Thursday: True Ownership
We belong to God, both by creation and by redemption. And not only do we belong to God, but all our possessions do as well. We, of ourselves, own nothing other than our own choices.
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In contrast, a central tenet of worldliness is the idea that we are owners of our possessions. Yet this is deception. For Christians to think they are the ultimate owners of their possessions is to think something contrary to what the Word of God teaches.
God, not us, owns everything (Job 38:4-11). We are merely aliens and tenants (Lev. 25:23), just as the Israelites were in the Promised Land. We are even dependent on God for our next breath (Acts 17:25). What we think we own, He owns. We are but His stewards, and as such we are to manage tangible and even intangible possessions to the glory of God.
List the things from the following verses that God owns: Deut. 10:14; Ps. 50:10; Ps. 104:16; Ezek. 18:4; Hag. 2:8; 1 Cor. 6:19-20. What do these texts tell us about how we should view the material things that we have in our possession?
“All things belong to God. Men may ignore His claims. While He bountifully bestows His blessings upon them, they may use His gifts for their own selfish gratification; but they will be called to give an account for their stewardship.” – Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, p. 246.
God’s ownership and our stewardship mandate a relationship, one through which He may use us in ways that will prepare us for heaven and that will benefit and bless others. But unfaithful stewards can restrict the Owner’s access to His own possessions. As we saw yesterday, God does not force His will upon us. He created us, and gave us possessions in this world to manage for Him until He returns. What we do with them reflects the kind of relationship that we have with Him.
| Think through what it means that, in reality, you don’t own any of the things that you possess but that they belong to God. What should that tell you about how you should relate to the things in your possession? |
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Life is a project, funded by God and we era the accountants , we all know the work of accountant. But my fellow accountants remember that one time one day the auditor is coming to audit you!
Qn. Are you ready for the auditor?
Are you using your office as an accountant or a cashier as you are supposed to do?
let us always read the references of our contract to became the best accountant/ cashier/stewardship so that by the time the auditor comes in we are just ready to receive him since we had his guidance to run the project. Father i need you help to be contented with what i have and i know i can do it with you. Amen
That's all for me! I need a prayer today. Very important, because my home is at stake! Thank God He gives us everything we need!
We are indebted to GOD for food we eat, the water we drink, the clothes we wear, the air we breathe. Without His special providence, the air would be filled with pestilence and poison. He is a bountiful benefactor and preserver. We are sustained every moment by God's care, and upheld by His power. His love for us made Him to give His only begotten Son as a sin sacrifice to redeem us from the penalty of death and we are to be saved. We to are to give our offerings not to enrich Him but to show our appreciation of His mercies by self-sacrificing efforts to extend the same to others so that people get salvation including us. WE need to uproot the plant of selfishness from our hearts, pride, etc
Hi Jason
Your comments (in addition to those in the lesson) got me thinking. Is a sense of indebtedness the best motivation for loving God? Is it even a motivation that God wants us to love Him from? Do I want my partner, child or close friend to respond to me from a sense of indebtedness? Or would I rather desire that they freely desire to 'love' me ... no obligation.
A sense of indebtedness is so ingrained in our society that I often proactively and deliberate make a point of saying to others that I am giving them something with absolutely no obligation. I find I need to say this because it is so common when I give someone something for them to say to me in response, "Thanks, I owe you". I don't want others to feel that our relationship/interaction has any sense of indebtedness to it just because I chose to give them something. I didn't give it to them to get something back - I gave it to them just because and in the hope it would be a help/blessing to them - period!
I would propose that 'no obligation' is the best environment for the 'plant of selfishness' to die a natural death. Maybe I'm wrong...
Maybe it is a case of growing in our understanding.
Thursday we own nothing in this world
How does the law of God that says, "Thou shalt not steal or the one that says thou shalt not covet" fit into this concept of no ownership? If there are no boundaries of ownership, stealing is not possible because everything is in common, belonging only to God.
Does the law of God not create ownership? If your things are not mine or yours, how can I know what to not covet or steal?
It would seem to me that true Love would produce automatic boundaries that would protect your things from me if I like them--giving you ownership and recognizing that God is the source of all things continuously. We are to be like a river, sharing as there is need, but only receiving from God to give and not to take from others. We must not feel that we are entitled to the things of others.
True words, this is a war and the battle ground is in our mind. Jacob was in a battle and he decided he was not giving up until he overcomes the trial and when he did God changed his name to Israel, which means overcomers. We need to ask God to help us to be good stewards of our mind because that's where the power is. We must be transformed by the renewing of our MIND.
Ellen White's comment in today's lesson says that Men "will be called to give an account for their stewardship".
While I absolutely agree that from the perspective of God-based 'reality' we are accountable/responsible for our actions/choices/etc, my question is to what or whom will we be called to give an account? To (a) God or to (b)the reality that God both inhabits and created? For example, if I violate the laws of health, or perhaps the law of gravity, to what or whom will I be called to give an account?
I have a couple of atheist friends who have as a basis for their ethics that they do right simply because it is the right thing to do. They do not see is as an action to avoid pain, or bring personal happiness. Nor is it done to satisfy someone other person's sense of ethics. There is no sense of reward, or punishment. In one sense I tend to agree with them because often we think in terms of satisfying God's requirements - and fall into the trap of legalism. I have asked the question before: If there was no heaven, how would that change our behaviour?
I would argue that Ellen White's comment brings to life the aspect of judgment. As people taking care of God's possessions, i believe any disuse of those possessions is subject to questioning by the owner. For instance a nascent farmer hires an agro-consulting firm to manage his farm. Any misappropriation of the farm properties bythis firm becomes a point of contention which might lead to either review or cancellation alltogether, of the relationship the owner has with this firm. I think this is the same with God. Everything is his as abundantly made clear in the Bible and we are caretakers. As we take the care, we should realize that one day, all that we do with our possessions will be reviewed before the judgment seat and penalties or rewards given according to the performance. That is my simple understanding.
let us ask God to give us pure hearts to know that what we have belongs to God and we are His servants assigned to take care of what God made
I am a stranger in a foreign land. Nothing belongs to me, but to Him who owns the land. If I am to remain in the dwelling place, the Landlord expects me to take care of His property! Else, I will be evicted. I am not my own, but the Potters.' This temple I must take care of, which is the dwelling place of the the Spirit! In perspective. The lesson truly reveals our place, and that of God. I am humbled!
God's love is unconditional; he don't love us because we loved him, Christ came out of love. Even when he chastises us it is out of love, because he watches over our souls. Only when we wear the mind of Christ then we will understand how to truly love God. There are two hymns I would like us all to listen to words of (1) "There is a Green Hill far away" (2) "How sweet the name of Jesus sounds" They reminds me of God's deep unconditional love for us and only when we see God as he truly is would we be able to praise him as we should. Blessings