WE ARE STEWARDS OF ALL GOD HAS GIVEN US!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY MARCH 24, 2022.

SUBJECT: WE ARE STEWARDS OF ALL GOD HAS GIVEN US! 

Memory verse: "For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?" (First Corinthians 4 vs 7.)

READ: Genesis 12 vs 1 - 3; John 3 bs 27:”; First Peter 4 vs 10: 

12:1: Now the Lord said unto Abram, get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. 

12:2: I will make you a great nation; I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. 

12:3: I will bless those who bless you, and curse him who curses you: and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

John 3:27: John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.” 

First Peter 4:10: As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

INTIMATION:

The gifts and blessings we have did not originate from us; all such things are the gift of God. We cannot claim any credit for that which has been given to us through the grace of God. Since all the gifts originated from God, whether miraculous or not, then they must be used according to the will of God. The God-given natural gifts that every Christian has must be used for the benefit of others. God has given gifts for our ministry to others. 

The one who possesses the gift has power over the exercising of the gift. Therefore, the Holy Spirit do not subject to His control the one who possesses the gift. Those who possess the gift are the stewards of the gift, and thus, have the choice of exercising the gift. Gifts are given for the purpose of ministry to others. Gifts are not given for one’s own profit alone. They are given in order to serve the needs of others as well. 

A lot of Christians say they know God is the source of everything, but their lives don't reflect an understanding of that truth. But when you see yourself as a steward and recognize all you have as God's blessing. Even when you work for your paychecks, the money you make is not yours, but put in your hands to serve the purpose of the ultimate Owner—God. This understanding totally changes the role money plays in your life. It ceases to control you and simply becomes a tool for service to the Owner. This simple change in mindset from owner to steward will make a tremendous difference for, and in you.

Many people see making a living as resulting from the sweat of their brow, and they don't see God as their source. They separate their lives into spiritual matters and personal matters. When it concerns spiritual matters they rely on God, but when it comes to private or personal matters, it becomes their baby. For instance, when you think that money comes by your own sweat and tears, then you keep a much tighter hold on it, you think it's all up to you, and consequently, you become attached to your money, and it actually becomes your master. 

God wants to be the source of everything in your life. The Lord never intended you to carry any burden, not even the burden of financial responsibility, and He wants to lift that burden off you. Many Christians have made a firm commitment of their lives to the Lord concerning spiritual things, but when it comes to possessions, they see them as private to them. The pressures of life lead them to view possessions as something they must control, and that kind of ownership mentality leads to lot of problems.

The first step toward becoming responsible with your possessions is to get this mindset that they do not belong to you. Instead of clinging to your possessions, you need to think thus: ‘I am a steward of what God has entrusted to my care.’ ‘God has blessed me with these talents and abilities.’ ‘God has blessed me with my job.’ ‘God is blessing me, and God has given me all the resources I have.’ ‘It is not up to me to run my finances the way I want to.’ ‘I'm a steward.’ ‘I have the responsibility to serve God with all He has given me; my talents, my money, my abilities, my wisdom’ and so on.

People with an ownership mentality end up trying to do everything themselves, but stewards freely receive God's blessing. Look at how God promised to bless Abraham in the passage we read today. God said here that He would bless Abraham, and that He would make Abraham's name great. When you read the entire story of Abraham, you see that God wasn't talking about intangible spiritual benefits. He was talking about physical earthly blessings. 

Abraham didn't become rich through his own hard work. He became wealthy because the blessing of God was on his life (Hebrews 6 vs 13 - 14). Abraham was blessed in everything he did, even when he made mistakes. Then God concluded by given him the assignment to carry out with the blessings, “he was to be a blessing,” and all the families of the earth will be blessed in him.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of real and responsible stewardship of all you have blessed me with, that I may serve You with all the resources You put in my care, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!