PHOTO CREDIT: Rudi Jock HAIR Titchanna Drayton: Ann’s Touch MAKEUP Tianna Hyatt: @TiannaHyatt(IG)
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Soulful Image Magazine / Summer Issue No. 6
Departments
Get your fill on all the good stuff in your Soulful Image
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Inside Your Soul 6 8 10 11
Meet The Team Behind The Scenes Message from the Editor What Spiritual Gifts Are You Grateful For? 12 Begin To See Yourself....
Satisfy Your Soul
14 The Great Playwright of your Life 18 The Parable of the Talents 21 Salvation is a Gift from God
Light in your Soul 22 Summer Gardening
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Look Good
24 4 Top Summer Trends 26 Dressing for Your Unique Body 28 Hot Quick Picks
Feel Good
30 Does God Care If You Are Fit? 31 Aqua Fitness
Family & Relationships
33 6 Things to do While Waiting 34 A Taste of Grace
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Search Your Soul
37 4 Things God Wants You to Remember About Your Spirital Gifts
40 Investing In Yourself with Skills
Inspire & Motivate
47 Cheryl Nembhard: Truth on Film 48 Anna Anita: Come Away My Love
Mind Your Business
50 Creativity 51 Business Directory Launch
Soul Therapy 52 53 54 57
My Eyes Can See Londa Lamond The Gifts of the Holy Spirit My Heart Says...
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58 Shopping Guide / Affiliate Ministries
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These are some of the talented people who contributed to this issue’s Soulful Image. Ă?iVĂ•ĂŒÂˆĂ›iĂŠ/i>“Ê Ă€ĂƒÂ°ĂŠ/Ă€>Viއ V>`ˆ>ĂŠ/…œ“>Ăƒ Founder & Editor-In-Chief
À°Ê Â?Â?ÂˆĂƒĂŒiÀÊ °Ê/…œ“>Ăƒ Creative Director
Ă?iVĂ•ĂŒÂˆĂ›iĂŠ ĂƒĂƒÂˆĂƒĂŒ>Â˜ĂŒ
Mrs Elizabeth Robb-Green
Anna Anita Anna Anita is a mother, author, writer and artist. She first began writing in 2011 and published her first book in 2012 that was the first of her Love Trilogy. She has completed 4 books, with another one on the way. After becoming divorced and having to start her life from scratch with no formal education, Anna listened to the voice of God who blessed her with the gift of writing. Using her new found gifts, she also sells her inspirational stones in Chapters and Indigo across the globe. For more information about Anna checkout her website at www.annaanita.com.
ĂƒÂ°ĂŠ-Â…iĂ€ÂˆĂŠ >ÂŽi
Graphic Layout & Design
ĂƒÂ°ĂŠ ÂœÂ“ÂˆÂ˜ÂˆÂľĂ•iĂŠ >VÂœLĂƒ Assistant Layout Editor
Ă€ĂƒÂ°ĂŠ iĂ€Ă€ÂˆÂ‡ Â˜Â˜ĂŠ >Ăži‡ œ˜>Ăœ> Executive Editor
ĂƒÂ°ĂŠ >Ă€ĂƒÂ…>ĂŠ iĂƒÂˆĂ€iiĂŠ ÂˆĂƒÂ…ÂœÂŤ Assistant Editor
ÀÊ,Ă•`ÂˆĂŠ ÂœVÂŽ
Staff Photographer
7Ă€ÂˆĂŒiĂ€ĂƒĂŠEĂŠ ÂœÂ˜ĂŒĂ€ÂˆLĂ•ĂŒÂœĂ€ĂƒĂŠ Titilayo Olotu Opal Berry-Viera Tanika A. Chambers Cathy Morenzie Amaka Grant Rosie Randazzo Olivia Moy Fung Josephine Casey Elizabeth Robb-Green Sylvia Dixon Kirin Singh Colleen Blake-Miller Dona Constantino-Nathan Camille Dehaney-Brown Min. Jackie E. Nugent Min. Janet Marie Rye Min. Steve Rajkumar Min. B. Marsha Robinson Min. Daniel Mukena Pastor Maureen Chen
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Annika Reid
Annika Reid is the Founder and Chief Designer of the Lifestyle Brand “The Stylish Reidâ€? which launched in 2007. Back then Reid’s vision was to create Couture inspired garments that would compliment what society says is the “Plusâ€? sized Female Consumer. She is a proud Mother, a lifestyle blogger and a plus sized Fashion Enthusiast with a huge zest for life and all things beautiful. My mission with Thestylishreid.com is to create an interactive online community and resource hub that inspires and encourages women worldwide to embrace their curves‌Stylishly!
Febbie Shikongo Febbie Shikongo is the founder, producer and host of Grace Family Radio Ministry and the successful author of Michael's Family Vision: One Family Under God children’s book. She graduated from the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Philosophy. Over the years, she has been involved in numerous children’s ministries that have fuelled her passion to see children raised in the knowledge of God. Along with an academic pursuit of God and service in ministry, she a devoted mother. www.gracefamilyradioministry.com info@gracefamilyradioministry.com
AndrĂŠe Nicole As an Educator, she has obtained a Masters in Education, specializing in the area of Curriculum (Social Justice & Cultural Studies) from the University of Toronto. AndrĂŠe Nicole is the business owner of Rich Chicks, Rich Life Coaching and Consulting, and most recently the Founder and Executive Director of Andree Nicole Inc being a Socialpreneur her company is premised on excellence and built to empower. She is also a Certified Life Coach Practioner, Motivational Speaker and the Author of two motivational, inspirational, self-help books titled, My Eyes Can See: A year of Reflection and Insight. Her other book is titled, 101 Inspirational Quotes for Us6Rich Chicks. But more importantly AndrĂŠe Nicole is a Mother & Wife and resides in Toronto, Ontario with her son & husband.
Behind The Scenes
Soulful Image Magazine takes you inside our extravagant One Year Anniversary Event. On Saturday April 18th, 2015, we celebrated our Official Launch and One Year Anniversary of this publication at The Gospel Cafe in Mississauga Ontario. It was a spectacular evening with amazing speakers, poetry, fashion shows, music, video presentations and more. Check out soulfulimagemag.com for the video highlight of the evening. Hosted by Cheryl Nembhard and Allister Thomas, it was a wonderful blend of light hearted comedy, style and grace.
The first 50 guests received a swag bag with Soulful Image Magazine’s Anniversary Issue # 5, a Soulful Image black t-shirt, a YOLO fragrance sample and more! Friends, family and acquaintances came from far and wide to be a part of this milestone event. Treats & decorations were amazing and the magazine printed cake was delicious!!!
Photographed by Mark Legendre MK Photography
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Soulful Image Magazine / Summer Issue No. 6
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of my gift, God was able to multiply the talent and bring forth other skills, like painting, sketching, colour comprehension, graphic design, writing, typography, custom t-shirt printing, and more. Talent + skill = ability Talent + effort = great results Talent + passion with preparation = excellence Talent + practice = success God-given talent + skill + favour = one’s anointing.
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“God has given everyone gifts in different proportions.”
can only explain the relevance of using one’s gifts, talents, and skills, by using my own experiences. We are all given natural gifts and talents on the inside that are directly related to our purpose. God has given everyone gifts in different proportions. It is accurate to say that in order for us to sustain our lives we must learn to develop the seeds that are planted. We all need to learn to eat, dress ourselves, clean up after ourselves, and learn the basic tools for social purposes— reading, writing, language, math, and so forth. Without these underlying skills, we can agree that it would be difficult to participate in society. Now let’s go a step further. Some of these fundamental skills that we learn are general skills that can progress into talents. If one has the ability to cook to feed themselves and their family, one has the ability to acquire a passion that can
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enhance that skill into a gift or talent. That is where we see the difference between a person who can cook and one who loves to cook and invests in this craft to make a living and add to society. The fact is we all have skills that we learned from our parents, school, peers, etc. But there is something special about tapping into a God-given talent. For example, perhaps you were born with a natural eye for creativity, let’s say drawing. Not a lot of people know this about me, but I have an artistic gift of drawing. I can draw from copying what I see or from my imagination. I spent a lot of time in my youth investing in my passion for art by enhancing my talent and partnering it with skill. I took the raw talent (the God-given ability to do something beyond explanation), and I learned how to add a systematic skillset to drive myself towards excellence. Through my faithful pursuit
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Some of us have a greater anointing than others. But that is based on our own diligence and faithfulness towards what God has given to us. God will give us responsibilities according to our ability and our capacity to grasp it! Take the time you need to invest, nurture, and grow what God has blessed you with. You have more and can become more than you think is possible. Believe in yourself and allow God to create a beautiful masterpiece with your life as a service to others. The more diligent you are in your craft, the more God can multiply those gifts and talents into other areas of excellence. We are so happy to share this amazing issue with you to help enhance your understanding of how to use your gifts, talents, and skills for service. Check out articles in this issue like “Gifts of the Spirit,” “The Parable of the Talents,” “Invest in Yourself with Skills,” and many more…. Read on!
Tracey A. Thomas Editor-In-Chief
What Spiritual Gifts are You Grateful for?
We asked some of our Soulful Image writers to share what spiritual gift or gifts they are grateful for!
Cathy Morenzie
Health & Fitness Expert I am grateful for the spiritual gift of healing. As the Lord continues to heal my body, mind and spirit, I am grateful that I’m able to bless others with the gift that God is magnifying in me.
Daniel Mukena
Christian Student/Minister I’m grateful for His favor simply because the Father loves us! My daily confession: “I have uncommon favor in the sight of God and in the sight of man”
Titilayo Olotu
Janet Marie Rye Ordained Minister
Interior & Decor Expert
The spiritual gift that I am grateful for is the gift of tongues and it’s interpretation. It has given me the ability to hear from God when I need it. When I am not sure about something or need direction or comfort I turn to this spiritual gift. It has guided me and lets me hear straight from the throne room of God.
I am grateful for the gift of discernment. It keeps me from going down the wrong rabbit hole and directs me to the right understanding, path or decision.
I am grateful for the gift of Giving and I’m truly blessed that God chose me. The true measure in which God’s will is being accomplished in the lives of others is extremely amazing when I’m taken from glory to glory in the midst of it all. To know that I’m equipped for this; that through Faith in Christ all things are possible, my gift comes off effortlessly. Its been said religiously by many but I truly believe that when I give, “...it always comes back to me in good measure, press down, shaken together and running over...”literally! I’m able to live my today because of this selfless gift that God has given to me.
Christian Student
Andria Thompson
Tamara McKinson
Ur Woman Ministry
Liz Robb-Green Poetry
I’m grateful for grace and mercy. Knowing I don’t have to be perfect because God loves me. His grace & mercy has brought me through a lot.
I’m grateful for the spiritual gift of love. If it had not been for the love of God I would not be the woman I am today. Love not only saved my life but love changed my life.
NEXT ISSUES QUESTION: How have you been enjoying Soulful Image Magazine? Would you like to share your thoughts or a testimony about Issues 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5? Please tell us and send to info@soulfulwomanministries.com, and your response could be featured in our next issue! Submissions chosen may be edited. All submissions become the property of Soulful Woman Ministries and may be published, along with the name of the individual, in any and all Soulful Image Magazine branded media now known or hereafter developed.
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Soulful Image Magazine / Summer Issue No. 6
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USING YOUR GIFTS, TALENTS, SKILLS FOR SERVICE
All good things are gifts given to us from our Creator (1 Timothy 6:17). Food and clothing (Matthew 6:25, 33), rain and fruitful harvests (Leviticus 26:4), faith (Ephesians 2:8), grace (James 4:6), wisdom (Proverbs 2:6; James 1:5), and life itself (Isaiah 42:5) are all gifts from God. He has supplied everything we need from the beginning of creation (Genesis 1:1-31).
GOD’S GIFTS ARE FOR USE IN HIS SERVICE The gifts we have received are not ours alone. God gave them to us for the purpose of serving Him and serving other people. Each of us has something to give. We can give our money and our of our time to our spouse, children, or parents, be a friend to someone who is sick or lonely, do volunteer work, or be a peacemaker, teacher, or minister, we can choose a service-oriented occupation, or we may just do our everyday jobs with integrity and respect for others.
The apostle Paul phrased it this way: “We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully (Romans 12:5-8, NIV). In His parable of the talents, Jesus taught that we must use our gifts wisely. If we do not use our gifts wisely, God will consider us to be wicked and lazy. It would seem that the more we give to others, the poorer we become, but just the opposite is true! Service to to our lives in a way that wealth, power, possessions, and self-centered pursuits can never match. As Jesus said, “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into
your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38). So begin to see yourself utilizing all the gifts God has given you so that you can live mankind. The essence of the Christian life is contained in obeying and worshipping God and helping others. God has given each of us important gifts for His purposes. Like the three men in Jesus’ parable, our gifts may be great or small. But no matter how great or small our talents, abilities, and wealth, we are required to put them to good use.
Here are just a few ways to use the gifts that God has given to us: t Donate money to charity t Do a public service job t Become a minister, deacon, priest, or Sunday school teacher t Volunteer at church t Pray for the sick and suffering t Babysit for a friend or neighbour t Invite someone lonely to share a meal t Give hugs and attention to your family t Forgive others t Find a creative use for your own special talent
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The Great Playwright of Your Life by Jackie E. Nugent
Imagine for a moment… Great anticipation rises as a packed audience fills the theater and watches for the opening of the grand stage curtains. With a loud blast, a spotlight beams a luminescent ray on the performers as they enter and take their position on center stage. The thrilling performance begins... Each scene is riveted with artistic expressions and profound narrative scripts. But like every great performance the show comes to a grand finale and receives a standing ovation from an awe struck audience. Amongst the thunderous applause the cast and crew take their bows. “Playing the accuser”, the broadcaster declares, “Is none other than Satan himself ”. Jeers and hissing
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resonate from the audience. This audience is not an ordinary one. For amid a crowd of unsuspecting earthlings, assembles a multitude of celestial hosts from heaven and hell. The broadcaster introduces the next character. An intense hush and sense of great admiration hovers over the entire theater. He lifts his voice with zealous praise and announces, “The part of Godthe Father is played by God Almighty,
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Himself!” In amazement, everyone bows down in worship and total adoration. Alas, the audience settles back to their places for the final introduction. “Introducing the lead of this performance, please stand to your feet and make welcome the wonderful, the awesome, the magnificent YOU!” Say what? Who me, you might ask? Yes you! You see, each of us has been
Satisfy your Soul created to live out the performance of a lifetime on our own stage called life. Casting has been pre-selected and you have been chosen for the lead role. In Job 1, Job, like you, has been selected for the performance of his life. Satan enters center stage of the heavenly realm and utters to God, his casting-call dilemma. God who encompasses all theatrical components including, director, set designer, lead and supporting roles as well as the playwrightthe author and finisher of the performance, proposes that Job is the one for the job! A contract is signed between your agent, who is God (remember God fulfills all the roles) and the agent seeking your lease, Satan. Job’s experience is symbolic of the lifeissues that we can face over our lifetime. He experienced the entire gamete of life’s trials. By Satan’s hand, Job suffered severe sickness, economic loss, and relational breakdown in his marriage and with his closest friends, and Job also experienced the pain staking agony of death, through the loss of his children. These tragedies occurred over a span of Job’s life and Satan hoped Job would simply grow weary and resign- simply quit his end of the contact, creating a reason for an indictment. Yet, in all of Job’s suffering he did not break covenant with His God! Job understood the principle, that in the midst of the unfamiliar, confusion and tragic seasons that God does not relinquish His agreement. Please understand that we, like Job, at all times are also on a platform. Demonic agents are a part of your fanatic following. Like a stocker in a private showing, they are watching and waiting to comprehend your next move. Even as you read this article, spiritual forces are at work influencing the outcome of your thoughts, actions and responses to life. They have a vested interest in you. But their interest in you is not for your good; rather it is for evil, designed for you to fail. Satan’s motive is to make counterfeit contracts intended for you to abort your assignment and simply curse God and die. Die without fulfilling God’s assigned purpose for your life. Satan will stop at nothing
to orchestrate people and circumstances at various intervals of your life to deter, discredit and discourage you. He is the archenemy of your life’s narrative. Trying to alter your destiny, he accuses you before God at all times, at every chapter and scene of your life, and has placed a wager on your failure. “All the world’s a stage” is the phrase that begins William Shakespeare’s “As You Like” monologue. This monologue compares the world to a stage and life to a play. Sometimes referred to as the “seven stages of man”, Shakespeare poetically divides the stages of human life from the infancy of man to his death. Similarly, when we begin to see life transitions
performers Exceptional y with the a face every d at he/she th e c reassuran osen. n has bee ch
ce, a a chosen ra But you are tion, a na ly ho od, a royal priestho ssession, od’s own po people for g the ay proclaim so that you m s ha of Him who excellencies to in ss ne ut of dark called you o light; His marvelous - 1 Peter 2:9
through this lens, we can begin to grasp the truth that the Great Playwright has a prewritten script about you that is designed for your success! From the moment Satan approached God about Job, God was not nervous, he was quite confident that Job would not fail the test. In fact God is confident that you will not fail in your current situation either-You WILL triumph over your trials! For the challenges you face today is a culmination of God orchestrated scenes. What that means is, God has already prewritten a script and its inscriptions are arranged for your success. By the end of Job’s performance, he earned a standing ovation and everything he lost was restored re-established and returned to him in abundance.
What makes Job’s life’s story extraordinary? Was it his unbelievable forbearance? Was it his total reliance on the limitless power of God versus his personal decision to deny operating within the limitations of his own will power? To really understand Job’s ability to surpass tragic life events in such a remarkable way, let’s examine some of the four attributes of exceptional performers. Consider your current situation. Whether seemingly good or bad, did you choose this platform for yourself? Absolutely not- God did! He chose and specifically called you to the part you are now playing. You did not choose God to be your casting-director. Oh No! Without a single audition, he pursued you and designated you to be part of His grand production! Even before the foundation of the earth God foreknew you and called you to be His story personified. In light of this truth, we often focus on the many reasons why God should not have selected us. However, the truth of the matter is that through Jesus Christ, God sees you as “blameless” which also means completely righteous. Like Job you possess completeness in God with every resource necessary to overcome all of life’s limitations. His reservoir is bursting with an overflow waiting to be disbursed to those who will simply yield to His supply. God is obligated to your victory and is entirely devoted to take care of your every need because you are His chosen one!
People tell stories all the time, from newspapers to overheard conversation. Get into the habit of writing. If you’re short on time, try writing little but often. Overwrite, then cut. (Don’t reveal in the first scene that Oedipus is sleeping with his mother.) Give your main character obstacles to overcome. He/she should have changed by the end of the play, if only fractionally.
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Satisfy your Soul Now that you have established within yourself that YOU are chosen, it’s time to activate the exceptional and limitless abilities with in you, by knowing and becoming one with the script. An exceptional performer knows that he/ she must not only memorize the lines, but must also dedicate time to accurately comprehend the meaning of the script. In this manner, the learner becomes one with the persona of the written expression of the playwright. The playwright is the initial creator of the script, scenario, and plan. God is the greatest playwright that has ever existed and His composition is a magnificent
masterpiece and reflection of Himself. The Holy Bible is His manuscript filled with line upon line and precept upon precept for perfecting the performance of all mankind. Since the script is the heart of the performance depending on how it is used, it can significantly impact the performance; therefore the script must be highly esteemed above the opinions of the performer. Some will learn their script within the confines of their personal comfort. In contrast, others seek deeper meaning about their role and are therefore compelled to unlock deeper dimensions of his/her
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Exceptional perform ers activate limitless capabilities by becoming one with the script. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mo uth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that yo u may be careful to do accordi ng to all that is written in it. Fo r then you will make your way pro sperous, and then you will ha ve good success. - Joshua 1:8
capabilities, fully submerging into their character. By immersing themselves, beyond their personal confines they refuse to be boxed-in or type-classed thereby activating opportunities for greater prospects. The next time you read the words of the world-renowned BIBLE manuscript, remember to study it, become one with it and it will undergird you with a boundless capability to rise to any platform that erects itself before you. Exceptional performers have their own personal and unique style: I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully
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made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them (Psalm 139:14-16). There are many great performers that have existed and have left a rich legacy for us to learn and live by. Biblical characters like Moses, Joshua, Queen Esther, the Apostle Paul, Abraham and Mary-mother of Jesus, to name a few, has motivated and inspired us to do the exceptional! Similarly, some current day faith filled brothers and sisters have come along side us to help fan the flames of our faith. These great witnesses of the gospel have done well in their endeavor to ignite passion and set the world ablaze with the good news gospel of Jesus Christ. Common to all these great performers is their drive for exceptional service. But with all their similarities there are also attributes that distinguish each one from another. Exceptional performers learn the importance of gleaning wisdom from the lessons of others, while building on his/ her own unique qualities. There is something so special and unique about you. It is that distinction about you that is being sought after by people in your sphere of influence. You are the only one that can do what you do best! No one else on earth is capable of filling the role that you currently play. The situation you face today exists for you to minister in and to it! You have been ordained to speak to your situation and to minister transformation to yourself and others from the place where you are. Don’t even try to do it like anyone else, because the scenario was fashioned with you in mind. You are already equipped with what it takes- remember you are complete so USE WHAT YOU HAVE so God can do something extraordinary though you!
Satisfy your Soul performers Exceptional d the understan of significance : ls rehearsa
od; tried us, O G For You have r ve sil fined us as You have re to in us u brought is refined. Yo ive id an oppress la u the net; Yo u Yo s. in lo n our burden upo ride over our n e m e mad fire ent through heads; We w u Yo water, Yet and through of e c ut into a pla brought us o . abundance 0-12
- Psalms 66:1
Rehearsals are critical to exceptional performances. The purpose of rehearsals is to refine and tune that which you have drawn from the script. The degree of your performance level of spiritual maturity must be tested. Whenever you find yourself in a cycle of repeat or recurrent situations,
pause and consider the lesson being taught. Have you been at this place before? If so, what are the repetitive thoughts and actions that you are practicing? Are they helpful or harmful? Is it time to change your approach? Until you allow God to refine your will to become one with His will, you will never overcome your trials. God allows the same lesson to recur in the form of different scenarios for the perfecting of your overall life performance. Exceptional performers excel at each scenario of their life by making and correcting their mistakes and by anticipating a natural progression for taking the lessons learned into the adventures of the next thrilling scene. Job like you, has been chosen to live out your existence on the platform called life. The presence of your audience is not always visible, however just knowing that your life attracts a variety of human and spiritual spectators can help to change, inspire and create new expectations for your life performance. At the finale of your life story, you will be presented again,
but this time you will be on a platform before the Great Playwright. All your labor and sacrifices made at every rehearsal will culminate and complete His masterpiece and then He will give the final review. The announcement will be broadcasted and this is what you can expect to hear. “To My lead performer, you have played a significant role in recreating human experiences and establishing My purpose and divine plan for mankind. “Well done, thou good and faithful servant”- Take your bow, come now and take your rest”! SI
“In case I don’t see ya... good afternoon, good evening, and good night!”
How do you see Jesus and the kingdom of God? Is your understanding clear, or is your spiritual insight impaired? When you hear the teachings of Jesus, what do you experience? Is your encounter merely head knowledge, or do the principles of God become genuinely engrafted into your heart, guiding you to His light and life? As we examine the parable of the talents, begin by asking Jesus to reveal His insightful truths to your heart. Ask Jesus to open your spiritual eyesight, so that you may discover the countless rewards He has stored up for you. Jesus repeatedly used parables to illustrate profound kingdom truths. Easy-to-remember analogies became graphic imprints in the mind of each listener. Through familiar symbolisms, Jesus subtly highlighted the concealed wisdom of the
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The Talent is a Greek coin worth 6000 Drachmas.
In todays money it would be about $360,000 U.S.
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Spirit. As He extracted the true meaning from each parable, understanding became clearer to those who believed; however, to unbelievers, the same parable became a mystery, blinding their spiritual view of the kingdom. The parable of the talents is a powerful narrative packed with kingdom truths. In Matthew 25:14-30, we are introduced to the parable of the talents. Here we meet a wealthy man and three of his servants. The wealth of this owner affords him travel abroad, leaving his servants in charge of his investments. Upon his departure, he provides his servants with specific instructions. According to their unique capabilities, he entrusts each with a portion of his possessions. “And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received
Satisfy your Soul two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money” The duration of the owner’s journey is unknown, but upon his homecoming the owner would expect a return on his investment. The Bible says, “After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.” But what did he find? Two of the servants doubled their investments and were commended and considered faithful, and they were both given more. The servant, who hid his talent, also gave his account for his stewardship. This is what he said, “Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.” Within this parable we observe the action and accomplishment of faithful servants, the opposite action and rationalization of a faithless servant, and the judgments of a wealthy owner. Each character helps to shed light on several lessons. The word “talent” means something very different now than what it meant in the time this parable was spoken. In those days, a talent was a measurement of weight with varying monetary value. For example, the weight or value of gold was measured in talents. In today’s economy, a talent would be equivalent to a very large amount of money. While talents measured economic worth then, today they measure the diverse investment of gifts within each of us. Everyone has a unique ability. Whether you recognize it or not, you have been given a talent, and God expects a return on His investment. Therefore, before becoming too critical of the servant who buried his investment, ask yourself, “What have I done with my God-given gifts and abilities?” Have you buried yours
also? For many reasons, including fear of failure, misdirected priorities, and just lack of motivation, many believers, like the faithless servant, have literally buried their talents. Instead of growing as agents of God’s glory, we have allowed ourselves to become confined to our limitations. Whether you are creative and artistic, ingeniously calculative, or simply able to create environments of joy and peace, you must do it to the glory of God. It is important to note that with every measure, God has also given us an allotted time frame. With the 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year you’ve been given, how much time have you spent working on your God-given investment? Time is a commodity that once spent cannot be returned, unless it is reproduced
through an investment. How you spend your time is critical to fulfilling your role and responsibility to God. Like the faithful servants, have you been responsible with your time and talent? The Bible reveals that the servant that was given five talents immediately began to work on growing his investment. Immediately means he did not waste time. But what did the servant with the one talent spend the remainder of his time doing? This question causes me to believe his time was spent idly. For if he wasn’t doing the work of the master, then there must have been something more important. We must stop wasting time on self-indulging activities and begin spending time on developing God’s investments. I know that some of you may be asking yourself, “What is my talent? What has God invested in me?” The answers to these questions are both significant and sacred. Significant because this is perhaps one the most important quests for a human being. Everyone wants to make a difference, even in the slightest way. We innately desire to make and leave a mark in this world. This is called legacy. Legacy is what remains after you have gone. Legacy may not be tangible to the human touch, but its power is most palpable in those whose lives you have impacted. Consider the significant impact you have had on others. What did you do? What did they say about their encounter with you? Write down the answers because this is a good starting place for figuring out where the talent God has invested in you will arise. Onlookers are watching and experiencing your gifts at times you may not even notice. It is at such times that they will bear witness to the gifting that is present within you. Many years ago, I was told that my voice sounded like I “belonged on radio.” At that time, I was in a professional environment, simply doing my job. However, what was merely a job was the confirmation from many witnesses
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Satisfy your Soul that there was a strong calling for others to hear my voice. Surprisingly, the demand became greater as opportunities to speak arose. Like the faithless servant, I did not act on the call immediately. In fact, I too tried to bury it, denying the power of God’s investment. It wasn’t long before I concluded that I would have no peace until I began to appreciate God’s investment as His and not my own. Finally, the day came when I set aside my insecurities and doubts and dedicated my voice to Him for His good pleasure. I prayerfully yielded to His will and granted Him full permission to do what He desired with my voice. I began to journal and mark my calendar with speaking opportunities, and since that time, there has not been a month that I have not been asked to speak in front of an audience. Your gift is significant to God. This is what makes it so sacred. Ultimately it all belongs to Him! Though he may use others to confirm, you must come to a place of yielding because whatever He deposits in you is to be revered first and foremost by you. What He invests is significant and sacred; therefore, prayerfully seek God for guidance and He will lead you toward your destiny. As much as God wants you to cultivate your God-given abilities, each sacred moment with God remains a choice. God will not force anyone to change. He will prompt and direct us, but He will not force us to serve Him. This choice, once again, is personal and sacred. Is your heart divided? Examine your heart and see what is driving your choices. Often, wasted energy is spent observing the investments of others while our investment plummets, causing discouragement. We then begin to focus on what we don’t have, drawing our attention away from what we do possess. This results in choices that are self-centered rather than God-centered. In this parable, the owner is symbolic of Jesus Christ— His departure and soon return. What will Jesus find that you have done with His investment upon His return? We will all have to give an account for our stewardship over His investments. The question is, will you choose today to be faithful with what is already inside of you? Will you search for the buried treasures deposited within you and begin to cultivate them today? God is asking you to open your heart to His will for your life. You are already equipped, for He gives each “according to his own abilities.” If God has illuminated your heart today, then make yourself available to be released to the world. There’s more in you than you may see, and as you make yourself available, He will gladly reward you with much more than you ever expected! SI
To much is given, much is expected. What you don’t use will be taken away.
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