Making the Most of What You Have, Part 1

Do you think of yourself as an owner of what you have, or as a steward of what you've been given just a few moments, Pastor Paul Sheppard shares today's destined for victory message making the most of what you have before you get started. He's been kind enough to join us from a studio in California Pastor were getting ready to launch into a new five-part series you've titled it, making the most of what you have. So tell us what to expect in the series you very happy to do that. We've all read or heard scriptures like well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joys of your Lord and yes that's true and that's what Jesus told us in that parable of the talents, but that was because there were two sermons he had left his resources with who had done good things with those resources, but there was 1/3 dude in the third dude did not hear well done. He received their chastening. The rebuke of the master because instead of giving the master a good return on his investment. He had taken the talent he received and hidden it. The fact is, many of us in the body of Christ are hiding our talents and our gifts of various sorts.

Our time are talent are treasure are all resources. God is looking for return on and so I preached this series, hoping to challenge listeners to understand.

We all have those three things.

We all have time. God gave us. We all have talents God gave us. We all have treasure whether a lot or little but God is expecting a return on those.

I think this series is really going to be eye-opening and I pray life-changing for people so we can all be prepared to hear the Lord say well done good and faithful servant. What a day that will be Pastor Paul.

You know, as Pastor said just now. Life is about stewardship, not ownership.

And today he reminds us that in the kingdom of God. The best and most joyful way to live is by being a faithful steward that means using our time are talent and are treasure for his glory in our own who knows Pastor Paul would today's message making the most of what you have. My goal in this series that I'm launching with this message is a simple yet very important one and that is to help us learn how to give God an excellent return on his investment in our lives of various resources, God is invested into our lives treasure that is financial resources, time, and talent ability and we are to give God a return on his investment. Therefore, we need to learn from the mouth of our Lord what that means how important it is and how we can give God an excellent return.

In other words, the goal is to become excellent stalwarts or managers of the resources God has entrusted to us. Let's lay a foundation in this message.

I want you to realize that what we're looking at here in Matthew 25, beginning with verse 14 is a parable, when Jesus spoke a parable, a parable is a story and so there are a number of parables spoken by the mouth of our Lord and in sharing parables Jesus was telling stories in order to illustrate important spiritual truths. He used things in nature things in life that would help us understand get a grasp on spiritual truth. I often say, as it is in the natural so it is in the spiritual and Jesus would use natural things in order to teach spiritual truth and so there are number of parables that are definitely worth studying in the Scriptures, and this is one of them is commonly called the parable of the talents and Jesus shares with us some important spiritual truths. So let's lay a foundation by just taking it very slowly and walking through this parable to glean from it all. The spiritual nutrients that we are to get from it and eat from it, that we might be spiritually healthy look with me at birth 14 of Matthew 25 Jesus says again it will be like a man going on a journey, it will be like a man going on a journey. What does he mean it will be like well in context. When you look earlier in the chapter where he is shared yet another story.

He says I want to help you understand what the kingdom of heaven is like that.

When Matthew uses the phrase kingdom of heaven is a place that is interchangeable with a more common phrase kingdom of God.

Most of the time when you look in the Gospels, you will see the spiritual kingdom God's kingdom spoken of as the kingdom of God. However, in Matthew's gospel number of times it is referred to as the kingdom of heaven. There is no problem, no conflict because they are one and the same God only has one kingdom. It is the sphere of Israel. Now, sometimes when we see the word heaven. We assume that it's talking about that place that Jesus said I'm going to prepare for you but heaven is not just the locale. Heaven is the headquarters if you will, where God is wherever God is heaven is and so the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven are used interchangeably and so there's no problem at all.

So what is being spoken of here is the kingdom of God. The spiritual kingdom where God dwells the kingdom of God. Don't think of it in terms of a location.

There is a day when all of us will be in heaven with the Lord. But the kingdom of God is present right here on earth right now you know why because God's kingdom is wherever God is ruling and God is in charge everywhere, and when we submit online stadium we enjoy the benefits of the kingdom right here on earth to heaven to get all of my benefits. I'm enjoying them right now now happens going to be great. Can't wait to go but don't think that you're not in the spiritual kingdom until you get the heaven and the reality is you can and should live under the rule of God right here and right now you and I are to enjoy the benefits of being citizens of heaven, even while we're still on earth and so were living in the kingdom of God right now because it has to do with the lead role of God the kingdom has a king God is King. He is in charge and so the first thing I want you to notice here in this passage is when he says the kingdom will be like a man going on a journey he is referring to himself, Jesus Christ, who came to earth to save us to redeem us to show off what living right was really supposed to look like and all have an established God in our hearts through the gift of salvation. Jesus has gone away.

But here's what you got understand he's going on a journey journey by definition means he has gone somewhere other than home but he is returning. I want you to note from this parable that Jesus has gone away but he coming back Jesus have gone away but he's coming back. I need to know that as a breach of the gospel.

My job is to tell you the truth and the truth of the matter is you cannot live any kind of what you want because the master is coming back you can afford to do your thing, because the master is coming back you can afford to act like bad kids who act up when dad is not home that is coming back that he has taken a but it is not a one-way journey into the round trip Tony P is coming back, he told his disciples in John 14 ongoing away because if I don't go away. I cannot tell you the plan of the heavenly father. So I must leave the thickly so that I can send the Holy Spirit who will abide with you while the kingdom message is brief and the gospel is spread throughout the world. He said I've got a goal, but he said I coming back. In fact, in John 14.

Three he says: I'm going to prepare a place for my bride. I'm going to fix it up. I'm going to look it up and when I come back.

He said I will receive you to myself. He is coming back. You need to understand that is a cardinal doctrine that is fundamental doctrine teaching the church of Jesus Christ because it is weighted in the truth of Scripture we serve some religious leader you will not find Jesus to anywhere here because he borrowed Joseph's tomb probably didn't buy Jesus a nice plot by plot because he didn't need a plot.

He was only gone the weekend but I'll place you only need for the weekend that any was touched by the message of Jesus and Joseph came forward and said I have a plot let him use it you can borrow it and they stuck his body and there, but the Bible says that Sunday morning, the stone away from the entrance to the window so they notice that the stone was rolled away and they notice that when somebody when you see what had happened to his body. They saw his brain probably neatly Jesus was so bad that I'm leaving the phone when you get not know God raised him up about anybody when the he said all right this is borrowed when people let you use the leave it in the conviction that they gave it to Joseph. I really appreciate all Jesus tidied up and then he left the two told them my disciples and Peter to meet me in Galilee. I want to see you and the Bible tells us. The apostle Paul tells us that more than 500 eyewitnesses saw Jesus alive after his resurrection, and it was proven that Jesus was alive. We also have a bad religious leader in Christianity is really not a religion is more in a relationship with a living Savior and will be right back with more of today's destined for victory message from Pastor Paul Sheppard listen to the broadcast on demand any time@pastorpaul.net that's Pastor Paul.net. Also find a host of great resources and online store, including books and DVD messages from Pastor Paul will he left this earth. 2000 years ago, but he will be coming back. How shall we now live in light of his future return is Pastor Paul with the second half today's message making the most of what you have regulations and don't that he died for you and want you to walk with me. My plan and purpose for your life.

So Jesus has gone away that we might do the will of God over the centuries but he said I am coming back and that is his resurrection he is alive. He is not he is alive. We serve a risen Savior, even the world today and so listen because you know that according to the Scriptures that auto regulate your mindset and your worldview as you live your life you live differently when you know that the one in charge of coming back on the job day on the third day, your direct report, not down a certain day, you don't lose your mind because you know they will be back at some point you get going that change all the rules and set up new can send out an inner office memo why we changed everything that you can take blood regularly.

If you want know you can call the boss is coming back and so you regulate your self and those of us who are really learning how to live by the principles of the word of God. We know that we work for God anyway that we know that we work for God anyway. No one little slow on that when I had to say it again. God anyway so no big deal, even when the boss is not the one you really work which audit with a clear conscience, but Jack differently if your parents without once you are old enough to be home with your siblings without babysitters. Let's meet up after they are not what your behavior sells now and sometimes they put like an older child of the oldest sibling in charge sometime they did that sometime the said all he will behave yourself and hope for the best. You know you all know that they were coming back and have made you dig yourself now. It didn't always do it. You know, so we all just at the pool and just you know as much as a code for as long as you could bet key in the door want to complement the driveway. At that point because they wanted you to behave a certain way and they were coming back and it should have regulated the way you thought in the way you behave or we understand that the journey has said I am coming again, I am coming again. Now the fact that he has not yet come. Should not make you feel entitled to behave in an living and thinking and acting any kind of way that what you want to be doing is looking at the sign when you read your Bible and you realize that although he didn't tell us the day of the hour and remember we live in a day are dangerous. Today we live in a day where people love, trying to come up with revelations somebody spoke when they tell you I got a revelation because what they mean by that is I got an understanding of the truth that's already been here, that's fine what they mean though is I got a new word you never before because God gave it to me and it can't be verified in the pages of Scripture. You need to leave that word with them.

I got help you now deserve the people say I know when the Lord is coming back.

He is revealed to me when you coming back studied enough things down the colds in the Bible.

Colds mystery novel David Drew and even give your call to get you sign. Here's what I mean. Second, chapter 3. This will be 10 times in the last days, we don't know when he's coming, but we can mark the signs that will be times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, check lovers of money, boastful, check out check abusive Jack, this obedient parents don't start me Jack. I'm grateful only without love, unforgiving, slanderous chat, without self-control, Bruno, not lovers of the good, treacherous, Jack Jack, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, chat, having a form of godliness but denying its power. Signs of the last days, you better be living right because what that means is why we don't know when he's coming we know is coming as soon as they started on the day up at a cost which was nearly 2000 years ago. In the beginning of the last days the last days, we don't know where in the last days ever. We are but we are closer to his return than ever before. The story little boy watching his grandfather's clock shop herded others had up with. I want to hear it again a little bored with watching his grandfather's clock shop and his grandfather taught this lab how to tell time, at least the top of the hour by the chimes and so he would teach them how to count animal boy got good and he knew the counter times and he could tell his grandfather what time grandfather decided to trick him one day and so he said one of the clock to chime our team time and he said I will go to China. What you tell me what time you and the boy started listening and a chime team time. Grandfather said all right now what time is it little boy thought for moment. He said I don't know, but is later than it's ever been before.

And if you asked me what is Jesus coming on don't know but I will quickly and but it's later than it's ever been before he is gone on a journey, but he is on his way back and according to second Timothy's list of signs his return may very well be imminent. So Jesus has gone away but is coming back. That's the first thing I want you to grab hold of. As we look at this parable Jesus is the man in the parable who has gone on a journey Jesus has gone away but is coming back. The second thing I want you to understand as we lay a foundation for understanding this important parable is that we are the servants spoken of in the text we are God's servants. That's the second point Jesus has gone away but is returning. That's the first point. Second is that we are God's servants look again at verse 14.

It would be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. He called his servants, his servants, we are God's servants. Now I want you to meditate on that because if the Bible refers to us as servants, then we must understand our purpose then the interests of our master. We are servants we are bond slaves if you will. We are those who are committed to starving the master. We are God's servants tell you how we ought to be living our lives with what worldview we want focus. We are to live our lives. If you already started your job then, is to serve the interests someone other than your self just in general. If you're in a service oriented job you are providing a service for someone else. Your focus is to be the best interest of someone else by definition, a servant is cyber for that's your job to take care the best interest of the sea to take the best interest of someone other than your self that's important for us to understand because we live in days where the fine people really have a mindset of excellent service and servant hood and stuff you know the old saying is tough to find good help but be on the fine people who have a servant orientation people who are willing to really focus on someone bad when you go somewhere and you find someone who is only interested in looking out for him or herself as bad when you go to a restaurant and waiter. Thanks for being here for today's message making the most of what you have. For more information about Destin for victory would listen in your recent message on demand. Stop by your website. Pastor Paul.net that's Pastor Paul.net and you may know, Destin for victory depends on your prayers and financial support to share the gospel all over the world through a media ministry as you give today will be happy to send you my request Pastor Paul's booklet trusting God and scary times. That's trusting God in scary times our gift to you this month by request for your generous donation to Destin for victory call us at 855-339-5500 or visit Pastor Paul.net to make a safe and secure donation online or mail your gift or dresses Destin for victory PO Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538. Again, our dresses Destin for victory. Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538 people going around searching for fulfillment and with searching among all the wrong thing so a lot of people think how people feel once I switch careers.

You may or you may not question is when you get where you're going. Where will you be and who sent you there.

That's next time. Would Pastor Paul Sheppard continues his message, making the most of what you have until then, remember he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion in Christ, you are destined for victory