Stewardship

Father God has given each of us a responsibility to steward our gift. Hence for the faithful He will say, “well done thou good and faithful servant.” All of us hope to have him repeat those words to us when we see Him. But truth be told, all will not hear those words. Some, unfortunately will hear ‘You wicked and slothful servant! We all need some measure of repentance here.

While God is Love, He takes very seriously something called OBEDIENCE.

1 Co 4:1–2 ESV This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

Hebrews 5:12 ESV For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,

James 3:1 ESV Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

Mat. 25:23 ESV 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

Jesus told His ministers to teach the Gospel of the Kingdom. We are to love His sheep But must give them freely what has taken us years to glean. In other words we are to share how the Kingdom of God works. When the scripture says that many are called BUT few chosen it should motivate us to faithfulness. Prepare, prepare, prepare.

We instruct our children to study in school WE must do the same.

Some have given up before the race began.

My track coach used to say “Losers make excuses, winners don’t need to.”

I am reminded to the parable of the talents. One steward was given 5, another 3 and the last given 1. The first two were faithful and gained more but the one with the least got lazy and fearful. Often we judge ourselves as least, having but one small talent, and less important. This is FOOLISH. None of us have everything but each have been given a limited measure. No one can say they are more important to God or less important.

Mat. 25:14-30 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 BUT he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Priorities, WHAT ARE WE TO STEWARD (IN ORDER)

Our relationship with Christ - Which includes our Word life, and our Prayer life.

Our spouse - many of us have made a covenant with our best friend and must do our best to keep that relationship STRONG

Our families - Our children must be high on our priority list. Mothers generally take the lead her BUT fathers must step up and mentor the next generation. We have promises for our children BUT they are not automatic.

Our ministry (Church) Here is where some get confused, assuming that the first 3 somehow are not as spiritual as this. We do not want to win the world and loose our children.

Our employment - Try to stick you your gifting, some are good farmers, some can work with numbers and want to work in a bank. God has given us all an ability and become someone would enjoy employing. We can pray but we must do. He that (refuses) to work should not eat.