Stewardship: Shifting Focus from Wealth to Blessings

 

Summary

In our journey as Kingdom stewards, it is crucial to adopt the right mindset. Our thinking must align with God's perspective, which is not about accumulating wealth for its own sake. Whether we are striving to become rich or are already wealthy, God calls us to focus on storing up a heavenly wealth account. This means using our time, talents, and resources in ways that have eternal significance. When God evaluates our stewardship, He is more concerned with what we have forwarded to eternity rather than what we have left behind. Our actions and decisions should be done to the glory of God, ensuring that He is attached to every aspect of our lives.

The Bible teaches us that godliness with contentment is great gain. If we are ungodly and discontent with what God has entrusted to us, we miss out on the rewards He has for us. Our mindset should not be solely about receiving blessings but also about being a blessing to others. A key perspective shift is to ask ourselves how our actions can benefit others. When we become blessers, not just blessees, and when God receives the glory, we gain a perspective that benefits us in this life and promises greater rewards in eternity.

Key Takeaways:

- Our mindset as Kingdom stewards should focus on storing up a heavenly wealth account, using our time, talents, and resources for eternal purposes rather than merely accumulating earthly wealth. [00:34]

- God evaluates our stewardship based on what we have forwarded to eternity, not what we have left behind. Our actions should glorify God, ensuring He is part of every aspect of our lives. [00:59]

- Godliness with contentment is great gain. If we are discontent and ungodly with what God has entrusted to us, we miss out on His rewards. Our mindset should align with God's purposes. [01:35]

- We should not only desire to be blessed but also strive to be a blessing to others. This shift in perspective aligns us with God's will and brings greater rewards in eternity. [01:51]

- Before acting for ourselves, we should consider how our actions can bless others. Becoming a blesser, not just a blessee, and giving God the glory, enriches our lives now and in eternity. [02:08]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:12] - The Right Mindset for Kingdom Stewards
- [00:34] - Storing Up a Heavenly Wealth Account
- [00:59] - Eternal Significance of Our Stewardship
- [01:16] - Glorifying God in Word and Deed
- [01:35] - Godliness with Contentment
- [01:51] - Being a Blessing to Others
- [02:08] - Perspective Shift: From Blessee to Blesser
- [02:29] - Conclusion and Eternal Rewards

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. 1 Timothy 6:6 - "But godliness with contentment is great gain."
2. Colossians 3:17 - "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

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Observation Questions:

1. What does the sermon suggest is the primary focus of a Kingdom steward's mindset? ([00:34])
2. According to the sermon, how does God evaluate our stewardship? What is He more concerned with? ([00:59])
3. How does the sermon describe the relationship between godliness and contentment? ([01:35])
4. What shift in perspective does the sermon encourage when it comes to being blessed and being a blessing? ([01:51])

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of storing up a "heavenly wealth account" challenge common societal views on wealth and success? ([00:34])
2. In what ways might godliness with contentment lead to "great gain," as mentioned in 1 Timothy 6:6? How does this align with the sermon’s message? ([01:35])
3. What might it look like in practical terms to ensure that God is "attached to the use of our time, talents, and treasures"? ([01:16])
4. How can the idea of being a "blesser" rather than just a "blessee" transform one's approach to daily life and interactions with others? ([02:08])

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your current mindset regarding wealth and resources. How can you shift your focus to align more with the idea of storing up a heavenly wealth account? ([00:34])
2. Consider a recent decision you made regarding your time or resources. How did you ensure that God was glorified through that decision? If not, how might you approach it differently next time? ([01:16])
3. Identify an area in your life where you struggle with contentment. What steps can you take to cultivate godliness with contentment in that area? ([01:35])
4. Think of a way you can be a blessing to someone in your community this week. What specific action will you take to make this happen? ([01:51])
5. Before your next major purchase or decision, how can you incorporate the question, "How can this be used to bless someone else?" into your decision-making process? ([02:08])
6. Reflect on a time when you felt blessed. How did you share that blessing with others, and how can you continue to do so in the future? ([02:29])
7. What practical steps can you take to ensure that your actions and decisions are done to the glory of God in your everyday life? ([01:16])

Devotional

Day 1: Storing Up Eternal Wealth
Our journey as Kingdom stewards requires us to focus on storing up a heavenly wealth account, using our time, talents, and resources for eternal purposes rather than merely accumulating earthly wealth. This perspective shift calls us to evaluate our lives through the lens of eternity, asking ourselves how our daily actions contribute to God's eternal kingdom. By prioritizing eternal significance over temporary gains, we align our lives with God's purposes and invest in a legacy that transcends this world. [00:34]

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal." (Matthew 6:19-20, ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific way you can use your resources today to invest in something with eternal significance?


Day 2: Evaluating Stewardship with an Eternal Perspective
God evaluates our stewardship based on what we have forwarded to eternity, not what we have left behind. Our actions should glorify God, ensuring He is part of every aspect of our lives. This means living with an awareness that our choices have eternal consequences and that our ultimate accountability is to God. By integrating God into every decision, we ensure that our lives reflect His glory and purpose. [00:59]

"So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil." (2 Corinthians 5:9-10, ESV)

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to invite God to be more present, ensuring your actions glorify Him?


Day 3: The Gain of Godliness with Contentment
Godliness with contentment is great gain. If we are discontent and ungodly with what God has entrusted to us, we miss out on His rewards. Our mindset should align with God's purposes, embracing contentment as a spiritual discipline that leads to true fulfillment. By cultivating a heart of gratitude and trust in God's provision, we open ourselves to the blessings He has in store for us. [01:35]

"But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world." (1 Timothy 6:6-7, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle with contentment, and how can you practice gratitude in that area today?


Day 4: Being a Blessing to Others
We should not only desire to be blessed but also strive to be a blessing to others. This shift in perspective aligns us with God's will and brings greater rewards in eternity. By focusing on how we can serve and uplift those around us, we reflect God's love and generosity, creating a ripple effect of blessing that extends beyond our immediate circle. [01:51]

"In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" (Acts 20:35, ESV)

Reflection: Who is someone in your life you can intentionally bless today, and what specific action can you take to do so?


Day 5: From Blessee to Blesser
Before acting for ourselves, we should consider how our actions can bless others. Becoming a blesser, not just a blessee, and giving God the glory, enriches our lives now and in eternity. This mindset encourages us to look beyond our own needs and desires, seeking opportunities to be conduits of God's grace and love in the world. [02:08]

"Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:4, ESV)

Reflection: What is one decision you are facing today where you can prioritize the interests of others, and how might this decision bring glory to God?

Quotes

"if we're gonna be good Kingdom stewards that that means we have to have the right mindset our thinking must be corrected you know people give a lot of time and energy to gain getting more getting better and getting newer but the mindset that God wants us to have is that we are not trying to merely get rich for rich sake whether you want to get rich or already rich or thinking about it God says no I want your mindset to be that I want to store up a heavenly wealth account so that when God looks at how I use my time my talents and how I spent my resources I have deposited for the future and not just spent it all in time" [00:00:03]

"you see when God evaluates our stewardship he's not concerned first about what we left behind but what we forwarded ahead that is what had eternal purposes attached to it that's why the Bible says and whatever you do in word or deed do it all to the glory of God, God wants to be attached to the use of our time our talents and our treasures it's why the scripture is clear that godliness with contentment is great gain because if you are ungodly with those things God has entrusted to us and we're complaining and not content with what he has entrusted to us then we don't have the right mindset and therefore we don't get the reward because it wasn't for him he was excluded it was only for us" [00:59:69]

"we live in a day when everybody wants to be blessed nothing wrong with wanting to be blessed or favored by God but the question is am I as equally concerned about being a blessing so let me give you a secret for the right perspective when you are getting ready to do something for you ask yourself how can if God allows me to do it for me how can it be used to be a blessing for someone else because the moment you become a blesser and not just want to be a blessee and God gets the glory you have a perspective that does you good in time and will give you a greater reward in eternity" [01:11:73]

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Transcript
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