03-30-24 Evening - Russell Stendal

In the parables of the minas and talents, Jesus teaches about the importance of being redeemed and belonging to Him. He emphasizes that it's not about religious activities, but about how we treat others. We are expected to use what God has given us for His kingdom and to participate in bringing others to know Jesus. When Jesus returns, He will hold us accountable for what we have done with what He has given us. Those who have been faithful will receive greater responsibility and authority in His kingdom. However, those who have not used what they were given will face judgment. It is crucial to acknowledge Jesus as our redeemer and to submit to His reign in our lives. There's two very interesting parables that are similar, yet they've got some differences. And one is the parable of the minas in Luke 19. And the other one is the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. Remember, Matthew 25 comes right after Matthew 24, which goes into all kinds of interesting end-time prophecy of what will happen leading up to Jesus' return. And Matthew 25 has to do with what it's going to be like for people like us that are here and alive and remain when Jesus comes back. And Matthew 25 starts out, you remember, with the ten virgins. The five foolish virgins and the five wise virgins. And how five of them weren't able to enter in to the wedding supper when the bridegroom returned. Then it immediately goes into this parable of the talents that were left with different servants. And then after that, it leads connected right into the judgment and the separation between the sheep and the goats. And the basis for being included among the sheep. And the basis for being included on those that enter into the kingdom isn't how many times you went to church. It isn't how often you paid your tithe. It doesn't have anything to do with religious activity. It doesn't mention that it would have been important to read your Bible. It doesn't mention anything having to do with were you water baptized? How many times you went to communion? No. It's I was hungry and you gave me to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me to drink. I was sick and you tended to me. I was in prison and you visited me. Enter into the kingdom. Prepared for you from the beginning. And they said, Lord, we don't remember doing any of that to You. They were unaware of what they'd been doing. And He said, when you've done it to the least of one of My servants, you've done it unto Me. So you can have people doing all kinds of things that they thought were good, but what if they did it to the wrong people? What's going to qualify in the end is what we did to Jesus. Whether we helped Him and had compassion on Him or whether we didn't. Because those that didn't got sent to the outer darkness. So how are we going to know what to do? The minas in Luke, mina means a coin. It was a silver coin. I mean, I imagine it could have been like a silver dollar maybe. I mean, I don't know how big a silver coin could have been back then. But it wouldn't have been worth a fortune. If we go back to the law in the book of Numbers, in order to be numbered in the army of God, in order to be counted, you couldn't count people without a silver coin being paid. Each one had to pay a silver coin. And silver, of course, in Scripture can represent redemption. And so I think the moral of that story is that in order to be part of the army of God, we have to be redeemed. In order to be redeemed, there's a provision that God makes for us, but there's also something that there's a responsibility placed on us. You remember when King David, it said he was enticed by the devil to number Israel, and there weren't any silver coins paid, and a horrible plague was the result. Because we can't be numbered among the people of God without the redemption being paid. And we know that Jesus has redeemed us. But we also know that even though the redemption that He's provided is available for everyone, that not everyone's going to be redeemed in the end. There are people that are actually going to be lost. Because they didn't repent and believe or depend on the Word of Jesus Christ. So let's assume that we're redeemed. And so this is an interesting take. He said, therefore, a certain nobleman, verse 12, went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. Jesus left and He promised to return. And having called ten of His slaves, His slaves belong to Him. Slaves have an owner. Slaves can't quit. And their owner rides for them. Servants receive a wage and they're a hireling, and they can quit. And there is a difference between the word slave and the word servant throughout the Bible. And a lot of translations just lump it together and they have just used the word servant because at different times in our past they were trying to get away from the word slave. But in order for a lot of things in Scripture to be fully understood, we have to understand the difference between a servant and a slave. And we all start out as slaves. Slaves to the flesh, which puts us in bondage to sin and to the devil. We're born into a race of slaves. And Jesus redeems us, purchases us so that we belong to Him. But He wants to set us free and see what we'll do. And we can abuse the liberty that we have in the Spirit. We can abuse the gifts and callings of God selflessly and unwisely. Or we can say, you know something, even though if the Son has set us free, we're free indeed, even though in the Spirit of God we have liberty. But guess what? I still want to belong to Jesus. I don't want to use what He's given me for anything other than His plans and purposes. And having called ten of His slaves, He delivered them ten minas and said unto them, Trade until I come. But His citizens hated Him and sent an embassy after Him saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. So right here we have two basic categories of people. We have the ones that received the minas. And in this parable, ten that belonged to Him each received one. They received each one the same. In the parables of talents, they didn't receive each one the same. Some received more talents than others. See, so when God redeems us, there are certain things that's the same for everyone. But there's also certain things that's different for each one. The redemption of each and every one of us is the same. Each person that was going to be in the army of God had to pay the same coin. It was the same for everybody. It didn't matter if they were rich or poor, what their status was in Israel. Because they all had to acknowledge being redeemed. But we also have those called here His citizens that said, We will not have this man to reign over us. In other words, they excluded themselves from the redemption. If we're going to give acknowledge that we're redeemed, it's inherent in that we really do want this man to reign over us. And so there is a false gospel out there with a false premise, and their logic goes like this. Point number one, salvation is a free gift. Would you agree with that? Salvation is a free gift. Point number two is, when is the free gift yours? Point number three, when you receive it. Well, now there's something the matter because we're talking about an it instead of a Him. And Jesus is the gift. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Jesus is the gift. If we have Him, we have everything. If we don't have Him, we have nothing. And it is linked to us acknowledging that, and that's what that silver coin was all about. But we are redeemed for a purpose because everyone that He gave a mina to, He said, trade until I come. In other words, when we're redeemed and we belong to Him, He expects us to provide eternal gain for His kingdom. Participate in eternal gain for His kingdom. And what would that be? Well, that would be seeing and participating and being involved in other people coming to know Jesus, so that they're also redeemed. Now, we know that anything good has to come from Him, and we know that there isn't anything good unless He does it. But also, He wants to work in us and through us. In the end, we're all going to be judged according to Scripture by our works, even though our salvation is linked to faith and grace. But the proof that we're saved is because there has been a change in our behavior caused by Him. So if we've done any good works, and it says that there are good works that He has preordained for us to walk in. So if we're walking in the good works that He has preordained, there's going to be increased for His kingdom. But in the end, even though we were involved, it will have been His work. Not some good work that is really a dead work that many try to think up and implement apart from Him. So in order for this to be effective, we need to understand that He reigns over us, but that He's expecting an increase. He is expecting an increase. And so look what happens when He comes back. And it came to pass, verse 15, that when He was returned, having received the kingdom, when Jesus returns, He will have received the kingdom. And now the kingdoms of this world are all under the devil. But the kingdoms of this world are going to come down just like the stone cut without hands that crashed into the image that Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel saw. It totally destroyed it and grew into a mountain that covered the whole earth. When Jesus returns, that's going to be the end of the kingdoms of this world. And His kingdom is going to come up over the top of all of it. And He is going to call us to account what did we do with the minor that He left us. He saved us, and now what? Having received the kingdom, then He commanded these slaves to be called unto Him to whom He had given the money, that He might know how much each one had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy miner has gained ten miners. And He said unto him, Well done thou, good slave, because thou hast been faithful unto very little. Thou shalt have authority over ten cities. The guy received the silver dollar. His master came back and now he's gained ten. Does this really symbolize that he was involved in the salvation of ten individuals? It could have been. But whatever it was, the master said, Okay, you're going to have authority over ten cities. That's a pretty big increase in responsibility, wouldn't you say? And the second came, saying, Lord, thy miner has made five miners. And He said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy miner, which I have kept laid up in a napkin, for I feared thee because thou art an austere man. Thou takest up that which thou didst not lay down, and dost reap that which thou didst not sow. Then he said unto him, Out of thine own mouth I will judge thee, thou wicked slave. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that which I did not lay down, and reaping that which I did not sow. Why then didst thou not give my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required my own with interest? And he said unto those that stood by, Take from him the miner, and give it to him that has the ten miners. And they said unto him, Lord, he has ten miners. For I say unto you, that unto everyone who has shall be given, and from him that has not even that which he has shall be taken away. What would it be like to take your miner and put in the bank that interest? What do you think could be the interpretation of that one? Well, it would take a long time at interest for it to even duplicate into another miner, but there would be some gain. What could we consider an honest banker to be? I think a possible interpretation of this could be if you're not willing to risk what God has given you, but you don't want to hide it either, you could find someone that God is using and come alongside and say, fit me in. Put me to work. How can I help you? How can I bless you? How can I use what God has given me? And that could be like putting your miner out of interest. You remember not too long before he said this, Jesus came through, I believe it was Jericho, and He had not too long earlier had the incident with the young man known as the rich young ruler who He told to go sell everything and follow Him. The guy went away sad because he had a lot of possessions. Didn't realize the wonderful deal Jesus was offering him to turn all of his earthly treasure into a hundred times more heavenly treasure plus get to be part of Jesus' ministry. And ended up making a statement that it's impossible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. But then, He also said that with God all things are possible. So they get to Jericho and we have the story of Zacchaeus who had a bad reputation of being the chief tax collector and everybody was mad at him because he was collecting all of his tax money and he was the one in charge, I guess, of the tax collectors. And Jesus invited Himself to Zacchaeus' house. And the Scripture says everyone was murmuring. They all murmured. Well, if they all murmured, it must have been the disciples murmuring and the Pharisees murmuring and everybody murmuring. Why would Jesus go home with this guy? I mean, the guy didn't even invite Jesus home. Jesus invited Himself to the guy's house. And in the middle of all this murmuring, Zacchaeus, who apparently wasn't very tall, stands up and says that he's given half of everything that he has to the poor and that if he's wrong in any way, he's going to pay him back fourfold, which might have taken care of the other half of his wealth. And it doesn't say what Jesus was saying after this, but when Jesus finally intervenes, He says, today salvation has entered this household. Okay. In order to produce results for the kingdom, more or minus for His heavenly Father, Jesus had to take a risk. What if He went home with Zacchaeus and Zacchaeus didn't repent? What if He went and ate at Zacchaeus' place or maybe even spent the night at Zacchaeus' place and Zacchaeus just continued to be the same old task collector, ripping everybody off? Jesus' reputation would have taken a big hit and that's what His disciples were worried about. And friends, if we're going to multiply what God has given us, you can't do it without taking a risk. There's risks involved in obtaining eternal gain for the kingdom of God. I've had times where we've befriended somebody that nobody else would have befriended. And Jesus knew exactly what was going to happen, but we don't always know exactly what's going to happen and there's the possibility that we could do something that wouldn't turn out all that wonderful. But if there's no risk, there's no gain. And God can show us what risks to take and what risks not to take. The guy who hid his mina, one time I was involved in some dealings in the United States State Department and a very high-ranking official in Washington took me out to lunch. And he said, the reason they hate you here is because they don't want any strong Christians around. And then he said, and I'm a Christian too. He said, I've been here in this office for 19 years, I'm a Christian too, but I've never told anyone. And if you repeat this, I'll deny it, he said. Another friend who calls guys like that, he calls them God's secret service. But I think it's more like hiding his mina in a napkin and burying it in the ground. Jesus called that guy a wicked servant and took his mina away from him and gave it to the guy that had ten. Everyone who has shall be given, and to everyone who has shall be given, and from him that has not, even that which he has shall be taken away from him. In other words, if we've laid up heavenly treasure here, we're going to be given more. But if we haven't, even what we have is going to be taken because we're going to come to the end of our life or Jesus is going to come back. And if we haven't done anything with what God has given us, that's going to be the end. We will have no further opportunity to gain heavenly treasure or to bring about gain for the Kingdom of God. So that guy for sure is not going to be in Jesus' government. Somebody like that is not going to be in Jesus' government. And we don't know how much it could be even worse. Verse 27 though gives another category. Remember the ones that wouldn't have Him rule over them? It says, "...moreover, those enemies of Mine who were unwilling that I should reign over them, bring them here and slay them before Me." Well, at least that didn't happen to the guy who hid his mina in a napkin and buried it in the ground. It didn't say bring them here with My enemies and slay them before Me. That's a whole other category. But think about it. For sure he missed being included in the government of Jesus when Jesus comes to reign and rule. And whether He saved or lost, I don't know. There is hope for him because he wasn't in the group of those that got brought in and killed before the king because they refused to have Him reign over them. Now let's consider the parable of the talents. Jesus gave a different number of talents to each person. So you see that there's things that God does like redemption, which is the same for everybody. But there's things that God does like the talents that isn't the same for everyone. Right after He says, "...watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man comes. For it is like a man traveling into a far country." Matthew 25, verse 14. "...who called unto his own slaves and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, and each one according to his faculty." In other words, his ability to perform. "...and straightway took his journey." Now there's different definitions for talents in Scripture. There were talents of different weights, but a talent could have been anywhere from 60 to over 100 pounds. Even if it was silver, it would have been a substantial amount of money, and if it was gold, it would have been an immense fortune. And when we're part of the kingdom of God, when we've been redeemed, we will receive talents. When we're born into this natural world, we're born with natural gifting. There are things that are in the package from the word go. You can have someone that's born with musical talent. And somebody else who isn't. And if the person doesn't have that talent, no matter how much you train them or teach them about playing an instrument or singing, that was going to be mediocre. They'll never go past a certain point. But if they've got the talent, it could be different. And when we're born naturally, some of us receive more talents than others. And when we're born again spiritually, some of us receive more talents than others. But the point that he's making here is that we're responsible for the talents that He gives us. And that He is expecting a return on His investment. Then the one who gave five talents to another two went to another one, and each one according to his faculty in a straight way took his journey. And after he was gone, he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same and made another five talents. And likewise, he that had received the two, he also gained another two. But he that had received one went and dug in the earth and hid his Lord's money. And after a long time, the Lord of those slaves came and reckoned accounts with them." I think the Lord's going to reckon accounts with everyone that's lived. For what He gave them. How they used what He gave them. He lets these things run. Another verse says, the gifts and callings of God are without repentance. That can be interpreted in different ways. But one way to interpret it is, is if God gifts you with something and you abuse it, He won't immediately take it from you. But if someone's born with a talented singing voice and they choose not to use it for God and use it for the world, God doesn't immediately destroy their vocal cords. He lets it go. And there's a lot of musicians and singers that seem to have made some kind of a deal with the devil because they have phenomenal ability to draw people and get worshiped almost like gods, even while helping to lead all kinds of people astray. Or there's gifts that we can use for God. And when we're born again, we receive spiritual gifts. And spiritual gifts, each person is unique. It's not like the minus where each one receives exactly the same. The talents are different. And God expects us to invest both of them. He expects us to invest that which we've received that's the same as everyone else. And He expects us to invest that which He's given us that's different from everyone else. His Lord came, said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant, thou has been faithful over a few things. I will set thee over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. He also that had received the two talents came and said, Lord, thou didst deliver unto me two talents. Behold, I have gained two other talents besides them. His Lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful slave, thou has been faithful over a few things. I will set thee over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Well, what could those talents be? Well, it's possible for us to acquire godly character. It's possible for us to serve others and stimulate them in the right direction towards godly character. And for them to develop and blossom into what God wants them to be. God wants us to attain our full potential in Christ. Then he who had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown and gathering where thou had not scattered. Therefore, I was afraid and went and hid thy talent in the earth. Behold, thou hast what is thine. Now friends, if the love of God, the charity of God flows in and through us, we won't be afraid. We'll respect the Lord, but we won't be afraid to the point where we're unwilling or unable to act. His Lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful slave, thou knewest that I reaped where I did not sow and gather where I have not scattered. He didn't just get called a wicked slave, he got called a slothful slave too. In other words, he wasn't just wicked, he was wicked and lazy. Therefore, it was expedient for thee to have put my money to the bankers and that at my coming I should have received mine own with interest. Take therefore the talent from him and give it unto him who has ten talents. Now notice that the guy with the five talents gained another five talents. The guy with the two talents gained another two talents. The percentage of gain was equal. But in both times, both with the talent and the minor, the talent from the guy and the minor from the guy who buried it got given to the guy that had the most talents. Isn't that interesting? For unto everyone that has shall be given, and he shall have abundance. But from him that has not shall be taken away even that which he has. And cast thee, the unprofitable slave, into the outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Doesn't it sound very good to get cast out into the outer darkness? I mean, could you still be saved and spend eternity in the outer darkness? I don't think so. Doesn't sound very good to me. For unto everyone that has shall be given. See, friends, if we have stored up heavenly treasure, then more is going to be given to us. Jesus promised the rich young ruler that if he would have invested in the kingdom of God, that he would have had a hundredfold in heavenly treasure. Plus the ability to be Jesus' disciple. And he walked away sad. Zacchaeus, on the other hand, once he had an encounter with Jesus, he was going to let everything go. And Jesus didn't count any of his bad past. Just announced salvation to come to the entire household. You see, when there's ill-gotten gains, it gets passed on to the heirs. And there could be a curse that could just roll. And I've seen some really tragic stories of people in the ministry putting people that have ill-gotten gains on a guilt trip and taking some of the money. Now, you remember when Naaman came to Elisha, and the prophet wouldn't receive anything from Naaman, even after he was healed. But his servant Gehazi decided to get some of Naaman's wealth and made up a lie and got something. But he also got Naaman's leprosy upon him and upon his heirs from then on out. And in this world that we're surrounded by, I mean, we see it all the time in places like Columbia, but I'm sure it's just as active here. There's ill-gotten wealth that just goes down through the family chain. Some of these top families have a horrible history and a curse that just follows them. And nothing is clean. And many of them dominate politics at a local, at a state, or at a national level. And I certainly wouldn't want any of that kind of money for the ministry. I think the best we can do in one of those situations is what Jesus did with the rich Rangu, or just tell them to go sell it all and give it to the poor. And then once they're divested of all that, they can join the ministry. From here, Jesus goes into the sheep and the goats and what each one wasn't aware of doing, where either they treated the Lord's representatives well, or else they didn't treat them well. See, these are practical things that it's going to be impossible to argue with. When Jesus comes back and separates the sheep from the goats, nobody could remember the ones that went into the kingdom didn't remember having ministry. The ones that went into the kingdom didn't remember having been nice to Jesus. And the ones that got rejected didn't remember having not been nice to Jesus. Because it all had to do with whatever you did to the least of His disciples. Like in Bogota, you can go someplace and there's beggars all over the place. If you even try and go into a church, there's likely to be a bunch of beggars outside wanting something. And they'll all have different stories. But what if there's one of them that really is one of the least of Jesus' disciples? And I've always thought, you know something, I'd rather give something to somebody that didn't deserve it than not give something to somebody that God put there to see if I would help them. So, I've helped questionable people. And sometimes you get burned. It's a risk. But a lot of times you hit the nail on the head and God's blessing multiplies. If somebody that really does belong to the Lord is sick and in prison and we pick up on it and go help them or encourage them, that's huge. But if there's somebody out there trying to serve God and they're struggling, and we find people like that all the time, trying to serve the Lord out in the middle of someplace where there's no money and no offerings, and they're lucky if their congregation even gives them gifts of enough food to survive. And if we come by and bless somebody like that, that can be huge for the kingdom. One guy like that that we started helping, Randy met him. He's coordinating close to 200 congregations now. And all we did was help him with some tin roofing to finish his building. And got him a motorcycle so he could travel. And brought in thousands and thousands of books and Bibles for him to give to everybody. And we picked the right guy and God honored it and multiplied everything. But there's guys out there that would be the opposite. You could have somebody that just had a religious spirit and was just absorbing resources, and no matter what you put into them, it would all go down the drain. And if you gave them the resources, they'd wreck it for everybody else. So how are we going to know if we're helping the right people? Because it's crucial for the multiplication and even for our own eternal status that we not be making mistakes of the resources of God's people today. Even though God's moving all over the world. Do you know where most of the money is in the hands of God's people? It's here in North America. And of the giving of North American Christians, how much of it do you think goes into effectiveness for the kingdom of God and how much goes into rat holes that are never going to produce anything for the kingdom? You wouldn't believe some of this stuff. Well, maybe you would, but we've seen an awful lot of very questionable use of the funds of the kingdom. And a lot of people picking the wrong people. In fact, there's whole congregations with more goats in them than sheep. And people that like stealing sheep, sometimes they end up with a whole congregation full of goats that nobody can manage. So what's it going to take? The five prudent versions were connected to the source of the oil. And their lamps never went out. And they had clear guidance and direction and made it into the wedding supper with their lamps burning. There is no substitute for a clean, clear relationship with the Lord. Connected by the Spirit to the source of the oil so that our lamps don't go out. It says they trimmed their lamps. But you can trim your lamps all you want and it's not going to do you any good if you run out of oil. Another interesting thing about that is all ten of them went to sleep. And virgins with lamps, it could symbolize individuals, but women in Scripture can also symbolize entire congregations. And we don't just have individuals that are asleep spiritually today. We've got whole congregations, maybe even whole denominations that are asleep in the sense that they don't know what time it is spiritually. Contrast that with the Song of Solomon where it says that there are 60 queens and I don't know how many concubines, but it says, my dove, my defiled, is one. And regarding her, it says that even when she sleeps, her heart watches for her beloved. She had a few times where she reacted too slow and got into trouble. But she got to the point where she was watching for Him. And it didn't matter if it was day or night, she was going to open the door at the slightest indication that He would be there. The true bride of Jesus Christ doesn't not know what time it is spiritually. Even though it says that no one's going to know the day or the hour, we are supposed to be up on the times and the seasons. And I think the time is getting closer. And I think we're coming into the season where some very interesting things are going to happen that are prophesied to happen. One of the things that's prophesied to happen is that before Jesus comes back, there's going to be a great falling away. But another thing that's prophesied is that there's going to be a great end-time revival. And now in some places in the world, we've got the great falling away really accelerating. But we've also got the end-time revival going. And it's going in places that you wouldn't expect. Out among tribal people in Africa and in India and in South America. Out in some of the countries with the least amount of religious freedom, like Iran and China and Cuba. Will the end-time revival hit the United States before the end? We're certainly hoping that that will be the case. But one of the things that's standing in the way of end-time revival now is that there are so many lukewarm churches and congregations that if God started waking up people spiritually, it would be a disaster for them to go to some of these places. But we're seeing some of the worst places go out of business, closing their doors. Some of these places that have gone to really bad extremes, they can't even pay the air conditioning bill or the heating bill. They're closing their doors. Hundreds of churches close their doors every year in the United States. And you want to know where the increase is coming? That's absolutely surging. There is a tremendous increase among the Latins that are coming in. There's an increase among the Asians that are coming in. There's even some Muslims getting converted. There's so many Latins getting converted that it's upsetting even the political balance. Where is this going? I don't know. But the Lord has showed us that the materials that were produced in English are also producing them in Spanish. We're putting out Bibles in English. We're putting out Bibles in Spanish. We're putting out messages in English. We're putting out messages in Spanish. We're working. And what we're doing in Spanish is having phenomenal, phenomenal success. The English stuff is trickling out and getting a little more each year, but the Spanish stuff is just multiplying tremendously. There's a huge demand for it all over the Spanish-speaking world. The Spanish-speaking world has never had a great awakening like the English-speaking world had at least three different times in our history. We just haven't had one in the last 120 years or so. But what's it going to take to light the United States back on fire for God? It could possibly take some hard times. But more than that, it's going to take a remnant of clean people who are willing to do whatever God wants. My father used to say there's a huge difference between a 99% commitment and a 100% commitment for the Lord. Because when we hold back from the Lord, whatever it is we refuse to commit, that's where the devil's going to attack us and defeat us. You know, like somebody that says, Oh Lord, I'm willing to serve You, I'm willing to do whatever, I'm just not willing to go to Africa. Well, why would you say that? Now in order for God to completely bless you, you've got to go to Africa. You just did it to yourself. Or at least be willing to go to Africa. But why not just say, Lord, I'm just willing for whatever You want? I mean, do you really think He's going to make life uncomfortable and miserable for you? No. Because the center of His will is the only place we're going to truly ever be fulfilled and satisfied. My wife almost didn't marry me 44 years ago because she thought she would get stuck in a small town as the preacher's wife and never get to travel. And yeah, I mean, now we travel so much, she can't keep up with it. I mean, she's not physically capable of going on all these trips, but she goes on a fair amount of them. The only way to be fulfilled and satisfied is to be in the center of the will of God. And if we're willing to risk what He's given us to be in the center of His will, it is unbelievable the satisfaction as we see heavenly treasure multiply. And as we see what God has done in us and through us multiply into other people. It is so exciting to see people's lives changed and transformed by the Gospel. And we could tell you story after story, but a lot of it's not believable. Every month when we write our newsletter, I've got these different mission boards that want me to write a newsletter and they give me deadlines and I have to write this and that. And I sit there and I can't have a hard time until, I mean, eventually the Lord will show me what to write, but there's stuff that we can't share because it's too sensitive. And there's stuff that we can't share because it's just flat out so unbelievable nobody would believe it. So, I mean, we try and share stuff that will encourage people and testimony after testimony after testimony, but a lot of it, what happens, we're not even aware of at the time. The Lord lets us in on enough stuff to keep us encouraged. But every now and then I go out in the middle of nowhere and there's some family that's listened to us on the radio for the last 20 years and the kids are all wonderful and the families involved in ministry. And they got brought up on these radio programs, even when at the beginning they didn't have any other fellowship. Or maybe the guerrillas didn't allow meetings or whatever. We used to go out onto the reservations and it was really difficult. If things were so badly messed up, you wouldn't think that there'd be any hope for anything. And now we go to some of those places and you absolutely cannot believe the quality of the Christians that have dominated. Well, that can happen up here. In these dead churches, God can cause a spiritual earthquake. And people that are standing in the way of the Gospel and causing trouble for everybody else, God can either convert them or move them out of the way. But we found this to be the case. God loves to multiply. But He will not multiply anything He considers to be unclean or incomplete. So if we want God to multiply us, we need to keep our heart on the altar and make sure that God keeps us clean. And we need to make sure that we are not limiting God. We're completing Christ. And so we have to be willing to go and do whatever He wants us to go and do whatever He wants us to do and not limit the Holy Spirit in any way. We see this in place after place where there's leadership there that seems to be godly leadership, but they're afraid of the people coming to maturity in Christ because they're afraid they'll lose control. This is true all over Africa in a lot of different denominations. And it's true in a lot of places here in North America where people are simply scared to let their children move beyond a certain place in God, to let their congregation move. If they're running house meetings, they want to keep a lid on it. They want to keep the Holy Spirit there, but in the box where they've decided it's safe. And when God really starts to move, you can't keep Him in a box. It says that if you try and put the new wine in the old wineskin, it's going to break the wineskin. So we want the Holy Spirit to have liberty. And with that liberty comes risk. Jesus took risks, big risks. He took risks that His disciples couldn't believe He was going to do. And He kept the message finely honed so that those who weren't committed disciples who'd left everything to follow Him, flat out couldn't understand what He was saying. Not only they couldn't understand what He was saying, He refused to speak to them except in parables and refused to explain the parables to anyone other than His disciples who'd left everything to follow Him. That's a little different than our mentality today where we're always trying to explain something to everybody. Jesus wasn't worried about explaining things to people. He was more concerned with their level of commitment. And He kept making statements about their level of their faith. O ye of little faith. Well, a little faith is better than no faith. But if you go through the Gospels and just look when Jesus marveled at their faith, it was some pretty interesting situations, sometimes having to do with people that weren't even Israelites. We have to continually go over this because our modern concepts have changed the definition of faith. Faith isn't just believing historical facts. The demons believe and they tremble. Faith is depending on God instead of on ourselves. Faith is being willing for God to get us into situations where there is no human way out, but only God can get us out of it. Sometimes I keep wondering, man, why in the world did I come back out into one of these gorilla-infested areas? Now they're doing this and now they're doing that or they've locked us up and probably never get out. You know, what are we going to do? Why would I come back and do that for? Again. And they tell me, they say, you again and you never learned? But God will get us out of it every single time. And with gain for the kingdom. But there's no gain for the kingdom without risk. And a risk can be a risk of some time. It could be a risk of some money. Or it could be a risk of your life. I mean, maybe before you go risking your life too many times, it would be better to risk your time and your money and see if it turns out, you know, a gorilla hearing from God. But if there's going to be gain for the kingdom, there's got to be a risk. What if Zacchaeus wouldn't have decided to pay back everybody he'd robbed? What if Jesus would have come out of there with a dag on His face right near the end of His ministry? What if Jesus wouldn't have decided to take the risk of going to the cross? Sometimes people ask me, well, why did you trust this person that turned out not to be trustworthy? Well, I thought God wanted to give them an opportunity. God gives lots of people opportunities and not everyone turns out trustworthy with the opportunities God gives them. And we'll never know if they don't get the opportunity. We'll never know what's in our own heart unless we get the opportunity. I remember going along years ago and I was starting to pick up on the fact that there were opportunities out there that God was giving, but I would pick up on the opportunity right after it was too late to do it. Oh, that was an opportunity to witness to that person and I blew it. Oh, there was an opportunity to make an investment here for the kingdom and I didn't do it at the right time. But friends, if you get to that point in your life, that's better than just fat, dumb, and happy going through life without even realizing all the opportunities you're missing. At least if you realize you messed up an opportunity, you can ask the Lord to give you another one and He most likely will. And we can get to the point where we can anticipate these opportunities. And guess what? This is an opportunity God is giving me to be effective for Him. And yes, it's going to involve some risk. There's a possibility I could waste some time. There's a possibility I could lose the money. There's a possibility it could even be dangerous for me. But if we start picking up on these opportunities and it really is God, the increase for His kingdom is immeasurable because these are things that keep on multiplying. There was a guy that before World War II, he had a burden. He wanted to lead a Jew to the Lord. And he went through his whole life trying to lead a Jew to the Lord and never was able to. Why? He led a guy to the Lord who wasn't a Jew. But that was the guy that led Richard Wurmbrand who was a Jew to the Lord. And Richard Wurmbrand's ministry went all over the world. So I would say that that guy that spent his whole life trying to lead a Jew to the Lord and failed, but managed to be the one God used to lead the guy to the Lord that led Richard Wurmbrand to the Lord, I would say there's quite a gain for the kingdom of heaven there. Quite a reward for that guy. He's with the Lord now. That may have been the only guy he led to the Lord in his whole life. So we don't know what's going to happen. All we know is that if we're faithful and if we're doing our best to pick up on the opportunities that God has for us, there will be eternal gain. And God will be pleased with us. And even if we're not willing to take the total risk, if we realize that we've been given things from God and that we've been given salvation and that we've been given talents, and if we can't figure out how to take risks for God, we can find somebody else who is and come alongside of them and help them. And it'll be like putting our God-given resources in the bank at interest. So if you don't know where to start, that's where you can start. Ask the Lord to help you find somebody that you know is for real for the kingdom. And how can you help? There's all kinds of ways you could help. God can show you how to help. God can show you how to invest. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we ask that we might be able to connect with Your kingdom. And that You might give us the wisdom to know who to help and who not to help so we don't waste Your resources, but so that we pick up on whatever is the least or whoever is the least of Your brothers or sisters that could use some help from us or some encouragement from us. How can we know who they are, where they are, and what to do? That You might work in our hearts and cleanse us and grant us wisdom. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.