Ruler of All Mankind

"Everything in the heavens and earth is Yours, O Lord, and this is Your kingdom. We adore You as being in control of everything. Riches and honor come from You alone, and You are the Ruler of all mankind; Your hand controls power and might, and it is at Your discretion that men are made great and given strength. O our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name..." - I Chronicles 29:11-13a - The Living Bible

Terrifically Alive

"The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren't small, but you're living them in a small way... Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively." With God you can do this! He wants you to be alive to those around you so they see Him and desire Him. You are the one to bring Him alive to others so that they will experience the life you have in Him as well.
Be "terrifically alive" today!

II Corinthians 6:11-13, 9 - The Message

People are Watching

Whether we like it or not, people around us are always watching. Some want to see us fail and others are cheering us on in a positive way. Whichever it is we must remember that we have a special goal and vision for life given us by God. We are one of God's very own and He is the One we want to exemplify. So like Paul in II Corinthians 6 we are a willing vessel to take on whatever comes our way; be it hard times, tough times, bad times, beaten up, jailed, or mobbed. As we work hard, work late, work without eating, we keep a pure heart, clear head, steady hand, and show gentleness, holiness and honest love in all we do! This was not only Paul's lifestyle; it was Jesus' example for us. It should be how we live our lives and what we hold onto in our lives as well - the Truth.

II Corinthians 6:4-7, II Corinthians 11:21-33, Isaiah 53

Having It All

Here we go. See if you can relate.

"... immersed in tears, yet always filled with deep joy;
living on handouts, yet enriching many;
having nothing, having it all." - II Corinthians 6:10 - The Message

So often we weep forgetting that the greatest joy - the Lord giving us the Holy Spirit - is already planted in us and we simply need to let His joy in us grow through the tears.

We may get the hand-me-downs and the handouts for living but don't you see the blessings from God in them and don't you see through the years the many lives you have touched by just being you?

We truly have it all even though the world tells us we have nothing! His name is Jesus!

Isaiah 51:6, I Peter 1:22-25, Matthew 24:35, II Peter 3:10-18

True to Our Word

Whose word? Yes, our word, when we are honest and truthful. When we have the Word of God on our lips and as our foundation. The Word of God written to each one of us in the Bible is our basic instruction book for living our lives. Using it is when we are speaking true to our word. We speak the Word and it does not go out into the atmosphere void, it is put to work by ministering angels who are about doing the word of the Lord! Hallelujah!

Now we read in our text of II Corinthians 6:8, in The Message, "... true to our word, though distrusted; ignored by the world, but recognized by God." We are true to the Word and we read it, obey it, speak it, use it, and live it even when those around us may not agree with it or us! They don't understand. We are trusting in the Lord and not ourselves or this world and we are to be trusted but many will not trust... they are not at the place we are. Although ignored many times by the world and the people around us, we know that God sees and rewards us in a way no other can imagine until they are where we are.

The Word is our final authority in all we do. Be true to your word - do the right thing because it's the right thing and do it right! God sees.

Psalm 103:20-21, Proverbs 3:4-6, Hebrews 11:6

Setting Things Right

Paul says in II Corinthians 6:7 as ministers of God we are to show it "by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left" or as the Message Bible puts it we should be, "doing our best setting things right." From verses 4-10 we have a letter of recommendation from Paul in what price we pay, just as he paid, as a minister of the gospel. Some hardships are imposed by others; some are the results of disciplines we choose. Either way we are to put right what is not right. We do so according to II Timothy 2:25, which says a servant of the Lord goes about doing so, "in humility correcting those who are in opposition." The Message says, "a teacher who keeps cool, working firmly but patiently with those who refuse to obey." And, we ask why? Yet if we read on we have our answer. Again from the Message, "You never know how or when God might sober them up with a change of heart and a turning to the truth, enabling them to escape the devil's trap, where they are caught and held captive, forced to run his errands." (See verse 25 continued and verse 26).

Lord, help us to be corrective in humility and love.

I Thessalonians 5:14-15, Galatians 6:1-5

No Getting Frustrated, Throwing Up Your Hands in Desperation, Wondering

Often times God has a plan that we don't understand. He will allow us to go through circumstances and situations we'd like to get out of and we often get frustrated about. We throw up our hands in desperation crying out to the Lord "this isn't fair" or questioning God with a "why, God?" We wonder and reason and can't relate to what is happening sometimes until we are looking back but in II Corinthians 6:2 and 3we read "we give no offense in anything." The Message Bible says this, "don't frustrate God's work by showing up late, throwing a question mark over everything we're doing." God doesn't get frustrated but we can frustrate the work God is doing on earth by not being alert and ready for the opportunities He places around us with the people around us. We can be one who is constantly trying to figure out God or questioning what He is doing instead of trusting and participating in His work even when we don't understand the whole picture. He does. He knows the big picture of what He is doing, you can be sure of that. He is often working behind the scenes on our behalf and we don't even know it, but he does. He knows all things, sees all things, is in the midst of all things, and has all the power to do all things. And, this power He has passed on to those who love Him. We simply are to trust and obey.

Psalm 71:5, Romans 6:16

No Squandering of Life

Paul says to us in II Corinthians 6:1 not to "squander one bit of this marvelous life God has given us." Most times we haven't heard it put so nicely and instead we've heard it put this way, "don't waste your life." But that doesn't come across to me as well as Paul's words. Squander does mean "not to waste" but it puts a positive emphasis on it for me to share with you because it not only tells us to not waste our life but that there are "things" out there in this big wide world that God has for us and we could miss those marvelous opportunities in our lives! So as I look at this verse I want to remember that I could miss out on the extravagant possibilities and opportunities available to me by not getting up out of my lazy boy (or girl), not getting out from behind the TV, not getting out of my comfort zone whatever it might be and not reaching up and out when I could to the plans God has for me. He does have plans for my life or I wouldn't be here. He makes no mistakes so don't think that way either! Today make this your prayer and wait to hear what God's answer might be then grab hold of it!

"Lord, help me today to know what your purpose and plans are for my life. I want to be part of your plans and the big picture in this lifetime of mine while I am here on this earth. I am here to be your servant. Help me also to hear from you. Thank you, Jesus."

Jeremiah 29:11, 33:3, I John 3:22

Staying at Our Post

Companions as we are in this work with you, please don't squander one bit of this marvelous life God has given us. God reminds us, I heard your call in the nick of time; the day you needed me, I was there to help. Well, now is the right time to listen, the day to be helped. Don't put it off; don't frustrate God's work by showing up late, throwing a question mark over everything we're doing. Our work as God's servants gets validated - or not - in the details. People are watching us as we stay at our post, alertly, unswervingly... in hard times, tough times, bad times; when we're mobbed, working hard, working late, working without eating, with pure heart, clear head, steady hand, in gentleness, holiness and honest love; when we're telling the truth, and when God's showing His power; when we're doing our best setting things right; when we're praised, and when we're blamed, slandered, and honored; true to our word; though distrusted; ignored by the world, but recognized by God; terrifically alive, though rumored to be dead; beaten within an inch of our lives, but refusing to die; immersed in tears, yet always filled with deep joy; living on handouts, yet enriching many; having nothing, having it all.

- This excerpt is complete in its entirety from The Message at II Corinthians 6:1-13

Imagine

Isn't it simply amazing that one such as God Almighty would care about one such as you or me? For wasn't it shortly after God created man that he went and failed Him by disobeying? Aren't we still displaying disobedience to Him today? But there was always one... one with a remnant... Moses, Abraham, Noah, Joseph, David... Peter, Paul, James and John...one who loved God... one...are you one? If the Bible were being written today, would you be one? God has chosen you and me to be one today. One who will rise up and be counted among His own. One who will rise up and be His king glorifying the King of kings His Son. God loves us as His own Son... as His own sons and daughters. He's given to us the same rights to operate His kingdom on this earth as Jesus had when He was here on earth. And more! Can you imagine? We need to imagine it. When you can see it, you will believe it and when you believe it you will do it!

I Peter 2:9, II Corinthians 6:18, Mark 11:23-24

Jesus Wants You to Love Him

"If you love Me, keep My commandments." - John 14:15

"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." - John 15:12

"No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us." - I John 4:12

"We love Him because He first loved us." - I John 4:19

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..." - John 3:16

Jesus loves you and me!

Obedience Matters

Jesus loves you. Your obedience matters... it matters to God. He longs for you to be obedient because He knows about obedience. He knows obedience shows your love. He tells us in His Word "when you love Me you'll obey My commandments."

Jesus loves you and He loved you so much so that He obeyed His Father unto death for you! Oh, but the marvelous end to that story is that He lives for you! Yes, today He and the Father and the angels and all of Heaven are rooting for you as you make your journey Heavenward and home! Hallelujah!

While placed here on this earth we have many opportunities to be obedient. Like Jesus in Luke 2:51 we are first taught to obey our parents. We're taught to obey all those in authority over us; CEO's chiefs, and presidents and those we love; parents, spouses and our elders. Obedience matters. Respect, honor, reverence and love are found in obedience. I believe it's a rare quality today, obedience is.

Our first love and obedience are to be given to the Lord Jesus Christ who is King - Jesus is King! He is King of kings and Lord of lords! May you and I show the Lord how much we love Him in our obedience to Him.

Colossians 3:20, Hebrews 13:17, I Peter 2:17

Jesus - Again Our Example

Jesus with His parents one day went to Jerusalem. It was for the Feast of Passover and this is what they did every year. So, it wasn't the first time for Jesus' to do this, go to Jerusalem. And, be in the Temple. This time was different, however, as when His parents left, "the child Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem." (MSG) Why? The focus so often is on Jesus being left behind and His parents having to go back and find Him. Hallelujah! They did find Him - but He wasn't lost! He was there in the Temple among the teachers listening to them and asking questions. Hear this, "And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers." His parents may have been somewhat anxious to find Jesus but Jesus answered them "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?"

Like Jesus we are to be about our Father's business! We need to be sitting among the great teacher's of our day and listening to them and asking questions. Who knows that we aren't one of the great or will be... We are growing (or should be if we aren't) like Jesus - "Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men."

And the rest of the story? Jesus went home with His parents and the Bible tells us He "lived obediently with them." (MSG)

Luke 2:41-52

Wisdom - It's the Principle Thing

The Bible tells us in Proverbs to "Get wisdom! Get understanding!" We are not to forsake "her" - wisdom - why? She preserves us! We are to love her - wisdom - and she will keep us. How can wisdom preserve us and keep us? Let's look at the other side of wisdom first - the other side of wisdom is being the fool. What happens to the fool? "The fool will be servant to the wise of heart." (Proverbs 11:29b) Again you may ask why? Proverbs 1:7 says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." This then tells me to get in the Word and become more knowledgeable in it and grow in wisdom and understanding of God's ways that I not be a foolish person but a wise woman (or man - in my case it would be a woman). Wisdom supplies, supports, maintains, manages, retrains, prevents, reserves, saves, protects, takes care of and takes charge of us! The Bible tells us to "not enter the path of the wicked and not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it; do not travel on it. (Proverbs 4:14-15) Turn away from it and pass on." Do not be the fool - Get wisdom! Get understanding!"

Proverbs 4:5-13, Luke 2:52

Walk in Wisdom

"See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things in God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God." - Ephesians 5:15-21

Righteousness Actively Rejects Wrongdoing

It does! Righteousness does actively reject wrongdoing! The Lord does - we should do the same! We are the righteousness of God - our place is to reject wrongdoing! We are to bring out the sin of darkness by our light shining brightly in the dark place of sin. Expose it for what it is. We live for the glory of God and His righteousness!

Psalm 38, Proverbs 4:18, Ephesians 5:8-14

What They See Does Matter

Do you bring glory to God in your parade? We are to bring honor to God in our speech and conduct. I know I myself have some work to do in these areas, how about you?

The Spirit Filled Life Bible at Psalm 2:12 in Truth-in-Action has a great thought that I want to share with you. It reads, "Godly living is radically different from the way we learned to live while in the world." We are not to do business as usual! We're learning a new and different way to live in this world around us. It's called His way, God's way of living is extremely different living!

Because living God's way is unnatural to us, we need help! God gave us the Holy Spirit for such help. It begins by renewing our mind - our thinking - to what God says in His Word. This will change our speech and our conduct. Through Jesus Christ we are saved but through our "working out our own salvation" we become the Christian on parade and an example of Christ to this world.

"Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him" - Psalm 2:23b

Philippians 2:12-19a

It's a Parade

Christians are on parade. Yes, whether you like it or not, as a Christian you are in the parade for the Lord Jesus! How? Why? What for? Let me answer those questions for you.

Although we may not want to be seen, God wants us seen. He wants us to stand out in the crowd or the room we enter. Not that we be seen but that He be seen. It's not for people to be checking us out and it's especially not for Christians to be checking each other out on Sunday morning; no, rather it's for the display of God's glory!

We are to be the salt of the earth according to Matthew 5:13. Do you know what salt can do? Salt will add flavor, salt will cleanse, and salt can also be an irritant! So here's how it relates to us as a Christian:

We add flavor in this world - God's Word - the message of salvation.

We bring to the world the Light of the World - Jesus and He cleanses! He came into this world to heal and cleanse the leper and sick - we come to do the same.

And, yes, there is often irritating circumstances - not for us so much as there is for the person who sees us in the crowd or in the room and through us the Holy Spirit brings to them conviction that leads to repentance. What they see or should see in us is the love of the Savior, the blessings of a holy and godly lifestyle that they long for but don't know how to live until we bring them the message of Jesus Christ. Don't let anyone fool you. People long for Him without knowing that they do - many want to say something but don't - so don't you be shy or ashamed to share the message of salvation with them!

Don't let the world or people of this world bring you down to their level - oh, no, we are above, remember, and not beneath, not the tail but the head! We are heirs to the Throne, children of God bringing light and salt to the earth! T.D. Jakes says that our mind has to be free. He says, "People will try to control your mind. They'll try to make you think like they think; so that you stay on the level they're on." But we know better, don't we? We have the power within us to save a nation! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

Salt also preserves. We are preserved, destined heavenward! Heaven is our home and Jesus has preserved us until He comes again for us and takes us home!

II Timothy 1:7-10, Psalm 2, Matthew 28:18-20

At Your Feet We Fall

We sang this song at my mid-week worship and I want to share it with you because it's just 4 you today - I know not where it comes from or who it is written by but here are the words - you will have to put your own melody to it:

As we seek Your face, may we know Your heart,
feel Your presence, acceptance, as we seek Your face.

At your feet we fall, Sovereign Lord,
we cry holy, holy, at Your feet we fall.

Jesus, draw me close, closer Lord to You.
Let the world around me fade away
Jesus, draw me close, closer Lord to You,
for I desire to worship and obey.

Let today be that day and make every day a day you seek His face and fall to your feet before Him!

The Head and Not the Tail

"And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above and not beneath, if you heed the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them."

The "head" - the head of the human body, the head of the line, what is principle or supreme, first, top, prince, the highest part, summit, beginning, foremost, leader, and chief. Just as the "head" of a company refers to it's chief and their leadership.

Above: on high, overhead, and heaven, heavenward; in or to a higher place, rank, or position, superior in, greater in; beyond the level or reach of!

Heed: to pay attention to; listen to and consider (ponder, meditate on)

Observe: to be or become aware of through careful and directed attention; to adhere to or abide by; to keep or celebrate; to conform to.

I am a Christian. I am the head and not the tail. I am above and not beneath for I heed the commandments of the Lord and observe them. I am a doer of the word and not a hearer only!

Deuteronomy 28:13, James 1:22

Living Above and Not Beneath

Christianity is a rare a marvelous lifestyle. As a Christian we are to live above and not beneath - anything - our circumstance, our fear, our need and especially above the non-believer! We are a light to them that shines bright in the world of darkness. We are not about seeking after those things that we need because we know that the One and True God we serve is faithful to His Word and the Covenant to provide for us what we need. Therefore, we are about Him! We seek after Him! We live on earth for Him! He not only knows and meets our needs - He knows the desires of our heart! We don't have to be anxious or in need of anything because we know He is our provided and it will be provided to us in our time of need. We lack nothing. The Lord God is our provider! We are devoted to God. It is not necessary for us to be anxious or worry, our God is a big God and He knows our need! We seek the King of kings! We live for the King's glory!

Psalm 37:3-4, Matthew 7:8-9

What or Whom Do You Seek After?

It's all in what or whom you seek. Let me take the liberty here in Matthew 6:25-33 and use the words "seek after" for the words "worry about."

Therefore I say to you, do not seek after your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

Which of you by seeking can add one cubit to his stature?

So why do you seek after clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you. O you of little faith.

Therefore do not seek after these things, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Me? Rob God?

It all belongs to God. God wants you to give His tithes and your offerings. The first 10% of all that is God's He wants you to give back to Him - first. He allows you to keep the remaining 90%. Not only do you get to keep it, He will protect it and bless it for you! Hallelujah!

For those of you who still don't get it - that it all belongs to God - and you think you are working for a living and making your own money... you need to change your thinking. Think of it this way - we, you and I, work and labor to produce our seed. God gives seed to the sower. Wow! God blesses us with a job to work and labor and then when we are paid we are to use it as our seed to plant in the kingdom! Get it? Are you ready? Take your money and plant (put) it in the kingdom! How? Tithes and offerings! Anything over and beyond the 10% is considered an offering. Things like giving to missions, orphans, widows, your neighbor and other charitable causes or deeds - for the kingdom!

God even tells us to test Him in this. Have you tested Him yet? I have found that in this test when we are faithful, He is faithful. He cannot lie. He is always faithful. We must learn to be faithful and trust Him. He will do what He says and you will be blessed and the enemy will cry over it. Why? Because you are not only a child of God but you are putting into practice the number one principle of what God means when He says "seek first the kingdom of God."

Malachi 3:7-12, II Corinthians 9:10, Matthew 6:33

Will You Participate in the Test?

All won't participate or even agree with this "money" principle from the Bible or the test from God in Malachi 3. They just can't grasp it. Why? One worldly reason is they "work for a living." Did you know a child of God isn't supposed to "work for a living?" If you do, whom do you think gives you the job? Who do you think placed you where you are in the company? The store? The city? The world? A biblical reason is found in I Corinthians 2:14, which says, "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." This simply means that as one's own inner thoughts are known only to himself, so the mind of God is known only by God's Spirit. One must have the Spirit of God living in him. This is the Holy Spirit brought to us by Jesus Christ upon our receiving Him as our Savior and Lord. It is through the Holy Spirit we can know God and have such godly wisdom and revelation of the Word of God. The Holy Spirit interprets spiritual things to spiritual people.

In Malachi 3:7 we read, "... You have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them, return to Me, and I will return to you." If you have never known God or have read and heard about Him but never knew so-to-speak what to do about it or "with Him," let me help you. God the Creator of the Universe meant for us to be His children on this earth and to live according to His plans allowing Him Kingship while we were to have the rulership. When Adam and Eve messed it up for the rest of the people born, God sent His Son to live and die for us. Then there was a Resurrection Day! After His death He arose to Heaven and sits now with the Father God and intercedes on our behalf. When you accept this and Him, you become a child of God - Jesus is your big Brother and you are given the same rights as Jesus as an heir to the Throne. If you haven't ever accepted this love from God before, you can do it now. Simply say, pray, this:

"Father I believe this and accept Jesus into my life. Have Him come into my life and allow me life as you promised in your Word. I accept Jesus as my Savior and big Brother and will live, as He is my example and the Holy Spirit leads me. Thank you that He is now my Lord and I am saved."

Now that you are saved, and in the family of God, you have Spiritual discernment of spiritual things having "returned to Me." So go ahead, try God - test Him in this- take the money you have and use it for the kingdom of God. Begin to tithe (give 10% to the storehouse/church) and give offerings (anything over the 10% tithe) where the Holy Spirit leads. See if God doesn't bless you and favor you with an overflow of His goodness - He will pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it - when you give in this way and never stop giving!

I Corinthians 2:7-16

Will You Participate in the Test?

Malachi 3:7-12

Yet from the days of your fathers you have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them. "Return to Me, and I will return to you," says the LORD of hosts. But you said, "In what way shall we return?" "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, "In what way have we robbed You?" In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," says the LORD of hosts; "And all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land," says the LORD of hosts.

A Few Good Men

Money! Money! Money! Money! Moooooooooo-ney! It all belongs to God! It all belongs to God! It's not yours. Since it doesn't belong to you be thankful you have some! God has given it to you to use. Learn to be responsible with it. Use it where it will grow and be a benefit or blessing. What you do with it, how you spend it, is what the Lord is honing in on so that He knows where He can strategically put more of it to bring about His kingdom and the last days. He's looking for a few good men (women). I want to be one of them, don't you?

Malachi 3:7-12

The Faithful Steward Benefits

There are benefits for the faithful steward - the one who is faithful in handling his money and possessions bringing glory to the Lord. Hallelujah! Here are three that I learned from the story of the talents (and from the Crown Financial Study I took):

1. You will have more intimate fellowship with the Lord - Matthew 25:21 says, "enter into the joy of your master." Now if your master is money I don't believe you'll find this joy. The joy comes from your master being Jesus Christ - He is Joy! In this verse the master said to the servant who had been faithful with his finances that he would enter into this joy. It was the master who said this and he was happy to have this servant on his team because he was faithful! Jesus is our Master - or so we should choose Him and not money or possessions to rule over us. When we are faithful and choose Him we will enter into His joy as we fellowship with Him.

2. Your character will be developed - God uses money as a test to refine our character. He wants us to become more Christlike - like His Son Jesus. Our money choices will either mold us into a person who strives after getting it, saving it, spending it, or giving it. In this way it can either be a blessing or a curse. We either master our money or it will be master over us.

3. It brings financial order - as we learn and grow in the application of God's principles, especially with our finances, we begin to handle our money more wisely. We start saving for our future or more importantly to build the kingdom. Whenever an opportunity should arise we will have the funds available to give as God directs when it does. We will get out of debt and owe no man anyting but love. We shall lack nothing. We will be blessed to be a blessing to others!

The opposite of these principles are true as well. If we waste our money and possessions, God just may remove us as a steward of His. Remember the rich man whom Jesus asked an account of his stewardship? (Luke 16:1-2) We must be faithful in the little things to earn the responsibility of much more. "Small things are small things, but faithfulness with a small thing is a big thing."* God knows whom He can trust with greater responsibilities. Hopefully you are one He can trust.

Psalm 34:9-10, 84:11-12 and Proverbs 11:25

*Crown Biblical Financial Study, Life Group Manual, page 25.

Being Faithful

You want to be put in charge of many things? Be faithful. Be faithful with what you have and with what you are given in this life. These "things" come from God. They belong to God. You are simply the one responsibly for them. As head of his home, the husband is responsible for his wife and family. The wife also, but it is the male whom God has put as the head. We are each responsible for how we handle our money and take care of "our" belongings. This is so very true and most are unaware of it. In the end of time... your life... when Christ comes again (and He is!), you will be accountable for these things and every idle word you have spoken!

Look in your Bible at the story of the talents (money) in Matthew 25:14-30. Here you will see that God is a reward to those who are faithful. This is true with whatever amount you are given! So whether you have been given much or little you are to be a good and faithful steward of it! Let me ask you, what does your home look like? Your office? Your room? Your car? These are "things" God has placed in your care and expects you to properly care for just as He expects you to do with your money. Many people dream of what they would do with a million dollars if they won the jackpot. It's not what you would do if you had "something" - it's what you are doing right now with what you have! Maybe it's only $100 or $10! Maybe it's not the home of your dreams or the car of your dreams, but are you being faithful and taking good care of what you've been given? We are to be faithful regardless of how much it is because God is entrusting us with it. He wants to see what you do with it. Your possessions... Are they clean? Neat? And tidy? Money... Do you hoard it? Spend it? Or sow it?

God gives to those He can trust... more. There are benefits or reward that come to the person whom God finds faithful.