STEWARDSHIP

What do you do with what you've been given? Stewardship is the emphasis for January. Steward is an old term for someone who manages the affairs for someone else. Normally, it was a servant or slave position in ancient times. Joseph was the "steward" for Potiphar's household. (Genesis 39:4)

We are ALL stewards of God's possessions. What does God possess? Everything! Psalm 24 begins with this, "The earth is the LORD'S and ALL it contains...." Paul quotes this phrase in his first letter to the Corinthians (10:26). In other words, everything you have is not yours. Did you get that? We are stewards and are responsible for managing all that has been entrusted to us to use for God's purposes.

Now once we get that into our heads and put into practice, then the rest of the affairs of life seem to line up. It amazes me sometimes, when people only give God a token of respect in this area. I've had people tell me that since they are saved by grace, they are not under the law so they do not have to give. Really? Isn't that what grace is all about - giving? Is not grace a gift itself? Besides, giving antedates the giving of the Law! (See story of Abraham and Melchizedek in Genesis 14).

Stewardship is not just about finances or the giving of money.....

Stewardship is about using ALL that God has given you for His glory. God has given you intelligence, personality, gifts, skills, time, people, creativity.... all kinds of things you have at your disposal. What makes you unique is that God has gifted you like no other. There are things you can do that ony you can do.

The church operates according to the gifting of its members.

The bottom line is this.... Does God have all of you? You may say you have faith in God.... you believe in God... you trust in God, but does God have all of you?

You see, whether you think it or not - you belong to Him. He wants all of you. When He has all of you and you let Him use you, you will discover something aobut life you have never known. Want to join me in this discovery? Come every Sunday in January and we will explore it together.

Because everything belongs to Him!