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John 10:3
The doorkeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
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1 Corinthians 15 58
Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
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Matthew 25:14-30
“ For it is just like a man going on a journey. He called his own slaves and turned over his possessions to them.To one he gave five talents; to another, two; and to another, one— to each according to his own ability. Then he went on a journey. Immediatelythe man who had received five talents went, put them to work, and earned five more.In the same way the man with two earned two more.But the man who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.“ After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.The man who had received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said,‘ Master, you gave me five talents. Look, I’ve earned five more talents.’“ His master said to him,‘ Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!’“ Then the man with two talents also approached. He said,‘ Master, you gave me two talents. Look, I’ve earned two more talents.’“ His master said to him,‘ Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!’“ Then the man who had received one talent also approached and said,‘ Master, I know you. You’re a difficult man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed.So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. Look, you have what is yours.’“ But his master replied to him,‘ You evil, lazy slave! If you knew that I reap where I haven’t sown and gather where I haven’t scattered,then you should have deposited my money with the bankers. And when I returned I would have received my money back with interest.“‘ So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has 10 talents.For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.And throw this good-for-nothing slave into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
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Ezekiel 33:2-9
“ Son of man, speak to your people and tell them: Suppose I bring the sword against a land, and the people of that land select a man from among them, appointing him as their watchman,and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows his trumpet to warn the people.Then, if anyone hears the sound of the trumpet but ignores the warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his own head.Since he heard the sound of the trumpet but ignored the warning, his blood is on his own hands. If he had taken warning, he would have saved his life.However, if the watchman sees the sword coming but doesn’t blow the trumpet, so that the people aren’t warned, and the sword comes and takes away their lives, then they have been taken away because of their iniquity, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood.“ As for you, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. When you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me.If I say to the wicked,‘ Wicked one, you will surely die,’ but you do not speak out to warn him about his way, that wicked person will die for his iniquity, yet I will hold you responsible for his blood.But if you warn a wicked person to turn from his way and he doesn’t turn from it, he will die for his iniquity, but you will have saved your life.
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Matthew 24:45-47
“ Who then is a faithful and sensible slave, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give them food at the proper time?That slave whose master finds him working when he comes will be rewarded.I assure you: He will put him in charge of all his possessions.
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Acts 20:29-31
I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.And men will rise up from your own number with deviant doctrines to lure the disciples into following them.Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning each one of you with tears.
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Luke 12:36-40
You must be like people waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once.Those slaves the master will find alert when he comes will be blessed. I assure you: He will get ready, have them recline at the table, then come and serve them.If he comes in the middle of the night, or even near dawn, and finds them alert, those slaves are blessed.But know this: If the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.You also be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.”
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Colossians 3:24
knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.
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Ezekiel 3:17-21
“ Son of man, I have made you a watchman over the house of Israel. When you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me.If I say to the wicked person,‘ You will surely die,’ but you do not warn him— you don’t speak out to warn him about his wicked way in order to save his life— that wicked person will die for his iniquity. Yet I will hold you responsible for his blood.But if you warn a wicked person and he does not turn from his wickedness or his wicked way, he will die for his iniquity, but you will have saved your life.Now if a righteous person turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, and I put a stumbling block in front of him, he will die. If you did not warn him, he will die because of his sin and the righteous acts he did will not be remembered. Yet I will hold you responsible for his blood.But if you warn the righteous person that he should not sin, and he does not sin, he will indeed live because he listened to your warning, and you will have saved your life.”
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Matthew 16:19
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth is already bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is already loosed in heaven.”
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1 Corinthians 12 4-1 Corinthians 12 31
Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit.There are different ministries, but the same Lord.And there are different activities, but the same God activates each gift in each person.A demonstration of the Spirit is given to each person to produce what is beneficial:to one is given a message of wisdom through the Spirit, to another, a message of knowledge by the same Spirit,to another, faith by the same Spirit, to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit,to another, the performing of miracles, to another, prophecy, to another, distinguishing between spirits, to another, different kinds of languages, to another, interpretation of languages.But one and the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each person as He wills.For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body— so also is Christ.For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body— whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free— and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.So the body is not one part but many.If the foot should say,“ Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body.And if the ear should say,“ Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body.If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?But now God has placed each one of the parts in one body just as He wanted.And if they were all the same part, where would the body be?Now there are many parts, yet one body.So the eye cannot say to the hand,“ I don’t need you!” Or again, the head can’t say to the feet,“ I don’t need you!”But even more, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are necessary.And those parts of the body that we think to be less honorable, we clothe these with greater honor, and our unpresentable parts have a better presentation.But our presentable parts have no need of clothing. Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable,so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other.So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it.And God has placed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, next miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, managing, various kinds of languages.Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all do miracles?Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in other languages? Do all interpret?But desire the greater gifts. And I will show you an even better way.
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Revelation 3:7
“ Write to the angel of the church in Philadelphia:“ The Holy One, the True One, the One who has the key of David, who opens and no one will close, and closes and no one opens says:
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Luke 19:12-17
Therefore He said:“ A nobleman traveled to a far country to receive for himself authority to be king and then return.He called 10 of his slaves, gave them 10 minas, and told them,‘ Engage in business until I come back.’“ But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying,‘ We don’t want this man to rule over us!’“ At his return, having received the authority to be king, he summoned those slaves he had given the money to, so he could find out how much they had made in business.The first came forward and said,‘ Master, your mina has earned 10 more minas.’“‘ Well done, good slave!’ he told him.‘ Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, have authority over 10 towns.’
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Romans 12:4-8
Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function,in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another.According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts: If prophecy, use it according to the standard of one’s faith;if service, in service; if teaching, in teaching;if exhorting, in exhortation; giving, with generosity; leading, with diligence; showing mercy, with cheerfulness.
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1 Corinthians 3 5-1 Corinthians 3 10
What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given.I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.Now the one planting and the one watering are one in purpose, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.For we are God’s coworkers. You are God’s field, God’s building.According to God’s grace that was given to me, I have laid a foundation as a skilled master builder, and another builds on it. But each one must be careful how he builds on it.
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Colossians 4:1
Masters, supply your slaves with what is right and fair, since you know that you too have a Master in heaven.
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Romans 13:6
And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God’s public servants, continually attending to these tasks.
