“Dollars & Sense – Putting Money in Its Place, Pt. 2 – Stewardship”
Last week, I started a new series, “Dollars & Sense – Putting Money in Its Place – Generosity.” Today, I want to continue this important topic by focusing on stewardship.
Jesus had a lot to say about money and wealth. One of seven verses in Luke discusses money. One-third of the parables talk about money. He only spoke more about the Kingdom.
“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.” Matt. 6:24 NLT
Jesus must be first: you can’t serve God and money at the same time. Money and wealth are tools to fulfill God’s kingdom purposes.
It’s the “love of money” that is the root of all evil (1 Tim. 6:10). Greed is the real issue!
Having money and wealth isn’t the issue; the problem is setting proper priorities. Love of money conflicts with our love for Jesus and others. We are commanded to love God first, then others as we love ourselves (Mark 12:30-31; Matt. 6:33).
You didn’t choose God; He chose you! (John 15:16) God delights in our fruitfulness—He promises to provide everything we need to fulfill our destiny. Jesus came so that we might be fully restored to the Father, including our finances.
But we often worry. Why? Lack of trust God will fulfill His promises to meet our every need (Matt. 6:31-33 NLT).
Kingdom Stewardship Principles
Psalm 24:1 states,
“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.” NLT
God is the rightful owner—we own nothing.
Our attitude should be, “God, it’s all yours—my life, my finances, my family, my career, my business, etc.” When you can surrender it all to the Lord, you give Him the right to multiply it for His purposes in your life.
Stewardship defined: The responsible management of resources that belong to someone else. In other words, a steward is a person who takes care of, supervises, and handles or directs what does not belong to them but to another. The steward manages resources in a way that always protects the owner’s interests. Properly managed resources should increase in value or benefit when returned to the owner.
God is actually using the physical things of this earth and the world system to test, train, and prepare us for our eternal purpose of ruling and reigning in His Kingdom.
Your time, treasure, and talent belong to God!
Does God own everything, or do you? If God owns everything, then He is responsible for providing for you. Stewardship based on the principle of God’s abundance and plenty— we share His resources!
God gave Israel, and us today, the ability to earn a living and acquire wealth. A key concern with money and wealth is the attitude of the heart, which influences how we handle what we are entrusted with.
“And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish (confirm) His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.” Deut. 8:18 NKJV
The English word power in this verse comes from a Hebrew word Koach, which means divine ability, or empowerment.
Who gives us strength, power, and ability to earn wealth? God does. He expects us to use the time, treasures, and talents He has entrusted to us for His kingdom purposes.
Matt. 25:14-30 NLT Parable of the Servants: Principles of Stewardship.
14 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. 15 He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip. 16 “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. 18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money. 19 “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ 21 “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ 22 “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’ 23 “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ 24 “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’ 26 “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate,27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’ 28 “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Use it or Lose it
Jesus emphasizes the importance of using your gifts, talents, and resources, or risk losing them. Stewardship isn’t about being inactive or just holding onto what you have. We shouldn’t fear losing or giving away what God has given us, because God’s supply is limitless. How could it ever run out?
Is our mentality one of abundance or scarcity?
The key is to learn how to invest these gifts, talents, and resources wisely and start to see them multiply. He gives you power (divine ability) to acquire wealth. How? Mainly through hard work and earning a living (training required).
Learning how to give a portion of what you earn (receive), learning how to save or invest some of your resources, and learning how to spend your money wisely (budgeting, managing debt, etc.). More on where to place money next week.
Multiplication
Notice in the parable of the talents that the productive servants (stewards) increase what they have received. This illustrates the spiritual principle of multiplication. If you are faithful, you will be rewarded with an expected increase. If you give, it shall be given to you. If you sow, you shall reap. Law of seed time and harvest.
God wants to bless the “work” of your hands, not your idleness!
Psalm 90:17 states this beautifully,
“And let the beauty and delightfulness and favor of the Lord our God be upon us; confirm and establish the work of our hands—yes, the work of our hands, confirm and establish it.” AMPC
The return isn’t just about addition but rooted in the spiritual principle of multiplication: more than enough, pressed down, shaken together, and running over!
You may recall the story of Isaac in Genesis 26. There was a famine in Canaan, and he thought, “I’ll go to Egypt.” But the Lord intervenes and tells him, “No, stay in this land, I’ll bless you and your descendants.” So he did, and planted crops during the drought and famine.
Look what happened,
“When Isaac planted his crops that year, he harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the Lord blessed him.” Gen. 26:12 NLT
He obeyed, stayed, planted, and reaped 100 times what he sowed! That’s the power of multiplication and divine empowerment when we trust the Lord and obey Him.
Possessing All Things
To truly possess all things, we must start by owning nothing. Don’t rush out and sell everything you own! I’m not referring to legal ownership, but to the idea that material possessions should not own you. Jesus owned nothing physically, yet He possessed all things. He understood that the Father is the true owner of everything.
We may have our name on the mortgage or deed to the land, or title on a vehicle, but if we know in our hearts that we are merely managers of God’s assets, then our entire mindset changes.
The decisions we make about finances shift as we adopt a management (stewardship) role instead of an ownership role. Recognize that God is the true owner, accept His stewardship authority and anointing, and you will begin to see things around you change.
Contentment
Paul learned how to be “content in all things—having little or much.”
11 I’m not saying this because I need anything, for I have learned how to be content in any circumstance. 12 I know the experience of being in need and of having more than enough; I have learned the secret to being content in any and every circumstance, whether full or hungry or whether having plenty or being poor. Phil 4:11-12 CEB
Paul was not concerned whether he was rich or poor, full or hungry. He did not let circumstances change his attitude toward God or His words. Paul loved Jesus, and he knew he was in God’s hands, doing God’s will. He knew the truth of Matthew 6:31-33 that God knew his needs and would provide!
If you are discontent with where you are and the circumstances you’re in, then you will hinder God’s grace and the kingdom principles of supply.
The core of biblical prosperity is your joy in the Lord—your love for Jesus—He is your source! Prosperity is achieved through intimacy with God, not a set of formulas to generate wealth.
Faithful to what belongs to another.
This is an area where the Lord tests and refines our hearts. He is looking to see if we are prepared to receive our own key to the heavenly storehouse of both physical resources and spiritual anointing and gifts.
If you can’t serve another faithfully, then how can you serve God? If you can’t manage someone else’s resources and help them grow and be fruitful, then why should God trust you with greater riches?
The story of Joseph in Genesis shows that being faithful with other people’s possessions is a foundation for greater responsibility in both material and spiritual areas.
Jesus declared,
“If you haven’t been faithful with worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?” Luke 16:11 CEB
What are true riches? God’s peace, joy, righteousness, presence, and love, to name a few.
Final Thoughts
Preparation leads to Provision
God is the God of the supernatural. The supernatural for us represents events that are not natural. We all desire God to move miraculously. However, God acts supernaturally with purpose. God will not violate His principles to display His power. One of these principles is that preparation must come before provision.
God will not supernaturally give you millions if you are not faithful with the time, treasure, and talents he has entrusted to you. God is not a state lottery! He grants power and ability to earn a living and create wealth. He prepares us for more through the process.
Call to Action
Recognize that everything belongs to God; we are His managers. This is a mindset!
God anoints and empowers us to create a livelihood and gain wealth. Expect it!
Use the gifts, talents, and resources God has given you.
If you struggle with ownership versus stewardship, then consider offering everything you have to the Lord: your time, treasure, and talents.
What areas, or resources, has God given you that you haven’t stewarded well?
How can you change or improve?
Are you faithfully serving God by serving others well?
What is God asking you to “invest in” in this season?
How can you invest in the lives of others?
Control
Often, we struggle with control, believing that if we control everything, we will have enough during lean times. However, this takes control away from God and limits His grace to provide.
Prayer to surrender control. “Father, I come before You just as I am. I entered this world with nothing, and I will leave with nothing. Everything I am and possess is from You, the source and sustainer of life. Forgive me for taking control of what You have entrusted to me. I surrender everything to You. I offer You my time, talents, and treasures. Lead me, Lord, to become a better steward. Today, I declare my trust in
