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Can a Saint Falsely Accuse God?
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All the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen . . . —2 Corinthians 1:20 |
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| Jesus’
parable of the talents recorded in Matthew
25:14-30 was a warning that it is possible
for us to misjudge our capacities. This parable has nothing to do with
natural gifts and abilities, but relates to the gift of the Holy Spirit as
He was first given at Pentecost. We must never measure our spiritual
capacity on the basis of our education or our intellect; our capacity in
spiritual things is measured on the basis of the promises of God. If we get
less than God wants us to have, we will falsely accuse Him as the servant
falsely accused his master when he said, "You expect more of me than you
gave me the power to do. You demand too much of me, and I cannot stand true
to you here where you have placed me." When it is a question of God’s
Almighty Spirit, never say, "I can’t." Never allow the limitation of your
own natural ability to enter into the matter. If we have received the Holy
Spirit, God expects the work of the Holy Spirit to be exhibited in us. The servant justified himself, while condemning his lord on every point, as if to say, "Your demand on me is way out of proportion to what you gave to me." Have we been falsely accusing God by daring to worry after He has said, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you"? ( Matthew 6:33 ). Worrying means exactly what this servant implied— "I know your intent is to leave me unprotected and vulnerable." A person who is lazy in the natural realm is always critical, saying, "I haven’t had a decent chance," and someone who is lazy in the spiritual realm is critical of God. Lazy people always strike out at others in an independent way. Never forget that our capacity and capability in spiritual matters is measured by, and based on, the promises of God. Is God able to fulfill His promises? Our answer depends on whether or not we have received the Holy Spirit. |