Welcome to the Further Gospel Podcast, where we provide sound doctrine for everyday people. I'm your host, Kosti Hinn. And whether you're listening to this on your favorite podcast platform or watching on our YouTube channel, I'm thankful you've joined me for this episode. This is the third T as we walk through this series. The five T's that we are going through are going to set you up for a strong 2025 and really a stronger life overall, because every single T in our list we've been going through can make or break you. And I mean that in the best way. Let's remember our list. T uh, as in time, that's how you use it. That was the first episode. Number two, temple. And that's the totality of who we are, not just physically in our health, but spiritually. And we talked through some key principles and action items on that. And now in this episode, T for talent, as in your skills and your spiritual gift. And then we'll talk treasure and trust. That's going to be your relationships and who you run with. And then treasure, of course, being the stewardship of resources like money and possessions. The five T's that will really set you up for success. And by success, we're talking spiritually, fruit in your life for the glory of God. So our third T is talent. And here's how I want to frame this up: submit your talent. We've had strategize your time. We've had strengthen your temple. And now submit your talent. And let me define what I mean by talent. This is your spiritual gifts and your abilities. It could include money if we were using it the way that the Bible refers to a talent, but we'll talk stewardship of your treasure next time. So for this episode, I want to think deeper than money and resources. I want to look at the root of how you actually make and acquire those resources. What is at the root of your uh money making or your accomplishing of things? It is your talent, your skill. It might even be attached to your spiritual gift. And that would be exemplified through making money, having success, accomplishing a goal, building a team. If you're good at crunching numbers, uh strategizing ideas, some people can take an idea, they can take vision, a picture of where you want to be, and begin to lay out the steps to get there. It'll play into building something. All of that takes skill and talent, and spiritual gifts are gonna play into those things for the body of Christ. Your talent in this sense might be wisdom or discernment, tenacity. You might be a go-getter, a self-starter, a great organizer, an administrator, a galvanizer. You're good at bringing people together. You could be a great leader, a planner, an encourager. That's a talent. People that just seem to lift others up: a singer, a server, a teacher, a musician, a protector. All of these things are attached to a talent, a skill, a disposition that God gives someone to accomplish their goals. And it's not always God given. Of course, spiritual gifts are given by the Holy Spirit. But sometimes we acquire skills. These things are God given, and that the Lord has given us the ability to earn wealth or have a mind to learn. But if you are good at something because you've practiced it a lot or you've had a lot of experience, God can use those things. And again, spiritual gifts for believers, well, that's going to be something we have that the world doesn't. Only people who are saved get spiritual gifts. But when we're talking about talent, we're talking about that and skills we've acquired and have become good at over time. When I use the word submit, submit your talent, what I'm proposing is that in order to level up the way that we're living and be fulfilled beyond material success, we need to see our talents as something that do not belong to us. They need to be laid down in submission before God. They need to be used for his purpose and his glory. And that doesn't mean that a Christian can't use their talents to make money or to organize their home or to acquire assets or to advance some other initiative or purpose and goal that they have, but it means that a Christian is going to be primarily concerned that their talents are being used for the glory and purposes of God. It is to say that if I was using my talent to build a business, make great money, or be an athlete, or be a musician, or make a name for myself in some way, I may be a great uh builder of architecture. I may be a great engineer. And everybody knows that you come to me if you want a special kind of building design, that's great. But a Christian is going to be concerned if they're not using the skills and talents that they utilize to build a great thing in business for the glory of God. What does that look like? Oh, it could look like all sorts of things for people based on the context, but they must be thinking, you must be thinking, I must be thinking, am I leveraging my talents for God? Uh, this is to say that you could be an immensely wealthy or a brilliant entrepreneur, you could be a business executive, you could be a well-gifted artist, a musician, a creator, a leader. But if you're not leveraging your talent to some purpose that is beyond you, eternal significance, you're gonna be empty, you're gonna be unfulfilled. You might not even realize it. I think we all go through this at times where there's a frustration, a discontentment, and maybe a lack of peace. And then we kind of wake up to it and go, you know, I'm I'm kind of just living for me right now. It's been all about me right now. And maybe those experiences or feelings are linked to you disobeying God in this area and not even knowing it. And so realize that if you're not using your talent for God in some way, you are going to be discontent, frustrated, and lack peace because you're a Christian. The Holy Spirit's in you, and you are designed to respond to those types of deficiencies. God has built it that way so that you would wake up and turn to Him in obedience. I think one of the best ways to understand all of this is to view it through the lens of the parable of the talents in the gospel of Matthew. And so let me walk you through that parable, read it to you, and then we'll consider some ways that we can apply this to our lives. If you're following along and you're watching this, you can see, we'll put it up on the screen and I'll read it to you. It's going to be in the ESV. Or if you're driving or working out, doing some gardening or cleaning or just getting some things done and you're on the go. Uh, don't worry, I'll read you every verse in this parable. Matthew chapter 25 is where we find it. It's verses 14 to 30, and it says this for it will be like a man going on a journey. This is the disciples asking all about what the kingdom of heaven is going to be like and what this is like and what that is like, and what's all what's it all gonna be? And Jesus says, It will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another, two, to another one, to each according to his ability, and then he went away. Very good point there. The parable pretty much preaches itself. Verse sixteen says, He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. Now, after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them, and he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more, saying, Master, you delivered to me five talents. Here I have made five talents more. And his master said, Well done, good and faithful servant, you've been faithful over a little, I'll set you over much, enter into the joy of your master. And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, Master, you delivered to me the two talents, and here I made two talents more. His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant, you've been faithful over a little, I'll set you over much, enter into the joy of your master. Now in verse twenty-four it says this He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed. So I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you can have what is yours. But his master answered him, You wicked and slothful servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and I gather where I scattered no seed, then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what I what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents, for to everyone who has who for everyone who has will be more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness, in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. That is as straightforward as you can get. Now, there are some salvific undertones, of course. There is uh the ending line into the place where there'll be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Evidently, this person did not use their life for the master. This is a bigger picture here of those who have been faithful with little and will be entrusted with much, those who have had faith in Christ, those who have been obedient to God, those have used their lives for his purposes, that is gonna be here well done, good and faithful servant, and those who have not will hear you wicked servant, you slothful servant. You've been lazy with what you've been given. You can see it right there in the parable. One servant gets busy with what he has. It was a lot, and God blessed him with more. Another servant gets busy too, and while he doesn't have as much as the first servant, he doesn't compare or worry about all that. He stewards what he's been given and multiplies it, and so God gives him more. Even that is worth considering. That second servant could have said, What? Look at how much he got. What in the world? I only got this. Man, I got a later start. I don't have as much to work with. Must be easy to turn five into five. I only got two. But instead, he just looks at what he has with contentment and drive to say, This is what I got. All right, I'm gonna run my race. I'm gonna turn two into four. And then there's the third guy who operates on fear. And you need to add laziness and apathy because the Bible says, you wicked and slothful servant, he does nothing with it. And he thinks that this is some noble thing. Uh, Master, I knew you to be a shrewd man. Uh, I didn't, I just thought I'd give it to you. Here you go, here, have what's yours. No, he gets schooled and rebuked, and then he loses what he had because he wasn't faithful with it. He was worried about all the wrong things instead of just focusing on being faithful to the Lord with what he has been given. And here's what we can learn from that parable. Number one, you are given talents by God. This is true for all of us. Whether you feel like you're a five-talent person or a two or a one, doesn't matter. You and I have been given skills, abilities, experience, and a spiritual gift from God. We've been given a life, an opportunity to live for the Lord, to put our faith and trust in Him, or to live for ourselves. And if you're a believer, you've been given talents by God. Number two, you are accountable for how you use your talents. No one can say what they have is theirs. No one can say, well, I'm just gonna save myself. I'm just I'm self-made. No one is self-made. Your talents are from God and they need to be submitted to God. You can honestly uh feel great about amassing wealth and executing faithfully and accomplishing some goals for yourself in some way, but it won't last. That feeling will not last. When you're a believer and you're not doing those things or leveraging your talents and gifts and your life for Christ and the body of Christ at that, and helping the church to be built up stronger with your gift you've been given, you are never gonna be fulfilled as a Christian. And more than that, you're gonna be held accountable for how you stewarded your talents and used them for the glory of God. Number three, you will experience true fulfillment when you use your talents for God. We know it deep down. Uh, some will call it guilt. Uh, you can call it whatever you want, but it's this feeling inside when you know you've done well making and building your own life with the talent God has given you, but you've not been building his kingdom. Don't wallow in that guilt. Do something about it. Take the skills and the resources God has given you, the mind, the wisdom, and put them to work in ways that provide and accomplish goals for your job and your family and your future. Yes and amen. Those are good things, but above all else, relish in the true contentment that comes from seeking his kingdom first and his righteousness. And then just like Matthew 6, 33 says, all those other things will be added unto you. I don't know how the Lord will lead you and convict you based on your own situation, but I know this. If you will aim to multiply what he has given you this year for his glory, he will entrust you with more to be faithful with. Submit your talents to God and watch him work. Thanks for listening, thanks for watching, thanks for supporting. I hope this episode has been another brick as we build together through this five-part series. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for free resources or to learn more about our ministry or partner with us. You can go to for the gospel.org. I'll be back next Monday with another episode. Keep on living for the gospel.