Good Stewardship

Good stewardship from a Bible perspective is a way of life that makes us caretakers over everything we have because God has created it and has allowed us to keep it on His behalf. As we honor this principle, God will bless us with more through wise spending, saving and giving.

Excess Spending Has Tricked Many Into Poverty

Christians follow the world's system instead of God's by spending out of control.  Then when their money is gone they turn to God for help in desperation.  Faith can't grow through fear, and since it is by faith that we receive anything from God, financial growth will not be realized.

The Hope Of "New Beginnings"

Psalm 24:1 "The earth is the Lord's and everything in it." we can see that we are merely temporary possessors (or stewards) of things that He owns.

Instead of talking about over-consumption and needless spending, I prefer to give the hope of "new beginnings."  If your spending has brought you to a place where you are at the edge every month, I can assure you that even if you have more money that what you have now, it will never be enough.  In fact you may be worse off! 

If there's one thing this bad economy has taught many Americans it's that we can easily see what areas of spending we can do without.  Maybe the average person didn't cause a recession, but they got caught up in wanting more than what they could afford. 

Looking at psalm 24:1 we can see that we are only temporary owners or stewards of things that God owns.  This implies that if what we have belongs to God, then we should be respectful of it. We must either take care of it, or make it grow in the case of money, rather than let it diminish.  We can't do that by putting what we want before respecting what we have in our possession.

Matthew 25:20-21 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, "Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more." His master said to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master."

If you've been caught up in excess spending and you find yourself in desperate financial circumstances, God can help you.  Look to what He says through scripture and then follow it.  One of my favorite verses is Matthew 25:20-21. It holds me accountable for making more of what God has given me.  But it also holds a vital spiritual law that tells us how to increase whatever it is that God has given us to be greater stewards and givers into the Kingdom.  

Good Stewardship Brings Increase

Obeying scripture from the heart enables us to make quick changes in our thinking with the ultimate result that we desire as we act upon what we learn. However, we will always be perfecting ourselves to be more like Christ just the same as learning how to do anything, such as painting with oils for example.  No matter how good you become, you will always see areas where you need improvement and it's the same with the things of God.

Obeying Matthew 24:20-21 in balance will cause you to get more out of everything God has given you, which is every good thing that you have.  By making your money increase through wise spending, saving and giving in balance you will cause God's Word to come alive in your live for more money to come into your life. It's the same for the talents and abilities God gave you.  They will become greater as you use them in wisdom and with integrity according to God's Word.  

Of course, this happens not because you are a good person and are doing what God wants, but because God's Word works for us through Jesus Christ. We receive everything through Him.  The Word is activated on our behalf as we obey it through Jesus Christ not because we earned it on our merit.

We Can Only Serve One Master

If you find the thought of good stewardship concerning your money a difficult concept, it might help you if you understand that to be anything less means that you are serving the wrong god. This is the reason you are over-spending.

If you were serving God with your money by taking care of it and making it grow, then you wouldn't be in debt for all the things you buy that are unnecessary.  Things that make you feel as if you are living up to the world's social standards of appearing financially acceptable. Yet if you were to become a good steward, you would not only have plenty of money to buy what you want, but you would also have excess money as well.

You can't be desirous of having things for the sake of feeling better about who you are, to show others that you are "as good as they are" or to prove you are "better than they are." Doing this proves that you are serving the god of this world and not our heavenly father.

Matthew 6:24 tells us that we can only serve one master.  Either you hate one and love the other or you make a choice!  Our Heavenly Father or the World.  You cannot serve both God and Money.

Matthew 6:24  "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Sometimes we get into debt because of job loss, health problems or other reasons that are not overspending. This does not mean that a Christian's values are not centered upon God, but by continually looking to God concerning spending, bills and other expenses, one will be able to turn their situation around as God moves on their behalf through the Word to financially provide to the point of excess.

I can look back at all the times that my spending didn't display good stewardship, and I suffered from it financially, but we can only act upon what we know.  I didn't learn money principles until later in my life, so it took awhile for me to grasp the financial principles I needed to fulfill being a good steward.  So all we can do is act upon what we learn from the Bible as we learn it and believe God by faith for the corresponding results.  

Good Stewardship Through Balance

To reflect good stewardship in your life keep a good balance. When you spend your money separate from your bills, car payment and mortgage or rent, check why you are spending.  Is it for "showy or maybe greedy purposes? Is it to give just to get back in return?  Is it because you just have to have something even if you can't afford it?

If you keep at least a simple budget, especially if you're in debt, and watch over your spending, you will see a substantial change in your circumstances over time.  When you're ready to purchase to something you don't need, do all of the following:

• Check your motives and then ask yourself if your overspending will make you a good caretaker over the money has entrusted to you  


• Then think about the fact that you will probably not have all the money you need to fulfill your budget for the month.


• Then think about the fact that if you commit yourself to your budget for the sake of good stewardship for God, you will in time be out of debt with excess money to spend, save, invest, give and enjoy!

With God life doesn't have to be difficult.  As you look to Him through His Word, you will see how far your money can stretch.

============================================

Budget sources related to Good Stewardship:

Building A Quick Budget 

Practical Spending Tips

Financial Power Package

Financial Freedom Course

Leave Good Stewardship and Return To:  God's Wealth Plan  << Money Growth Bible Studies