Stewardship

Stewardship

10-12 John 3:17

CHILDREN OF GOD; AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE. CHILDREN COME INTO OUR LIVES…AND LOVE ALL THROUGH LIFE, EVEN THOUGH THEY MEY GROW OLDER AND MOVE AWAY BUT WE WILL ALWAYS CONSIDER THEM OUR CHILDREN. THE SAME IS TRUE AOUT EACH OF US WE ALWAYS ARE GOING TO BE GODS CHILDREN NO MATTER WHAT OUR AGE OR CIRCUMSTANCE AND GODS LOVING PRESENCE IS ALWAYS WITH US. AS CHILDREN HE TEACHES US WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW TO FULLY LIVE OUR LIVES. EVERY MOMENT OF OUR LIVES IS ONE IN WHICH WE CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR SELVES, ABOUT THOSE AROUND US, AND MORE ABOUT OUR WONDERS WITH GOD. GOD BLESSES AND LOVES THE CHILD WITHIN EACH OF US FOR WE HAVE BEEN AND ALWAYS WILL BE GOD'S CHERISHED CHILDREN.

AS WE GIVE OUR OFFERING THIS MORNING LET US BE OBEDIENT TO OUR FATHER AND DO WHAT IS PLEASING TO HIM.

10-19-97 2ndCOR. 8-8

"GIVING PROVES THE SINCERITY OF OUR LOVE."

IT'S EASY TO SING THE SONG "OH HOW I LOVE JESUS", BUT THE REAL MEASURE OF OUR LOVE IS SHOWN BY HOW MUCH OF WHAT WE HAVE IS GIVEN TO HIM.

(IN OTHER WORDS DO NOT JUST TELL ME YOU LOVE ME, DO SOMETHING FOR ME, SHOW ME THAT YOU LOVE ME.)

WHEN WE ARE EMOTIONALLY MOVED BY THE NEEDS OF OTHERS, WE INTEND TO DO A LOT, BUT OUR REAL CONCERN IS MEASURED BY OUR GIVNG.

LET GOD SEE THAT OUR LOVE IS SINCERE THIS MORNING AS WE WORSHIP HIM WITH OUR TITHES AND OFFERING.

10-26-97

CONCERNING THE OFFERING. MOSES SAID, THOU SHOULD SET IT BEFORE THE LORD THY GOD.

WOULD IT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE IN OUR GIVING THIS MORNING IF, INSTEAD OF PLACING OUR ENVELOPES IN THE OFFERING PLATE, WE PLACED THEM IN THE HANDS OF THE LORD JESUS HIMSELF?

THIS, OF COURSE, IS WHAT WE ARE ACTUALLY DOING; GI...

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...ARENTS BROUGHT HIM TO THE TEMPLE, AND SIMEON SAID, HE IS "A LIGHT TO LIGHTEN THE GENTILES."

EACH MONTH EACH OF US RECEIVES A LIGHT BILL. IT ALWAYS HURTS A LITTLE TO PAY IT, BUT WHO WOULD RATHER LIVE IN THE DARK? WE CHOOSE NOT TO, AND WE ARE WILLING TO PAY THE LIGHT BILL.

AT CHRISTMAS TIME WE USE EVEN MRE LIGHT, KNOWING THE BILL WIL GO UP; BUT WE WOULD NOT WAND TO CELEBRATE THE COMING OF THE SAVIOR WITHOUT LIGHT. AND SO WE LET THE LIGHT SHINE AND PAY THE BILL.

THERE IS A GOSPEL LIGHT BILL TOO, BUT, BECAUSE SOMEONE ELSE PAID IT YEARS AGO FOR US WE LIVE IN THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL INSTEAD OF IN SPIRITUAL DARKNESS. AND NOW WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO PAY IT FOR SOMEONE ELSE. WE COULD LET THEM LIVE IN DARKNESS, BUT IN THE NAME OF JESUS WE GIVE TODAY, THAT HIS LIGHT MAY SHINE FARTHER, EVEN TO THE UTTERMOST PART OF THE EARTH, AS WELL AS HERE AT HOME. AMEN…