It’s Yours - All Yours
MAINTENANCE
An award-winning journalist was retiring after 40 years from a major network as a writer and news anchor. During an interview he was asked a great question.
“So, after writing so many story lines of thousands of words, what do you consider is the most important word in the English language?” He did not hesitate and said “Maintenance.”
Puzzled, the interviewer said “what?” “Yes, maintenance! “
“Why?” ……..” Well,” he said “think about it:”
If you do not maintain your car, you cannot get to work.
If you do not maintain your house, it loses value and can make it unlivable.
If you do not maintain your body, you get out of shape and bring on sickness.
If you do not maintain your relationships, you can lose friends or family or endure marriage problems or get divorced.
If you do not maintain your money, you cannot pay your bills and you will go into debt.
If you do not maintain your emotional, mental, and spiritual health, you have no peace or contentment.
When it comes to money and material possessions, too many of us, if we are completely honest, are owned by the things that we own. Like slaves serving an unrelenting master, we spend our lifetimes making money so we can buy stuff that grows old or breaks down and needs repair, and then we must make more money to replace or repair all that stuff.
In the Christian life the bible refers to this maintenance and balance in our lives as “stewardship” which implies that we do not really own anything but are stewards to maintain and manage our time, our gifts (talent) and our treasure (money) that God has given to us.
OUR TIME – If given $86,400 dollars tomorrow but the stipulation that we must spend it before the clock strikes midnight - (a dollar for every second of a day). How would we spend it if the money would stop never to return by midnight? I know that you are thinking of at least one or two things that you need or would like to buy. However, we do have 86,400 seconds each day to spend in productivity, joyful praise, investing in others in service and accomplishing a goal.
This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed.
Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. (I Corinthians 4: 1-2).
Redeem the time for the days are evil (Ephesians 5:16)My Times are in His Hands (Psalm 31:15).
I asked a recent graduate from college what she wanted to do with her time now that she was out of school. She said, “Absolutely nothing.” I thought of a joke from a comedian who said:
“I am so busy doing nothing... that the idea of doing anything – which as you know, always leads to something – cuts into the nothing and then forces me to have to drop everything.” — Jerry Seinfeld
There are times when we need rest and do nothing, but God’s Word shows us how we should wisely invest our most valuable asset which is our time and the minutes we spend on earth.
OUR TALENT
These verses describe our gifts and talents. God has equipped us by His Spirit to minister in a way as unique as our DNA. In God’s family, everyone is considered “gifted.” God designed you with specific talents – small or large they are all needed in the family of God to meet the needs of His church.
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others. Faithfully administering God’s Grace in Various Forms. (1 Peter 4:10).
To whom who has been given much – much is required. (Luke 12:48 b).
Every Good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of Lights who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17
OUR TREASURE
My Favorite story about tithing and giving is a sermon preached about money in a small church in the South.
The reverend began his sermon: “Brothers and sisters, when we started this church, we had to learn how to CRAWL.”
Congregation: “MAKE IT CRAWL REV, MAKE IT CRAWL.”
“Then when this church began to crawl, it had to get up and STAND.”
Congregation:” MAKE IT STAND REV, MAKE IT STAND.”
“And when this church could stand, it had to get up and WALK.”
Congregation:” MAKE IT WALK REV, MAKE IT WALK.”
“And after this church learned how to walk, it had to take off and RUN.”
Congregation: “MAKE IT RUN REV, MAKE IT RUN.”
“But now in order for this church to run, it’s gonna take MONEY “.
Congregation: “LET IT CRAWL REV, LET IT CRAWL. 😊
Giving money to Church, missions and charitable organizations can be very confusing. How Much? What ministry is most important? Jesus could not have completed His ministry on earth without the gifts from faithful stewards - many with little money and some with great wealth. Most of all, God wants us to give to Him because this act of worship is like a sweet, fragrant aroma to Him. When our generosity goes deep, the sacrifice delights Him (Mark 12:41–44). When we give enthusiastically to Him, we put our money where our hearts are. By giving back a portion of what we have received from Him, we are acknowledging His ownership of it. So, we can say with no reservation that “Our Time, Our Gifts and Our Money are ALL YOURS!”
Money can buy medicine, but not health.
Money can buy a house, but not a home.
Money can buy companionship, but not friends.
Money can buy entertainment, but not happiness.
Money can buy food, but not an appetite
Money can buy a bed, but not sleep.
Money can buy a crucifix, but not a Savior.
Money can buy the good life, but not eternal life.
The Lord's Prayer (It's Yours) - Matt Maher
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2uPU-NY-sc
~ Steve Byers and his wife Debbie have lived in the Charlotte area since 2017 and have been attending LIFE Fellowship for five years. Steve is a musician and songwriter and sings in the Oxygen Choir. Steve and Debbie, have one son, Josh and a daughter-in-law, Avery. They are grand parents to Jaxon and Grayson.