Choosing Life Not Death Part 4
Real God, Real people
We’re going to be wrapping up our stewardship month today. We have seen that , Making a decision to choose God or putting God first in our lives is a decision to choose life, and it positions us to receive His Blessings.
Deuteronomy 30:19
19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
As good Stewards, when we put God first in our lives, it’s truly amazing how things just seem to come together.
Stewardship > the management of my God-given resources for His glory, and the good of others. The use of our time, talent and treasure wisely for His glory.
Jeremiah 17:5-8
5 Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD.
6 For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited. 7 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. 8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.
God is saying so clearly to us. TRUST HIM. He is greater than this worlds system. We’re not saying we’re not to be involved with the world. We’re saying trust Him.
1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
I would like Scott & Brandy to come up and just share, that when they made a decision to put God 1st in their Time, Talents and Treasure how things have turn around.
We also have to understand, that for us Christian’s the curse has been removed by Jesus Christ, and so I don’t have to live under it anymore. But again it takes a decision in my life. I could continue to live the low life, or I can say, AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD!
Proverbs 26:2
2 Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, So a curse without cause shall not alight.
Proverbs 26:2 (MSG)
2 You have as little to fear from an undeserved curse as from the dart of a wren or the swoop of a swallow.
Why is that? Because we as Christian are not under the Curse anymore. Jesus removed it for us. PTL.
Galatians 3:13-14
13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"),
14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Did this happen to people in the Old Testament also.
Joshua 2:1-21 Rehab was slated to be killed in Jericho. She was under the curse, but she made a decision to believe in the one true God and because of that a Blessing came. Instead of Death, Life came. Because of her faith, her choice or decision, and I believe Stewardship. She gave of her Time, Talent, and treasure, she was greatly rewarded.
James 2:25
25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
Hebrews 11:31
31 By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.
The amazing thing is that because of her faith, an ex- prostitute was place in the lineage of Jesus the Messiah.
Matthew 1:1
1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:
Matthew 1:5
5 Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse,
Don’t tell me that God can’t turn things around for us.
How about Ruth, I just saw her name there in genealogy of Jesus also.
Ruth 1:14-18
14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.
15 And she said, "Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law."
16 But Ruth said: "Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.
17 Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me."
18 When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her.
Ruth was a Moabite.
How about Joseph, He was place under a curse by his family, yet he made a decision to do it right before God, to be a good steward of his life and look at the final results with him.
1st He has a dream: A God given vision
2nd He’s Rejected by family: That hurts
3rd He’s accepted in Potiphar house: A new life
4th Betrayed: Accused falsely
5th Restoration: Get’s a new start
6th Forgiveness: He forgives his family
Don’t tell me that we can’t go from a curse to a Blessing.
How, by being a wise Steward that put’s the things of God 1st. When we give God of our Time, our Talent and our treasure, He changes things for us so that Blessings come our way.
Look how Moses said to pronounce a Blessing over the Children of Israel.
Numbers 6:22-27 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 23 "Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, 'This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: "The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; 26 The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace." ' 27 "So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them."
AMEN! Say it, I am Blessed not Cursed
We are going to receive our special Building to the Lord.
1 Chronicles 29:9-20
9 Then the people rejoiced, for they had offered willingly, because with a loyal heart they had offered willingly to the LORD; and King David also rejoiced greatly.
10 Therefore David blessed the LORD before all the assembly; and David said: "Blessed are You, LORD God of Israel, our Father, forever and ever.
11 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, And You are exalted as head over all.
12 Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great And to give strength to all.
13 "Now therefore, our God, We thank You And praise Your glorious name.
14 But who am I, and who are my people, That we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, And of Your own we have given You.
15 For we are aliens and pilgrims before You, As were all our fathers; Our days on earth are as a shadow, And without hope.
16 "O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have prepared to build You a house for Your holy name is from Your hand, and is all Your own.
17 I know also, my God, that You test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things; and now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here to offer willingly to You.
18 O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the intent of the thoughts of the heart of Your people, and fix their heart toward You.
We today have made a Good decision to be Good stewards of what God has Blessed us with. One day we will be gone, but this place will continue to reach the multitudes because of a group of people who wanted to be good stewards of his Kingdom. Using our time, Talent and Treasure for His honor.
Matthew 25:14-23
14 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.
15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.
16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.
17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.
18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money.
19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
20 So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.'
21 His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'
22 He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.' 23 His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'
