#Day 247: 04 September 2016, Sunday

FREEDOM & PRODUCTIVITY

By: Ps. Eddy Chang

Matthew 25: 14-19 - Parable of the Three Servants

TRUE FREEDOM

During the Malaysia Independence day parade show, one of the tv presenter said that Independence is not merely a freedom from physical-slavery but it is also (and I believe is most important) freedom from the mind-slavery.

In Matthew 25, the parable about the three servants, it was not written of what the man wants the servants to do with the talents. This shows the freedom that the man gave to the servants.

For the man with one talent, although he was given the freedom, he did not practice the true freedom. He still live in mind-slavery.

Just like the Israelites after they were delivered out from slavery in Egypt. They spent 40 years in wilderness and unable to reached the promise land. They are not able to reach the true freedom, the victorious life)

As for the other servants, they practice their true freedom and we can see the result!

TRUE FREEDOM DRIVES PRODUCTIVITY

In Matthew 25:21 - His Lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.

Indeed, when we live in our true freedom, with God, we can see several feedback:

• Affirmation - "Well done! Good servants"
• Promotion - "ruler over many things, bigger things"
• Celebration - "enter the joy of the Lord"

REFLECTION:

What about us?

Matthew 25:14 NLT “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone".

• We are entrusted with our talents
• We will be asked on how we use the talents

Are we practicing our true freedom? Or are we still living in "slavery", our mind-slavery? Are we productive? (i.e easy to be angry, low self esteem, think highly of ourselves, stagnant on where we are, etc)

Are we F.R.E.S.H? Are we a true servants?

Galatians 5:13 MSG:
It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows. For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then?

#fgccmalaysia #uplifting #Freedom&Productivity