10/11/2022
DOMINION MANDATE DAILY DEVOTIONAL
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2022
DYNAMICS OF FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP
BIBLE READING: MATTHEW 24:45-51; LUKE 12:35-48; LUKE 16:1-8
“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” Matthew 24:45-51(NKJV).
A steward is usually entrusted with the resources of another for proper and effective management after which the owner will come and inspect and possibly reward or punish. Apart from the need for an object of affection upon Whom He could shower His Love, one of the major reasons God made man was for the purpose of stewardship (Gen. 2:15-17). The Almighty God as our Father has entrusted us with time, talents, our bodies and even people with whom we are to properly relate for His Glory as people who will account for them all. Romans 14:12 says: "So each of us shall give his account to God." John 17:12 is a record of the Lord Jesus praying to the Father saying: "While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your Name. I have kept those Whom You gave Me, and none of them is lost, except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled."
The Parable of the Householder and His servant in our key texts above refers to stewardship in the house during the time of the Lord’s Absence with the coming of the Kingdom to ascertain both faithfulness and unfaithfulness of stewards. Faithfulness will result in the steward being rewarded while unfaithfulness will result in the steward being severely chastened. Something often overlooked in the Parable of the Householder and His servant is the fact that there is only one servant in view throughout the Parable. This was made clear by the Lord when He gave the same Parable on an earlier occasion, as recorded in Luke 12:42-48. He first spoke of a faithful and wise servant (v.42-44) then He spoke of the same servant becoming unfaithful (vs 45-48). The servant thus, in both accounts of the parable, either exercises faithfulness or he becomes unfaithful. In Matthew 24:45-47 and Luke 12:42-44, the servant remains faithful to the charge left by the Householder, resulting in his being rewarded at the time of the Householder’s return. In Matthew 24:48-51 and Luke 12:45-48, the same servant becomes unfaithful and begins acting in a manner completely contrary to the charge left by the Householder, resulting in his being severely chastened at the time of the Householder’s Return.
There is a reward for every faithful steward as evidenced in the Scriptures and punishments for unfaithful stewardship. The Lord has called our attention today to review our commitment and faithfulness in managing our talents and resources because we shall all give an account of our stewardship, and the outcome must either be that you are faithful or unfaithful...(Selah).
PRAYER:
Thank You Father for the privilege to be stewards of Your Manifold Riches. We repent in any way we have been unfaithful in managing Your Resources or have hoarded or underutilized the Grace and Capacity You gave us. We will strive to receive Your Commendation on the Last Day in Jesus' Mighty Name. Amen.
