Introduction

Hey, good morning everyone! I'm so glad to see each and every one of you here today. I've been looking forward to our time together and I'm really excited about what we're going to talk about today.

You know, there's a quote from A.W. Tozer that's been on my heart recently. He said, "As God is exalted to the right place in our lives, a thousand problems are solved all at once." Now, isn't that something? When we put God in the right place in our lives, things just fall into place. And that's what we're going to talk about today - putting God in the right place in our lives through stewardship.

But before we get into that, let's read our Scripture passage for today. It's from 1 Peter 4:7,

"The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray."

This verse is reminding us to be alert, to be mindful of our time because the end of all things is near. But it's not just about being alert. It's about what we do with our alertness, how we use our time. And that's what we're going to talk about today.

So, let's pray.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for bringing us together today. As we talk about stewardship, help us to understand what it truly means to put you in the right place in our lives. Help us to use our time wisely, to serve you and others. Open our hearts and minds to your Word and your wisdom. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Alright, let's get started.

Understanding Stewardship

Stewardship, at its core, is about recognizing that everything we have is a gift from God. It's about acknowledging that we are not the owners of our lives, our time, our talents, or our treasures, but rather, we are managers of these gifts. We are entrusted with these resources and it's our responsibility to use them in a way that honors God and benefits others.

Our time: We all have the same 24 hours in a day, the same 168 hours in a week. But how we choose to use that time can vary greatly. Some of us may spend our time chasing after worldly success, while others may spend their time serving others. But what does it mean to be a good steward of our time? It means using our time in a way that reflects our values, our priorities, and most importantly, our faith. It means making time for prayer, for worship, for fellowship with other believers. It means using our time to serve others, to spread the love of Christ, to make a difference in the world.

Our talents: Each of us has been blessed with unique skills and abilities. Some of us may be gifted speakers, while others may be skilled artists or musicians. Some of us may have a knack for organization, while others may have a heart for serving others. But regardless of what our talents are, we are called to use them for God's glory. That means using our talents to serve others, to build up the church, to spread the gospel. It means not burying our talents out of fear or laziness, but rather, investing them in the kingdom of God.

Our treasures: This is often the most difficult aspect of stewardship for many of us. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that our money is our own, that we earned it and we can do with it as we please. But the truth is, our money is also a gift from God. And just like our time and our talents, we are called to use our money in a way that honors God and benefits others. That means giving generously to the church, to missions, to those in need. It means not hoarding our wealth, but rather, sharing it with others.

Our lives as a whole: Stewardship is not just about how we use our time, our talents, or our treasures. It's about how we live our lives. It's about making choices that reflect our faith, our values, our commitment to God. It's about living in a way that brings glory to God and draws others to Him. It's about being a good steward of the life that God has given us.

Time as a Resource

As we continue our discussion, let's consider the idea of time as a resource ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO