Stewardship Will Only Work as We Love and Obey God
From The HeartPublish date: 10/21/2007
Thoughts on StewardshipStewardship Will Only Work as We Love and Obey God
Foundation scriptures: Deuteronomy 11 verses 8 – 28
Therefore you shall keep all the commandments which I command you today, that you may be strong and go in and possess the land which you go across [the Jordan] to possess, 9 And that you may live long in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give to them and to their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10 For the land which you go in to possess is not like the land of Egypt, from which you came out, where you sowed your seed and watered it with your foot laboriously as in a garden of vegetables. 11 But the land which you enter to possess is a land of hills and valleys which drinks water of the rain of the heavens, 12 A land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always upon it from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. 13 And if you will diligently heed My commandments which I command you this day--to love the Lord your God and to serve Him with all your [mind and] heart and with your entire being--14 I will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil. 15 And I will give grass in your fields for your cattle, that you may eat and be full. 16 Take heed to yourselves, lest your [minds and] hearts be deceived and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them, 17 And the Lord's anger be kindled against you, and He shut up the heavens so that there will be no rain and the land will not yield its fruit, and you perish quickly off the good land which the Lord gives you. 18 Therefore you shall lay up these My words in your [minds and] hearts and in your [entire] being, and bind them for a sign upon your hands and as forehead bands between your eyes. 19 And you shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you rise up. 20 And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and on your gates, 21 That your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth. 22 For if you diligently keep all this commandment which I command you to do, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, and to cleave to Him--23 Then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you shall dispossess nations greater and mightier than you. 24 Every place upon which the sole of your foot shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness to Lebanon, and from the River, the river Euphrates, to the western sea [the Mediterranean] your territory shall be. 25 There shall no man be able to stand before you; the Lord your God shall lay the fear and the dread of you upon all the land that you shall tread, as He has said to you. 26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse--27 The blessing if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you this day; 28 And the curse if you will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you this day to go after other gods, which you have not known. Deuteronomy 11:8-28 AMP
1. God promises His children blessings—as long as they obey Him and serve Him.
a. Many people want God's blessings—however, they want to have them without obeying and serving Him.
b. Remember, the blessings originate from God— wherever He is, they are—we must stay close to Him to stay in His blessings.
c. He loves us; He loves His children; He wants to bless us.
d. He cannot bless disobedience and sinfulness.
e. The blessing of the Lord makes one rich and He adds no sorrow with it. (Proverbs 10:22)
2. If we obey we are blessed; if we disobey then we are cursed.
a. With every one of the promises of God there are conditions—if we meet the conditions then we will receive the promises.
b. Can God trust you with the blessing? Can you be trusted with riches? Will you continue to serve Him or will you be turned away after idols or other gods?
Pastor Adonica's Thoughts:
Many people have a major problem submitting to God. Some people are outwardly compliant, but inwardly rebellious. Obedience is not just an act—it's an attitude. The devil wants you to think that you are losing something or giving something up if you submit your life to the Lord. What you don't realize is that if you are not submitted to or obeying God, you are in fact submitting your life to the devil. You might think that you are in control of your own life, but you have given the devil place in your life. Yielding to your flesh is yielding to the devil's will for your life. Make a choice today to submit to the Father, who loves you and wants only the best for you!
Pastor Rodney's Thoughts:
It amazes me how many people in the Body of Christ, worldwide, think that God is obligated to bless them, no matter how they live their lives—whether or not they obey or serve Him! However, God's Word is plain. The blessing comes from loving Him and serving Him. I have wondered how to get that message through to people, when they don't seem to want to hear it. I have decided the best thing is to just keep on preaching the truth of the Word—some people will eventually grab a hold of it and they will walk in the blessings of God.
Prayer and Confession:
Father, I thank You for Your blessings in my life. I purpose to love and obey You all the days of my life. I purpose always to put You first place and to submit to and follow Your Word.