Then he went on his journey.” – Matthew 25:14-15 (NIV)Īt the end of your life, will you honestly say, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race”? Or will you leave this world with regret in your heart because you wasted a lot of time? Knowing how to be a good steward of your time will not only help you to become productive, it will also help you to glorify God in all that you do. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Remember our REWARD & treasure is found in having an eternal perspective.“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. Remain ACCOUNTABLE for how we steward what He provides. Understand the RESPONSBILITIES He has given us. As you begin understanding the concept of stewardship, what is your response? Let’s challenge ourselves to… 1. To be faithful stewards, we are called to glorify him, serve the common good, and further His Kingdom. We need to understand that the Lord doesn’t only want us to handle our money and possessions well, but to handle all aspects of our lives. There are principles in which we must reflect ourselves on our role as stewards. How comfortable are you with your life if God were to give an account for you right now?Īs Christians, we need to fully understand this broader view of stewardship that goes beyond just handling with one’s finances it connects everything we do with what God is doing in the world. The treasures that are stored up within us will also be rewarded through true sanctification that is in heaven after we depart from this earth. Moreover, we must switch our focus from the temporary to the eternal. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Accountability of our ability to follow God’s commandments can generate reward. In Colossians 3:23-24, Paul writes, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. How can you stay accountable and steward well what He has provided? 4. In the end, we will all give account to the rightful owner as to how well we managed the things he has entrusted to us. We have been tasked with overseeing His creation in accordance with the principles He has established. We are called to exercise dominion under the management of the Creator. In Matthew 12:36, Jesus says “but I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgement for every empty word they have spoken.” God has entrusted humanity to have authority over creation and we are not allowed to rule over it however we see fit. What has God given you that you are responsible for? 3. We must understand that when God blesses us with abundance, the abundance creates more of a responsibility to handle what God has given us. For owners have rights and stewards have responsibilities. Since God owns everything, we are obligated to carry out the will of the father. Relating this to our lives, Adam’s purpose is our current duty to fulfill. In the beginning of Genesis, God created everything and puts Adam to work in the garden to take care of it. Deuteronomy 8:18 that demands us to “remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.” Since God owns it all, how much authority do you give God over your possessions? 2. We must change our mindset towards ownership to obey God’s will involving our possessions. One thing that we must recognize in understanding stewardship is the fact that God owns everything in our lives. Psalm 24:1 proclaims that “the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (NIV). To help build a framework, we will begin unpacking this idea of stewardship through four important biblical principles. Yes, stewardship can be applied in to how we use money for the glory of God, but looking further, stewardship is being responsible for the things that God has given us. “What does stewardship look like in our lives today?” This question must be asked to evaluate where our mindset is.
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