To Whom Much is Given, Much is Required - Warrior Mom Wisdom - Week of December 3

To Whom Much is Given, Much is Required

From everyone who has been given much, much more will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. - Luke 12:48

People and circumstances are introduced to us so that we can, in turn, entrust them to Christ. (good people, seemingly bad people, good circumstances, seemingly bad circumstances: all of them).

“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 how 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 maser of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The one 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 in your mater’s happiness!’  -Matthew 25:14-21

Are you bearing fruit? Notice that the above scripture doesn’t say “You have been faithful with a few GOOD things; I will put you in charge of many more EASY things.” Remember that what we think is good or bad may not align with what God sees as good or bad.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”- Isaiah 55:8

Sometimes what we think will be for our good, could lead to our demise. Our Father knows all things, and He knows what is best for us. Let us be faithful with what He has entrusted to us by trusting Him for the outcome. He always has our best interest at heart.  And remember that whatever the enemy means for evil, God will work it together for our good.

“The owners servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

“‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into the barn.’ “- Matthew 13:27-30

Do as your Father in Heaven instructs you to do, regardless of what the person next to you is or isn’t doing. In the end, you will be brought into the barn and receive the blessing there.

Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case – things that accompany salvation. God is no unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. -Hebrews 6:7-12

Rain falls on the just and the unjust. Life is hard. During difficult circumstances, are you allowing the Maker of the Rain to quench your pain? Are you growing due to suffering or is your faith and spirit shrinking under the pressure? Remember, the righteous will live by faith and if we shrink back, He will not be well pleased.

On the other hand, when we walk by faith it pleases God. Walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). When we entrust our difficult times to God, He is then able to cultivate patience, strength and faith in us through the hardship. Let us allow the rain to produce a crop useful to God.

Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their way when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret – it only leads to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.- Psalm 37:1-9

Regardless of how evil people may appear successful, don’t compare yourself to them. God has promised that you will inherit the land.

So Christ was sacrificed one to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation t those who are waiting for him.- Hebrews 9:28

Remind yourself daily that He’s coming back to bring you home! Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They will walk and not grow weary; they will run and not faint.  As you wait, live in His strength, casting out your weakness and inability. Remember to focus on the Great I AM, not the I’m Not… (dot, dot, dot…). You are more than conquers in Christ!

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.- Romans 12:1

Additionally, as you wait, serve. Jesus came to serve; therefore, let us serve one another in love.

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.  -1 Corinthians 3:10-14

If anyone of us brags it should be that we know Christ. As we endure tests, we are given the gift of a testimony as long as we hold onto our hope which we profess. If we give up on Christ’s ability to deliver us, we don’t receive a testimony because we did not endure until the end and receive the prize.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, me must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.- James 1:2

Tests create a steadfast perseverant character within us. Every great soldier knows how to persevere because it is life or death! So too must a Warrior Mom persevere. We persevere because we know that we are mere vehicles through which He works. Warrior Moms show up to the battle because we know that we aren’t fighting it anyway. God fights it for us! This enables us to be courageous when Goliath threatens us, when a Red Sea obstacle is before us, and when the enemy surrounds us.

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Let us read all the previous scriptures as if they were a personally delivered letter to us from God because they are:

Dear Warriors:

From everyone who has been given much, much more will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.  “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 how 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 one 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 in your master’s happiness!’  “The owners servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’  ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.  “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ “ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into the barn.’ “ 

Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.  Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case – things that accompany salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.  Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their way when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret – it only leads to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.  So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.  Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.  Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, me must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

I AM Believing in you,

Love,
God

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A letter to you from me follows.  It is based on my interpretation of those exact same scriptures. My hope is that it will sound like God’s letter (not as eloquent of course), but it will be in every day terms, written simply from a fellow Warrior Mom.

Dear Warriors:

People and circumstances are introduced to us so that we can, in turn, entrust them to Christ. (Good people, bad people, Good circumstances, bad circumstances: all of them).  Are you bearing fruit? Notice that the scriptures don’t say “You have been faithful with a few GOOD things; I will put you in charge of many more EASY things.” Remember that what we think is good or bad may not align with what God sees as good or bad. Sometimes what we think will be for our good, could actually lead to our demise. Our Father knows all things, and He knows what is best for us. Let us be faithful with what He has entrusted to us by trusting Him with the outcome. He always has our best interest at heart.  And remember that whatever the enemy means for evil, God will work it together for our good.  Do as your Father in Heaven instructs you to do, regardless of what the person next to you is or isn’t doing. In the end you will be brought inside and receive the blessing that awaits you there.

Rain falls on the just and the unjust. Life is hard. During difficult circumstances, are you allowing the Maker of the Rain to quench your pain? Are you growing due to suffering or is your faith and spirit shrinking? Remember, the righteous will live by faith and if we shrink back, He will not be well pleased. On the other hand, when we walk by faith it pleases God. Walk by faith, not by sight. When we entrust our difficult times to God, He is then able to cultivate patience, strength, and faith in us through the hardship. Let us allow the rain to produce a crop useful to God.   Regardless of how evil people may appear successful, don’t compare yourself to them. God has promised that you will inherit the land.   Remind yourself daily that He’s coming back to bring you home! Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They will walk and not grow weary; they will run and not be faint.  As you wait, live in His strength, casting out your weakness and inability. Remember to focus on the Great I AM, not the I’m Not… (dot, dot, dot…). You are more than conquers in Christ!  Additionally, as you wait, serve. Jesus came to serve; therefore, let us serve one another in love.

      And last but not least, if anyone of us brags it should be that we know Christ. As we endure tests, we are given the gift of a testimony if we hold onto our hope which we profess. If we give up on Christ, we don’t receive a testimony because we did not endure until the end and receive the prize.  Tests create a steadfast perseverant character within us. Every great soldier knows how to persevere because it’s life or death! So too must a Warrior Mom persevere. We persevere because we know that we are mere vehicles through which He works. Warrior Moms show up to the battle because we know that we aren’t fighting it anyway. God fights it for us! This enables us to be courageous when Goliath threatens us, when a Red Sea obstacle is before us, and when the enemy surrounds us.

There’s Strong.  Then There’s God Strong.
Warrior Moms Unite®!

Love,
Kristina

The Warrior Mom Ministry was founded by Kristina Seymour, author of The Warrior Mom Handbook – Equipping Women through the Word, a Bible study for moms who desire to live by faith in the midst of their everyday lives. Kristina has learned that moms can't survive on caffeine and animal crackers alone; women in the Word and in community are united and able to stand firm. To learn more about The Warrior Mom Handbook, the Warrior Mom Ministry, and to sign up for daily encouragement, visit, www.warriormoms.net.