A GOD-LIVED LIFE: Take God at his word.

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

          We are wrapping up a series of sermons with a Stewardship emphasis. Stewardship, ultimately, is about our entire life. We use what God gives us to his glory and for the good of our neighbor. For one more month, we will consider the way we use the gifts God gives us as is God-pleasing.

         This email is to further encourage what we pondered on Sunday, January 9. (That service can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fjo1iuJ-pSw&t=1s)  In this way, each one can give more consideration about how he or she may put into practice what was proclaimed as a God-pleasing way to serve him.
          This is the final weekly devotion to have us consider what it means to have A Life Shrewdly Lived.

A LIFE SHREWDLY LIVED

Week #4      Take God at his word.

            Stewardship is a faithful response to God.  It is taking God at his word and trusting that, when he makes a promise, he will keep it.  It means that we set our priorities in line with God’s word.  It means that we curb our own desires—of course, desires which are opposed to God’s word, but also desires which are not evil but prevent us from doing what we need to do.  For example, you may want a state-of-the-art media center in your mancave (which would be cool), but your obligations and the wise use of your income may make keep it in the “dream” category.

            Stewardship is taking God at his word.  Either he did not mean what he promised or he did.  Our stewardship is a confession about what we think of his promises.

            So, what does God promise?  Jesus said, “So do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’  For the unbelievers chase after all these things.  Certainly your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:31-33).  We don’t have to worry about our basic needs being met.  Why?  Because God has promised us that we will always have our daily bread.  He knows what we need, and he will supply it.  It may not be any more than that, but it is enough.  (Sometimes he has to teach us that by taking away everything else.  It is a hard lesson, but he does it to show that we can trust him.  He may not satisfy wants, but he will always supply needs.) 

            We take God at his word and get our priorities straight.  The kingdom of God comes first.  The day will come when you won’t care about, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ because you will be dead.  But the words and promises of God will still benefit you.  They are the only things that will, and you will still have them.  If you put God first, the other things will fall into place.  Jesus said so: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

            God wants us to give first to the Lord—first fruits.  In the Old Testament, it literally was the first cut of grain that was given to the Lord.  This was an act of faith.  They had to trust that the Lord would provide by bringing forth the rest of the crop.  Do you suppose God was faithful to them?  Do you think he will be faithful to you in the same way?  Most of us don’t have to wait to see what our income might be.  We can rely on a fairly consistent salary.  In our case, the Lord has already provided us with the full amount.  We don’t even have to trust that the Lord will eventually bring it to us.  Rather, we trust that he will continue in his faithful gifts.  God allows us to faithfully respond to his goodness since we already know he has been good to us.