Stewarding Our Life

All right. tonight, I want to talk about the subject of stewarding the subject of stewarding, stewarding our life stewarding our life and by putting our life I'm speaking of managing and balancing God's gifts that we received to an able us to invest our lives in that which has ever lasting significance. Okay so if you will take your Bibles turn to the book of 1st Peter 1st Peter and chapter 4.

1st Peter chapter 4.

Starting in verse 9 says, be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift.

Minister it to one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. if anyone speaks let him speak as the Oracles of God, if anyone ministers let him do it as with the ability which God supplies That in all things, God may be glorified through Christ, Jesus, to whom belong, the glory, and the Dominion forever and ever. Amen. Now, if you will take your Bibles and turn to Colossians Colossians Chapter 3.

Colossians chapter 3.

Starting in verse 23. And whatsoever you do. Do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men 24 knowing that of the Lord. You shall receive the reward of the inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ.

if you walk into any bookstore, You're going to find dozens maybe hundreds of books on life management. Right there are books on organizing there's books on scheduling budgeting prioritizing administrating how to set good goals or manage people, right? The list can go on and on. And obviously life management really is a popular and necessary skill. It is but the authors of these books attempt to teach you how to be successful by living out your dreams, They encourage you to dream big and then use the management skills to become the best you that you can be. To reach your full potential of leadership. And growth. Okay. However, we're talkin about stewarding Stewarding, our life is a different concept, all together. Is a house that well rather than focusing on self-fulfillment. And personal Legacy. God's people start by recognizing that life is a gift from God. And he has entrusted it to us to be good stewards for him. and in addition to that, every resource we have Comes from God, doesn't it? I mean, our time. Comes from God. Our finances come from God. Our health comes from God, the relationships that we have, from God every component of our life. Is a resource given from God. . And these resources are tools. Really their tools that should be used to accomplish God's plan for our lives.

one author writes this, he says our approach to the resources that God has given us will determine our success and fulfilling God's purpose for our lives.

And there are really three basic methods. God's people use to appropriate the resources, God has given to them. Read message. Squandering.

Spending.

And stewarding, okay, squandering spending, and stewarding. Say okay. Squandering, what is squandering? Squandering to squander? God, resources means this

That we indiscriminate Lee waste them and purposeless living.

No purpose. This approach is rampant in our churches today.

People around us, even with the knowledge even with the knowledge that they have concerning a Divine Purpose for living. Knowing that we have a Divine Purpose for living, they Coast through life with the motto, Lil Lily. Not my problem.

And in the process, they waste their lives. I missed the boat.

Some squanders. Are referred to as directionless. Wasters, they have no Direction. They just throw everything to the wind, right? Hey, we only live once, right? How many hear that? That's a common saying. but on the other hand, some squatters Squander their resources by using the gifts that God bless them with in life, but they use them for less than what it was designed to accomplished.

I'm not talking about. The one the person that has no direction I'm talking about the most successful. Sometimes the most successful and disciplined individuals who are investing their resources into nothing but selfish and temporal Pursuits. At the end of the day, they mean nothing. Nothing. When you consider that God's people, we have the opportunity to live successfully with a Divine Mission and to invest our lives in Eternal purposes. To do anything. Less is a tragic waste. It is a waste. Squandering, God's blessings. He says, number 2. Spending. Spending our resources. Opposite, end of the spectrum from the sconce. Wanderers are the Spenders. Those who spend God's resources without allowing them to be replenished.

Is dangerous.

Often the motivation is, right? We want to give selflessly to others, right? But many times the method is wrong. We we move. Speed Ahead in our own means of reasoning and self-will in order to generate results. Can't you just got to do that? Going to do this? Got to do that. Realizing that we are failing to depend upon.

And we ignore his built-in cycles of rest and renewal.

How many of you can relate to living on fumes?

Oh man, it's a few. Come on. I mean we've all been that, right? I mean it's whenever someone sees you and every time they see you during that time frame, you got a cup of coffee. And you're just, you know, right? And what happens when you do that for a long. Of time?

Invite Tammy.

Crash. Right. At some point. You going to crash those individuals? People who have already determined to live for God's glory. Listen, here's the right thing. They longed to see God, multiply those resources. To increase his kingdom. And a fiercely drive themselves to fully minister to others. They're they're right on track with that.

For a while, they may thrive on the adrenaline of such sacrifice right at works. It works for a while, man.

David convince themselves that God has miraculously enabling them to serve like a Superman in some form or fashion. but the truth is, if you give without being replenished,

you eventually will become empty. Empty. In Exodus 23:10.

It outlines the Jewish law known as m, m.

And in that, it was basically the Commandment that the land. Where you produce your crops, right? Should be rested in the Jewish law, every 7 years. Every 7 years. And while there are many reasons Associated to that commandment one important reason is to allow the land to what Rest.

Rest. Why? So, we can replenish the minerals for the soil to continue to produce healthy crops.

It's by Design, God created it that way.

God created life to function optimally with the natural rhythms of work. And rest.

We need to be willing to pause to seek. God's time of refreshing.

and if replenishment, Listen to wait a minute. The Bible say to give our all to the Lord. Wilshire. Yes. But we cannot give what we do not have.

This is why it's vital.

That we don't foolishly expand. Our lives in such a way that we are not receiving. God's replenishing Grace. It's important.

How long is this guy? Create life, but he sustains it is. Well, right, we've been talking about that in our Bible studies. therefore, when we turn a life, Into a personal rat race. Struggling to keep up with the high demands that we have placed on ourselves. I'm not talking about our employer or things that are sometimes out of your control. I'm talking about those demands that we do control.

We forget the most fundamental truths of the Bible.

All of our resources come from God. And he alone has the power to replenish them.

I have are methodists pending we must humbly remember that. Our lives are not ours to spend foolishly.

Our life is not our own. We should invest Our Lives. Only at a pace in which we can receive God's replenishing Grace.

Now, I don't know about you, but that is hard for me personally to balance Sometimes we can get way out of whack.

And I have to have God's grace. I have to beat my priorities. Have to be reset. Help me get back to where I need to be my focus. Replenish Me, God With Your Grace.

so, we talked about squandering, we talked about spending Third stewarding. Stewarding a better option than spending our lives is stewarding our lives. Stewarding our life. Means that we recognize life itself is a gift from God. And that we purpose to use it for his glory. His glory. And it also means. That we recognize God, graciously provides the resources that we need to carry out his purposes. Simply put he gives and sustains life and he provides and replenishes my resources. It's all about him.

Stewarding, our life is not about learning to tap into some reservoir of creativity and to effectively manage those new activities with the newest book of the month.

It's about studying God's principles and how he wants us. To handle the resources, he has given us. And then apply those principles to wisely and diligently live out God's purpose in our lives. One person said this a steward. Is one who spins. By investment. They spend by investment. Now. I said that's all great. What's going to help us? Biblically understand that well in order to have the correct frame of mind for being good, stewards of life, we must have a Biblical foundation for the gift of life itself.

if you want to be a good Steward of our life, if we want to be good stewards of our life. We need to understand this number one, God is the Eternal origin of life. God is the Eternal origin of Life. Understanding the beginning of Life is significant, because of what it tells us about God, we learn that God is eternal. He is the sourcing upholder of all life. The spring of Living Water, and Psalms chapter 36, and verse 9, Psalms 36, and verse 94 with you, is the Fountain of Life. In your light, we see light.

God Alone is self-existent no one made or created. God, he always was. He is and forever will be. He is eternal life and he alone has the power to create and give life.

Psalms chapter 90, Psalms 90 and verse 2. Said before the mountains were born. Or you gave birth to the earth and the world. Even from Everlasting to Everlasting. You are God.

God is the Eternal origin of life. Number two. God is the creator. Of life. He is the creator of life. It would be impossible to learn God's plan for life without starting in Genesis where life itself began.

God created. That were created means to bring into existence.

There is nothing, there was nothing. And then God spoke creation into existence.

Genesis 2:7. says, and the Lord God formed man of the Dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils, the breath of life and Man became a living being

How many times have we currently read that passage without pausing to take a glimpse of that? Incredible moment, when God crafted his creative master piece of human life,

God literally formed Adam from the dust and then breathes his own breath into Adams nostrils. Think about the significance of that.

God is a master artist. And this is so awesome. Human life is his signature masterpiece.

Oh, how we take the creator of life? For granted.

If we want to be good stewards of our life. We need to understand that God is the Eternal origin of life. God is the creator of life. And God is the sanctifier of life. Sanctify life. We recognize that life is sacred because it is provided by God. In fact, your life was purposely created by God specifically planned, even before you were born. Wrap your head around that.

That's incredible. Even within the womb life is significant to God. Scripture affirms his truth through several passages turn to Jeremiah chapter 1, Jeremiah chapter 1.

In verse 5. Jeremiah 1:5.

God told Jeremiah that he knew him and planned his life purpose before he was born.

He said in verse five of chapter 1 before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born. I what Sanctified you, I ordained you a prophet to the Nations.

When the angel prophesied to Zacharias of the birth of John, the Baptist.

He highlighted, the significance of lie yet in the womb. And if you look at Luke 1:15, he says. For, he will be great in the sight of the Lord and shall drink neither wine. Nor strong drink talking about, John the Baptist. I love this. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.

The psalmist saying of God's detailed interest and intervention even in the prenatal care of human life. You talk about the sanctity of Life, Psalms 139, go to Psalms 139. Psalms 139. Starting and verse 13.

He says. For you formed my inward parts.

You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise you for. I am fearfully and wonderfully. Made marvelous are your works and that my soul knows very well.

He said a 15, my frame was not hidden from you.

When I was made in secret and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth, your eyes saw my substance being yet. Unformed

And in your book, they were all written the day's fashioned for me. When is yet there were none of them. Listen. The argument of when life begins right there. Concrete from the moment of conception, life is Sanctified and recognized by God. Life is a valuable possession. and one that we should learn to Steward wisely,

God is eternal origin of life. God is the creator of life. God is the sanctifier of life. God is the sustainer. I've life, he is the sustainer of life since God creates and sustains life, right? We are dependent on him for the Fulfillment. In life. We're depended upon him. Life is God's creative Masterpiece and he alone has the power to sustain it and give it meaning and purpose. Isaiah 46:4 says this. even to your old age, I am he and even to gray hairs, I will carry you. I have made many and I made you and I will bear. I'll take care of you. Even I will carry and will deliver you.

Psalms 55:22 says, cast your burden on the Lord and He Shall sustain you He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.

Listen to attempt to live apart from God. For our own purpose. It is foolish and it is futile.

As long as we view ourselves independently of God, we will feel our days trying to pursue our self-made dreams,

I have been there.

There are still times it. You can struggle with that. Man, I can remember when I was going to be the next country. Music star going to go to Nashville, right songs and and be on the Grand Ole Opry Yeah, that's not what God has a purpose for me.

Do I do? I do, I can go. Oh Lord. What a horrible. Miserable life, hated God's glory. If it's miserable.

and if he causes me to suffer to his glory, praise His name,

We'll pursue our self-pay dreams and we will end our lives. Never having accomplished that, for which we were created.

the Eternal origin of Life, the creator of Life, sanctifier Of Life, the sustainer of life, and last week, God is the glory of life. He is the glory. Of life.

So, what is the purpose of Our Lives? What is it? Why did God and Bess is created expertise in US? Why were you at I created?

Turn to Isaiah 43 7.

Isaiah 43, 7.

Isaiah 43. 7 says, everyone who is called by my name. And whom I have created for my glory. Who might have formed, even whom I have made.

Revelation 4:11 says, Thou Art Worthy O, Lord to receive glory and honor and power for thou Hast created all things. And for thy pleasure, they are and were created. Romans 11:36, Romans 11:36.

For from him. And through him and to him. Are all things. To him, be the glory forever. Amen.

God created us why God created us for his pleasure. and for his glory, .

And only as we live to glorify him. Will we be fulfilled? You live for anything else. It's Temple.

At the end of our life, we will stand before Christ. To give an account for how we have used the resources. He has allotted to us.

In Matthew 25:21, said the Lord said to him. Well done. Good and faithful servant. You were Faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many things enter into the joy of your lord. But hearing our Lord's words of Praise. Listen, won't happened tomorrow. Unless we plan and live for it today.

Steward, wisely, the resources. He has given you.

It may not be what your neighbor has, it may not be with your brother or sister has but Steward what God has given you wisely. Determine now. That you will invest his resources in his purpose for you.

C.t. Studd. Had this quote, he said only one life. Twill soon, be past. and only What's Done For Christ will last

Oh that God may help us and guide us to be wise stewards of our life. That he purposed. For us. I hope it's pray that that is a blessing to you as much as it was to me. I often say this but I mean it and the fact that

I need this as much as anybody. Right? To be reminded, And I am.

Granted the blessing and the resources to live for him.

And I pray that that was a help to you tonight as well. All right. Well,

Let's go to the Lord in. And our prayer request.