FromNowUntilForeverBook8.5x5.5 REV.indd

thing, you are to be in authority over ten cities.” To the servant who grew one mina into five, he put in charge five cities (Luke 19:17-19). From an earthly standpoint, we see a key kingdom princi- ple at work. As the master told his servant in a similar parable: “You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things . . . (Matthew 25:21). Like Danniebelle Hall’s gospel song Ordinary People says, “Little becomes much as we place it in the Master’s hand.”When we work “Heartily, as to the Lord, and unto men” (Colossians 3:23), there’s no limit to what God can do. Eternally speaking, these words echo what we learned in chapter 11 regarding the Judgment Seat of Christ.Wheth- er they consist of praise, increased responsibility, crowns, or whatever God chooses, rewards in heaven await overcomers who remain faithful to Christ. Of course, any such honor re- ceived will be promptly given to our King Jesus. Unfortunately, in addition to rewarding the faithful, the master also chastised the faithless. When a third servant revealed that he tucked his mina away in a handkerchief rather than put- ting it to good use, the nobleman said, “By your own words I will judge you, you worthless slave . . . why did you not put my money in the bank, and having come, I would have collected it with interest?” (Luke 19:22-23).What was it that kept this servant from performing like the other two? What is it that keeps believers from discov- ering and using their gifts, thus helping and reaching others for Christ? Fear. The third servant even admitted, “I was afraid of you” (Luke 19:21), knowing his master to be an “exacting” man whom everything he touched turned to gold. One who “took what he did not lay down and reaped what he did not sow,” this was a boss with huge demands and high expectations (Luke

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