Stewardship - It's Not Just About Money

His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.  
Matthew 25:21

An excellent account on Stewardship that is still applicable today:

For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.   And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.   Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.  And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.  But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.   After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.  And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.  His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.  He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.   His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.   Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:  And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.  His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:   Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.   Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.  For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.  And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Matthew 25:14-30

For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.   And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.   Matthew 14-15

God does not lump us into 1 category, He gives according to how He made us.  We are all accountable for what God has put in us.

According to scripture, we are to determine our children’s God-given ability and then train them in that; not our desires for the child.

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.  Proverbs 22:6

Many of us were trained after worldly standards and not the will of God.

Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.  Matthew 25:16

The one with 5 talents worked and prayed to see what he should do with the talents.  Good stewardship – work, prep, prayer and seeking God.

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.  1 Corinthians 6:19-20

What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?  Psalms 116:12 

Why do we equate stewardship to just money when it is talent, time, and spiritual gifts.  What are you doing with your gifts?  God did not place a gift in you just for you.  There is an expectancy from God that we exercise the gift that He gave us.  We take what God gives us and we double it.  Can you duplicate yourself?

And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.  Matthew 25:17

Likewise – just like the first.  We need to connect with people who know what they are doing even though we don’t have as much as they do.

We focus on how to duplicate what we have in the same manner that the one that has more duplicates.

But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.  Matthew 25:18

Stop looking at what you have and the fact that you don’t have as much as someone else.  Don’t be ashamed of what you don’t have, connect with someone who does have more than you.  Together we have it all.   Little becomes much when we place it in God’s hand. 

And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.  Matthew 14:17

God did not call us to be comparers, He called us to duplicate  We are to go out and compel as God commanded; not stay in the house getting fat and judging!  We are to work with whatever God gives us; regardless of the size or amount.

After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.  And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.  Matthew 25:19-20

God invests in us and we give Him a return.  We have to realize our time, gifting, and financing (10% and then what do we sacrifice out of the 90% that is left) all belong to God.  We owe God our everything because of His investment in us.  We cannot bury or sit on what God has given us.

His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.   He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.   Matthew 25:21-23

Give God what He wants first.  

   

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  Matthew 6:33  

  

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.  It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.  Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: Proverbs 3:7-9

We give God the first fruits of everything coming in.  Learn to give some stuff away; not sell.  Those that need help need to rid themselves of pride.  Check the motives of your giving; the intent of giving is not just to be blessed.  God knows what we can handle; we don’t.    

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.  Matthew 26:41

God knows the motive of our heart,  when and how to bless us.  Honor God first and everything else is secondary.  Ask yourself, 

Do I want to please God or do I want material things?

The enemy and society will try to impart wisdom in order to keep you from being obedient to God.

 It is God who gives us our health and the strength to work to receive the money we receive.

It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.  Proverbs 3:8

Let God order your steps.  Will you trust Him?

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.   Psalms 37:23

Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:  And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.  His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:  Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.  Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.  For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.  And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Matthew 25:24-30

Fear and faith do not mix.  Fear brings torment.  What did God say?  God wants us to be profitable.  If you do not become a faithful steward over your tithes, gifting, finances, it causes you to be put into the state of unprofitabilty.

It is unprofitable to not trust God.  In the day of reckoning, God needs to see your production.  No matter what we have or what we do, we will always owe God.

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.  Romans 1:17

As a young saint; baby in Christ, mix your faith with someone who has faith.  As you grow in God, stand on your own faith.

God can’t fight for mess, He only fights for what is right. 

If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: Isaiah 1:19

Don’t listen to the naysayers.   People will plant seeds of doubt in you regarding your church and/or your preacher.

We want to be profitable in what God has invested in us.   We can’t manipulate people or change what God says. We don’t want to answer in judgement for going against God’s word.  We have to do what God says regardless of family, friend or foe.  

Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.  Proverbs 23:23

We can’t be so close to someone that we can’t help them.  We have to be good stewards over the people God allowed to come into our life.  God is holding us accountable for how we handle them.  God will not accept our excuses.

We have to become intimate with God; marry Him and stop dating Him.  The only way God can order our steps is if we are intimate with Him.

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  1 Corinthian 2:14

Excerpts from Word Enrichment

Bishop Joel C. Lofton

Biblical Studies

03/30/20