Stewardship: Faithfulness In Managing God's Resources

Being a faithful steward means being a good manager of the gifts, talents, and possessions that God has given you. It means understanding that everything you have belongs to God and that you are responsible for using these gifts wisely and for His glory. A faithful steward is diligent, hardworking, and willing to take reasonable risks to build up and increase what God has given. It also means being a servant to others and putting their needs before your own.

Being a good steward means having confidence in Christ and taking action in faith

Confidence in Christ is an essential characteristic of a faithful steward. As Christians, we are told to "go" and "do". We are called by God to take care of those He has placed around us, and He promises to care for us. Scripture promises that when we seek Him, we will find Him.

Action is an important attribute of our faith in Christ. The encouragement from the author of Hebrews reminds us to persevere in our faith. Our confidence must have healthy roots in, and be watered daily by, God's Word. We establish this solid base by setting aside time for Him each day.

A good steward is also a servant who is mindful that Jesus will return at any time. They are diligent, hardworking, and willing to take reasonable risks. They are also always mindful that they work for God and that He is the owner.

Being a good steward means having the confidence to take action and persevere in faith, knowing that God is with us and that we are working for Him.

Humility is important for being a good steward

To be a faithful steward means to be a responsible and faithful manager of all the resources entrusted to us by God. This includes possessions, time, talents, abilities, and relationships.

Humility is a vital aspect of being a good steward. It is a spiritual attitude that involves not thinking of oneself at all, and instead, being wholly focused on serving God and others. This sense of "entire nothingness", as described by Andrew Murray, allows God to be the centre of attention and grants Him the Most Important Person status.

True humility involves eliminating oneself from consideration and being externally focused on honouring and serving others. This aligns with the biblical call to care for others and to put others before oneself, as demonstrated by Jesus in John 13:1-17, where he takes on the role of a humble servant by washing his disciples' feet.

Humility is also important because it helps to centre our hearts correctly, reminding us of God's rightful position in our lives. Without humility, we can fall into the trap of living to glorify ourselves with achievements and possessions, rather than living to honour God.

Additionally, humility is a sign of inner strength and can bring about positive changes in our lives. It allows us to accept our strengths and limitations without judgment and cultivates a powerful compassion for humanity. Humble people are also more resilient and tend to have higher levels of physical and mental well-being. They are more generous, helpful, and grateful, which can strengthen our relationships with others.

In summary, humility is a key aspect of being a good steward because it helps us to keep God at the centre of our lives, serves as a guidepost for our actions, and enables us to better serve and care for others.

Being a good steward means trusting in God and believing in His generosity

The Bible defines a steward as someone entrusted with the responsibility of managing or caring for something that does not belong to them. In essence, a steward is a manager or caretaker of what God has given them. This includes possessions, time, talents, spiritual gifts, and even people.

Trusting in God's generosity means recognizing that everything we have is a gift from Him. Psalm 24:1 (NLT) says, "The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him." This perspective shifts our mindset from entitlement to gratitude. It also reminds us that we are not the owners but rather stewards of God's possessions, and we are accountable to Him for how we manage what He has entrusted to us.

When we trust in God's generosity, we understand that He is the source of all our blessings and that He will provide for our needs. This trust frees us from anxiety and worry, allowing us to focus on glorifying God and serving others. As 1 Timothy 5:8 states, "Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." By trusting in God's provision, we can be generous with what He has given us, knowing that He will always take care of us.

Believing in God's generosity also means recognizing that He has equipped us with unique talents and abilities to serve Him and love our neighbors. As 1 Peter 4:10-11 says, "As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms. If anyone speaks, let it be as it were the very words of God. If anyone serves, let it be as of the strength which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ." We are called to use our gifts and talents wisely and faithfully to further God's kingdom and bring Him glory.

In conclusion, being a good steward means recognizing that God is the owner of everything, and we are simply managers of what He has entrusted to us. By trusting in His generosity and provision, we can faithfully manage our possessions, time, talents, and relationships, knowing that He will always take care of us. This trust and belief in God's generosity form the foundation of being a good and faithful steward.

Forgiveness is key to being a good steward

To be a faithful steward is to be someone who is entrusted with the responsibility of managing something that does not belong to them. This can refer to material possessions, time, talents, and abilities, all of which are considered gifts from God.

Forgiveness is a critical aspect of being a good steward. When we hold on to resentment and anger, it hinders our ability to fully serve and manage the responsibilities God has entrusted to us.

In 1 Timothy 5:8, it is mentioned that "Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own house, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." This highlights the importance of forgiveness within families. Family members are often those closest to us, and it can be challenging to maintain healthy relationships with them. However, God calls us to continually forgive one another, even when our loved ones press on every last nerve. By forgiving, we can strengthen our relationships and better serve those around us.

Forgiveness allows us to let go of negative emotions and open our hearts to love and compassion. It helps us to realign our focus with God's purposes and remember that everything we have is a blessing from Him. When we forgive, we acknowledge the worthiness of others and let go of any sense of entitlement. This shift in perspective is crucial to being a good steward because it enables us to manage our possessions, time, and talents with a heart of gratitude and service rather than selfishness and pride.

Additionally, forgiveness fosters humility, which is a vital characteristic of a good steward. When we forgive, we recognize that we are not perfect and that we, too, are in need of forgiveness. This humility helps us to stay grounded and remember that all we have is ultimately from God. It guides our hearts to center our intentions on glorifying God rather than ourselves.

Forgiveness is a powerful act that enables us to let go of the past, heal relationships, and move forward in a way that honors God. It is a key that unlocks the door to becoming a good and faithful steward, enabling us to manage all that God has entrusted to us with grace, compassion, and a heart that seeks to glorify Him in all things.

Good stewards are obedient to God's calling

Being a good steward of God means being obedient to His calling. God calls us to be good stewards, which means we are to "utilize and manage all resources He provides for His glory and the betterment of His creation." This includes possessions, time, talents, and abilities—all of which belong to God, and He has entrusted them to us to manage during our time on Earth.

Being obedient to God's calling requires certain characteristics or virtues. Here are some ways in which good stewards are obedient to God's calling:

Faith and Confidence in Christ

Confidence in Christ is an essential characteristic of a faithful steward. Our confidence must be rooted in God's Word, and we must set aside time for Him daily. This solid base will help us persevere in our faith and keep our motives aligned with His purposes.

Humility

Humility is important in centering our hearts correctly to be good stewards with godly intentions. It reminds us of God's rightful position in our hearts and lives, helping us to glorify Him rather than ourselves with our achievements and possessions.

Trust in God

Being a good steward of God's gifts requires us to trust Him and believe what He says. We must seek Him daily in His Word and trust that He will provide for us, physically and emotionally.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is essential for us to fully serve and steward all that God has assigned to us. Forgiving others can be especially challenging with family and extended family, but God teaches us to continually forgive each other as we press on.

Obedience to God's Calling

We must be obedient to do what God has called us to do. Through prayer and time in God's Word, we can receive clear direction from Him. By living our lives in touch with God through prayer and worship, we put ourselves in the position to obey Him and be good stewards.

In conclusion, good stewards are obedient to God's calling by managing the resources He has entrusted to them and by cultivating virtues such as faith, confidence, humility, trust, forgiveness, and obedience.

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