Walking in God’s Favor: Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank Him for his answers. Philippians 4:6 TLB
Living a Stewardship Lifestyle
We were introduced to stewardship principles by Elder Harold Lee, as a young couple with 4 kids, while I was serving in the U.S. Navy at Rough & Ready Island in Stockton California. Our life’s spiritual journey has never been the same.
We discovered that God has placed in each one of us more potential then you will ever develop. You must choose to or not to develop your God Given gifts and talents. After practicing and living stewardship principles for over three decades we teach 4 levels of stewardship in which you are living consciously or unconsciously each day of your life.
Level 1 Stewardship is a life of struggle. The Level 1 Steward is trying to survive; to keep the lights on, food on the table and gas in the car. I remember as young father being so concerned about paying bills and meeting my family financial obligations I could not think about my higher purpose. Something was missing. Why did I want to become wealthy?
The Level 1 Steward can become so overwhelmed trying to survive, you can not hear God’s voice calling you. The Holy Spirit speaking to your heart is drowned out by the immediate needs in front of you.
You Cannot Be Spiritual Liberated Living In Financial Bondage
The first life lesson you must learn in Level 1 Stewardship is that God is the Creator Owner and you are only a manager, apprentice or steward. This spiritual truth must be the foundation of your life. You can become a billionaire and be a billion miles away from God if you do not internalize this truth.
The second life lesson you must learn in Level 1 Stewardship is to put your faith and trust in God. God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory. The better steward you become, the more God will trust you, because he knows you can handle it. Level 1 Stewards walks by faith and not by sight.
When riches dominate your heart, God loses preeminence over your life
Why is it when God blesses you with a good education and you worship the education? Why is it when God blesses you with a successful business and you worship the business? Why is it when God blesses you with money and you worship the money? Instead of worshiping the Gift Giver you worship the gift.
The Level 1 Stewards worship God as Creator Owner and have faith in God’s sustaining power. Stewardship is not just about giving money, it’s about giving everything, your heart, mind and soul to a loving and faithful God. Stewardship is a way of life.
Prayer of Blessings: Lord we worship You.
Michael J. Vance is the co-host of the podcast Better Husband Father Man hub for all things; parenting, marriage, and self-improvement. He is a financial & benefit risk manager with Hundley Batts & Associates Insurance Agency Ardella Vance volunteers her time, talents, and financial resources to causes she is passionate about. She is a gifted educator and a Master Guide in the International Pathfinder Club; a global organization empowered to teach life and leadership skills to young people. The Vance’s have been married well over 3 decades and share their lives with four adult children and ten exceptional grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog from their workbook “Stewardship of Wealth”.
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