Stewardship – Part 4

We have been shown how to handle our wealth as stewards (managers) of what we’ve been given, not owners.  We learn to manage what we have and build our treasure in heaven; eternal foundations.  Putting this into practice, cycle’s money back into our hands to do over and over again.  Let’s see how this works.

Scriptures:

Genesis 1: 28a:  And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: ^{KJ fruitful- bring increase fruit multiply-  be in authority to bring in abundance; replenish- gather and fill to full;  subdue- conquer; bring in subjection to}

Psalm 24: 1:   The earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains, ^NAS

Genesis 8: 22:  While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”   ^ESV

2 Corinthians 9:1-6:   9 Now it is unnecessary for me to write to you about the offering [that is to be made] for the saints [in Jerusalem]; 2 for I know your eagerness [to promote this cause], and I have [proudly] boasted to the people of Macedonia about it, telling them that Achaia has been prepared since last year [for this contribution], and your enthusiasm has inspired the majority of them [to respond]. 3 Still, I am sending the brothers [on to you], so that our pride in you may not be an empty boast in this case, and so that you may be prepared, just as I told them you would be; 4 otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—to say nothing of yourselves—will be humiliated for being so confident. 5 That is why I thought it necessary to urge these brothers to go to you [before I come] and make arrangements in advance for this generous, previously promised gift of yours, so that it would be ready, not as something extorted [or wrung out of you], but as a [voluntary and] generous gift.  ^Amp

2 Corinthians 9: 6-9:  6 Now [remember] this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows generously [that blessings may come to others] will also reap generously  [and be blessed]. 7 Let each one give [thoughtfully and with purpose] just as he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver [and delights in the one whose heart is in his gift]. 8 And God is able to make all grace [every favor and earthly blessing] come in abundance to you, so that you may always [under all circumstances, regardless of the need] have complete sufficiency in everything [being completely self-sufficient in Him], and have an abundance for every good work and act of charity. 9 As it is written and forever remains written, “He [the benevolent and generous person] scattered abroad, he gave to the poor,  His righteousness endures forever!”  ^{Amp generous/ly-the motive or intention to lay forth something good and well; a matter of a bountiful blessing}

2 Corinthians 9: 1-14:   10 Now He who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed for sowing [that is, your resources] and increase the harvest of your righteousness [which shows itself in active goodness, kindness, and love]. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you may be generous, and this [generosity, administered] through us is producing thanksgiving to God [from those who benefit]. 12 For the ministry of this service (offering) is not only supplying the needs of the saints (God’s people), but is also overflowing through many expressions of thanksgiving to God. 13 Because of this act of ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to the gospel of Christ which you confess, as well as for your generous participation [in this gift] for them and for all [the other believers in need], 14 and they also long for you while they pray on your behalf, because of the surpassing measure of God’s grace [His undeserved favor, mercy, and blessing which is revealed] in you.   ^Amp

Luke 16: 1-13: ¹Now He was also saying to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and this manager was reported to him as squandering his possessions. ²“And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management, for you can no longer be  manager.’ ³“The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig; I am ashamed to beg. ⁴‘I know what I shall do, so that when I am removed from the management people will welcome me into their homes.’ ⁵“And he summoned each one of his master’s debtors, and he began saying to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ ⁶“And he said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ ⁷“Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ And he said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ ⁸“And his master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light. ⁹“And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings. ¹⁰“He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. ¹¹“Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? ¹²“And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? ¹³“No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”   ^NAS

Luke 6: 37, 38:  ³⁷“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; ³⁸ give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”  ^ESV