Titus 2 Men And Women

God's Stewards Are V.I.P.'s
by Sharon Merhalski

Serving God Improves Health---Even Lifts Depression

~~Sharon Merhalski

"As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."  I Peter 4:10-11

Steward---definition:

Strong’s Concordance= manager, overseer, house distributor

Webster’s Dictionary= 1) a person in charge of the affairs of a large household.  2) One who acts as administrator of finances and property of another.  3) One who looks after another’s comfort, needs, and safety.

Many years ago, after reading this portion of scripture,  I made a study of the word "steward."  Like so many Christians I had always connected the word with our money---tithing and giving offerings. But these verses seemed to say the word had a much broader scope. I wanted to know exactly what God expected of me as His child so I read all of the verses in the Bible about stewardship and a steward and dissected them all with the Strong’s Concordance.  I found three passages that were inclusive of all of them: 

I Corinthians 4:2; I Chronicles 28:18; I Peter 4:10-11.  This week I was reminded of this study and it has again both blessed and convicted me about my responsibility to the Lord.

First, I would like us to read I Chronicles 28:1, "And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king, and of his sons, with the officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem."

Stewards are V.I.P’s in the court of the King!  David so valued the stewards in his household--the people tending to all of his substance and possessions---that he called them together with all of the V.I.P’s of his kingdom.  And this verse is a wonderful word picture of how God so values each and every child of His that is tending to all of His substance and possessions on earth.

I am going to dissect the following verses and let God’s Word explain exactly what His steward is to be and do. (Word definitions of the underlined words are from the Strong’s Concordance.)

I Peter 4:10-11

"As every man hath received the gift"....(a divine gratuity, i.e. deliverance (from danger or passion); (specifically) a spiritual endowment, i.e. religious qualification...)

"even so minister"....(to be an attendant, i.e. to wait upon (menially, or as a friend, or teacher)

"one to another, as good stewards"....( a house distributor, i.e. manager or overseer)

"the manifold grace of God"....(graciousness of manner or act; literally, figuratively, or spiritually; especially the divine influence upon the heart and its reflection of the life; liberality, pleasure, thanks.)

"If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God;"....(an utterance of God---His Word and precepts.)

"if any man minister"....(to be an attendant, i.e. to wait upon; menially, or as a friend, or teacher)

"let him do it as of the ability"....(ability, might, power, strength)

"which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

After we are saved God begins requiring us to be faithful stewards of ALL God our King as purchased, redeemed--and all of His grace which is His spiritual and divine influence on the heart.  We are to become "God with skin on" to the people He has redeemed, bought with the precious blood of His Son Jesus Christ. And we are to do all we do with the might, power and strength that God gives us for the task at hand.

God created man to need Him in a tangible way and He has entrusted each of his blood- bought children to so minister to each other.  It is awesome to realize I not only have the responsibility to win the lost, I am required to be responsible to manage the household of the King and His sons...the saved.

A steward is "God with skin on." God wants me to use my hands, mouth and heart to manage His household and serve my brothers and sisters in Christ. I Corinthians 4:1-2, "Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers (to row--an under oarsman/subordinate) of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful."  God wants us to be faithful in serving him as a steward.  And for our faithfulness God promises joy. "His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord."  Matthew 25:21 God tells us He will give us joy in serving Jesus. 

In the October 1988 issue of Psychology Today magazine "the world" did what I love to see it do: give the scientific reasons why God’s Word is true.  The article tells how God gives us joy if we are a faithful steward.

The article is called "Helper’s High" by Allen Luks and it reports the medical benefits of altruism, which is helping others without reward/pay.  The article explains how calming brain chemicals are produced by unselfish acts of kindness and help, and how these brain chemicals produce joy and calming peace to the caregiver.

"An analysis of the experiences of more than 1,700 women who were involved regularly in helping others highlights the effects of volunteering---which makes people feel good, physically and emotionally--and is good for your health. In many cases this "helper’s calm" was linked to relief from stress-related disorders such as headaches, voice loss and even pain accompanying lupus and multiple sclerosis....Following the helping, many of the women reported experiencing a greater calmness and enhanced self-worth.  One elderly woman wrote that doing something nice for someone actually snapped her out of periods of depression....The helper’s pleasurable physical sense and calmness is the opposite of the body’s agitated condition under stress, in which the heart pumps harder, breathing is faster, organ functions are interfered with, and the body is more sensitive to pain.  It is emotional stress that causes the adrenal gland to release its stress chemicals, the corticosteroids.  These increase cholesterol levels, play a role in heart disease, raise blood sugar and depress immune function....Helper’s calm appears to be related to reduced emotional stress that comes with voluntarily helping others...altruism.  Taking time to help, then, may be a basic step to protect health."

"And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing."  Luke 12:42-43  God says if we are faithful and wise managers of all of the possessions of God He will supply our needs.  And we are blessed if we are found so doing when He comes.

In I Corinthians 4:2 we read "it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." In our position of being a steward for God there will never be the extra time or energy to do what should be done for God’s glory.  But just like we care for our jobs, homes and children to fulfill our responsibilities as a husband/father, wife/mother, we are to care for God’s creation and redeemed.  We fulfill the responsibility because IT NEEDS TO BE DONE and it is our job requirement.  And...praying about a situation we see needing to be cared for is not enough.  I would love to be able to get my ironing done by praying but it just doesn’t happen that way.

Our faithful stewardship needs to be at work so that God’s ministries can run properly; especially remembering the church is individual saved people who have countless needs.  And let us also remember what Proverbs 13:17 says, "A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health."  An ambassador is a messenger sent by a ruler.  The Strong’s Concordance says an ambassador is an errand doer, messenger, one who heralds. God sends us to do errands, give messages and herald His Word. He also gives us the promise of enablement with His strength and ability.  God also gives a faithful steward His blessing for caring for His household. He even gives us the truth that we will be health to the people that God purchased by redemption. 

We are called to be stewards over all the substance, possessions and grace of  our King and His sons.  Do we guide spiritually?  Do we edify each other?  Are we faithful with our money? Do we give scriptural answers to questions we’re asked?  Do we tell others of the Grace God has given to us in salvation? Do we see a job needing done and accomplish the task?  Are we faithful and responsible to finish the tasks God has entrusted us to accomplish in His household?

One cannot stand still---or sit still---and manage a household.  And we cannot pray for it to be done either.  May God find us all faithful stewards when He comes.

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