Stewards of All, Owners of Nothing

A recurring theme in our morning verses from the Lord for the last six days has been stewardship; Building the house of the Lord which is the people in whom the Lord lives, not a building. This includes meeting their physical and spiritual needs. As stewards of the Lord's money and things we are all responsible to do this. {Luke 14:33}: So therefore whosoever he be of you that renounceth not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Notice we are stewards of 100% of what belongs to the Lord not owners who tithe 10% and own 90% as under the law. In the New Testament this would make us thieves. 100% belongs to the Lord and He gets to tell us individually what He wants done with it. {I John 3:17} But whoso hath the world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him? Love is who the Bride is. Some demonstrate this love and some don't. Am I talking about giving to me? No the Lord supplies my needs and I am content which enables me to give to the needs of others. I have never taken a collection for me. I do not receive money from UBM and so do not gain from fee will offerings sent in except that I get to see the Gospel go forth. The early disciples never took collections for themselves nor preached gimme sermons because they had faith with contentment.

We were given by faith at random these verses in our morning prayer meetings in a few days, which made me to know the Lord wanted me to share on stewardship and we have gotten these verses and others before. I will add a few that also came to me for this teaching.

Morning verses - {II Chronicles 24:4} And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to restore the house of Jehovah. {5} And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year; and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not. (The priests were not doing their job to rebuild the Kingdom) {6} And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the tax of Moses the servant of Jehovah, and of the assembly of Israel, for the tent of the testimony (or house of God)?

{2 Cor.8:1} Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God which hath been given in the churches of Macedonia; {2} how that in much proof of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. {3} For according to their power, I bear witness, yea and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord, {4} beseeching us with much entreaty in regard of this grace and the fellowship in the ministering to the saints: {5} and this, not as we had hoped, but first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God. {6} Insomuch that we exhorted Titus, that as he made a beginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace also. {7} But as ye abound in everything, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all earnestness, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. {8} I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love. {9} For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might become rich. {10} And herein I give my judgment: for this is expedient for you, who were the first to make a beginning a year ago, not only to do, but also to will. {11} But now complete the doing also; that as there was the readiness to will, so there may be the completion also out of your ability. {12} For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according as a man hath, not according as he hath not. {13} For I say not this that others may be eased and ye distressed; {14} but by equality: your abundance being a supply at this present time for their want, that their abundance also may become a supply for your want; that there may be equality: {15} as it is written, He that gathered much had nothing over; and he that gathered little had no lack. (It is equality God wants among the body, meaning everyone has their needs met.)
The poor need to give as much as the rich need to give because it is multiplied back as Jesus said. Jesus said the widow who gave 2 mites gave more than all the rich Pharisees because she gave out of her need. {Mark 12:41} And he sat down over against the treasury, and beheld how the multitude cast money into the treasury (Which was in the temple of God's people not a building and ministry that does not meet the spiritual and physical needs of God's people): and many that were rich cast in much. {42} And there came a poor widow, and she cast in two mites, which make a farthing. {43} And he called unto him his disciples, and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, This poor widow cast in more than all they that are casting into the treasury: {44} for they all did cast in of their superfluity; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living. Notice that it is not how much you give but how much you have left that counts.
{2 Cor.9:6} But this I say, He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. {7} Let each man do according as he hath purposed in his heart: not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. {8} And God is able to make all grace abound unto you; that ye, having always all sufficiency in everything, may abound unto every good work: {9} as it is written, He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the poor; His righteousness abideth for ever. {10} And he that supplieth seed to the sower and bread for food, shall supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness: {11} ye being enriched in everything unto all liberality, which worketh through us thanksgiving to God. {12} For the ministration of this service not only filleth up the measure of the wants of the saints, but aboundeth also through many thanksgivings unto God; {13} seeing that through the proving of you by this ministration they glorify God for the obedience of your confession unto the gospel of Christ, and for the liberality of your contribution unto them and unto all;

Morning verses - {Luke 16:1} And he said also unto the disciples, There was a certain rich man, who had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he was wasting his goods. {2} And he called him, and said unto him, What is this that I hear of thee? render the account of thy stewardship; for thou canst be no longer steward. {3} And the steward said within himself, What shall I do, seeing that my lord taketh away the stewardship from me? I have not strength to dig; to beg I am ashamed. {4} I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. {5} And calling to him each one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? {6} And he said, A hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bond, and sit down quickly and write fifty. {7} Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, A hundred measures of wheat. He saith unto him, Take thy bond, and write fourscore. {8} And his lord commended the unrighteous steward because he had done wisely: for the sons of this world are for their own generation wiser than the sons of the light. {9} And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when it shall fail, they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles. {10} He that is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much: and he that is unrighteous in a very little is unrighteous also in much. {11} If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? {12} And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another's (Stewards are not owners but handle their Lord's money and things), who will give you that which is your own (in heaven we are joint heirs of all things)? {13} No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. {14} And the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things; and they scoffed at him. {15} And he said unto them, Ye are they that justify yourselves in the sight of men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

{Ecc.5:10} He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance, with increase: this also is vanity. 11 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, save the beholding of them with his eyes? {12} The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much; but the fulness of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. {13} There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely , riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt: {14} and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand. {15} As he came forth from his mother's womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand.

Morning verses. {Hag.1:8}, (2-11) Thus speaketh Jehovah of hosts, saying, This people say, It is not the time for us to come, the time for Jehovah's house to be built. {3} Then came the word of Jehovah by Haggai the prophet, saying, {4} Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your ceiled houses, while this house lieth waste? {5} Now therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Consider your ways. {6} Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. {7} Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Consider your ways. {8} Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith Jehovah. {9} Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith Jehovah of hosts. Because of my house that lieth waste, while ye run every man to his own house. {10} Therefore for your sake the heavens withhold the dew, and the earth withholdeth its fruit. {11} And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the grain, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labor of the hands.

{Luke 6:35} But love your enemies, and do them good, and lend, never despairing; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be sons of the Most High: for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil. {36} Be ye merciful, even as your Father is merciful. {37} And judge not, and ye shall not be judged: and condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: release, and ye shall be released: {38} give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again.
{Matthew 6:19} Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal: {20} but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: {21} for where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also. {22} The lamp of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. {23} But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is the darkness! {24} No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. (The Common Aramaic word for riches derived from the Hebrew word for treasure. From mammonas meaning, confidence, that which is trusted in.)
{Luke 12:28} But if God doth so clothe the grass in the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven; how much more shall he clothe you, O ye of little faith? {29} And seek not ye what ye shall eat, and what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. {30} For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: but your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. {31} Yet seek ye his kingdom, and these things shall be added unto you. {32} Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. {33} Sell that which ye have, and give alms; make for yourselves purses which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief draweth near, neither moth destroyeth. {34} For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
{Luke 12:16} And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: {17} and he reasoned within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have not where to bestow my fruits? {18} And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my grain and my goods. {19} And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry. {20} But God said unto him, Thou foolish one, this night is thy soul required of thee; and the things which thou hast prepared, whose shall they be? {21} So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
{Luke 18:22} And when Jesus heard it, he said unto him, One thing thou lackest yet: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. (Grain was stored up under Joseph for the coming 7 years of famine/tribulation. Joseph was the greatest type of Jesus who was sold by his brethren into bondage and preached to the spirits in prison and came out to rule the world.) {23} But when he heard these things, he became exceeding sorrowful; for he was very rich. {24} And Jesus seeing him said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! {25} For it is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. {26} And they that heard it said, Then who can be saved? {27} But he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
{Luke 16:19} Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, faring sumptuously every day: {20} and a certain beggar named Lazarus was laid at his gate, full of sores, {21} and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table; yea, even the dogs came and licked his sores. {22} And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and that he was carried away by the angels into Abraham's bosom: and the rich man also died, and was buried. {23} And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. {24} And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame. {25} But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things: but now here he is comforted, and thou art in anguish. {26} And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that they that would pass from hence to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from thence to us. {27} And he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house; {28} for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. {29} But Abraham saith, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. {30} And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one go to them from the dead, they will repent. {31} And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, if one rise from the dead.

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