You might not think that Judges 4:1-7 has anything to do with stewardship, but if you keep reading, you'll find it. Barak was called, along with Deborah, to defend Israel against its oppressors. But only one of them answered the call (you'll have to read on to figure out which one). We are all called to do the best work we can with the gifts that God has given us. For some that might be leadership, for others mercy. Some are givers, others are servants, still others are pastors or teachers or evangelists. No matter what the gift, it is to be used according to God's will, and we are to be good stewards of that gift not to glorify ourselves, but God. What gifts have you been given, and what are you doing to make sure you are a good steward of those gifts?
"I lift up my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned in heaven. As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he shows us his mercy."
The word the NIV translates as "slave" here is "ebed," which can also be translated as "servant" (and in fact is in other translations, such as the NASB). But whether you use the word "slave" or "servant," the point is the same. We are laborers for God, and it is to Him that we look for mercy as He provides for our needs. It is also to Him that we look for guidance and direction as we seek to serve Him. Because He is merciful, God provides for us even when we aren't as effective as we could be when it comes to serving Him. But we know that the proper response to His mercy, to His provision, is gratitude. We also know that we show our gratitude through our service to Him, as stewards who are responsible for building up the Kingdom of God. Be thankful today for God's merciful provision, and take the opportunities that arise throughout the course of the day to show your gratitude for all that He has done by being a good steward of the gifts the Lord has given you.
Promises of Deliverance Judges 4:1-7 “Has not the LORD God of Israel commanded, ‘Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun; 7 and against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand’?” Promise of deliverance from strong enemies. Psalm 123 For we are exceedingly filled with contempt. 4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with scorn So our eyes look to the LORD our God, Until He has mercy on us. Promise of deliverance from slander and scorn. Matthew 25:14-30 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.’ Promise of deliverance for faithfulness. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
"So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet." (1 Thessalonians 5:6-8) As we learned last week, the Thessalonians were fretting about the future. Paul gently turned their attention to the present, and to the responsibilities God had given them as children of the day, or the light. As children of the day, it is our responsibility to build one another up as we prepare ourselves for Jesus' return. The "equipment" we use to do are faith, hope and love. Today, let the faith, hope and love God has placed within your heart be used to build up a brother or sister in Christ so that they, too, might be encouraged to live as children of the day.
“Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ (Matthew 25:24-25) These verses, and the master's response which follows, provide us with the chance to be reminded about an important fact regarding parables. Parables are not necessarily allegories. They are stories which are designed to make a point. Sometimes in explaining a parable Jesus will draw allegorical points from what He was teaching. But whether He does that or not, it is important for us to remember that not every point is allegorical, and in many cases there is no allegory at all. God is not some wicked master who reaps where He doesn't sow or gather where He scattered no seed. This part of the parable is used not to describe God, but to make Jesus' point in verse 29 ("For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away."). Ah, but what does THAT verse mean? Tell me what you think...
"For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away." (Matthew 25:29) This might sound harsh, but we have a couple of common sayings of our own which sums up what Jesus was teaching here: "Use it or lose it," and "A rolling stone gathers no moss." There is no stasis when it comes to the Kingdom. We are either moving forward or we are sliding back. We may think that we are just stopping to rest for a moment, but the key word in that thought is "stopping." If we use the gifts we have been given to take advantage of the opportunities before us, both we and the Kingdom move ahead. But if we let our gifts atrophy and ignore the opportunities for ministry God gives us, neither we nor the Kingdom advance. No doubt you can stop and think of ways that has been true in your own life. Resolve today to use the gifts you have and the opportunities God gives to grow spiritually.
Example in point: Young Christian decided that he could witness better to old friends by joining them in drinking, smoking, dancing. Result: No good influence on friends; backsliding himself. Rebooted: Finally, back on track. P.T. L. !
You might not think that Judges 4:1-7 has anything to do with stewardship, but if you keep reading, you'll find it. Barak was called, along with Deborah, to defend Israel against its oppressors. But only one of them answered the call (you'll have to read on to figure out which one). We are all called to do the best work we can with the gifts that God has given us. For some that might be leadership, for others mercy. Some are givers, others are servants, still others are pastors or teachers or evangelists. No matter what the gift, it is to be used according to God's will, and we are to be good stewards of that gift not to glorify ourselves, but God. What gifts have you been given, and what are you doing to make sure you are a good steward of those gifts?
ReplyDelete"I lift up my eyes to you,
ReplyDeleteto you who sit enthroned in heaven.
As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
till he shows us his mercy."
The word the NIV translates as "slave" here is "ebed," which can also be translated as "servant" (and in fact is in other translations, such as the NASB). But whether you use the word "slave" or "servant," the point is the same. We are laborers for God, and it is to Him that we look for mercy as He provides for our needs. It is also to Him that we look for guidance and direction as we seek to serve Him. Because He is merciful, God provides for us even when we aren't as effective as we could be when it comes to serving Him. But we know that the proper response to His mercy, to His provision, is gratitude. We also know that we show our gratitude through our service to Him, as stewards who are responsible for building up the Kingdom of God. Be thankful today for God's merciful provision, and take the opportunities that arise throughout the course of the day to show your gratitude for all that He has done by being a good steward of the gifts the Lord has given you.
Promises of Deliverance
ReplyDeleteJudges 4:1-7
“Has not the LORD God of Israel commanded, ‘Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun; 7 and against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand’?”
Promise of deliverance from strong enemies.
Psalm 123
For we are exceedingly filled with contempt. 4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with scorn So our eyes look to the LORD our God, Until He has mercy on us.
Promise of deliverance from slander and scorn.
Matthew 25:14-30
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.’
Promise of deliverance for faithfulness.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
Promise of deliverance from death to life.
"So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet." (1 Thessalonians 5:6-8) As we learned last week, the Thessalonians were fretting about the future. Paul gently turned their attention to the present, and to the responsibilities God had given them as children of the day, or the light. As children of the day, it is our responsibility to build one another up as we prepare ourselves for Jesus' return. The "equipment" we use to do are faith, hope and love. Today, let the faith, hope and love God has placed within your heart be used to build up a brother or sister in Christ so that they, too, might be encouraged to live as children of the day.
ReplyDelete“Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ (Matthew 25:24-25) These verses, and the master's response which follows, provide us with the chance to be reminded about an important fact regarding parables. Parables are not necessarily allegories. They are stories which are designed to make a point. Sometimes in explaining a parable Jesus will draw allegorical points from what He was teaching. But whether He does that or not, it is important for us to remember that not every point is allegorical, and in many cases there is no allegory at all. God is not some wicked master who reaps where He doesn't sow or gather where He scattered no seed. This part of the parable is used not to describe God, but to make Jesus' point in verse 29 ("For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away."). Ah, but what does THAT verse mean? Tell me what you think...
ReplyDelete"For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away." (Matthew 25:29) This might sound harsh, but we have a couple of common sayings of our own which sums up what Jesus was teaching here: "Use it or lose it," and "A rolling stone gathers no moss." There is no stasis when it comes to the Kingdom. We are either moving forward or we are sliding back. We may think that we are just stopping to rest for a moment, but the key word in that thought is "stopping." If we use the gifts we have been given to take advantage of the opportunities before us, both we and the Kingdom move ahead. But if we let our gifts atrophy and ignore the opportunities for ministry God gives us, neither we nor the Kingdom advance. No doubt you can stop and think of ways that has been true in your own life. Resolve today to use the gifts you have and the opportunities God gives to grow spiritually.
ReplyDeleteExample in point:
ReplyDeleteYoung Christian decided that he could witness better to old friends by joining them in drinking, smoking, dancing.
Result: No good influence on friends; backsliding himself.
Rebooted: Finally, back on track. P.T. L. !
Good morning and good Sabbath. As we prepare to worship together, do so with the sure knowledge that good stewardship is good preparation.
ReplyDelete