another five talents.

Likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them so he who had received the five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, Lord, you delivered to me five talents look at gained five more talents besides them as Lord said to him, well done good and faithful servant. You were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord. He also had received two talents came and said, Lord, you delivered to me two talents and look at gained two more talents besides them as Lord said to him, well done good and faithful servant. You been faithful over a few things and I will make you ruler over many things.

Enter into the joy of your Lord than he who had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you've not sown in gathering where you have not scattered seed and I was afraid and went and hid your talent in the ground and look there what you have. You have what is yours but his lord answered and said to him, you wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown together right not scattered seed. No it the original context of this verse the Lord is saying to this man or this woman is that really what you thought I was like it's a question it's not a statement. Christ is not agreeing with this man's assessment of him so you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him was 10 talents for to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away back in verse 14 it says the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. When Christ rose from the dead when he triumphed over the powers of hell and darkness.

Paul says in Ephesians chapter 4 verses seven and eight.

He gave each of us grace.

According to the measure of his own gift and therefore he says when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts and the men. In other words, each of us you in here today are all called to a specific purpose on this earth. Now this is a general purpose or general will of God that we are all called to follow were called to be honest and truthful. The promises of God. That word obtained through the Scriptures there.

There are very specific things that you and I had to do that are practical to all who called by the name of Christ, but each of us also has a specific calling something beyond the general and it's this calling through which Christ would be glorified and others would find him as their Lord and Savior. And might I say it's been my experience this unique calling of God. The unique will of God is like like to call it most often takes us in the areas where we don't have the strength to go and calls us to do what we can't do and be what we could never fit calls us to walk pathway sit in the natural we could never do and it's it's a very unique thing that Christ will be glorified through it and God may be calling some right now to the specific thing that is set apart for your life and finding it very very difficult non-order to accomplish this divine purpose for each of our lives in these different places these times and these different seasons we find ourselves were giving the exact measure of his life and strength that we need to bring his name to reputation. There are certain with somebody this morning saying if you're going to Philadelphia. You don't need a ticket to California. You just needed to get to get you to where you going on. This is when you go to verse 15. He said he gave 15 talents and that means a deposit of his life deposit of his victory deposit of his character.

You strive is power and gives you exactly what you need to get through the journey that you're in because you have five talents doesn't mean that you're in a high-profile ministry.

A lot of people make the mistake of thinking the five talent people are all singers and drawling pulpits that are all doing high-profile things. They'll have the names and brochures.

That is not true Inc. deposits. The measure of his life.

According to the calling. You might be enough to tell administrative five talent marriage right now, you might need to talents to stand in public and do what you do what you need five talents to stay in the home were God placed you and to be the wife, your husband or the husband to your wife or the son or daughter to your mother and father all know it's not about is the measure of his life. The one thing I love about Christ as he says I'll give you what you need. I'll give you exactly what you need. I won't allow you to be tested above you're able to bear, but I'll make a way for you in the midst of that trial that you might be able walk through that it will not overpower you will not take you down will not defeat you. Remember that her former captivity Zürich captive and we have a new freedom now to embrace the new life and pathway just before us when he ascended up on high, he took captivity captive means all the former restrictions of your life. All those places that your own heart your own enemies. And even those who dwell in your life told you Go there. You're not smart enough to not strong enough to not talented enough.

All those captivity's are gone all the words that were spoken of your life that God was not part of our now destroyed your now new a new creation in Christ. If you come to him. The old things are passed away and behold all things are become new. Therefore, you have a unique calling ahead of you.

You have a unique place that God sent you in any says to you in that place. I'm going to give you the strength you need to get through. I will give you more and I will give you last. I will give the exact measure of my life in my power and my spirit for you to do what I've called you to do for you to be a lamp in the dark in place that you find yourself in for you to be words of life and words of death are being spoken all around for you to speak truth when everyone around you is lying for you to be honest one. Thievery seems to be the order of the day for you to speak kindly when vilification seems to be on the lips of every second person around you.

I placed you, you're not there by mistake. God placed you exactly where you are here in the hole you need to be you live in the apartment is signed into you're in the neighborhood where he placed her year on the job were reported to. There is no happenstance with God is not forgotten your name the place to therefore reason think about it for a moment if you weren't there. Who would he have to put there in your place to be a testimony of his love in his life.

It's available to all. Some of us get the rides are easy places in life and others of us have to go through the valley of the shadow of death, we have to be in difficult places. Paul and Silas never would've reached the jailer had they not gone into the inner prison they never would have been able to sing a song that broke everybody's shackles and chains and to see all kinds of people are living in no doubt deplorable lifestyle set free by the power of God, the deluded, the inner prison. They never would've seen this incredible victory that we read about in the book of acts, but I want to remind you one more time. The God gave them the exact measure of his life and strength they would need in the place where they found themselves the challenges change their different in different seasons one day.

I need more grace than another, but the deposit of his grace is the exact amount to continue our journey into walk through our journey and victory to remember the pathway of God will never lead you were his grace will not sustain you was keeping power will not give you a song that has nothing to do with the things of this world for those who are new in the faith and gives you the grace to believe that your sins are forgiven at the grace to believe that whether not you believe that at the grace to believe that. It income to you and find him. It was never lost. He found you is grace found you and revealed himself to the he unlocked her darkened mind and so do some in a moment of time. Some overtime, some visitors 15 times before. The truth finally lay hold of them, but to give you grace to believe that you could be forgiven no matter what you had done metal kind of a person you'd better how many lies you told her how many wrong things are done to give you the grace to believe that your sin that means you're wrong that you committed against God and their fellow man could be forgiven and give you grace to believe in your heart that a new life and open up before you a supernatural life because you knew that you could not change. I knew that when I came to Christ. I made so many New Year's resolutions every year is not effectively New Year's and they lasted about a maybe 10 minutes if I felt very strong.

He gives you grace to read the word of God because without his grace. You wouldn't understand but many here today you remember when you believe that your sins were forgiven in God's grace and God spirit came upon you, and you knew you were forgiven. Suddenly, this book that was a mystery opened because it's it's not a dead letter.

It's a living word of God begin to teach you.

You began to read that was grace, and you begin to believe his promises as absurd as some of them may have seemed in the natural. How could this ever be.

How could I ever be a father, a good father. I didn't have a father in many cases you can say I don't know how there's been no father's my family for five generations. How do I learn this. How do I become this project you are here today and you say grace you can say grace has brought me safe thus far and grace will lead me home. God gave me grace they gave you grace to move into what was formerly impossible to liars that are here. Learn to speak the truth, selfish people learn to be kind, people learn to be given for others.

One self focus was the dominating force in your life up to the point where God's grace given to your heart fearful people learn that fear is cast out by the presence of this incredible love of God and suddenly courage came in your heart you given the grace and power to be morally clean your given the grace to be faithful. Given the grace to walk away from what you needed to walk away from and walk towards that which you have a glimpse of that could be for your life.

You took grace to believe that rewards for faithfulness and obedience are eternal and their exceedingly more than we can think or imagine, it took grace to shift your focus from the things of this life to the things which are eternal. This life is a vapor folks. It's here and it's gone. I came here 21 years ago to New York City and it seems like yesterday was a long yesterday.

Mind you, but it seems like yesterday. Grace grace grace gives us the courage to work for that which is eternal and to leave off that which is not an grace gives us the power to believe that the rewards of eternity. Remember Jesus said on that day of reckoning when my servant stand before me. I will say to them, well done good and faithful servant. You been faithful in a few things and I was I didn't ask you to do a lot of things I didn't set before you. Things that were out of reach. I didn't so pile them up that you saw no hope of ever fulfilling them know.

Like I gave you just a few things in your life to do and you did them well. Which brings us to verse 19. This is after a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. Christ is coming in is coming soon and soon you and I will be standing at the throne of God.

We will be there. Each of us will have our own personal and very private and intimate moment with him so he would receive the five talents came and brought five more, saying, Lord, you delivered me five talents to look again five more besides him and then his Lord said to him, and his other six words. It will determine your eternity.

Well done good and faithful servant that you and I know that the Bible says God cannot lie, we can say well done when it wasn't, we can call things good that are, we can say that we ourselves are faithful when we fallen far short of what God called us to be in God called us to do.

One day, I stand at the throne of God. I just had my 62nd birthday. So is probably sooner than I realize. I stand there alone. It doesn't really matter if a million voices said all God, did you hear this met on the Internet.

The deer the anointing to do the touch of heaven to do here is testimony it doesn't matter from million people think I'm wonderful. It doesn't matter if a million enemies think I'm not because when I stand there only one voice matters now only one voice that is the one who determines what maternity will be. Not that I'll get into eternity.

But what maternity will be in this there are rewards and said that her deeper than you and I can even begin to imagine. I live for the day that Christ can look me in the eye and say well done, well done, well done, good and faithful servant. Six words that will determine maternity six words that will determine what I do for all of eternity.

Six words that will determine whether or not I can be safely trusted to perform that which is before me.

And so my question is when we get to this place all the other voices faded only one voice matters will Jesus be able to say to you, will he be able to say to me. Well done good and faithful servant well done.

You know when I was a young Christian young pastor I started to feel my heart like I had to win the whole world. The Christ is a noble sentiment, so I set out with a passion to do what I felt in my heart needed to be done and I traveled the length and breadth of the country that I was in at the time I preached in a lot of different places a traveled to the Arctic. Spent time within we people I went on to Indian reservations in Canada. I traveled east a traveled west I preached until a burst blood vessels. My eyes one time I fasted I ran I prayed, only to find out that my strength left me and left me in a very, very difficult place at the age of 37 and a member going on on a country road and I was I was angry with God and I accused him of being unfaithful to me.

I said words to the effective Lord. I've given you everything I've given you my future. My family given you my home and you reward me by taking away my health as I headed out to serve you and basically when the country to I was so angry I didn't really care what God said to me at that moment because I felt like I was in danger of not recovering physically. I didn't know what God was going to say I really really got it out that day but a surprisingly his response. He just said I love you when he said I love you just melted my heart.

It was like a Damascus Road experience to me. Although I was already a Christian. I ended up saying, Lord, what do you want me to do this from the revelation came to me and God said to me clearly Carty have done a lot of things in my name you traveled you preach a lot of meetings and good things happen in some of these places people didn't come to Christ. Some churches were strengthened. Others were warned but he said when you get before me one day when you stand before me. There will be no reward for any of it because I'm not ask you to do it. You did it yourself. You took it upon yourself to do it. That's why your strength is gone.

That's why you've exhausted yourself because is no reward for anything I've not asked you to do this I said Lord what you want me to do and he said there's 158 names on the membership role of the charts that I've given you to pastor. That's the only thing I've asked you to do when you stand before me one day if this is the finish of your work when you stand before me one day these names will be presented to you and you will answer for that. The whole hundred and 58 where are the and if they're not here while they not hear.

Did you speak to them. Did you tell them about me. Did you warned them about walking in rebellion to a holy God.

Did you give them a balanced meal.

Did you set before them the hope that the cross offers to those that are struggling with failure. I remember standing on the road and say Lord for the rest of my life. I will serve you where you plant me, I'll not be looking outside of what you've given me to do because there's no reward for it and there is no provision of strength for it. I will go nowhere. I will do nothing except you called me to do it because I realize there's no reward for those things that are not called to do and I member my parents ignored and not a mystic. If you ever want to change where I am have somebody just called me on the telephone and asked me and that's exactly what happened months later, David Wilkerson called so, would you consider coming to New York when I came to New York. We were walking out on Broadway used to be a so-called cats is that I live for the month on Mrs. cats over there and its acts over here across the street and he said to me, what is God been doing in your life in the last two years and is it honestly killing me this. I lost my strengthened only got it back when I determined to do the will of God for my life and only the will of God, nothing else is member looking at me and he said to me oh that's good I found out later that he had prayed two years earlier and said God I need somebody, you gotta send somebody here to help me. This church is growing fast and I don't quite know how to manage all of it. The Lord answered and said I have a man but is not ready yet. This is a question that comes to mind is a close today is what happened to this final person's final reckoning said then who had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping what you not sewing gathering where you have not scattered seed. Here's this matter stands before God or this woman says your hard master you sent me in a difficult place and you ask something of me I cannot give you're asking me to produce a harvest in a place where I can see your hand reaching out to help me in any way you put me in a place where were you where are you, and I was afraid and I went and hid your talent in the ground and hear what you have is yours and others. I give up on your kingdom. I place my hope in the things of this world are buried. This incredible call you give to me.

I just buried it and I became so worldly that nobody could see you on a tragedy when people bury the testimony of Christ is a God cannot lie. One day you stand there one day. I stand there alone and there are six words only six words that I want to hear. That's what I live for.

That's why I do what I do to hear those words.

Well done, well done, good and faithful servant, Jesus looked at this man and said, verse 27, you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers at my coming I would have received back my own with interest and I was you the truth if you were willing to walk in it more than you would please pass it on to somebody who would you lose it I'm faithful. You knew that give gifts and men you knew that if anyone be in Christ is a new creation. You weren't willing to walk in and you buried it. And so in verse 28. He says therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him was 10 talents for to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who does not have even that even what he hasn't been taken away. You don't have to be great in the eyes of men just do well where you are when the victory where you're planted.

Stay in the marriage that God put you in raise the children. God gave you work diligently in the job you have researched diligently for the one you don't yet have stand strong in your neighborhood. Be kind to your neighbors across the hallway speak truth when other people live and trust me, God says for the provision to do it. I'll give you more than you need. Nevertheless but I give you more if you need more strength asked me for more strength. It was the cry of your heart to stand before God one day to hear the words well done good and faithful servant.

The message today has been brought to you by Carter Conlon from Times Square church.

For more information log onto TSC.NYC TSC.NYC plan to be with us next week for a call to the nation with Carter,