Stewardship: The father's heart
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Don’t loose sight of the purpose of this series:
Don’t loose sight of the purpose of this series:
Today, I will simply discuss with us some scriptures, laid on my heart by the Holy Spirit, for the purpose of this series:
Christianity is not another word for idleness.
4 A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. 5 He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.
prov 10:4-5
4 The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.
4 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: But the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
prov 10:4
So, Christianity It is not an escape route for those who are looking for the easy way out – to be a Christian is therefore not a voodoo or magical spell for an easitilism or gbefetilism life. Easitilism is a system of belief which suggests that once you accept Jesus as your Lord and savior, you can have it easy in your natural life with little or no effort on your part; in the same vein, gbefetilism is also a belief system that diminishes the necessity of diligence. If I put these two words together, they both downplayed the inclusivity of humanistic effort in getting things done and getting them done above simplistic mediocrity.
“the hand of the diligent maketh rich” – everything that I have said so far, is a bogus way of saying: becoming a Christian is not going to make you escape the need to be diligent and work hard.
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.
Note:
29 Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
27 Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth.
27 If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?
27 A lazy man does not roast his prey, But the precious possession of a man is diligence.
1) Jesus Christ is an example of diligence
Your precious possession as a christian is diligence: careful and persistent work or effort.
35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.
2. Christianity is a new way of life.
2. Christianity is a new way of life. A new way of life because by it, we all, if we are genuinely regenerated, seized from following our self-crafted plans for our lives and step in alignment with the original purpose of God for us – this in every essence makes a Christian life a purposeful walk with God. This simply means that we are on assignment. “Occupy till I come.” So, every brother and sister who thinks, becoming a Christian grants the freedom from being under authority – think twice, because being regenerated simply means you are turning over the control of your life to God. He will tame your freelance life with his purpose.
A new way of life because by it, we all, if we are genuinely regenerated, seized from following our self-crafted plans for our lives and step in alignment with the original purpose of God for us – this in every essence makes a Christian life a purposeful walk with God. You seized from being in charge of your life, and allow God to take over...
God has a purpose for you and I, before we were called:
1 Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed: 2 “I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, 3 I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who call you by your name. 4 For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me. 5 I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, 6 that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other.
note:
Cyrus was not yet born (but God has declared his victories over the nations)
before he was born, God already tied his life’s purpose to Jacob’s destiny - because of Jacob, i have called you by your name)
this is a way to prove the supremacy of God
Think about is for a moment: put yourself in the place of cyrus, can you relate with that?
before you were born, God already declared some things about your life
your destiny and purpose has been determined
to showcase the supremacy of God over your life...
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
let us move on:
Psalm 39:14
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
pay attention to the fact that:
it is his purpose for you
whom he did foreknow
This simply means that we are his assignment. so you are not allowed to invest your life on your self created vision and purpose: your life’s mission must be his mission for you
Jesus said “Occupy till I come.”
13 Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’
luk
13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
luk
Christianity is a new way of life: this also means it is a guided life, a life under superior authority-
8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
psa 32:
17 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go.
so, every brother and sister who thinks, becoming a Christian grants the freedom to disconnect from authority – think twice, because being regenerated simply means you are turning over the control of your life to God. and He will tame your freelance life with his purpose. he will through his human agents - those that he appointed to lead the church, set a new authority over your life:
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,
your Pastors are not just your friends, they are your fathers and mothers
the more your learn to respect them the more better and simpler your journey will become.
f
3. The work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian is not to replace us, but to walk along side with us – He is a helper and not a substitute for us. So, the Holy Spirit, is given to help us attain better outcomes in all areas of our efforts. Therefore, there is a place for making efforts. He is a helper and not a replacer. His works are to enhance our lives, such that we can now outperform our natural capacities, overcome our weaknesses and consequently becomes influential people. Simply because, through the help of the Holy Spirit, we have gained access to a better resource material; we have gained access to the wisdom that is from above that is above all. “these thigs are revealed through the spirit” – Permit me to say, the Holy Spirit is one of the creator’s instruments of getting his works done through us and not for us: that is why, he is to remind us, he is to teach us, he is to work beside us…
3. The work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian is not to replace us, but to walk along side with us – He is a helper and not a substitute for us
So, the Holy Spirit, is given to help us attain better outcomes in all areas of our efforts. Therefore, there is a place for making efforts. He is a helper and not a replacer. His works are to enhance our lives, such that we can now outperform our natural capacities, overcome our weaknesses and consequently becomes influential people. This is possible because, through the help of the Holy Spirit, we are to gain access to better resource materials; we are to gain access to the wisdom that is from above:
17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
not only this, we will also gain access into the uncommon wisdom, as the holy spirit walk alongside with us as a helper:
9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— 10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.
now, we are speaking of resource materials that are not available in this realm – Permit me to say, the Holy Spirit is one of the creator’s instruments of getting his works done through us and not for us: that is why, he is a remembrancer -to remind us; He is a teacher: to teach us; he is a guide: to work beside us…
“these thigs are revealed through the spirit” – Permit me to say, the Holy Spirit is one of the creator’s instruments of getting his works done through us and not for us: that is why, he is to remind us, he is to teach us, he is to work beside us…
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
do you notice:
He wil teach
he will remind
he will guide
The Holy spirit is not a replacer, he is a helper.
We will give account of our lives. We sometimes forget that the scripture clearly paints the picture of God as a great judge who will judge everyone according to what he has created us, equipped us to be able to do, and to which purpose he has assigned us. The deeper truth is this, we should always keep in view the day when we shall be called to give account of our lives. We should recall the parable of the talents, he gave the talents based on their abilities and he came to reckon with them based of his expectations – to whom much was given much was expected, the bible also says, it is expected of a steward to be found faithful.
4. We will give account of our lives.
11 for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” 12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
We sometimes forget that the scripture clearly paints the picture of God as a great judge who will judge everyone according to what he has created us, equipped us to be able to do, and to which purpose he has assigned us. The deeper truth is this, we should always keep in view the day when we shall be called to give account of our lives. We should recall the parable of the talents, he gave the talents based on their abilities and he came to reckon with them based of his expectations
14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
mat 25
19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
Pay attention:
he gave gifts according to their several abilities
he came to reckon with them based on what was given
– to whom much was given, much was expected:
48 But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.
The bible also says: it is expected of a steward to be found faithful.
1 This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.
1 cor 4
Financial Stewardship:
Financial Stewardship: