A steward is someone who is appointed to take care of or look after another’s property.
God created us in His image to be His managers over the world He created (Genesis 1:27-30). We are responsible to God for how we manage our lives and the resources that come into our possession because everything we have we owe to Him.
No matter where we are in our walk with Jesus, there is always a next step in stewardship.
Psalm 24:1 declares, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it...” Since God made everything, knows everything, and owns everything, His perspective of how we should manage our lives and resources is perfect. God can see how our choices and decisions will affect us today and how the consequences, good or bad, will affect our families for generations. Recognizing that everything comes from God must occur before we can fully submit our finances to Him.
4 Principals You Should Know About Stewardship
God Has Ownership; We Have Stewardship
Generosity is God’s trademark. Our God, the ultimate giver, loves us so much that He gave His Son, Jesus, so we could be reunited with Him. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Being created in the image of God, we embody God’s DNA. When we proclaim Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we inherit the Holy Spirit. From that moment, we are no longer living for ourselves, but for our generous God, who saved us (2 Corinthians 5:15). Therefore, it’s impossible to become a fully devoted follower of Jesus without also putting God first in our finances.
God Will Always Call Us to Generosity
When we give financially to meet another person’s needs, our generosity is being used to fulfill the first and greatest commandment, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37).
In Proverbs 11:25, King Solomon, one of the richest and wisest men who ever lived, declared, “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”
Our generosity can make a tangible difference in someone else’s life. God is honored when we take care of the needs of one of His children.
Our Relationship With Money Will Always Impact Our Relationship With Jesus
Often, we are not experiencing the full and abundant life the Bible describes because we are not listening to Jesus and doing what He says. Jesus wants us to put our hope and our security in God, not our bank accounts. In Matthew 6:24, He says, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
It's Not Wrong to Have Money, But It Is Wrong to Be Greedy
When God instructs us to obey Him with our money, He is not after our begrudging submission. He is pursuing our hearts. God knows the desires of our hearts will always determine our level of joy. Our heart’s desires will highlight the important areas of our lives.
Our attitude to money is a good indicator of what’s important. If we want to see what is captivating our lives, take a look at where we are spending our money.
It’s not a sin to be rich. It’s a sin to be greedy. The reality is God can get money to us, but can He get money through us?
Since the amount of money we earn or receive is meant to meet our needs and the needs of others, how we manage our money will determine our ability to manage future blessings. Philippians 4:19 tells us, “And my God will meet all of our needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
Greed Will Kill the Work Jesus Wants to Do In You and Through You
Jesus warns us in Luke 12:15, ““Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
God’s plans for us are greater than our plans for us. He knows our financial needs before we even know what we will need. In Jeremiah 29:11, God looks at our lives and basically declares, “Your best days are yet to come.”
God already has financial provisions in mind for you. He wants to do more in you because He wants to do more through you.
God is a good and faithful Father. His storehouse doesn’t ever run empty. When we submit our finances and plans to Him, our ability to steward His resources increases. God will give us all He has in store!
Practical Tools
At Grace, we want to do everything we can to help you get on a healthy financial track. We have valuable resources and tools available on our Giving page. Still have questions or need help? Contact Shane Whybrew, Pastor of Resource Development, and he can help you start down the road to financial freedom.
Article courtesy of NewSpring Church