25212 Parable of the Lost Son

Luke 15:11–32

15:11 Then Jesus said, “A man had two sons. 15:12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that will belong to me.’ So he divided his assets between them. 15:13 After a few days, the younger son gathered together all he had and left on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered his wealth with a wild lifestyle. 15:14 Then after he had spent everything, a severe famine took place in that country, and he began to be in need. 15:15 So he went and worked for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 15:16 He was longing to eat the carob pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 15:17 But when he came to his senses he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have food enough to spare, but here I am dying from hunger! 15:18 I will get up and go to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 15:19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired workers.”’ 15:20 So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way from home his father saw him, and his heart went out to him; he ran and hugged his son and kissed him. 15:21 Then his son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 15:22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Hurry! Bring the best robe, and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! 15:23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it! Let us eat and celebrate, 15:24 because this son of mine was dead, and is alive again—he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.

15:25 “Now his older son was in the field. As he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 15:26 So he called one of the slaves and asked what was happening. 15:27 The slave replied, ‘Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he got his son back safe and sound.’ 15:28 But the older son became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and appealed to him, 15:29 but he answered his father, ‘Look! These many years I have worked like a slave for you, and I never disobeyed your commands. Yet you never gave me even a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends! 15:30 But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 15:31 Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and everything that belongs to me is yours. 15:32 It was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost and is found.’”

25211 Introduction

Jesus came to show us the Father and to reconcile us with Him. He told the parable of the lost son to help us see our Father as He really is. As a vivid illustration, Jesus tells of a father’s love for his sons and how he wants to be in relationship with each one.

Our heavenly Father loves us just like the father in this story. In God’s sight we are worthy and valuable no matter what condition we are in. God loves us with a great, unstoppable love. He loves us despite our sins and wanderings. He loves us even when we are self-righteous and think we are better than others because we follow rules.

This is how God sees us, but so often we don’t know of or cannot accept His unconditional forgiveness and grace. We judge ourselves based on the good or evil we think we have done. If we have done bad things we listen to the voice of condemnation and beat ourselves up with guilt or shame. If we have obeyed the rules, we consider ourselves good and right and pride wells up within us. To further complicate the problem, we falsely assume that God, our Father, judges us in the same way we judge ourselves. We assume He condemns us because of our bad behaviors or values and loves us because of our good deeds and hard work.

However, this is not how our Father thinks of us. God does not see us through the rules of the law; He sees us in love. In this story, we hear of the contrast between the Old Covenant of law and the New Covenant of grace. Both the lost son and the hard-working son are measuring themselves according to what they have done—according to the law. They judge and value themselves—and assume that their father judges and values them—based on their obedience to the Old Covenant of law introduced through Moses.

Both sons are focused on what they think they deserve based on the law. They view acceptance, blessing and love as rewards to be achieved or withheld based on their behaviors. This is how things work in the Old Covenant—or in any law-based religion.

But the father is clearly not thinking like either of his sons. His actions come from his loving heart. He loves both his sons—not because of what they have done or failed to do—but simply because they are his sons. The father treats his sons with love, kindness, care and compassion. He loves his younger son and his older son and desires that both join him in joyful relationship.

God reaches down to us in love. Even our best attempts to obey the law, or any other set of religious rules, will not help us earn our way to God. Yes, God wants us to be good by His definition—to be right and holy like He is. But we can’t achieve that by following rules; we only come to be good in loving relationship with God. God doesn’t love us because we are good; He makes us good because He loves us. He makes us good through our inner relationship with Him. That inner relationship can’t help but work itself out so that we actually become good on the outside as well. In this way, obedience is a by-product of living in right relationship—of living in love.

The Christian life is not to be one of external conformity to the law—of legalism. Neither is it to be one of disregard for the law—of license. Rather, the Christian life is to be one of liberty. In liberty, we are set free from sin—not just from the consequences of sin, but from the actual thought and deed itself. In the Christian life, as God intended it to be, our loving relationship with God sets us free to be our true selves, fashioned after the image of God.

In the New Covenant, the Father sent His Son to die for our sins and reconcile us to Himself. Regardless of our wanderings or our self-righteous ways, our Father loves us unconditionally and always. A loving relationship with our heavenly Father is the foundation for all that we were created to be. Reconciled with God—dwelling in His love—we become right from the inside out.

22830.031 Echo into Eternity

“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” (Revelation 22:12–13, NIV)

A reward time is coming. There is a time when each one of us will stand in front of the Judgment Seat of Christ for the purpose of receiving reward or suffering loss of reward. We do have accountability to the Lord for what we have done or not done here on this earth. Jesus Christ is coming back, and he is bringing a reward with him.

Only to the extent that we build our lives on the foundation of Christ, by allowing him to live his life through us, can we expect the deeds we do in the body to be able to stand the test of fire.

God’s grace in many ways prioritizes opportunity. We serve the God who provides the opportunity to each one of us to respond to his grace. He is the God who draws us to himself through his Son Jesus Christ. He creates in us an increasing desire to invest in the imperishable values of his eternal kingdom. For those who respond to the opportunities he presents to us, the future is one of glory beyond human description to be enjoyed in his presence forever.

There is a message to those of us who are on the King’s team, “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you” (Ephesians 5:14, NIV). The time is short, and the eternal destinies of multitudes are at stake. We need to wake up and get busy doing the King’s business. If we follow this exhortation, Christ will shine on our lives. And when Christ shines on our lives, things happen!

We all have opportunities to build our eternal treasure, and the message to us is clear: We need to respond properly to the message of God, we need to reach for the best that God has to offer, and we need to press on toward the heavenly goal God has for us. Prayer, the Word of God, and the power of the Holy Spirit will deliver us from the wiles of the consumerlator so that we can develop into the Converterlators God has planned for us to be.

Most of us are not “great” people in the eyes of the world. From a kingdom perspective, this gives us an advantage. God often uses the weak among us to accomplish great things. Each day is a new opportunity for us to serve him. Each new day is an opportunity to strategically invest our time, talent, and treasure into things of eternal value.

The question is, Are we spiritually astute enough to see this time as a time of eternal opportunity? In Matthew 6:20, Jesus tells us to “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (ESV). Yes, we can have an eternal 401k. Yes, our treasure can last forever. It is guaranteed. The returns are fantastic; in fact, they are beyond our human ability to measure.

In what ways are you investing your time, talent, and treasure so that your life will echo into eternity?

Converterlators strategically invest their time, talent, and treasure into things of eternal value.

32713 Proclaiming the Gospel

The gospel means good news. 

The rightful, righteous, benevolent King of all creation has returned to restore peace out of chaos, to bring life out of death, to shine light to dispel all darkness, to execute justice, and to cause his creation to prosper once again. And you have an honored and unique role to play in his new kingdom as his own son/daughter!

Now that’s really good news!

Jesus directs us to make this news known to the whole world. 

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:19-20

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth.” – Acts 1:8

Matthew 28:19-20 is known as the Great Commission. Jesus commissioned his disciples (that means you) to a global task. Every ethnic group in every language is the object of his love. No nation is beyond the reach of his grace. 

Here is how it works.

It begins with people. Because of our sins, the world was plunged into chaos and death, violence and evil, darkness and fear. When God touches and transforms the life of individuals, they become his agents of light to bring his kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. It is people who are called by his name that God will use to restore all things.

Jesus not only taught about the kingdom of heaven but also showed its nature and culture of love and power. Following the examples of Jesus, we are to proclaim the gospel not only by declaring the truth about Jesus and God’s salvation in Christ but also by demonstrating his love, truth, and goodness.

God has made you ambassadors for Christ, as though making his plea through you to the world to be reconciled to God  (2 Corinthians 5:20). He has also made you the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13-14) because you are now children of light in the Lord (Ephesians 5:8). Jesus also said to “let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

In other words, not only you carry the gospel but also you are the good news the world sees. That is why Paul admonishes us to live in a way worthy of God and his calling (1 Thessalonians 2:12; Ephesians 4:1). 

People are hurting without hope. They are living without peace. They are looking for love in all the wrong places. When they learn that you believe in Jesus, they are watching you closely to see if your God is real and if his love is true.

Meditate on the following teaching of Jesus in light of the Great Commission.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.

“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account of me. Rejoice and be glad, because your reward is great in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way.” – Matthew 5:3-11

32811 Standing Firm in Christ

Resist the enemy. The who? Scripture is unabashed in describing what we’re up against as Christians.

Ephesian 6:10-12 says, “Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.”

Additionally, 1 Peter 5:8-9 says, “Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, strong in your faith, because you know that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are enduring the same kinds of suffering.

Throughout the gospels Jesus can often be found confronting demons (also called evil spirits) and even being tempted by the devil (Satan) (Luke 4).

It is clear from the Bible that Satan is an intelligent, cunning enemy and one who would easily defeat us were it not for the mighty power of the Lord. He is often described as having schemes or plans and is strategic in his tempting. Luke 4:13 assumes this when it concludes the description of Jesus’ temptation: “So when the devil had completed every temptation, he departed from him until a more opportune time.”

We have two other enemies as well: the influence of surrounding cultures (called “the world” in scripture) and ourselves—specifically habits, desires, priorities, and expectations that are contrary to what Jesus desires for our lives. That enemy is what scripture calls “the flesh” or “the old self.”

So as Christians, we are pressured to turn from following Jesus by three sources, Satan (and his demons), the world around us, and the old self within us.

Whew. So all we have to do is just resist and trust God, right?

Well, not so much. “Just trust God” has often been the Band-Aid advice well-meaning Christians give to those dealing with major struggles. The problem is not actually with the advice but with the assumption that applying that advice should be easy.

When we come up against seemingly insurmountable temptations, our intent to trust God quickly crumbles. It is a story sadly repeated throughout the history of God’s people. From the first pages of scripture with the temptation of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3), to Israelite’s depressingly fast slide into idolatry (Exodus 32), to the decades of wavering between idols and God (1 & 2 Kings), God’s people have always struggled to depend only on God.

It’s the same for us today. We easily scramble to meet our own needs, seek fulfillment, and pursue contentment without the slightest thought about depending on God to provide for us. It is no wonder, then, that we also easily find ourselves stuck in sinful habits, surrounded by voices that blame and condemn us, seeking escape and solace by whatever is closest at hand.

So what has to change to begin seeing victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil?

First, and deepest, is Resisting False Identity and learning to embrace our true identity as one fully known and fully loved.

Second, is Resisting Isolation and depending on God’s community—risking vulnerability with our brothers and sisters in Jesus.

Third, is Resisting Satanic Condemnation and trusting God’s scandalous forgiveness—receiving the gift that counteracts shame.

And finally, Resisting Temptation and depending on God as we actually do the work and practices of resistance.
We are told in John 16:33 the Christian life is not going to be easy “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble and suffering, but take courage—I have conquered the world.” Our lives involve the juxtaposition of peace and trouble. Christ’s peace and ultimate victory over the world doesn’t mean the absence of trouble. His presence instead allows us to have courage and hope. Courage, that God will provide for us in the midst of this sweaty, dangerous task of resistance, and hope that our God-sustained resistance will ultimately bring freedom and victory!

32611 Connecting with God’s Family

When you invited Jesus into your life, you became a part of God’s family! It doesn’t matter what color your skin is; how smart you are; what kind of job you have; if you are a man, woman, teenager, or child; or how much money or stuff you have …you are part of the family of God. And you need to get to know the other members of your family!
(See Ephesians 2:19-22)

You, along with all other Christians of all time, make up what is known as the body of Christ, the Church. Jesus made a promise to you and me. When we come together, with Him as our focus … He is there: “For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them” (Matthew 18:20).

One of the main reasons many Christians live defeated lives is that they have isolated themselves from other believers. They think they can go it alone. That they can stay connected to Christ without being connected to His body, which is made up of other believers. It is important that you find a church or some type of group of Christians to connect with in order to grow in your relationship with God.

Throughout the New Testament of the Bible, Paul tells the early Christians that they are each vital “parts” of the “body of Christ”. The need to stay committed to God and to each other.

Every part of the body of Christ is important. And every part is interrelated. Think about your personal, physical body for a moment … every part has an important function and every part is interconnected. Likewise, the body of Christ is also interconnected. (See 1 Corinthians 12:14-27) It’s all the different-but-similar parts arranged and functioning together.

When you are joined together with other believers who are growing in Christ, you encourage one another and help one another stay focused on your mutual faith.

22830.030 Weaving a Pattern of Giving

“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7, ESV)

Each person has a different financial situation. In many parts of the world people have very little in the way of financial resources. It is important for all of us to remember that God loves the cheerful giver. God is more interested in the attitude we have about our giving than in the amount we give. All that we have has been given to us by God. Are we joyfully allowing him to use it to bless those around us? Are people welcome in your home? Do you share what you do have without being self-conscious that others may have more or less than you do? Are you willing to share what you have without being concerned about receiving a “thank you” in return? Do you consider the eternal ramifications of your giving?

My goal is to be a grace giver, empowered by the Holy Spirit. Grace-giving is the result of a God-given and God-driven desire to give following three basic principles: he who sows bountifully will reap bountifully, what is reasonable to give to a particular project considering your current life circumstances, and how much can be given to this project cheerfully? The Bible tells us that when we sow bountifully, we will reap bountifully (see 2 Corinthians 9:6). God gives us the choice of sowing sparingly or bountifully. In Luke 21:1–4 we read about the poor widow who “out of her poverty put in all she had to live on” as a freewill offering into the temple treasury, which amounted to two small copper coins. This was all that she had and yet she sowed it bountifully. Hers was a gift of sacrifice; nevertheless, she gave it generously and sacrificially. This was low-profile giving at its best! The value of what we give to God’s work is not determined by its amount, but by the spirit in which we give it. God will surely bless whatever we give to him with a heart of gratitude, generosity, and expectancy that he will use it to further his kingdom. When it comes to giving, I often use the acronym GIVE to remind myself of the important principles that need to guide my giving:

G Grace-giving is the result of my God-given, God-driven desire to give.

I I desire to give because my giving is a major gateway for God to work in my life.

V Victory over self; my desire to invest in the imperishable trumps my desire to invest in the perishable.

E Eyes are fixed on the unseen and eternal rewards.

Giving is the major gateway by which God gets involved in the life of the believer. We will increasingly see “the finger of God” at work in our circumstances and otherwise when we practice giving our treasure to the interests of God’s kingdom.

In what ways would your converterlating become more effective if I were to make the study of God’s Word more important in your life?

Converterlators invest their treasure in the interests of God’s kingdom.


22830.029 Changed Perspective

“My point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace overflow to you so that because you have enough of everything in every way at all times, you will overflow in every good work.”
— 2 Corinthians 9:6–8

In my first book (KingdomNomics: Enjoy a Life that Will Echo into Eternity), I shared how I went through a conversion process. My relationship with Jesus Christ set me on the road to becoming a Converterlator. This is a journey for each one of us and God teaches us and leads us in many different ways. However, the one thing I do know is that each one of us is called to converterlate our time, talent, and treasure. Now that my life is directed by God, I have a different view of all of my earthly treasure including my money and I use it in a different way than I did before I met Christ. My goal is to be investing in eternity.

I love the story of Zacchaeus in the New Testament. In Luke 19 we read, “And when Jesus came to that place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, because I must stay at your house today.” So he came down quickly and welcomed Jesus joyfully. ”
—Luke 19:5–6

Zacchaeus was a “money guy” who was hated by his own people because he was a tax collector for the notorious Roman government. He was a self-starter, and he really did not care what other people thought of him. But here we find him wanting to see Jesus! He found a tree that would put him above the crowd and he waited. When Jesus called him, he responded immediately.

In verse 8 we read the rest of the story:

“But Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I now give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone of anything, I am paying back four times as much!” The life of Zacchaeus was changed! His encounter with Jesus transformed the view he had of his wealth and of his fellow man. The Spirit enlightened his heart and moved him to follow through with his new insight. By giving away a large portion of his personal wealth he became a strategic kingdom investor. He finally understood that his money was to be used for the advancement of God’s kingdom, not his own, and he responded! When his perspective changed, so did his behavior.

In what ways are you using your material blessings to bless other people?

Converterlators embrace the call to use all of their time, talent, and treasure to advance God’s kingdom.


22830.028 Your SPECIAL Design

“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart.” (Jeremiah 1:5, NLT).

God has created each one of us for a unique mission and he has equipped us with the exact abilities and talents to accomplish that mission. We can use the acronym SPECIAL to consider the talents and abilities God has given each one of us.

Spiritual Gifts

As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

—1 Peter 4:10, NASB

At the time that we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit gives each of us one or more spiritual gifts. It is the Holy Spirit who determines which gift or gifts we receive. These spiritual gifts are different from the natural abilities a person already possesses at the time of their spiritual birth. These gifts equip us for special service within the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit has spiritually gifted you for a unique role and mission.

Personality Traits

When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb … The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was content to stay at home.

—Genesis 25:24, 27, NIV

We are born with different personalities. These personal qualities affect how we think, what we value, and what we do. There are many traits that are blended into various personality combinations. While the world may value certain personality types more than others, God has designed each and every person with their own personality, and he can use those personalities in a powerful way.

Extraordinary Background

A person’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand their own way?

—Proverbs 20:24, NIV

Our family roots, educational opportunities, vocational history, friendships and acquaintances, and major life events all combine to give us a totally unique background. God orchestrates the events and circumstances of our lives so we will have the knowledge, relationships, and experiences necessary to fulfill our individual missions in life.

Central Motivation

I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

—Philippians 3:13–14, NLT

There are many different motivations that drive us. However, in each person there are one or two primary drives that exceed all the others. A central motivation is a God-given drive that he built into you. Your central motivation includes your abilities, your interests, the circumstances in which you are most productive, the relationships that bring out the best in you, and what kind of end result brings you the most joy. All of these factors fit together to give you a motivational pattern. As we discern what our motivation is, each one of us needs to focus that drive toward God’s eternal purposes.

Inherited Abilities

All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the Lord has commanded.

—Exodus 35:10, NIV

Different people have different inherited abilities. These natural abilities enable us to do certain things well. The abilities that you have were not randomly assigned. God has given you inherited abilities so you can better serve him and his kingdom.

Approved Adversity

Do you find it hard to believe that God was instrumental in putting you in your circumstances?

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”

“It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.”

—John 9:1–3, NLT

God has intentionally made each one of us for a special purpose! However, that doesn’t mean that all things will be easy. Adversity is one of the tools used by God to shape us. Sometimes God allows trials into our lives to build our character and enable us to minister to others who face similar difficulties.

Lifelong Mission

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

—Ephesians 2:10, ESV

God has given you a special design because he has assigned you a special mission. There are certain things that God has chosen you to do and he has custom designed you so you can do them better than anyone else. God wants you to participate in the plan that he has crafted for your life, but it’s up to you as to whether or not you will do them.

These are the various facets of your SPECIAL design. You are totally unique. There is no one like you. And that didn’t happen by chance; it happened by the ingenious design of our Creator.

In what ways are you SPECIAL?

Converterlators embrace the unique abilities and talents that God has given them and participate in his plan to use them.

Link to Chapter 12 of Converterlator “Converterlating Your Talent” and/or article “Converterlating Your Talent” under Supernatural Impact

22830.027 Converterlating Your Talent

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10, NIV)

A paper weight on my desk has the inscription, “Don’t wait for your ship to come in. Swim out to it!” As we practice KingdomNomics, we aggressively look for ways to converterlate our talents for the advancement of the kingdom of God. People often make the mistake of waiting for their ship to come in, hoping for something to come their way. Waiting and wishing with good intentions will not accomplish any worthwhile objective. If it feels like not much is happening in your life, perhaps the Lord is saying, “Stop waiting for your ship; start swimming!”

Each one of us needs to ask ourselves this question: Am I available? If we are really honest, oftentimes, we are unavailable.

This was also true in Bible times. Moses didn’t want to go to Egypt to be the spokesman for leading the people out of the Egyptian captivity. He offered all kinds of excuses. Gideon questioned why God would choose him to head up the army that would free God’s people from their oppressors. Jonah ran away from the responsibility God called him to. John Mark deserted Paul and Barnabas on a missionary journey.

God is looking for available people to do his work. Jesus said, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few” (Matthew 9:37, NLT). When it comes to investing your talent, are you willing to allow God to use all of your abilities and gifts for his purposes, no matter what that may be?

The prophet Isaiah said, “Then I heard the Lord asking, ‘Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?’ I said, ‘Here I am. Send me’” (Isaiah 6:8, NLT). What opportunities is God giving you to use your talent to serve him? The Holy Spirit has empowered us to accomplish great things. Second Corinthians 5:5 encourages us with these words, “He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit” (ESV). You may have many talents or only one, but with the Holy Spirit’s power working through you, you can make a difference that will last for all eternity.

We need to be alert to areas in which the Holy Spirit is moving us and blessing the efforts we are making on his behalf. Then we have to “swim” out to those places and join the forward movement with the rest of the team.

In what ways are you currently using your talent(s) to make a difference for eternity? What opportunities are being presented to you that you are afraid to take advantage of?

Converterlators utilize the opportunities that God gives them to use their talents.