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D R . R A L P H G O D F R E Y S R .

Stewardship is a Lifestyle

Gen. 39:1-6; 20-23; 41:39-41

Recap:

Stewardship is a way of living that reflects the attitude and values of a person.

A person’s attitude and values shows up in all that they do.


A Steward of Finances

Recap:


1. Relationship (social)

Your attitude about relationship can only be managed by how much you value it; if it is worth anything to you, you will work to keep it.



Recap:


2. Identity (education)

If your attitude about your identity with Christ is valuable to you, it will become a lifestyle. When you put on Christ, you will develop a Christ like attitude.



Recap:


3. Gifting (spiritual)

If gifting is valuable to you, it will become a lifestyle of service in God’s kingdom. We have so many Christians who have buried their gifts. They are just sitting around waiting on Christ to call them out before they use what God has given them.





Everything that God puts into our hands, he expects us to manage.

Will we miss the mark sometimes?

Yes, but we are expected to get back up and shake ourselves.

For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again… Proverbs 24:16

This is your life. You cannot afford to lay in self-pity,

Get up shake yourself and keep moving in Christ.



4. Finances, (economical)

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to

him. (Ps 24:1, NLT)

Why is it important for us to understand this principle?

Does God need money?

No, but we need a harvest.

However, in order for us to get our harvest, a seed must be sown through giving,

because giving is an eternal principle.



How we handle giving down here will determine the true riches of heaven that will be

given to us.

If you miss use God’s property here, you will never receive your own (Luke 16:10-12).

If you are untrustworthy about the world’s wealth, how can you be trusted with the

true riches of heaven?

(Ref . Luke 19:17; Mat t: 25:21 ).

If your pocketbook is not at God’s disposal, your heart is not at his disposal.

For where your treasure is, there, your heart will be also.





A Widow Woman Who Needed A Harvest In Her Life

1Kings 17:8-15

God provided a prophet to go to the woman’s aid.

She was down to her last when Elijah showed up.

Remember, God could have continued to feed him by the raven, or God could have

rained manna from heaven; God could have called water out of a rock.

There were many ways that God could have fed him.

But God chose to send him where a harvest was needed.



When Elijah arrived he said to the woman who was preparing to die, bring me a drink

of water. As she started he said bring me a morsel of bread. She began to explain

to him her condition in life. She was preparing to die with her son (Vs. 12).

Elijah never stopped to explain to her that God had sent him for her harvest;

He said, “fear not, go and do as thou have said, but first make me a little cake.”

Here is the key to lifestyle blessing.

No matter what your condition is, you must sow your seed to God first!



Here is how the principle works:

(1) First seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and these things shall be

added unto you (Matt. 6:33).

(2) Next, give and it shall be given unto you; good measure, press down and shaken

together (Luke 6:38).

(3) Give generously , for your gift will return later (Ecc.11:1-6). If you are living this

lifestyle, take a risk and watch the benefits.

Do not look at the condition when you sow, and quit trying to figure out which way God is going to bring your harvest.

In the day that God speaks, obey and his blessing will follow.

The promise of God always follows our obedience.

Elijah said to the woman , thy harvest has come, the meal barrel shall not waste; neither shall thy cruise of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sends the rain on the earth.



Those who live the lifestyle of the kingdom put God first by tithing.

This is an eternal principle.

Mal .3:10 tells us the key to corporate blessing.

First fill this house so that there will be plenty in his house.

Then he will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing so great there would not be room enough to receive it.

God offers us a challenge.

Try it!



HONOR the Lord with the first of thy substance and with the first fruit of your increase so shall thy barn be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine (Proverbs 3:9-10).

God calls for our obedience so that he can command his blessing on us (Dt. 28:8).



However, in order to produce a harvest you need seed,

Every seed bear s after its kind.

Plant a little and you get a little in return.



The more you plant the more you get in return.

For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater (Isa 55:10).





In the book of Haggai, the people disobeyed God and caused him to blow upon the

works of their hands, and their harvest was lost.

However, God in his mercy sends Haggai to prophesy unto them, and tells them to

give careful thought to why this thing was not working for them.

In addition, they had to return to him. He then gave a promise while their seed was

still in the barn.

“…Think carefully. I am giving you a promise now while the seed is still in the barn.

You have not yet harvested your grain, and your grapevines, fig trees,

pomegranates, and olive trees have not yet produced their crops. But from this

day onward I will bless you.”

The blessing always follow your obedience.

Do you want a harvest?

If your answer is yes, then you must sow seed.

Blessings will always follow your response to do what he first asks of you!



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