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I have recently done some soul searching, and God revealed to me that I am not carrying out His will as He intends for me to do. How can I, a religion major, a man who attends church regularly and who will be attending seminary in two years, not be doing the will of God? While my command of Scripture is nothing extraordinary, what limited knowledge I do possess as it pertains to Scripture, is nothing more for me than empty words. I don't say this to attack Scripture, because I do believe the Bible to be the inspired, objective, inerrant and infallible Word of God; yet, if I am not putting God's Word into action, can I truly say I have faith? And if I do have faith, how weak is my faith that I do not put my full trust in God like father Abraham? Why can't I put my faith into action? After contemplating all this, I thought of the Parable of the Gold Coins:
[SUP]11 [/SUP]While the people were listening to this, Jesus continued and told them a parable. He was now almost at Jerusalem, and they supposed that the Kingdom of God was just about to appear. [SUP]12 [/SUP]So he said, “There was once a man of high rank who was going to a country far away to be made king, after which he planned to come back home. [SUP]13 [/SUP]Before he left, he called his ten servants and gave them each a gold coin and told them, ‘See what you can earn with this while I am gone.’ [SUP]14 [/SUP]Now, his own people hated him, and so they sent messengers after him to say, ‘We don't want this man to be our king.’
[SUP]15 [/SUP]“The man was made king and came back. At once he ordered his servants to appear before him, in order to find out how much they had earned. [SUP]16 [/SUP]The first one came and said, ‘Sir, I have earned ten gold coins with the one you gave me.’ [SUP]17 [/SUP]‘Well done,’ he said; ‘you are a good servant! Since you were faithful in small matters, I will put you in charge of ten cities.’ [SUP]18 [/SUP]The second servant came and said, ‘Sir, I have earned five gold coins with the one you gave me.’ [SUP]19 [/SUP]To this one he said, ‘You will be in charge of five cities.’ [SUP]20 [/SUP]Another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it hidden in a handkerchief. [SUP]21 [/SUP]I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take what is not yours and reap what you did not plant.’ [SUP]22 [/SUP]He said to him, ‘You bad servant! I will use your own words to condemn you! You know that I am a hard man, taking what is not mine and reaping what I have not planted. [SUP]23 [/SUP]Well, then, why didn't you put my money in the bank? Then I would have received it back with interest when I returned.’ [SUP]24 [/SUP]Then he said to those who were standing there, ‘Take the gold coin away from him and give it to the servant who has ten coins.’ [SUP]25 [/SUP]But they said to him, ‘Sir, he already has ten coins!’ [SUP]26 [/SUP]‘I tell you,’ he replied, ‘that to those who have something, even more will be given; but those who have nothing, even the little that they have will be taken away from them. [SUP]27 [/SUP]Now, as for those enemies of mine who did not want me to be their king, bring them here and kill them in my presence!’” - Luke 19:11-27
I do not know at this time if it is God's will I attend seminary, and I can say with a degree of confidence, I most definitely am not ready for seminary at the current moment, as my faith in Christ is not strong enough even for myself, let alone taking on the responsibility of leading God's flock; perhaps God has something different in-store for me. I think it is sad there are many other Christians even in my church and surrounding churches who are no better than I am in terms of their faith. The Word of God is more profitable than gold, but what use is it to me or anyone else for that matter, if it is only spoken but not lived?
I am requesting your prayers, so that God will give me an increase in my faith in Him. More importantly, I pray for the many Christians who are in similar spiritual circumstances and need an increase in their faith. But these prayers should not be made in vein; they should be made so that they glorify God!
God Bless you all!
Respectfully,
Nicene Creed
[SUP]11 [/SUP]While the people were listening to this, Jesus continued and told them a parable. He was now almost at Jerusalem, and they supposed that the Kingdom of God was just about to appear. [SUP]12 [/SUP]So he said, “There was once a man of high rank who was going to a country far away to be made king, after which he planned to come back home. [SUP]13 [/SUP]Before he left, he called his ten servants and gave them each a gold coin and told them, ‘See what you can earn with this while I am gone.’ [SUP]14 [/SUP]Now, his own people hated him, and so they sent messengers after him to say, ‘We don't want this man to be our king.’
[SUP]15 [/SUP]“The man was made king and came back. At once he ordered his servants to appear before him, in order to find out how much they had earned. [SUP]16 [/SUP]The first one came and said, ‘Sir, I have earned ten gold coins with the one you gave me.’ [SUP]17 [/SUP]‘Well done,’ he said; ‘you are a good servant! Since you were faithful in small matters, I will put you in charge of ten cities.’ [SUP]18 [/SUP]The second servant came and said, ‘Sir, I have earned five gold coins with the one you gave me.’ [SUP]19 [/SUP]To this one he said, ‘You will be in charge of five cities.’ [SUP]20 [/SUP]Another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it hidden in a handkerchief. [SUP]21 [/SUP]I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take what is not yours and reap what you did not plant.’ [SUP]22 [/SUP]He said to him, ‘You bad servant! I will use your own words to condemn you! You know that I am a hard man, taking what is not mine and reaping what I have not planted. [SUP]23 [/SUP]Well, then, why didn't you put my money in the bank? Then I would have received it back with interest when I returned.’ [SUP]24 [/SUP]Then he said to those who were standing there, ‘Take the gold coin away from him and give it to the servant who has ten coins.’ [SUP]25 [/SUP]But they said to him, ‘Sir, he already has ten coins!’ [SUP]26 [/SUP]‘I tell you,’ he replied, ‘that to those who have something, even more will be given; but those who have nothing, even the little that they have will be taken away from them. [SUP]27 [/SUP]Now, as for those enemies of mine who did not want me to be their king, bring them here and kill them in my presence!’” - Luke 19:11-27
I do not know at this time if it is God's will I attend seminary, and I can say with a degree of confidence, I most definitely am not ready for seminary at the current moment, as my faith in Christ is not strong enough even for myself, let alone taking on the responsibility of leading God's flock; perhaps God has something different in-store for me. I think it is sad there are many other Christians even in my church and surrounding churches who are no better than I am in terms of their faith. The Word of God is more profitable than gold, but what use is it to me or anyone else for that matter, if it is only spoken but not lived?
I am requesting your prayers, so that God will give me an increase in my faith in Him. More importantly, I pray for the many Christians who are in similar spiritual circumstances and need an increase in their faith. But these prayers should not be made in vein; they should be made so that they glorify God!
God Bless you all!
Respectfully,
Nicene Creed
