Fulfilling Your Potential And Being A Witness To The Lord Jesus

FULFILLING YOUR POTENTIAL AND BEING A WITNESS TO THE LORD JESUS IN THIS NEW YEAR

**************************************************************************************

OUTLINE

1. GOD WANTS US TO USE THE GIFTS AND TALENTS AND ABILITIES THAT HE HAS GIVEN TO US

2. GOD WILL REWARD US FOR ALL THE GOOD DEEDS THAT WE DO TO OTHERS

3. GOD WANTS US TO HIS WITNESSES AND BE A SALT AND A LIGHT IN THIS DARK WORLD

MESSAGE

1. GOD WANTS US TO USE THE GIFTS AND TALENTS AND ABILITIES THAT HE HAS GIVEN TO US

**************************************************************************************

The Lord wants us to use all the gifts and talents and abilities that he has given to us. He wants us to live to the fullest extent of our potential. He wants us to be a great blessing to others. The Lord honours those who are diligently using what He has given to them. It is God's will that we bear much fruit in our lives for His glory. The Lord has given different gifts to us and we must not waste our time and energy trying to imitate the gift and abilities that God has given to others. We must focus on developing the gift that He has given to us. . We must make use of every opportunity to use all the gifts and talents that God has given to us and and be a blessing to the people around us.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

***************************

2 TIMOTHY 1:6-7

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

MATTHEW 25:14-30

"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them.

To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.

The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more.

So also, the one with the two talents gained two more.

But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.

The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.

So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'

"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?

Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.

For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.

And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

JOHN 15:1-8 , 16

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.

He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.