LBC Sermons & Messages

Text: Mal. 3:6-10

There are two things that I find hard to preach on. One is the greatness of God and that is because I feel so inept. The other is money. Even though I have been at this church for two years and never have preached on money, some will inevitably say I am only concerned about funds. Let me be clear, God will take care of His church and even in a time of financial disaster in our country, God has blessed and He will continue, so I do not worry about it. However, we do need to be good stewards of God’s money.

So, the principles are the same: all money is God’s, God is in control of all money, and we need to use money to bring honor to Him. So, when you think about getting upset about the message, remember it is all His anyways.

Now, let us apply these principles. First, a tithe is a tenth, Gen. 28:20-22, Lev. 27:30-34. The word tithe literally means a tenth. Also, the tithe comes off the top, Gen. 14:17-20. Not what we net but tithe comes off the gross. When we give God tithe off the net, we are robbing God of what is rightfully His, Mal. 3. Third, the tithe was given on the first day of the week to honor God, I Cor. 16:1, 2.

Continuing on, the tithe is only part of giving to God, Mal. 3, Mark 12:44-f.f. The tithe is that base, starting point for God’s children. And His children gave offerings on top of tithe to meet each others needs.

Lastly, giving is a matter of the heart, Acts 5, Ii Cor. 9:5-8. God is always more concerned about the heart. The heart of man is the only thing that God has to contend for. And when our hearts are focused on honoring him, He always blesses, Mal. 3, Luke 6:38.

If God is concerned about the heart and He loves a cheerful giver, is it better not to give if my heart is against it? You have probably thought this before. Is God honored if my giving is only out of duty? I would have to say yes because we are still being obedient but when our heart is not in it, we muzzle the hose of blessing.

This also brings up Faith Promise Mission which is sacrificial giving at its core. The Bible is clear that all Christians are to start by giving a tithe or tenth back to God, but there are many accounts of His children giving above and beyond, sacrificially, to supply for others and the church. We know it brings honor to God and gets His attention, Mark 12:42-f.f. It is not only about the amount of money we give but the sacrificial giving is what cries out to God.

Why do you think that sacrificial giving catches His attention so much? For one, it shows our total dependence on God. When you give sacrificially, you are not worrying about earthly things but you are investing in heavenly things and relying on God to supply.

Also, it shows your submission to God. He demands our obedience and when we give back what God tells us to, we are being submissive to Him. It shows the Lordship of Christ. He is King and deserves to be treated as such.

It also shows humility. Proverbs tells us many times that God will remember and bless the humble but reject and judge the proud. When we hoard money and do not give away what God wants us to, it is a proud act. We are telling God that we know what is best instead of trusting Him. I Peter goes on to tell us that God will lift up the humble. I say all of this to encourage you to seek God’s guidance on giving and ask if there is a role in Faith Promise and then follow in obedience.

Text: Gen 1:1-5; II Peter 3:1-11

Today we will look at stewardship concerning time. Again, we must remember three of the principles behind being a good steward: everything is God’s including time, God is in control, and everything
should be used to honor God.

Genesis 1 shows who created time therefore it shows who owns time. Before God created, there was simply God. God is not bound by time but He did create it with the rest of the world. Therefore time is God’s and we should remember that each second that we live is a gift from the King Himself.

Next, time is God’s and He controls it, II Pet. 3:1-10. Many are skeptical because Christ has not come back yet. They say Paul said the Kingdom was close and that was almost 2000 years ago. If Christ was for real, He would have come back by now. Remember, God controls time not visa-versa. Joshua 10 gives us a little more insight about God’s control of time.

Lastly, time must be used to bring honor to God, II Peter 3:11, Eph. 5:15, 16. Scripture tells us to redeem or make good the time. How is this accomplished? We redeem the time by making each moment count and living holiness.

So, how does this all apply to us? First, we must use time wisely and see each moment as an investment. We must prioritize time: do the things we must, then the things we need to do, and then the things we like to do. Lastly, we must decide to use each moment to honor God, Col. 3:16, 17.

When I think of stewardship of time, there is one more really convicting article: if God created time, He owns time and is not bound to it; therefore He is always on time. This is so convicting to me because I am impatient. If I see something that needs to be done, I will most likely jump in and do it instead of waiting for God to move, Is. 40:31. This of course is a recipe for disaster. When we do not wait on the Lord we steel the blessings and they are greatly diminished.

It’s just like my kids. They need help and cannot do something so I watch them struggle for a moment. Then I try to help but oh no. They can do it themselves. If you have children I am sure you have been there. Now, I do know there is a point of doing things on their own to learn and grow, but the concept is the same with God. We are totally reliant on Him for absolutely everything. He wants to help but we refuse and tell Him we can do it on our own usually messing it up and making it take longer than if we would have waited on God in the first place.

The other convicting aspect of this is that God’s provisions, strength, etc. are always on time and perfect time at that. I doubt Abraham, Gen 12, thought it was the right time. He was seventy years old and was set as far as wealth and possessions go. Yet God told him to move and once he moves, God would show him where to go. Abraham understood that fact that God’s time is always the best time.

There are many examples of God’s timing but one last one jumps out. Paul was prisoner on a ship that left port only to get caught in a storm. The ship crashed and they were stranded on a cannibal island. If you think timing could not get any worse, Paul is then bitten by a viper. Yet Paul was able to see spiritually and honor God for His timing. What will you do with the time God gives you this week?

Today is a special day and one of the most traveled days of the year, Happy Mother’s Day. I trust you know how important and appreciated you are. One thing that sets mothers apart is their ability to have relationships. It is a gift from God and the Bible has a lot to say about relationships. So, let us look at a few examples and apply the principles of stewardship.

First, remember that everything is God’s, He’s in control, and all must be used to bring honor to God. Relationships are a gift from God and need to be seen as such. Relationships do not just happen but are part of His divine purpose, He places people together for a reason, and we need to promote godliness in each other. Let me challenge you to search out scripture and see if you can find an instance where a relationship was built to win someone to Christ. Post your findings on our web site forum.

Four quick examples are David and Jonathan, I Sam. 18:1-4; 19:1-7; 23:14-18. This shows us the true purpose of a relationship is to strengthen each other in the Lord. Secondly, we see the passion found in a relationship when the focus is on Christ, II Sam. 12:1-13. Next, we see the power of relationships found in Christ, Dan. 2:12-19. Lastly, we see there is protection and security in relationships, Acts 19:31, 24:23, 27:3. God has created us for each other so let us remember that we are to be stewards of our God given relationships.

Since relationships are a gift from God that need to be stewarded, there are several characteristics of good friendships that we can work on. These principles were found in the Old Testament and reiterated in the New Testament just showing that God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

First, no matter what day it is, no matter what the circumstances are, friends love at all times, Prov. 17:17, I Cor. 13:4-8. Also, nothing can tear friends apart for they are closer than a brother, Prov. 18:24, Eph. 4:1-3. A true friend also shows compassion in times of suffering, Ps. 35:13, Rom. 12:15. A friend never takes advantage of another when times are tough and emotions are high.

A friend also offers wise counsel even when it may be tough and painful, Prov. 27:9, Col. 3:16. A friend does not tear down at any time, Ps. 15:3, Eph. 4:29. Also, a friend does not seek its own but rather pushes the other to faithfulness regardless of self -interests, Job. 6:14, Col. 3:12-14.

In closing remember two more characteristics. One, a friend always intercedes for the other in prayer, Job 42:10, Eph. 6:18. Who are you praying for today? Lastly, a friend can always be trusted for they are seeking the well being of the other, not self, Prov. 27:6, Gal. 6:1, 2. Once again, a true friend is one in Christ and through Christ for He makes it all possible and relationships are a gift from God. Let‘s be good stewards of God’s gifts.

This month we will be discussing stewardship and the principles behind it. Stewardship is a word that for most people probably does not harbor warm, fuzzy feelings. Stewardship takes work but in the light of drawing closer to God and honoring Him, it is an exciting journey.
First, let us define stewardship. A steward is one who administers anything as an agent of another or others. We are unquestionably stewards of God and of His creations. A Christian should be environmentally conscience and use the resources of God properly with balance.

Three principles on stewardship are as follows: first, everything is God’s. Col. 1:16 teaches us that God created everything and he did it for His own pleasure. Ps. 50:7-12 tells us that all creatures are God’s and when we sacrifice, we are essentially just giving back to God what is already His. Also, I Cor. 6:19, 20 remind us that even we are not ourselves but we are bought with a price. We have a bad habit of thinking that we own things. They are ours because we bought them. However, nothing is ours, it is all God’s and He allows us to use His things.

Secondly, we are to do all to glorify God and bring honor to Him, Col. 3:17, I Cor. 10:30, 31. Josh. 22:1-6 encourages us to remember that serving the Lord is what really matters, not money in the bank or what kind of car you drive.

Lastly, God is sovereign and in control, Gen 18:1-14, Jer. 32:15-17, Ex. 3. Matt. 8:23-f.f. shows us God is even in control of the wind and the waves. No matter what happens, keep serving the Lord, keep using His creation to honor Him, and let God take care of the score.

One of the first people that come to mind when I think of stewardship is Job. Job is known for his patience and perseverance but I would tell you it was all because he was a great steward of the blessings of God. In the end of the first chapter we learn that in all this, Job never once charged God foolishly. His response was, “naked came I out of the womb and naked shall I return. The Lord gave and He taketh away.”

What was Job saying? He was saying what every good steward would say. He understood that fact that all is God’s and He was just watching over it all and investing in it. When the Lord decides to take it away, that is His prerogative. Sure Job was in pain and upset, but his focus was correct.

Not only did Job understand that everything was God’s but he understood that God was in control and that He would receive the glory from it all. The problem is that our minds cannot comprehend God’s way and many times we think we can do it better, Is 55:8. God’s ways are not our ways so we need to just relax and let God do what is best. I am glad that God does not see things the way we see them. He can see it all and therefore always knows and does what is best and good, Phil. 2:13, II Cor. 9:8, Duet 28:63.

Joseph also comes to mind and we will discuss this further on line at our forums. This week, ask God to show you how to become a better steward of His blessings.