LEADERSHIP CAPSULE
Committed to raising and equipping leaders to ultimately fulfill the Great Commission....
Wednesday, December 07, 2016
TITLE : LEADERSHIP IS STEWARDSHIP 3
1 Peter 4:10 " As every man has received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God"
Luke 16:2 "And he called him, and said to him, what is this that I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward" RSV
WHAT IS STEWARDSHIP?
In the previous series we established that stewardship defines our purpose in this world as assigned to us by God Himself. God created Adam to have dominion but that dominion over the earth also includes the concepts of cultivating and protecting it as its steward. I also shared that every man i.e a believer is a steward of divine resources. This means a steward is a manager of divine resources. God entrusted some giftings to you. This is stewardship.
Stewardship is trusteeship, not ownership. It is an ethic that embodies the management of resources entrusted to you by God for the purpose of making profit or increase.
Stewardship is the grateful, shrewd, effective and responsible use of God's gift in the light of one's purpose. A steward is a minister, one called to serve others with a unique gifting. A steward is not an owner, he is only a manager of divine resources committed to his care. These resources or giftings are to be used to meet the needs of others as appointed by the owner.
Stewardship in simple terms simply mean effective management (administration, care, charge, control, direction, governance,guard) of God's gift, sowing seeds that benefit others for the advancement of God's kingdom.
The word steward was originally made up of two words, from stig (house) and weard (ward, guard, guardian, keeper). This means a steward is a manager of the house. In this context it means the house of God. In the New Testament, two Greek words embody the meaning of stewardship. The first word is epitropos which means manager, foreman, steward or administrator. It refers mostly to management of household or household affairs.
Stewardship defines our practical obedience in the administration of everything under our control or jurisdiction, everything entrusted to us. Stewardship acknowledges in practice that we do not have right of control over ourselves or our property - God has control. It means as stewards of grace of God we are managers of that which belongs to God, and we are under His constant authority as we manage the affairs.
Dear beloved, our opening scripture says that every man has received a gift which they should minister as good stewards of God. If you are in Christ this include you. It means there is a gift which you've received from God and that you are expected to minister or serve that gift to others. This is how to be a good steward. You are not to keep the gift of God in your life to yourself. God gave you not to bless but that through you others can be blessed. Those who keep the gift of God to themselves are not good leaders because leadership is a unique discovery one's gift and sowing seeds that benefit mankind.
In the kingdom of God when you keep the gift of God to yourself it means you're wasting resources. The story in Luke 16 reveals how a steward was asked to give an account of his stewardship because he was not a good manager. He was described as dishonest.
Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master will set over his household,.....blessed is that steward whom his master will find so doing. These words spoken by Jesus in Luke 12.
Beloved, are you a steward? Have you discovered your unique gifting in life? Are you serving others with your God-given gifts???
Confession : In the name of Jesus, I recognize that I am a steward; therefore I use my gifts, talents, callings, ministry for the purpose of profit and increase and to the extension of the kingdom of God. Amen.
To be continued...................
David Oyeleye
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www.thegodtm.blogspot.com
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