God Is Love
"And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him" (I John 4:16).
The Riches of His Grace
"In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7).
The attributes of God are characterized by the "riches of His grace." This amazing grace led Him to shed His blood as the price of our redemption.
Rebels against the Light
"They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof" (Job 24:13).
How Long?
"And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" (Revelation 6:10).
God's Remnant
"It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rab-shakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left" (II Kings 19:4).
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This portion of Acts & Facts is dedicated to challenging all of us to be faithful as "stewards" (I Corinthians 4:2) of what God has allowed us to use. Let us review the foundational principles upon which the Bible builds the responsibility of stewardship.
Foundational Principle #1: God is the Creator and Owner of all things.
The teaching of God's creative ownership is absolutely clear in Scripture. Psalm 24:1 claims the Lord's ownership of the earth "and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." Psalm 50:10 is the famous verse about God owning "the cattle upon a thousand hills." "All things," Paul says, "were created by Him, and for Him" (Colossians 1:16).Foundational Principle #2: God is the Source and Foundation of all wealth and power. "Both riches and honor come of thee . . ." (I Chronicles 29:12), and "The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts" (Haggai 2:8). Indeed, ". . . He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things" (Acts 17:25), as well as "Every good gift and every perfect gift" (James 1:17).
Foundational Principle #3: God is the Ruler and Sovereign over all authority. Christ's commission to His disciples was based on Him having "all power" (Matthew 28:18). I Chronicles 29:11 and 12 say in part: "Thine, O Lord, is the greatness . . . for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; . . . and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all." He is the "King of Kings and Lord of Lords" (Revelation 19:16).
Foundational Principle #4: God delegates authority and we are to manage His resources. The initial authorization was given to Adam and Eve (Genesis 1:18) and later to Noah (Genesis 9:1-7). The parables of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) and the Pounds (Luke 19:11-27) reinforce our responsibility to "steward" God's resources for His glory.
It is easy to forget our "stewardship" responsibilities in a world that lauds monetary success and accumulation. Our goal should be to build "treasures in heaven" (Matthew 6:20) through our good stewardship on this earth. There are only two things now present in this earth that are eternal: the souls of men and the word of God. How have we used our resources to invest in these eternal things?
Happy New Year!
If you are led to make a year-end gift to ICR of something other than cash (stocks/bonds/real estate/a vehicle, etc.), please know that I will be in the office to assist you. Keep in mind that, to qualify for a 2001 receipt, we must take delivery of your gift by December 31.
[body_edit] =>This portion of Acts & Facts is dedicated to challenging all of us to be faithful as "stewards" (I Corinthians 4:2) of what God has allowed us to use. Let us review the foundational principles upon which the Bible builds the responsibility of stewardship.
Foundational Principle #1: God is the Creator and Owner of all things.
The teaching of God's creative ownership is absolutely clear in Scripture. Psalm 24:1 claims the Lord's ownership of the earth "and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." Psalm 50:10 is the famous verse about God owning "the cattle upon a thousand hills." "All things," Paul says, "were created by Him, and for Him" (Colossians 1:16).Foundational Principle #2: God is the Source and Foundation of all wealth and power. "Both riches and honor come of thee . . ." (I Chronicles 29:12), and "The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts" (Haggai 2:8). Indeed, ". . . He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things" (Acts 17:25), as well as "Every good gift and every perfect gift" (James 1:17).
Foundational Principle #3: God is the Ruler and Sovereign over all authority. Christ's commission to His disciples was based on Him having "all power" (Matthew 28:18). I Chronicles 29:11 and 12 say in part: "Thine, O Lord, is the greatness . . . for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; . . . and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all." He is the "King of Kings and Lord of Lords" (Revelation 19:16).
Foundational Principle #4: God delegates authority and we are to manage His resources. The initial authorization was given to Adam and Eve (Genesis 1:18) and later to Noah (Genesis 9:1-7). The parables of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) and the Pounds (Luke 19:11-27) reinforce our responsibility to "steward" God's resources for His glory.
It is easy to forget our "stewardship" responsibilities in a world that lauds monetary success and accumulation. Our goal should be to build "treasures in heaven" (Matthew 6:20) through our good stewardship on this earth. There are only two things now present in this earth that are eternal: the souls of men and the word of God. How have we used our resources to invest in these eternal things?
Happy New Year!
If you are led to make a year-end gift to ICR of something other than cash (stocks/bonds/real estate/a vehicle, etc.), please know that I will be in the office to assist you. Keep in mind that, to qualify for a 2001 receipt, we must take delivery of your gift by December 31.
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