Stewardship

Hi guys! sorry about not being able to come for cell today. >.<
i've prepared some side info actually for today's Word. Oh well, thank God for our cell blog.

1 of today's prayer pointer is about stewardship and i've found a website containing some interesting and refreshing information about stewardship and being a generous giver, so here's the urls for detailed reading.

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Questions about Generosity
http://generousgiving.org/page.asp?sec=43&page=412#601

Questions about God’s Ownership and Man’s Stewardship
http://www.generousgiving.org/page.asp?sec=43&page=586#211
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^^ have you checked them out yet? hohoho~ the lengthy text might have scared you, anyway, i've summerized some of my personal learning pointers from the websites, and i hope it helps to strengthen & encourage us not to fear or doubt in the area of giving specially when it's within our means.

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what i have learnt on this area
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1. What i have belongs to God
-Everything i own (money, things, time, talents, skills, etc..) comes from God and still belongs to God. Its not a matter of how much i should give God back (all belong to God) but how much i have reserved/withold for myself, my personal usage. (Am i spending on myself only?)
- End of the day, we're accountable to the Lord on how we handle his stuff in the time we had on earth.

2. God is not impressed by the number of digits I can drop into the offering bag.
- God measure according to one's capacity & the attitude in giving (the motive behind giving; please God or please man)
(e.g. old widow's coins & rich men's temple gifts)
- to give (specially to the needy & the poor) is equivalent to lending to the Lord.
- careful obedience is not enough, like the Pharisees who tithed but forgotten the poor, the needy, etc..

3. Other than money-matters, stewardship also includes
- the earth [Genesis 2:15]
- our bodies [1 Cor 6:19]
- our talents/skills [1 Peter 4:10]
- the gospel [1 Cor 4:1]

4. How do i manage God's resources better and where should i use it on?
- the poor and the oppressed [deut 10:18-19, James 1:27, matt 25: 34-40]
- religious workers (missionaries, pastors, etc..) [1 cor 9:7-14, 1 tim 5:17]
- needs of our immediate families [1 tim 5:4, 8, 16]
- civil authorities (e.g. taxes) [romans 13:6-7]
- our enemies [romans 12:20]
- give to the kingdom of God in every opportunity to show love of faith & share gospel in word & in deed