God gives people the ability to perform every task they are able to do.
No one has anything that was not received from God. Les Feldick points to 1 Corinthians 4:7, where Paul asks, "What hast thou that thou didst not receive?" Les applies this to everyday life, showing that even wealth and natural talents are gifts of God's sovereign grace, never self-made accomplishments.
1 Corinthians 4:7 — Paul directly asks who has anything that was not received, showing every ability comes from God.
1 Corinthians 1:27-29 — God chooses the foolish, weak, and despised so that no human being can glory in His presence over his own abilities.
Scripture attributes every differentiation and every possession to God. In 1 Corinthians 4:7 Paul asks, "For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?" The answer is that nothing anyone has originates with himself; all of it is received from God. The same principle underlies how God apportions gifts. Romans 12:6–8 says gifts differ "according to the grace that is given to us" and lists prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, ruling, and showing mercy. Paul uses "gifts" — abilities given by grace, not earned. God also deliberately works through the foolish and weak so He receives the glory. In 1 Corinthians 1:27–29, God has chosen the foolish, weak, base, and despised "to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence." This is why ability is never a grounds for personal boasting.
Les Feldick is emphatic that God is the source of every human ability. He illustrates this with a story in Clip 6: an old gentleman told Les that he had made his own money, to which Les responds the man was "all wrong" — he could not have made a nickel or bought a quarter section without God ordaining it. Les concludes, "We are what we are by the sovereign grace of God." Les also teaches that God intentionally leaves His work in human instruments so that the power is seen to be from God and not from people. As he says in Clip 1, "man can never take the credit for anything. It all has to be of God, or it's going to fall flat on its face." Finally, Les explains that the abilities we use in service are gifts from God. In Clip 2 he lists gifts such as visiting the sick, ministering in nursing homes, prayer, giving, administration, and teaching. In Clip 3 he says of giving and leadership, "It's a gift that God has given," and instructs those with such gifts to "get to work, and give God the credit."
The Apostle Paul asks, "For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive?" The implied answer is that no one is self-made. Les Feldick applies this verse to everyday life in Clip 6, telling of a wealthy man who insisted he made his money himself. Les says the man "was all wrong" because he could not have made a nickel without God ordaining it. In fact, Les says, "We are what we are by the sovereign grace of God."
Les Feldick points out in Clip 7 that God could use someone with talent, a high IQ, or vast wealth, but He often does not. The reason is found in 1 Corinthians 1:29: "That no flesh should glory in his presence." If a naturally gifted person were successful, he would be prone to say, "Look what I did." In Clip 1, Les adds that all of God's work left in human instruments is designed so that "the excellency of the power may be not of us, but of God."
Les Feldick teaches in Clip 2 that God leaves every believer here to serve in some capacity and gives each one a particular gift. He names gifts for visiting the sick, encouraging people in nursing homes, praying, giving, administrating, teaching, and other tasks. You can determine what you are comfortable with, he says, and you do not have to force something. In Clip 3 he mentions the gifts of exhortation, giving, ruling, and showing mercy, and says of giving, "It's a gift that God has given." Those who have such gifts should use them and give God the credit.
Les Feldick teaches in Clip 4 that God will give every believer an area of responsibility in the kingdom. He bases this on Jesus' account of the talents, where the servant who gained ten talents was told he would rule over ten cities. Les says rewards will be "various amounts of responsibility in that kingdom economy," although he admits he cannot explain exactly how it will be done.
What Saves You? Head Knowledge vs. Heart Belief
Hello and welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick. An Oklahoma rancher and farmer, Les Feldick has been teaching homestyle Bible classes for 20 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les is teaching, it's so interesting that people say time just seems to fly by. And now, here is Les Feldick.
Power Must Be of God
God deliberately leaves His work in human instruments so that the power is seen to come from God, not from people; man can never take the credit for anything.
Gifts for Service
God leaves every believer here to serve in a particular capacity and gives different people gifts such as visiting the sick, prayer, giving, administration, and teaching.
Giving, Leading, and Mercy Are Gifts
The abilities to give, lead, exhort, and show mercy are gifts that God has given, and those who have them should do the work and give God the credit.
Future Responsibilities from God
God will give every believer an area of responsibility in the kingdom, using the talents parable to show rewards of varying responsibility.
Why God Keeps People Humble
God used a messenger of Satan to keep Paul humble, showing that in ourselves we are nobodies but in Christ we become somebody.
The Self-Made Man
God gives the ability to earn money and everything else; a self-made man is wrong because no one could make anything apart from God's sovereign ordination.
God Won't Use the Self-Sufficient
God won't use people with seemingly all the right credentials because they would be prone to say 'Look what I did' rather than glory in God.
1 Corinthians 4:7: For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
This verse is the foundation for the answer: no ability or possession is self-originated, but all is received from God.
1 Corinthians 1:27-29: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.
This explains why God often works through those without natural credentials: so no human being can boast of his own ability.
Romans 12:6-8: Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
These verses show that the practical abilities believers use in service are gifts given according to God's grace.
God does. Les Feldick tells of a wealthy man who claimed he made his money himself. Les says the man was wrong because he could not have made a nickel without God ordaining it. Ability, success, and wealth all come from God's sovereign grace.
Yes. Les Feldick teaches that gifts such as visiting the sick, prayer, giving, administration, and teaching are given by God. In Clip 3 he says of giving, "It's a gift that God has given," and instructs those with gifts to get to work and give God the credit.
Les Feldick says God could use people with talent, high IQs, or wealth, but He often does not. The reason is that no human being should glory in God's presence. If someone with all the right credentials succeeds, he would be prone to say, "Look what I did," rather than give God the glory.
Les Feldick teaches in Clip 4 that God will give every believer an area of responsibility in the kingdom. He uses the account of the talents to show that rewards will be various amounts of responsibility in the kingdom economy.
Watch the Teaching: What Saves You? Head Knowledge vs. Heart Belief