The Origin of Every Good Gift

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17

Has God gifted you? What do you have that was not given to you? (1 Corinthians 4:7; James 1:17) Do you realize that the Giver of all good gifts is watching exactly what you do with those things He has put in your hand?

“For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?” 1 Corinthians 4:7

Are you gifted? Are you endowed with something – anything – from God? If you are reading this, the answer to that question is a resounding “Yes” and we have the opportunity to use that gift to bring God glory. A talent is something given to you by God and He is holding you accountable for how you use it. Are you using what God gave you for your glory or for His glory?

For the sake of encouragement, please allow me to share this humble example of stewardship, one that pales in comparison to that of other blessed saints:  I once had a friend who did full-time ministry. He was a sincere, New Testament servant and so, every time I received money, I would joyfully call him up, go buy him a cup of coffee, and give him a “firstfruits”portion of what I had been given (Proverbs 3:10-11). Giving is an act of worship and our hearts flourish and thrive when we put God first. Jesus told us to do this in all things and not to worry about tomorrow or preserving our own lives because He who provided what we just received is infinite in His supply and will continue to provide – “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. ³⁴ Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (Matthew 6:33-34)

Are you yet familiar with Jesus’ parabolic teaching of the talents? Read Matthew 25:14-30. Read it over and over prayerfully. Get this in your spirit and thinking processes. Let the truth rule and be your thoughts and constitution. Remember that a talent is essential and simply, a gift. And that gift is from our Maker and the Judge of our eternal souls. We shall soon give account before Him for how we are using that which He has placed in our hands.

“All things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.” 1 Chronicles 29:14

In our modern definition, many reduce a “talent” to some ability they have. In Christ’s parable of the talents, a “talent” is primarily an amount of money which is the gift of God. This parable is not principally speaking of some gift or ability to sing or anything else that one uses to bring attention to himself. Yes, the ability or talent to sing is a gift of God to be stewarded by the one He has given to.

Of this important teaching, Williams MacDonald notes:

“Those who desire to be used for God’s glory are given the means. The more they do, the more they are enabled to do for Him. Conversely, we lose what we don’t use. Atrophy is the reward of indolence.

The mention of the bankers in verse 27 suggests that if we cannot use our possessions for the Lord, we should turn them over to others who can.  The bankers in this case may be missionaries, Bible societies, Christian publishing houses, gospel radio programs, etc. In a world like ours, there is no excuse for leaving money idle. Pierson helpfully recommends:

‘Timid souls, unfitted for bold and independent service in behalf of the kingdom, may link their incapacity to the capacity and sagacity of others who will make their gifts and possessions of use to the Master and His Church … The (unprofitable) steward (in the parable of the talents) has money, or it may be other gifts, that can be made for use, but he lacks faith and foresight, practical energy and wisdom. The Lord’s “exchangers” can show him how to get gain for the Master … The church partly exists that the strength of one member may help the weakness of another, and that by cooperation of all, the power of the least and weakest may be increased.’

The unprofitable servant was cast out – excluded from the kingdom. He shared the anguished fate of the wicked. It was not his failure to invest the talent that that condemned him; rather his lack of good works showed that he lacked saving faith.” William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary, p. 1298

The “talent” of my time and treasure must be invested wisely.

Nothing is more common than unsuccessful men who have talent they refuse to use.

Stewardship: There Will be No Excuses

IF you have time, ability, opportunity, and treasure (money) to help with God’s work, you are talented! Those gifts are from the LORD who is personally watching exactly how you are using them.

Nothing quite tests the true value of one’s place with Christ as does his stewardship of those things God has allowed to be placed in his temporary possession. The mettle or true and actual value of one’s faith is seen in His stewardship actions or lack thereof.

If you aren’t called to lead up a ministry serving, simply discern one that is fulfilling the purpose Christ gave to His church and jump in. Humble yourself and diligently serve, serve, serve. Give, give, give. Lay down your life and pour out all for Christ’s eternal sake and glory! Refuse to “lay up for yourself” wealth in this fleeting world. Send it forth into eternity!

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: ²⁰ But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: ²¹ For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. ²² The light (focus) of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single (singularly focused on Christ), thy whole body shall be full of light. ²³ But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! ²⁴ No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:19-24

If you are not willing to give up some of the money God is putting in your hands it’s because you have made an idol of money and are trusting it instead of God.

In stewardship, there will be no excuses. There are more opportunities now than there has ever been in the history of mankind. Those who are not using what God has put in their hands will have no excuse when they stand before Him to be judged. If you are reading this message and are not using what God has and is putting into your hands for His kingdom glory, like the unprofitable/fruitless servant, you also will be cast “into outer darkness.”

“And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness (hell): there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 25:30

The Bible repeatedly teaches us that the fruitless are not abiding in Christ and will be in the lake of fire for eternity (Matthew 3:7-10; 7:19; John 15:1-6, etc.). What is it that is more important to you than Christ and therefore His work that He sent you to participate in?

Your use of the talents, the gifts God has given you reveals whether or not you are fruitful or fruitless.

“Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” Matthew 7:19

Of this important biblical teaching on stewardship, Stephen Michels writes:

“Christ’s parable of the talents should provoke all of us who profess to be followers of Jesus, to reaffirm and diligently dedicate ALL that God has placed into our hands, including time, money, abilities, and any other resources He has blessed us with to further His kingdom every day of our lives!  The parable of the talents is one that I must always remember, as I challenge myself to be a 10-talent man with the time our Father gives me here. I must ask myself every day, ‘What am I doing for Jesus today and what am I doing to advance His kingdom? What am I giving to advance the Gospel?’  We must all work for the kingdom while it is still day.”

What now?

• Repent, asking God to forgive you for squandering and wasting that which He has given you.
• If you have something that is not being used constructively, sell it at one and put that money into God’s work (Acts 4:32-35).
• If you have money that is sitting in an account – money that could help another and God’s Word – you have a buried talent that you should release for God’s glory immediately lest you suffer the eternal fate of the one who buried his talent (Matthew 25:30).
• If you have something another believer needs, give it to them freely as God gave it to you. Refuse to make the body of Christ pay for the same thing twice (Acts 4:32-35).
• Get your checkbook out and give to a worthy, New Testament ministry.
• Cry out to the LORD daily for His wisdom in His holy fear.
• Get into God’s Word and devour it like never before!
• Place God’s work first from here forward. Every time you receive money, give a “firstfruits” offering to bless His work and workers to further His Gospel (Proverbs 3:10-11)
• Ready Haggai 1 and find out why God was judging His people.

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