OUR DAILY BREAD : THE KING OF FRUITS

[cimi]

December 17
Thursday


THE KING
OF FRUITS

READ:
Luke 19:12-26
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Present your bodies
a living sacrifice,
....which is your
reasonable service.
__Romans 12:1
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The durian, a tropical fruit, is often called The King of Fruits. Either you love it or you hate it. Those who love it will do almost anything to get it. Those who hate it won't get near it because of its pungent smell. My wife loves it. Recently, a friend, who was grateful for what my wife had done for her, sent her a box of the finest quality durians. She took great pains to ensure that they were the best.

I asked myself, "If we can give the best to a friend, how can we do less for our Lord who gave His very life for us?"

The nobleman in Jesus' parable in Luke 19 wanted the best from 10 servants to whom he gave money, saying, "Do business till I come" (v.13). When he returned and asked for an account, he gave the same commendation "Well done!" to all those who had done what they could with the money entrusted to them. But he called "wicked" (v.22) the one who did nothing with his money.

The primary meaning of this story is stewardship of what we've been given. To be faithful with what God has given to us is to give Him our best in return. As the master gave money to the servants in the parable, so God has given us gifts to serve Him. It is we who will lose out if we fail to give Him our best. __C. P. Hia
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````````````````````Give of your best to the Master,```````````````
```````````````````Give Him first place in your heart;``````````````
```````````````````Give Him first place in your service,````````````
````````````````````Consecrate every part. __Grose``````````````
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We are at our best when we serve God
by serving others.

***************Today's Bible Reading __ Luke 19:12-26***********

12 Therefore He said: "A
certain nobleman went into
a far country to receive for
himself a kingdom and to
return. 13 So he called ten of
his servants, delivered to
them ten minas, and said to
them, 'Do business till I
come.' 14 But his citizens
hated him, and sent a
delegation after him, saying,
'We will not have this man
to reign over us.'

15 "And so it was that when
he returned, having received
the kingdom, he then
commanded these servants,
to whom he had given the
money, to be called to him,
that he might know how
much every man had gained
by trading. 16 Then came the
first, saying, 'Master, your
mina has earned ten minas.'

17 And he said to him, 'Well
done, good servant; because
you were faithful in a very
little, have authority over ten
cities.' 18 And the second
came, saying, 'Master, your
mina has earned five minas.'

19 Likewise he said to him,
'You also be over five cities.'

20 "Then another came,
saying, 'Master, here is your
mina, which I have kept put
away in a handkerchief.

21 For I feared you, because
you are an austere man. You
collect what you did not
deposit, and reap what you
did not sow.' 22 And he said
to him, 'Out of your own
mouth I will judge you, you
wicked servant. You knew
that I was an austere man,
collecting what I did not
deposit and reaping what I
did not sow. 23 Why then did
you not put my money in
the bank, that at my coming
I might have collected it
with interest?'

24"And he said to those
who stood by, 'Take the mina
from him, and give it to him
who has ten minas.' 25 (But
they said to him, 'Master, he
has ten minas.') 26 For I say
to you, that to everyone who
has will be given; and from
him who does not have, even
what he has will be taken
away from him.'"