““For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.” (Matthew 25:14–15, ESV)

I was reading the parable of the talents. I know in the Bible times; this was talking about currency or money. But as I read it, I thought about the word talent in the modern sense. It made me think about many talented people that I know and have known.

Many people have done great things by using their talents for the Kingdom of God. They have invested wisely, and the investment paid off in eternal dividends. But sadly, some have not used their talents faithfully for the Lord. I sometimes wonder if I am as faithful as I should be. This passage got me to thinking about that. I decided to look closer to see how I could improve my investments for the Kingdom.

The first thing I noticed was that the man in charge was entrusting his servants with his possession. He was entrusting them as he saw fit. It is also evident that he knew their abilities. He went away, but they knew he would return.

Each servant was allowed to choose what he would do with the gifts left in his charge. He did not have to give an accounting day by day. After a time, the master returned and then the day of reckoning was at hand. Each gave an account for how he used his gift.

The servants who had a return on their master’s investment over the long haul were rewarded. The one who hid his gift and did nothing with it lost his gift. Not only did he lose the talent, he was reprimanded for being slothful. In other words, he was in trouble for being lazy.

So applying this to my life, I realized that anything that I have and all that I am belong to the Master. They are not my possessions. He has entrusted His gifts to me for a time period. He knew my abilities and what gifts would be most appropriate for me, and those are the talents I possess.

There was a lot of freedom in how to use the talents. The only wrong option it seemed was to do nothing. We are allowed to use our gifts in a variety of ways as long as we are ready to give an account to the Master when he comes. We must do something.

It is also implied that a return can be made, maybe not each and every day, but over the long term. The investments need to be made consistently and regularly. If an opportunity is missed, it is not the end of the world. Each day brings new opportunity and a chance to devote our talents to God. We are not micromanaged moment by moment. God wants us to be consistent over the long term. But be careful, days can easily slip away and become years of inactivity.

There is a reward for this. I will be rewarded when the Master comes. Those that continue faithfully and make a profit for Jesus will receive a bonus. What a great incentive to get busy and use my talents for the Lord. He has given me time; He has given me a gift; He has purposed a plan; And He plans to reward me.

So what can I do better today? I can continue faithfully, seeking to advance the Kingdom of my Master. I can invest the gifts that have been given to me and see over time the interest will build. I can look forward to the day that I present the profit to the Master and enjoy the rewards He bestows on me.

“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’” (Matthew 25:23, ESV)

This weekend while I was playing “Words With Friends,” I was trying to use up my last few letters. I found a place I could fit a few remaining tiles in and spell “rot.” Then I realized I could substitute the “r” for a “j” and get a lot more points, solidifying a win! That one small substitution changed the game. It went for being a nail bitter, to me handily winning. Substituting that one point tile for a ten point tile on a triple point space made all the difference.

Some friends and family came over on Friday night. I cooked some food. I didn’t know how many people were going to eat, so I decided to cook a lot of potatoes. My thought was they are filling, and I had plenty. I also knew they would be easy to use for other meals if I had leftovers.

I decided I wanted fried potatoes. I began chopping the onion and pulled out some oil to fry it in. I started to cut up the potatoes. Then I remembered that I had a can of bacon grease in the fridge. I put the oil away and fried everything in bacon grease. Bacon grease was not the healthiest substitution, but it was a delicious one. I received many compliments on the potatoes, and I had very few leftovers.

So what have I learned from this? A good substitution can be the difference between winning and losing. It can also be the difference between good and great. And thinking about it, the right substitution can be the difference between life and death.

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3:23–26, ESV)

At one point many years ago, I learned that Jesus had died on the cross. I learned that He did this because I had sinned and owed a debt to God that I could not repay. The sin I had committed against a Holy God required the death penalty. Tis penalty was an eternal death, separated from all the goodness that is embodied in the character of God.

I also learned of Jesus substitutionary atonement. Simply stated, that means that Jesus had died in my place. This substitution paid the debt I owed. I found that although it is hard to believe, it truly is that simple. God loved me so much that He Himself, came to become the sacrifice, the substitute for me. All I am required to do is believe. It is easy. It is as easy as switching a “j” for an “r”, or using bacon grease instead of oil.

The substitution of Jesus for me proves that God is just, but also that God is love. What does that mean for me? It means that I am a winner. That one change, trusting Jesus, changed the game. I am an eternal winner.

The substitution of Jesus also means that my life has added flavor. He came so I could have eternal life, but he also came so I could enjoy this life abundantly (John 10:10). People may look at my life and think it looks similar to everyone else’s, but this simple substation adds something special. Until it is tasted, people can’t understand. Once it is tasted, you will never again be content with the blandness of the old way.

Just wanted you to know that this free substitution is available to you too! For more information about Jesus free gift of salvation, you can contact me. I would also recommend a wonderful video by Pastor Rick Warren. You can find it at http://rickwarren.org/know-god

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are…” (1 John 3:1, ESV)

I have noticed a common theme in my blogs. Many of them are about overcoming adversity. That is because life is difficult, and there is a lot to overcome. Like Katherine Hepburn said, “Life is hard. After all, it kills you.” So overcoming difficulties seems to be a good theme since everyone can relate.

But after writing the blog, “Changing My Focus,” I realized that the troubles occupy my mind more than they should. I also realized that I am extremely blessed. I decided to discuss my blessings in this blog. It is my sincere desire that it encourages each reader to realize how blessed they are and how much God loves them. So here goes.

I woke up this morning, and I have a brand new day ahead of me. I have a new day to enjoy the birds singing, the sunshine, the intriguing and beautiful vegetation in my yard, and most probably a beautiful sunset at the end of the day. Nature is a wonderful gift that shows the Creators love for me. That love is especially evident when I see the beautiful Hibiscus blooming on my patio!

I am blessed beyond measure. My needs are provided for in abundance. In reality, I have much more than I need. I have many choices for breakfast today. I can pack my lunch. I can afford to eat lunch out if I choose. For dinner, I can eat at home, or show up at my family’s house, and they will feed me. I have a warm and safe place to sleep. I have comfortable furniture to rest on. I have fresh, clean water. I can afford coffee!

I have many friends, some of them have gone through great difficulties with me, and they are still there. I have loving and supportive co-workers. My church family cares about meeting people’s needs and would gladly provide any assistance that I required. The ladies I minister to at SISTER ministries show me compassion, care, love, and friendship. The baristas at Starbucks smile at me when I come in.

My family is wonderful (not perfect but wonderful). I have a 99 year old grandmother who has always loved me and thought the best of me. My parents raised me well, and they continue to be loving supporters. My children all serve Jesus and are married to believing spouses. I have two beautiful granddaughters. My brother and his family live three doors down, and they welcome me with open arms anytime I want to see them.

God loves me. He loves me too much that the Lord of Glory chooses to speak to me through His Word. Unlike most believers throughout history, I own a Bible, actually I own many. I can read that Bible. I can understand the Word because God Himself in the person of the Holy Spirit indwells me. I am allowed to pray because Jesus gave me access to the Father through His sacrificial gift of salvation. I am accepted in the Beloved. I can come boldly before the throne of grace knowing I am a child of the King and have the privileges that belong to the royal family.

Wow, I’m encouraged to get out of bed today!

Last weekend, I fulfilled a lifelong dream. I earned my scuba certification. Yea me!

I must tell you that it didn’t go exactly as I thought it would. I did well when we were training in the pool. I was able to demonstrate the skills. I also felt comfortable. When we did our final dives in the lake, it was not as easy for me.

The water was cold by my standards. I wore a wet suit; In fact I wore two on the second day. It was hard to keep my breathing controlled while I was cold. I eventually got it under control enough to proceed. Things were going well, for a while.

Then an unexpected problem arose. Many people had been training that day and the debris from the bottom had been stirred up. We swam into very murky water. At one point in time, I lost track of the instructor. I couldn’t see anyone. I panicked. Breathing well is the key to successful diving and when you panic, your breathing gets erratic.

The instructor moved into my sphere of vision and I tried to get control, but I could not and I had to bail. The instructor and the other lady training with me surfaced with me and we talked about what happened. I was glad to know that I wasn’t the only one panicked. The other student needed to surface for the same reason.

The instructor was very kind and understanding. He explained that these were not the dive circumstances we would normally encounter. He also assured us that he knew where we were even if we couldn’t see him. Once we were confident in his ability to deal with the circumstances, we resumed our dive. I felt more confident and I was able to perform the necessary skills to get my certification.

I learned some valuable lessons last weekend, about scuba, about life and about my faith. So here is a quick summation of the lessons learned.

If I want to stay the course, I need more practice. I also have to trust the tools and the guy in charge. I need to relax and know that I am safe in experienced hands. I can even be safe and calm in murky waters if I trust, stay focused and breathe. If I handle it right, even in murky waters I can accomplish the tasks at hand. Although visibility is bad, I can enjoy the moments if I relax and trust what I know is true.

I know that the enemy will not win. I know that even in the murky waters God is there. Even when it is difficult for me to see Him, he knows where I am. I can trust the tools and the Instructor. No need to panic, just breathe and focus.

“water closed over my head; I said, ‘I am lost.’ “I called on your name, O LORD, from the depths of the pit; you heard my plea, ‘Do not close your ear to my cry for help!’ You came near when I called on you; you said, ‘Do not fear!’ “You have taken up my cause, O Lord; you have redeemed my life.” (Lamentations 3:54–58, ESV)

“For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:1–7, NIV)

A part of my recent struggles has been the acute awareness of human frailty and our mortality. It is painful to watch people you love suffer from serious physical ailments. When their emotional and mental capabilities are also waning, it is horrible. To be the one on the outside without any ability to change the situation is heartbreaking. I am in over my head. The problems are more than I can handle.

Thankfully, I know the One that can handle it. I talked to him about it and then I looked into His Word. I read this passage from 2 Corinthians tonight. The thought of burdened bodies that long to be free from pain and suffering resonates with me. There is excitement in thinking about the mortal self being swallowed up not by death and the grave, but by life. It elicits hope, joy and comfort in the face of our mortality.

That comfort comes through the Spirit. So I know that the resurrection and afterlife are real, the Lord indwells me, giving me glimpses future glory. The Holy Spirit works in my heart and life, doing the supernatural. He accomplishes things that would be impossible for me to do in my power or strength. He shows Himself able to accomplish in me what would be impossible without Him. This power working in and through me is only a down payment of the great things to come.

With the Holy Spirit as my guide, my teacher, my comforter and my counselor, I can walk confidently even with mortality looming. I know that the future is bright. So by faith, trusting God, I keep going even when the problems on the horizon loom bigger and bigger. I don’t need to know what is happening. I shouldn’t try to figure it all out. I just need to take the next step and go where God leads. He will provide all that I need to make it through.

So I choose to trust Him. I choose to live by faith.