The story is told of a man who went to John Wesley to report that his house was on fire. “Mr. Wesley… your house has burned to the ground” he said. To which Wesley replied, No. The Lords house burned to the ground. That means one less responsibility for me John Wesley understood the principle of stewardship-we are privileged to be stewards of what God owns, and He owns all things. And nowhere is steward required more than in the area of wealth, money and possessions. Stewardship is the acceptance from God of personal responsibility for all of life and life’s affairs.
A. BIBLICAL FOUNDATION – Psalm 24:1, Haggai 2:8; Ezekiel 16:17: Romans 14:12
The word steward in Greek is Oikonomon meaning to distribute, dispense and manage something or resources on behalf of the other Steward is someone entrusted with another’s wealth or property, and charged with the responsibility of managing it in the Owner’s best interest-not ours.
- God owns everything land, sea, man, heaven, gold, silver and earth by creation, Psalm 24.1-2. Psalm 50:10: Exodus 19:51 Chro 29-11-14
- God owns everything by Redemption -1Pet 1:18-19,1Cor. 6:19-20
- Christians are stewards of God-1 Pet. 4:10. Luka 19:13: Matt. 25:14-15
- Stewards must be faithful and fruitful-1Cor 4.2. Matt. 25-14-30
- Stewards will give account of their stewardship Rom. 14:12. II Cor. 5:10. Luke 12:42-48. 1 Pet 4.4
We are only care takers of God’s As managers of God’s resources, we become His property and must therefore be faithful and fruitful stewards of what He has graciously allowed to be please and obey the Master’s instructions. A wise entrusted to our care The steward’s life is to steward uses what has been entrusted to them for God’s glory and the building of His kingdom
B. SILVER AND GOLD IS MINE -Haggai 2:8; Pro. 28:20; Ezekiel 16:17: Eccl. 5:10
Every penny, dime and money in the world belongs to the Lord. He owns everything He gives ideas, strategies to men and women to make money. He blesses the work of your hands and allows money to come to you-Deut 8:18
- All said and done, God allows money and riches to flow to people-Psalm 73:12
- You must never allow money to displace God in your heart-Matt. 6:21
- You must never be strongly attached to money.
- You must never use God’s money for your selfish ends only.
- You must use it to bring glory to Him and expand His kingdom.
- You must be faithful and fruitful in handling His money.
- If you are not a good steward of God’s money, you have failed abysmally
- Wasting God’s money on worldly goods and extravagant living will bring judgment.
Jesus said more about money than any other single thing because when it comes to a man’s real nature, money is one of first importance. Money is an exact index to a man’s true character. All through scripture there is an intimate correlation between the development of a man’s character and how he handles money – Richard Halversion
If a person gets his attitude toward money straight, will help straighten out almost every other area of his life – Billy Graham
C. UNSTEWARDSHIP PRACTISES IN LIFE AND MINISTRY TODAY -Romans 2:20-24.
Quite sad today that lots of professing Christians and ministers have either forgotten the leaching of stewardship or just choose to live anyhow. Today, we see lots of unstewardship practices among 3. church leaders and Christians. Check out the followings:
- Refusal to pay tithes of their regular Income
- Giving little to support kingdom expansion and godly causes
- Gathering worldly things and holding tenaciously to them
- Living in opulence, extravagance out of God’s money
- Failure to separate between personal and ministry monies.
- Stealing your tithes, offerings and seeds from God-Malachi 3:10-12
- Wasting God’s money on things that have no eternal values.
- Greedy and discontented lifestyle that wants more and more
- Paying lip service to supporting widows, orphans and the poor
- Keeping loo much for yourself and spending only fraction on the needy
- Selfishly holding on to our wealth while the word of God is suffering
The book of Haggai 1:12-11 in a classic case of people that selfishly keep their resources for themselves and refuses to be faithful stewards.
Recommended Reading
FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE: MONEY AND MINISTRY TODAY
The Mystery of Altars: Building a Prayer Altar in Your Home
24 Facts About Adversity You Must Know!
D. HOW TO BE GOOD STEWARD OF GOD’S MONEY Romans 14:12:1 Pet. 4:10
As good manager, caretaker of God’s wealth, He is going to demand for accountability Keeping God’s money is temporary for He will soon demand the account of our stewardship Like 16:1-2
- Acknowledge that you are a steward of God’s money Il Cor. 85. What He gives to you are loans which must be judiciously used.
- Accept yourself as God’s bank, God’s pocket. Whatever He deposits in you, He must be able to withdraw whenever He likes
- Be accountable in your dealings. Be accountable to God-seek His leading in spending money. Be accountable to church-be open and transparent. Be accountable to mentors-be truthful about your source o income and spendings
- Run away from covetous and discontented living Heb. 13:5-6. Be contented with what God has given you. Your bank and credit card are theological. They tell who and what you worship.
- Run away from blood and stolen money Matt. 27:1-10. Don’t take don’t spend it nor be partaker of stolen or blood money in your life and ministry Surely, it’s not every money that is clean and godly.
- Don’t ever let money be your root in life -1 Tim. 6:17. Money gives us false sense of security, comfort, approval and power The more money you have, the most things you can buy, which allows idolatry to take hold of your heart turns from Christ to the things of world when your roots are in money
- Become a generous giver-Pro. 11:24-26, 1 Tim. 6:17-19. No matter how small or big are your financial blessings, you must learn to give generously. You must grow in your giving. You must give sacrificially You must give to fruitful grounds.
- Your giving will determine your further blessings
- Your giving will increase your capacity to receive more.
- Your giving will determine your position in heaven.
- Your giving will save you from the derman of greed and avarice
- Your giving will break curse over
- your life and ministry
- Your giving will break curse over your children.
- Your giving will break the stronghold of money over your heart.
- Your giving will open the doors of giving back to you.
- Your giving will rebuke devourers in your life and work.
- Your giving will secure your future in ministry
- Your giving will close the door of tack and struggling
- Your giving will make you eat the fruits of your labour
- Your giving will truly measure your income
- Your giving will bring favour across your way
- Your giving will attract mercy to your children.
Therefore, give freely as you have received. Give as unto the Lord, not man. And give as long as God keeps giving to you. Because you cannot take money with you to heaven, send it ahead through your giving to kingdom work, widows, fatherless, poor, needy and brethren.