1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,000 1 Peter 4 10, it says, 2 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:06,660 as each one has received a gift, 3 00:00:08,500 --> 00:00:10,740 minister it to one another, 4 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:16,360 and as good stewards of the manifold grace of God, 5 00:00:17,340 --> 00:00:20,880 if anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God, 6 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:23,900 and if anyone ministers, let him do it 7 00:00:23,900 --> 00:00:27,080 as with the ability which God supplies, 8 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:30,440 that in all things God may be glorified 9 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:33,960 through Jesus Christ to whom belong the glory 10 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:37,380 and the dominion forever and ever, amen. 11 00:00:38,780 --> 00:00:42,300 And I would like to leave this thought, if I may, 12 00:00:42,300 --> 00:00:45,500 stewards of God's grace, amen. 13 00:00:45,500 --> 00:00:48,560 You may take your places, thank you. 14 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:51,400 Once again, we are grateful to the Lord for this privilege. 15 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:53,400 Stewards of God's grace. 16 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:56,560 It is faith that gives access to grace, 17 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:04,560 and faith comes by the utterance 18 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:07,680 and the hearing of God's word. 19 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:11,840 Grace is a virtue, it is a power, it is mercy at its best. 20 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:19,520 It is an unspeakable gift from God. 21 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:23,800 Grace is the only means by which any person 22 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:25,960 can ever do any good works. 23 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:28,960 There's a lot of folks in the world 24 00:01:28,960 --> 00:01:31,480 that attempt to do a lot of things. 25 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:34,640 They attempt, and they're good things. 26 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:38,440 There's some folks out there that they give of themselves 27 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:40,480 and they invest into so many things 28 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:42,760 and attempting to do good works. 29 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:46,100 However, you will never be able to meet 30 00:01:46,100 --> 00:01:50,260 your ability of being a giver and a doer of good works 31 00:01:54,140 --> 00:01:57,020 without the grace of God, amen. 32 00:01:57,020 --> 00:02:01,180 Grace is the empowerment, the empowering presence of God 33 00:02:02,340 --> 00:02:06,420 that enables us to do what he has created us to do 34 00:02:07,780 --> 00:02:10,780 and be whom he has created us to be. 35 00:02:12,340 --> 00:02:15,540 Grace is sufficient in all things. 36 00:02:15,540 --> 00:02:20,420 Grace is a power to witness, a power to disciple, 37 00:02:20,420 --> 00:02:22,580 and a power to evangelize. 38 00:02:23,540 --> 00:02:25,900 The Apostle Paul said this about grace 39 00:02:25,900 --> 00:02:28,380 in 1 Corinthians 15 10. 40 00:02:28,380 --> 00:02:32,380 It says, but by the grace of God, I am what I am 41 00:02:33,580 --> 00:02:37,100 and his grace toward me was not in vain. 42 00:02:37,100 --> 00:02:40,300 Somebody say, it's not in vain in me. 43 00:02:40,300 --> 00:02:43,980 But I labored more abundantly than they all, 44 00:02:43,980 --> 00:02:48,140 yet not I but the grace of God which was with me. 45 00:02:50,500 --> 00:02:54,220 And he gave tribute and he gave glory to God 46 00:02:54,220 --> 00:02:56,180 and he thanked God for the grace 47 00:02:56,180 --> 00:02:58,760 that God had bestowed upon him. 48 00:02:59,900 --> 00:03:03,100 Much can be said and taught about grace 49 00:03:03,100 --> 00:03:06,980 because it's endless work is in the world 50 00:03:06,980 --> 00:03:10,660 and we can reach for months on grace. 51 00:03:10,660 --> 00:03:13,540 In fact, that is the message of God. 52 00:03:13,540 --> 00:03:15,460 That is what it's all about, 53 00:03:15,460 --> 00:03:19,940 the grace of our powerful Savior Jesus Christ. 54 00:03:19,940 --> 00:03:24,940 But my focus for today is about being good stewards 55 00:03:24,940 --> 00:03:28,020 of the manifold grace of God. 56 00:03:28,020 --> 00:03:32,540 In other words, now it's up to you and now it's up to me. 57 00:03:32,540 --> 00:03:34,980 For the sake of this message, I encourage you, 58 00:03:34,980 --> 00:03:38,380 if you wanna make a little note of this, 59 00:03:38,380 --> 00:03:41,580 I encourage you as an assignment for this week, 60 00:03:41,580 --> 00:03:44,220 if you can take the moment this week 61 00:03:44,220 --> 00:03:47,160 and somebody says this preacher's given us homework, 62 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:48,260 yes he is. 63 00:03:48,260 --> 00:03:50,660 And I'm giving you homework to read 64 00:03:50,660 --> 00:03:55,100 and to meditate on Proverbs chapter three. 65 00:03:55,100 --> 00:03:56,620 If you can go to Proverbs three, 66 00:03:56,620 --> 00:03:59,100 we're not gonna read that now, that's your assignment. 67 00:03:59,100 --> 00:04:01,220 Take that with you, Proverbs three, 68 00:04:01,220 --> 00:04:05,220 read that which establishes a foundation 69 00:04:05,220 --> 00:04:08,620 and a pattern for stewardship. 70 00:04:08,620 --> 00:04:11,180 Praise the Lord, God is amazing, isn't he? 71 00:04:11,180 --> 00:04:14,500 It strongly suggests that stewardship 72 00:04:14,500 --> 00:04:18,360 is submission to lordship. 73 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:22,780 We will never succeed in being good stewards of God's grace 74 00:04:22,780 --> 00:04:27,460 until we submit to his lordship. 75 00:04:27,460 --> 00:04:32,340 To know him is to know he is sovereign. 76 00:04:32,340 --> 00:04:37,340 Sovereignty means that God, as the ruler of the universe, 77 00:04:37,340 --> 00:04:41,500 has the right to do whatever he wants. 78 00:04:41,500 --> 00:04:44,480 He doesn't have to ask permission from anybody 79 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:45,980 to do what he wants. 80 00:04:45,980 --> 00:04:48,100 If he wants to bless you today, 81 00:04:48,100 --> 00:04:50,780 it doesn't matter how the economy tells you, 82 00:04:50,780 --> 00:04:53,000 it doesn't matter what the world says. 83 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:54,660 If he wants to heal you, 84 00:04:54,660 --> 00:04:57,300 it doesn't matter what the doctor says 85 00:04:57,300 --> 00:04:59,060 or what science says. 86 00:04:59,060 --> 00:05:01,680 If he wants to lift you up when you're down, 87 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:03,860 it doesn't matter who's on top of you 88 00:05:03,860 --> 00:05:05,220 or who's pressing you down 89 00:05:05,220 --> 00:05:08,380 because God is in control of all things. 90 00:05:08,380 --> 00:05:10,460 He doesn't have to ask permission 91 00:05:10,460 --> 00:05:12,980 from anybody to bless your life. 92 00:05:12,980 --> 00:05:17,100 So you can be assured of this, nobody controls you. 93 00:05:17,100 --> 00:05:19,260 Nobody can hold you down. 94 00:05:19,260 --> 00:05:21,120 Nobody can detain from you 95 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:23,460 because when God wants to bless you, 96 00:05:23,460 --> 00:05:25,380 you're gonna get it. 97 00:05:25,380 --> 00:05:26,460 Amen? 98 00:05:26,460 --> 00:05:29,900 Further, he is in complete control 99 00:05:29,900 --> 00:05:32,620 over everything that happens. 100 00:05:32,620 --> 00:05:34,340 It doesn't matter, praise God. 101 00:05:34,340 --> 00:05:36,460 He's in control. 102 00:05:36,460 --> 00:05:41,460 There is absolutely nothing that happens in the universe 103 00:05:41,860 --> 00:05:46,860 that is outside of God's influence and his authority. 104 00:05:47,220 --> 00:05:49,120 Praise God for that, I love it. 105 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:53,140 Amen, when I step into a situation, 106 00:05:53,140 --> 00:05:55,340 praise God, when I go through valleys 107 00:05:55,340 --> 00:05:56,980 and I go through tribulations 108 00:05:56,980 --> 00:05:59,900 and I go through certain things in life 109 00:05:59,900 --> 00:06:01,940 that are not comfortable for me, 110 00:06:01,940 --> 00:06:05,180 I remember who he is in my life 111 00:06:05,180 --> 00:06:07,980 and that his grace is sufficient for me 112 00:06:07,980 --> 00:06:11,300 and it doesn't matter what is happening outside 113 00:06:11,300 --> 00:06:15,060 in the world, God's influence and authority 114 00:06:15,060 --> 00:06:17,120 is upon my life. 115 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:17,960 Praise the Lord. 116 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:20,180 Psalm 115 and three says, 117 00:06:20,180 --> 00:06:22,580 but our God is in heaven, 118 00:06:22,580 --> 00:06:25,420 he does whatever he pleases. 119 00:06:25,420 --> 00:06:26,420 Isn't that something? 120 00:06:26,420 --> 00:06:28,460 Amen, there's folks today that do that. 121 00:06:28,460 --> 00:06:30,740 They think they can do whatever they please. 122 00:06:30,740 --> 00:06:33,100 Wouldn't you tell them, wouldn't you tell them 123 00:06:33,100 --> 00:06:35,980 you're nobody, man, you're not in control, God is. 124 00:06:35,980 --> 00:06:36,820 Praise God. 125 00:06:36,820 --> 00:06:40,460 The only one that can do whatever he wants is God. 126 00:06:40,460 --> 00:06:43,720 Outside of that, we're all subject to something. 127 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:44,720 Praise the Lord, amen. 128 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:46,860 I don't know which one of you, 129 00:06:46,860 --> 00:06:48,660 outside of Elijah, of course, 130 00:06:48,660 --> 00:06:50,860 the prophet has said let it stop raining 131 00:06:50,860 --> 00:06:53,300 and it stopped raining, but if it rains, 132 00:06:53,300 --> 00:06:54,660 you're gonna get out your umbrella 133 00:06:54,660 --> 00:06:56,700 because it's gonna rain, man. 134 00:06:56,700 --> 00:06:57,860 That's all there is to it. 135 00:06:57,860 --> 00:06:59,180 It's gonna rain on your party, 136 00:06:59,180 --> 00:07:01,920 it's gonna rain on whatever's happening in your life. 137 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:03,460 You can't stop that. 138 00:07:03,460 --> 00:07:05,060 The sun is going to go down 139 00:07:05,060 --> 00:07:06,380 and it's going down earlier now, 140 00:07:06,380 --> 00:07:09,540 it makes me sad, around 715 or something is going down. 141 00:07:09,540 --> 00:07:13,500 Nobody's gonna stop the sun unless God does it. 142 00:07:13,500 --> 00:07:14,420 Praise the Lord, amen. 143 00:07:14,420 --> 00:07:17,140 There's no scientist, praise God, that can do that. 144 00:07:17,140 --> 00:07:19,700 Only God can, but you know what? 145 00:07:19,700 --> 00:07:22,300 If you're a child of God, you can tell God, 146 00:07:22,300 --> 00:07:24,980 hold the sun for just a little bit longer. 147 00:07:24,980 --> 00:07:26,300 I need some time. 148 00:07:26,300 --> 00:07:28,240 God will give it to you, praise God, 149 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:30,140 if you need it, praise the Lord. 150 00:07:30,140 --> 00:07:33,000 God is above all things and before all things, 151 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:36,460 so nothing preceded him and nothing will be after him 152 00:07:36,460 --> 00:07:39,280 because he is alpha and omega of all things, amen. 153 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:43,860 God created all things and holds all things together. 154 00:07:43,860 --> 00:07:48,700 The heavens and the earth are held together by his word, 155 00:07:48,700 --> 00:07:53,380 both in heaven and on earth, both visible and invisible. 156 00:07:53,380 --> 00:07:54,500 Praise God. 157 00:07:54,500 --> 00:07:59,500 Colossians 1-16 says, for by him all things were created 158 00:07:59,740 --> 00:08:03,180 that are in heaven and that are on earth, 159 00:08:03,180 --> 00:08:07,140 visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions 160 00:08:07,140 --> 00:08:12,140 or principalities or powers, all things were created 161 00:08:12,300 --> 00:08:15,980 through him and for him. 162 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:18,940 This is important, all things, 163 00:08:18,940 --> 00:08:20,580 the last part of that scripture, 164 00:08:20,580 --> 00:08:24,220 all things were created through him and for him. 165 00:08:24,220 --> 00:08:29,220 In other words, everything that is created, he created it 166 00:08:29,260 --> 00:08:33,040 and secondly, he created it for himself. 167 00:08:33,980 --> 00:08:36,820 He didn't create nothing for you. 168 00:08:36,820 --> 00:08:40,060 I don't wanna burst your bubble right there. 169 00:08:40,060 --> 00:08:43,620 Praise God, he created nothing for you, praise God. 170 00:08:43,620 --> 00:08:48,540 He created all things and he created all things for himself. 171 00:08:48,540 --> 00:08:50,140 Bless the Lord, amen. 172 00:08:50,140 --> 00:08:51,660 And if you wanna be part of that, 173 00:08:51,660 --> 00:08:53,860 then you need to bless him. 174 00:08:53,860 --> 00:08:56,100 He made you for him. 175 00:08:56,100 --> 00:08:58,100 He didn't make you for anything else. 176 00:08:58,100 --> 00:08:59,860 He didn't make you for your career. 177 00:08:59,860 --> 00:09:03,740 He didn't make you to have best friends in this life. 178 00:09:03,740 --> 00:09:06,660 Even your wife and your husband, you might say, 179 00:09:06,660 --> 00:09:09,720 God didn't create me for you, he created me for him 180 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:12,220 and he just happened to put you there. 181 00:09:14,060 --> 00:09:19,060 Praise God, you're the second place, he's first place. 182 00:09:20,020 --> 00:09:22,380 Oh man, I think I made somebody feel bad right there 183 00:09:22,380 --> 00:09:25,540 and you thought you were number one, praise God. 184 00:09:25,540 --> 00:09:27,500 No, you're number second. 185 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:32,020 All creation, including humanity, 186 00:09:32,020 --> 00:09:35,700 was created by and through him for himself. 187 00:09:35,700 --> 00:09:40,700 Stewardship involves allowing God to work in and through us. 188 00:09:43,980 --> 00:09:45,100 Praise God. 189 00:09:45,100 --> 00:09:48,720 There is no room for selfishness in stewardship. 190 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:50,520 We're gonna talk about stewardship. 191 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:53,400 Grace and stewardship. 192 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:57,960 There is no room for selfishness in stewardship. 193 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:01,780 We should not put ourselves above God's purpose 194 00:10:01,780 --> 00:10:06,780 for ourselves, for our lives, which eliminates self glory. 195 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:09,240 He's gonna save you from that. 196 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:12,320 He's gonna save you from being self glorified. 197 00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:14,880 All glory belongs to God. 198 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:16,480 Can I get an amen right there? 199 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:18,320 And God alone. 200 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:20,600 This is what lordship is. 201 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:25,600 Lordship is accepting the sovereignty of God in our lives, 202 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:31,120 putting God first, accepting responsibility, 203 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:35,480 accepting accountability, personal obedience to God, 204 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:39,560 regardless of inconvenience or cost. 205 00:10:39,560 --> 00:10:42,800 Lordship is amazing and it is powerful 206 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:45,760 when we learn the sovereignty of God 207 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:49,260 and we learn who is Lord of our lives. 208 00:10:49,260 --> 00:10:51,520 All of these things become, amen, 209 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:55,840 something that we do every day, day in and day out. 210 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:58,160 We accept the sovereignty of God. 211 00:10:58,160 --> 00:11:01,720 We don't question God for what, this or that. 212 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:06,040 We don't question God if the stock market crashes tomorrow. 213 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:08,080 To God be the glory, amen. 214 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:10,720 And we don't question God as to who's first. 215 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:12,360 You're first in my life. 216 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:13,200 How? 217 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:14,440 Because I'm gonna prove it to you. 218 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:18,800 We gotta prove to God that he's first by the things we do. 219 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:21,560 Talk is cheap, like somebody said, right? 220 00:11:21,560 --> 00:11:23,160 But our actions are powerful. 221 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:26,640 They demonstrate who we really are and what we must do. 222 00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:29,520 Biblical stewardship is based upon 223 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:32,840 a spiritual relationship with God 224 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:37,480 and his lordship in all areas of life, 225 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:41,880 such as faithfulness, time, family, health, 226 00:11:41,880 --> 00:11:46,880 resources, talents, and even spiritual gifts, amen. 227 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:50,480 They all, these represent the stewardship 228 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:52,360 that has been given to us 229 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:54,820 when we have a relationship with God. 230 00:11:54,820 --> 00:11:57,400 Normally, when we think of stewardship, 231 00:11:57,400 --> 00:12:00,800 we think of how to manage money, 232 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:03,360 how to manage our possessions, amen. 233 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:08,360 But stewardship is about faithfulness. 234 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:09,640 Praise the Lord, somebody. 235 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:11,600 Stewardship is about faithfulness. 236 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:14,520 You might say, you know, how can I be a good steward? 237 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:17,940 Well, your faithfulness is the fruit of stewardship. 238 00:12:17,940 --> 00:12:20,060 If you're not being a good steward, 239 00:12:20,060 --> 00:12:21,920 you're not gonna have no fruit of it 240 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:23,480 because it comes through faithfulness. 241 00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:27,320 If you're faithful to God, then you can be a good steward. 242 00:12:27,320 --> 00:12:31,760 If you're having trouble serving in whatever capacity, 243 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:33,120 you know, I really wanna help, 244 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:34,400 I really wanna do something. 245 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:36,160 I wanna do something for God. 246 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:40,640 If you're not being faithful, praise God, somebody. 247 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:43,560 It's getting kinda quiet, but that's okay. 248 00:12:43,560 --> 00:12:46,200 I've preached to myself a lot of times. 249 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:47,040 I'm just kidding. 250 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:50,760 But faithfulness is of high priority. 251 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:52,840 1 Corinthians 4 and 2 says, 252 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:57,380 moreover, it is required in stewards 253 00:12:57,380 --> 00:13:01,520 that a man be found faithful. 254 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:04,200 Praise God, somebody say faithfulness. 255 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:06,580 Come on, faithfulness is important. 256 00:13:06,580 --> 00:13:10,480 It is required, it says, it is required in stewards. 257 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:13,200 If you're going to be a steward of God's grace, 258 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:15,840 you need to be a faithful person. 259 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:20,200 Stewardship is the way we handle those things in our lives 260 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:22,960 that God has given us, 261 00:13:22,960 --> 00:13:25,540 the things that he's deposited in our lives. 262 00:13:25,540 --> 00:13:28,000 You see, we're not supposed to be hoarders 263 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:29,480 of the things of God. 264 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:32,100 We don't hoard the things, we don't hang on to them. 265 00:13:32,100 --> 00:13:34,200 We don't just, you know, package it 266 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:36,360 and put it in a closet or in a barn 267 00:13:36,360 --> 00:13:38,360 like that foolish man did. 268 00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:40,220 He hoarded things in the barn. 269 00:13:40,220 --> 00:13:43,160 You know, and sat on his rocker thinking 270 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:46,280 that he's got something for the future. 271 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:47,580 I'm gonna tell you something, 272 00:13:47,580 --> 00:13:49,920 stewardship is not about that. 273 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:54,920 Stewardship is how we manage our God-given resources 274 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:58,160 for his glory, not our glory, 275 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:01,360 and for the good of others and the church. 276 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:05,080 When we put the church first, we are putting God first. 277 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:07,640 Amen, and that's how I can prove it. 278 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:11,120 You know, that is my dipstick, if you please, 279 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:13,720 a thermometer of how we do in God. 280 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:18,720 If you are a servant of God in his kingdom, 281 00:14:19,040 --> 00:14:21,760 then you're doing it for God's glory. 282 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:24,440 But if you're doing things for yourself, 283 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:27,320 for your self-gain, then you're not doing it for the church 284 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:31,340 and you are not a stewardship faithfully to God. 285 00:14:31,340 --> 00:14:36,340 Stewardship is a reflection of our relationship with God. 286 00:14:36,340 --> 00:14:38,420 Amen. 287 00:14:38,420 --> 00:14:41,060 Matthew 25 and 23 says this, 288 00:14:41,060 --> 00:14:46,060 well done, good and faithful servant. 289 00:14:46,060 --> 00:14:49,520 Thou has been faithful over a few things. 290 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:53,180 I will make thee ruler over many things. 291 00:14:53,180 --> 00:14:56,300 Enter thou into the joy of the Lord. 292 00:14:56,300 --> 00:14:58,100 We read that when, you know, 293 00:14:58,100 --> 00:15:01,500 somebody died at a funeral, this is, 294 00:15:01,500 --> 00:15:04,100 but I don't want that to be read at my funeral. 295 00:15:04,100 --> 00:15:08,180 I want to read it now because it affects me right now. 296 00:15:08,180 --> 00:15:10,460 I want God to, how many of you like it 297 00:15:10,460 --> 00:15:13,700 when the boss comes around and he taps you on the shoulder, 298 00:15:13,700 --> 00:15:15,660 he says, good job, man, well done. 299 00:15:15,660 --> 00:15:17,820 Doesn't that feel good? 300 00:15:17,820 --> 00:15:19,380 You know what I used to tell my boss? 301 00:15:19,380 --> 00:15:23,500 You know, he'd come around and he was real nice, you know, 302 00:15:23,500 --> 00:15:26,260 and he would tap me and say, oh man, good job, Joy. 303 00:15:26,260 --> 00:15:29,160 I said, don't butter me up without the bread. 304 00:15:29,160 --> 00:15:34,160 The money, yes sir. 305 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:38,920 You can butter me up all day, but give me the bread. 306 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:42,680 Put the butter on some bread and it's gonna be good, man. 307 00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:46,040 Praise God, that didn't cost you nothing there. 308 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:49,440 But hey, faithful servants say, man, 309 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:51,520 we're gonna be good over a few things. 310 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:55,080 You know, we got a few things that we can do for God. 311 00:15:55,080 --> 00:15:58,000 Don't you want to do something great for God? 312 00:15:58,000 --> 00:15:59,800 How many of you want to do something miraculous, 313 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:01,560 something great for God's kingdom? 314 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:04,200 You want to be, I mean, you want to be out of the paradise. 315 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:05,400 You want to be out of the, 316 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:09,120 out of the, what they call the mediocrity. 317 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:11,280 You want to get out there and do something great, 318 00:16:11,280 --> 00:16:15,960 not for yourself, but because you are serving God Almighty. 319 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:18,160 You want to represent God. 320 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:22,680 God requires faithfulness in stewards. 321 00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:23,960 A biblical character, 322 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:26,000 and I want to just touch on this character a little bit, 323 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:28,840 a biblical character that I would like to reference 324 00:16:28,840 --> 00:16:31,080 is the life of Eliezer. 325 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:35,440 Eliezer was Abraham's closest servant. 326 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:39,000 Eliezer's stewardship depended 327 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:42,240 on his closeness to his master. 328 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:45,800 Only then can any steward understand 329 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:49,080 and know the heart of the master. 330 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:52,200 In Genesis 15 and two, it tells us 331 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:53,840 there's something interesting. 332 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:55,880 This has always impacted my life. 333 00:16:55,880 --> 00:17:00,880 It says, but Abram said, Lord God, what will you give me? 334 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:04,960 Seeing I go childless 335 00:17:04,960 --> 00:17:09,960 and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus? 336 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:12,800 This is an interesting statement 337 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:15,920 coming from the richest man in the world. 338 00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:16,760 Praise God. 339 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:19,280 And you know, I've been kind of watching 340 00:17:19,280 --> 00:17:22,560 and hearing how people respond to the wills 341 00:17:22,560 --> 00:17:24,840 and of their parents and whatnot. 342 00:17:24,840 --> 00:17:26,800 And I've even seen bumper stickers 343 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:29,080 in the back of a really nice motor home 344 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:30,200 going down the road. 345 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:33,640 It says, I'm spending my children's inheritance. 346 00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:37,680 I'm not leaving them nothing, man. 347 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:39,720 Well, praise God, there's people that are like that. 348 00:17:39,720 --> 00:17:41,080 They think that way. 349 00:17:41,080 --> 00:17:44,280 But you know, Abraham had a different mentality 350 00:17:44,280 --> 00:17:45,840 because you see, Abraham, 351 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:49,040 he knew that he was called out 352 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:52,640 for something special and miraculous. 353 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:54,720 It depended on him. 354 00:17:54,720 --> 00:17:56,520 But he was childless. 355 00:17:56,520 --> 00:18:00,840 And what will I leave my inheritance to? 356 00:18:00,840 --> 00:18:05,840 And then he says, he questioned God Eliezer of Damascus? 357 00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:08,240 Do you want me to give it to him? 358 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:13,240 And the Hebrew name Eliezer means God is my help. 359 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:20,400 That's what that name means, God is my help. 360 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:22,840 The first and most notable is that 361 00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:27,080 he was Abraham's most trusted servant. 362 00:18:27,080 --> 00:18:31,800 Eliezer of Damascus would have inherited Abraham's fortune 363 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:34,480 if Isaac had not been born. 364 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:38,200 I imagine that Eliezer was probably keeping 365 00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:41,680 Abraham and Sarah apart. 366 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:44,600 So, I'm just kidding you there. 367 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:46,760 So they wouldn't have a child, right? 368 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:49,240 You sleep over there, Abraham and Sarah, you sleep over, 369 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:50,640 you're too old. 370 00:18:51,680 --> 00:18:52,720 Really? 371 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:54,800 Why, because you want the inheritance? 372 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:57,640 No, Eliezer didn't think like that. 373 00:18:57,640 --> 00:19:00,960 He wanted the best for his master. 374 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:05,680 He, of course, he knew the greatness of this man. 375 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:08,480 He understood the riches that he was, 376 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:11,400 simply said his name means this 377 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:16,400 because he helped Abraham through his life. 378 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:20,000 Eliezer helped Abraham accomplish 379 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:22,120 what Abraham needed to do. 380 00:19:22,120 --> 00:19:26,400 Not many people know Eliezer of Damascus. 381 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:30,200 He's not one of the most prominent Bible characters, amen. 382 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:35,200 However, this man played a major role in Abraham's life. 383 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:40,000 A steward is a person that is responsible 384 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:42,920 for managing the property and the affairs 385 00:19:42,920 --> 00:19:46,160 of his master or others. 386 00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:48,520 In the case of Eliezer, 387 00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:53,520 he had an enormous responsibility in managing the affairs 388 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:58,680 of his master Abraham, who was considered in that time 389 00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:01,760 the wealthiest man in the world. 390 00:20:01,760 --> 00:20:06,520 In Genesis 13, two, it says Abram was very rich 391 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:10,240 in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 392 00:20:10,240 --> 00:20:12,000 Wow, praise God. 393 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:14,640 Eliezer recognized his master's wealth. 394 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:17,400 He knew his master was wealthy. 395 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:19,760 In Genesis 24 and 34 it says, 396 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:23,200 so he said, I'm Abraham's servant. 397 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:24,520 This is his confession. 398 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:27,240 I am Abraham's servant. 399 00:20:27,240 --> 00:20:30,400 The Lord has blessed my master greatly 400 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:34,480 and he has become great and he has given him flocks 401 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:38,240 and herds, silver and gold, male and female servants, 402 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:39,880 and camels and donkeys. 403 00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:42,680 You see, when you acknowledge how great your God is, 404 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:45,160 you're gonna talk about it, praise the Lord. 405 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:46,680 It says you're gonna talk about it. 406 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:51,560 I don't know what your father or the Lord of lords is to you, 407 00:20:51,560 --> 00:20:54,040 but he is everything to me. 408 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:56,240 I wanna brag a little bit about him. 409 00:20:56,240 --> 00:20:59,520 You see, Eliezer bragged about his master. 410 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:01,760 He told people, you know my master, 411 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:04,440 he's got everything he needs. 412 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:07,960 He doesn't need nobody, but he's got everything. 413 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:10,880 All the riches in the world belong to him. 414 00:21:10,880 --> 00:21:12,360 And I wish that somebody, 415 00:21:12,360 --> 00:21:14,440 as you walk out of these doors today, 416 00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:17,080 find the first person you can and tell them, 417 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:20,920 you know who my father is, you know who my master is. 418 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:23,840 He's the Lord of lords, the King of kings. 419 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:27,680 He has everything at his dispense. 420 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:28,640 And guess what? 421 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:30,520 I am his steward. 422 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:33,400 Praise God. 423 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:38,400 So you see, we are stewards of his grace. 424 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:41,560 We are stewards of his wealth. 425 00:21:41,560 --> 00:21:44,760 We are steward of his mercy. 426 00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:47,520 We are stewards of his love. 427 00:21:47,520 --> 00:21:50,880 We are stewards of everything that he is 428 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:53,840 and everything that he possesses. 429 00:21:53,840 --> 00:21:58,120 Through the years, Abraham found Eliezer 430 00:21:58,120 --> 00:22:00,560 to be faithful and dependable. 431 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:03,240 So much so that Abraham chose him 432 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:05,440 to carry out a most important task. 433 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:07,320 And you all know this story. 434 00:22:07,320 --> 00:22:10,840 Abraham, according to Genesis 24, sent Eliezer 435 00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:14,520 hundreds of miles away to find a wife 436 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:19,920 that was spiritually suitable for his only son, Isaac. 437 00:22:21,040 --> 00:22:24,440 Isn't this what God expects from us? 438 00:22:24,440 --> 00:22:27,880 Aren't we also seeking a wife for the Lord? 439 00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:30,080 Hello. 440 00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:35,960 Aren't we evangelizing the world in search for a wife 441 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:40,960 and then preparing her for the Lord through his grace? 442 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:46,160 God has entrusted us with his grace 443 00:22:46,360 --> 00:22:51,360 to find him a bride, to find him a wife. 444 00:22:52,040 --> 00:22:56,160 That is your most, and that is above everything else 445 00:22:56,160 --> 00:22:59,080 that you have to do in the kingdom of God, 446 00:22:59,080 --> 00:23:02,840 above everything else that you have to do in this life. 447 00:23:02,840 --> 00:23:05,320 Amen, everything that you do from the morning 448 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:08,240 until you lay your head at night. 449 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:13,240 Your mission and your commission is find the Lord a wife. 450 00:23:17,360 --> 00:23:18,880 Praise God. 451 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:21,560 God entrusted us with this. 452 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:23,680 This is our mission. 453 00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:27,640 He wants a bride. 454 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:28,920 Praise the Lord. 455 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:30,640 God has entrusted that on you. 456 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:32,840 Second Corinthians 9 and 8, 457 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:34,800 Paul declared to the Corinthians, 458 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:37,800 and he said this in Second Corinthians 9 and 8, 459 00:23:37,800 --> 00:23:41,680 he said, God is able to make all grace abound toward you 460 00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:44,560 that you always having all sufficiency in all things 461 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:47,920 may abound to every good work. 462 00:23:49,160 --> 00:23:54,160 Grace is the fuel to our work, to become a servant. 463 00:23:56,680 --> 00:24:00,040 Grace is our motivation. 464 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:05,040 Paul said that God has grace sufficient for each one 465 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:10,440 of our needs, enabling us by his grace to do the good works 466 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:13,080 he wants us to do and to live the life 467 00:24:13,080 --> 00:24:15,720 that he has called us to live. 468 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:20,720 Grace is not grace until it has been imparted and shared. 469 00:24:22,160 --> 00:24:25,240 We cannot hoard grace in our lives and think 470 00:24:25,240 --> 00:24:28,280 that we're just gonna accumulate as much grace as we can 471 00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:29,920 for ourselves. 472 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:31,600 Grace is like love. 473 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:35,280 It's not love until you've given it away. 474 00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:37,880 Nobody's gonna know about the love of God 475 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:39,280 until you give it away. 476 00:24:39,280 --> 00:24:42,120 Nobody's gonna know about the grace of God 477 00:24:42,120 --> 00:24:44,680 until you have given it away. 478 00:24:44,680 --> 00:24:48,320 Eliezer succeeded in his assignment with God's help 479 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:52,000 in finding Rebecca for Isaac. 480 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:56,020 No matter what Abraham placed in Eliezer's hands, 481 00:24:56,020 --> 00:25:01,020 Eliezer was found to be faithful and dependable 482 00:25:01,220 --> 00:25:05,020 in promoting his master's best interest. 483 00:25:05,020 --> 00:25:09,100 And mention, I mention Eliezer because he is the ideal 484 00:25:09,100 --> 00:25:13,180 example for us to imitate. 485 00:25:13,180 --> 00:25:16,420 In 1 Peter 410 that we read in our opening scripture, 486 00:25:16,420 --> 00:25:20,740 it says, good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 487 00:25:20,740 --> 00:25:24,760 Knowing that God owns everything, we must understand 488 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:29,020 that we do not even own our own time, our money, 489 00:25:29,020 --> 00:25:33,020 our health, our resources, our talents, and even our gifts. 490 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:38,900 In actuality, God owns our entire being. 491 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:44,840 If you own your car, his name is on the title. 492 00:25:45,820 --> 00:25:49,700 If you own a home, his name is on the deed. 493 00:25:49,700 --> 00:25:54,700 If you are married, his name is on the covenant. 494 00:25:55,020 --> 00:25:58,220 If you have children, he owns them. 495 00:25:58,220 --> 00:26:00,900 We are merely guardians. 496 00:26:00,900 --> 00:26:05,700 If you own a business, he is the registered owner. 497 00:26:05,700 --> 00:26:10,060 And he's not a fictitious name, he's a real name. 498 00:26:10,060 --> 00:26:12,340 Somebody say, praise the Lord, you go open a business, 499 00:26:12,340 --> 00:26:14,080 you gotta put down a fictitious name. 500 00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:16,100 Amen, praise God, not him. 501 00:26:16,100 --> 00:26:19,020 Don't make him fictitious, he's the real deal. 502 00:26:19,020 --> 00:26:23,300 We are merely stewards of our master, Jesus Christ. 503 00:26:23,300 --> 00:26:25,900 In 1 Corinthians 6, 19 it says, 504 00:26:25,900 --> 00:26:29,020 or do you not know that your body is the temple 505 00:26:29,020 --> 00:26:31,060 of the Holy Spirit who is in you, 506 00:26:31,060 --> 00:26:36,060 whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 507 00:26:36,060 --> 00:26:39,140 Oh, we need to be reminded once in a while, 508 00:26:39,140 --> 00:26:41,420 especially when we're going through something, you know, 509 00:26:41,420 --> 00:26:45,500 and we can't find a way out, and we're having difficulty, 510 00:26:45,500 --> 00:26:50,500 whether it's with a wayward child or a sickness or something. 511 00:26:51,700 --> 00:26:55,540 Don't you know that God owns you? 512 00:26:55,540 --> 00:26:58,860 And he doesn't abandon his own. 513 00:26:58,860 --> 00:27:03,060 He'll heal your body, he'll pick you up from there. 514 00:27:03,060 --> 00:27:06,900 He'll set you on heavenly places with him. 515 00:27:06,900 --> 00:27:09,460 Praise be to God, he owns you. 516 00:27:09,460 --> 00:27:11,740 So if your business is your business, 517 00:27:11,740 --> 00:27:15,380 he owns your business, it's gonna go well for you. 518 00:27:15,380 --> 00:27:19,020 Every investment that you make, it's gonna go well for you. 519 00:27:19,020 --> 00:27:23,640 It will be prospered, and everywhere and everything you do, 520 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:25,220 you'll be prospered. 521 00:27:25,220 --> 00:27:29,260 Never mind all the creation, never mind the animal kingdom, 522 00:27:29,260 --> 00:27:32,500 never mind nature, never mind the universe. 523 00:27:32,500 --> 00:27:36,300 What God is interested in is you. 524 00:27:36,300 --> 00:27:39,580 God wants you. 525 00:27:39,580 --> 00:27:41,940 He did not come to save the world physically, 526 00:27:41,940 --> 00:27:45,980 he came to save humanity, which typifies the very reason 527 00:27:45,980 --> 00:27:50,260 why he created everything, including the world. 528 00:27:50,260 --> 00:27:54,540 He did not deposit the Holy Spirit in anything else 529 00:27:54,540 --> 00:27:56,380 other than humanity. 530 00:27:56,380 --> 00:28:00,260 Animals don't have the Holy Ghost, we have the Holy Spirit. 531 00:28:00,260 --> 00:28:02,500 Somebody say, praise God. 532 00:28:02,500 --> 00:28:04,940 I can just see your dog speaking in tongues out there, 533 00:28:04,940 --> 00:28:05,780 I don't know. 534 00:28:07,820 --> 00:28:10,340 Dogs bark, praise God, 535 00:28:10,340 --> 00:28:13,220 but animals don't get the Holy Ghost, we do. 536 00:28:13,220 --> 00:28:15,180 Isn't that something special? 537 00:28:15,180 --> 00:28:17,740 Praise God, and above all, amen. 538 00:28:17,740 --> 00:28:20,140 Doesn't matter where a man goes in the outer space, 539 00:28:20,140 --> 00:28:22,460 unfortunately there's two astronauts, 540 00:28:22,460 --> 00:28:23,640 they went up for eight days, 541 00:28:23,640 --> 00:28:25,500 and they're gonna be up there for eight months. 542 00:28:25,500 --> 00:28:27,540 God help us, amen. 543 00:28:27,540 --> 00:28:30,460 What man wants to know, praise God, 544 00:28:30,460 --> 00:28:33,780 God can show it to us in an instant, just like that. 545 00:28:33,780 --> 00:28:36,100 He's the owner of all things. 546 00:28:36,100 --> 00:28:40,740 In his manifold grace, he grants us all that we have 547 00:28:40,740 --> 00:28:43,100 and enjoy in this life. 548 00:28:43,100 --> 00:28:46,520 We are stewards then of what God gives us. 549 00:28:46,520 --> 00:28:50,580 Peter said that everything we are given 550 00:28:50,580 --> 00:28:54,520 is with the purpose of God's best interest. 551 00:28:55,820 --> 00:28:59,540 Ephesians 4, 29 and 30, the Apostle said, 552 00:28:59,540 --> 00:29:02,700 let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, 553 00:29:02,700 --> 00:29:07,140 but what is good for necessary edification, 554 00:29:07,140 --> 00:29:11,300 that it may impart grace to the hearers. 555 00:29:11,300 --> 00:29:16,300 Imparting grace is of great importance in God's kingdom, 556 00:29:16,940 --> 00:29:20,760 because nobody else can do it but you and me 557 00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:22,780 that have the Holy Spirit. 558 00:29:22,780 --> 00:29:27,440 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, 559 00:29:27,440 --> 00:29:32,440 by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 560 00:29:32,880 --> 00:29:35,000 Let us not grieve the Holy Spirit. 561 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:36,920 How do we grieve the Holy Spirit? 562 00:29:36,920 --> 00:29:40,240 We grieve the Holy Spirit when somebody needs to know 563 00:29:40,240 --> 00:29:42,760 about Jesus and we don't say nothing. 564 00:29:44,120 --> 00:29:45,920 Paz de Cristo. 565 00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:49,080 Cuando nos quedamos con la boca callada ya cerrada. 566 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:53,640 Woo, la grace de Dios no hace su trabajo. 567 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:58,560 The grace does not do its work if we just shut up. 568 00:29:58,560 --> 00:30:01,080 If we don't say nothing, if we don't open our mouth 569 00:30:01,080 --> 00:30:03,360 and we know that person does not know God, 570 00:30:03,360 --> 00:30:05,320 especially the way they're acting and do it, 571 00:30:05,320 --> 00:30:08,260 and we don't tell them about the grace of God, 572 00:30:08,260 --> 00:30:10,360 we're not being good stewards. 573 00:30:10,360 --> 00:30:11,920 God is trusting you. 574 00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:15,720 Can you imagine the Holy Ghost frustrated within us, 575 00:30:15,720 --> 00:30:17,360 grieving the Spirit of God, 576 00:30:17,360 --> 00:30:19,160 because we don't open our mouth and tell him, 577 00:30:19,160 --> 00:30:20,680 Jesus loves you. 578 00:30:20,680 --> 00:30:25,200 Silver and gold have I none but such as I have, 579 00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:28,160 which you have is the grace of God. 580 00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:31,960 Lift up that person from that place where they are. 581 00:30:31,960 --> 00:30:34,280 Don't grieve the Holy Spirit. 582 00:30:35,940 --> 00:30:38,840 If we grieve the Holy Spirit, 583 00:30:38,840 --> 00:30:42,860 we are working against the plan and the mission of God. 584 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:48,040 God can and will use us through his Spirit 585 00:30:48,040 --> 00:30:51,560 to impart grace to the hearers. 586 00:30:51,560 --> 00:30:53,940 We have to speak his word. 587 00:30:53,940 --> 00:30:56,080 We have to say his word. 588 00:30:56,080 --> 00:30:58,600 We have to be instant, in season, out of season. 589 00:30:58,600 --> 00:31:01,120 That's not just for the preachers, that's for all of us, 590 00:31:01,120 --> 00:31:03,500 to be instant, in season, and out of season. 591 00:31:03,500 --> 00:31:05,640 If the pianist can come up now, praise God. 592 00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:07,440 Praise the Lord. 593 00:31:07,440 --> 00:31:09,240 And we need to be instant. 594 00:31:09,240 --> 00:31:13,000 We need to be ready to speak his word. 595 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:16,420 And to whatever situation confronts us, 596 00:31:16,420 --> 00:31:19,200 if you're on the way to your church or something happens, 597 00:31:19,200 --> 00:31:20,640 you get an opportunity. 598 00:31:21,600 --> 00:31:24,140 Extend your hand and help somebody. 599 00:31:24,140 --> 00:31:27,500 Nobody's gonna trip on the little sign 600 00:31:27,500 --> 00:31:29,880 that you have out there, really nice. 601 00:31:29,880 --> 00:31:31,520 Nobody's gonna trip on that, 602 00:31:31,520 --> 00:31:32,960 where they're walking their dog, 603 00:31:32,960 --> 00:31:36,240 so, oh, Annapolis, Stolle Church, City Light. 604 00:31:37,360 --> 00:31:38,800 I think I'll go in. 605 00:31:39,840 --> 00:31:41,280 They're gonna do that. 606 00:31:41,280 --> 00:31:46,280 Chances are, if they trip, they're gonna wanna sue us. 607 00:31:47,520 --> 00:31:49,260 Believe me, I know. 608 00:31:49,260 --> 00:31:53,560 And, but, the sign is not there for somebody to trip on. 609 00:31:53,560 --> 00:31:56,640 The sign there is to identify as yes, 610 00:31:56,640 --> 00:31:59,720 but you are the voice of God. 611 00:31:59,720 --> 00:32:01,840 Don't grieve the Holy Spirit. 612 00:32:01,840 --> 00:32:04,620 I challenge somebody here today. 613 00:32:04,620 --> 00:32:05,900 I challenge you. 614 00:32:05,900 --> 00:32:10,900 As our assignment as stewards of grace, 615 00:32:11,300 --> 00:32:14,420 to impart to our community, 616 00:32:15,780 --> 00:32:20,620 to impart to our neighbors, our co-labors, 617 00:32:21,700 --> 00:32:26,700 to an unsafe family, ultimately the world. 618 00:32:28,280 --> 00:32:29,880 I challenge you today. 619 00:32:30,860 --> 00:32:33,500 If there's somebody that you can think of right now 620 00:32:33,500 --> 00:32:37,060 or that you passed by yesterday or this week, 621 00:32:37,060 --> 00:32:38,460 that doesn't know God, 622 00:32:40,140 --> 00:32:43,420 God is looking for stewards of his grace, 623 00:32:43,420 --> 00:32:46,940 stewards that will have the word in their mouth 624 00:32:46,940 --> 00:32:51,420 to speak grace into people's life. 625 00:32:55,180 --> 00:32:57,580 And this is what we do in this life. 626 00:32:57,580 --> 00:33:02,260 There's nothing more important than a lost soul to get saved. 627 00:33:02,260 --> 00:33:03,980 There's no important, nothing more. 628 00:33:03,980 --> 00:33:08,680 Let us not build the church with two by fours and concrete. 629 00:33:08,680 --> 00:33:11,500 Let's build the church with people. 630 00:33:11,500 --> 00:33:14,340 Build the church with people, lives, souls 631 00:33:14,340 --> 00:33:16,840 that need what we have. 632 00:33:18,360 --> 00:33:22,460 Don't let a week or a day go by 633 00:33:22,460 --> 00:33:26,020 without being a steward of his grace. 634 00:33:26,020 --> 00:33:29,820 Tell somebody, come over to my house for a cup of coffee. 635 00:33:29,820 --> 00:33:33,220 Well, let's meet at the donut shop or Starbucks 636 00:33:33,220 --> 00:33:35,700 or somewhere in the park. 637 00:33:35,700 --> 00:33:38,180 Let's meet, I wanna share something with you. 638 00:33:39,100 --> 00:33:42,380 That is the grace of God. 639 00:33:42,380 --> 00:33:44,300 That's what God wants. 640 00:33:44,300 --> 00:33:49,300 He sent Eliezer to find him a wife. 641 00:33:49,460 --> 00:33:52,820 What if Eliezer would have gotten distracted along the way? 642 00:33:53,700 --> 00:33:56,540 What if all the camels and the servants that were with him 643 00:33:56,540 --> 00:34:00,460 with all the riches of his master to go and find him a wife, 644 00:34:00,460 --> 00:34:03,220 he got distracted along the way and said, 645 00:34:03,220 --> 00:34:06,820 oh, you know what, this is a good place to start a career. 646 00:34:06,820 --> 00:34:09,380 This is a good place to build a home. 647 00:34:09,380 --> 00:34:12,460 This is a good place that we can just settle down 648 00:34:12,460 --> 00:34:15,100 and let's enjoy the beach over here. 649 00:34:15,100 --> 00:34:18,820 This is a good place to just have a party. 650 00:34:18,820 --> 00:34:21,860 Let's have a picnic right here. 651 00:34:22,880 --> 00:34:25,180 You see, Eliezer was not distracted. 652 00:34:25,180 --> 00:34:27,500 He was on a mission. 653 00:34:27,500 --> 00:34:32,500 I gotta find a wife for my master's son. 654 00:34:34,980 --> 00:34:36,560 I gotta find a wife. 655 00:34:38,220 --> 00:34:43,220 And you know, the Lord put that wife, she came to him. 656 00:34:44,740 --> 00:34:45,660 He didn't go look. 657 00:34:45,660 --> 00:34:50,100 You see, when we have a purpose to share grace 658 00:34:50,100 --> 00:34:52,180 and when we make up our mind 659 00:34:52,180 --> 00:34:54,180 that we're gonna share the grace of God, 660 00:34:54,180 --> 00:34:57,640 God will bring the people to you. 661 00:34:59,540 --> 00:35:01,080 He'll bring them to you. 662 00:35:02,340 --> 00:35:04,800 They'll be right there in front of you. 663 00:35:04,800 --> 00:35:06,380 What an opportunity. 664 00:35:07,280 --> 00:35:10,660 You see, because Eliezer didn't go into the city, 665 00:35:10,660 --> 00:35:11,740 he didn't go looking. 666 00:35:11,740 --> 00:35:16,740 He saw this woman and he knew that's her. 667 00:35:20,660 --> 00:35:22,100 That's her, look at her. 668 00:35:22,100 --> 00:35:26,980 She offered to give our camels to drink and wow. 669 00:35:26,980 --> 00:35:31,980 You see, God would lead you to the lost 670 00:35:33,420 --> 00:35:37,380 if your purpose is not distracted. 671 00:35:37,380 --> 00:35:41,020 If you're not into yourself and you know, 672 00:35:41,880 --> 00:35:43,380 I'm gonna tell you something. 673 00:35:44,880 --> 00:35:46,660 You can stand with me, please. 674 00:35:48,580 --> 00:35:50,060 I'm sure there's little testimony. 675 00:35:50,060 --> 00:35:54,340 When I worked at IBM, I worked with a lot of 676 00:35:54,340 --> 00:35:56,220 different kinds of people. 677 00:35:56,220 --> 00:36:00,300 But there was this one Chinese fella. 678 00:36:01,620 --> 00:36:02,540 He was an engineer. 679 00:36:02,540 --> 00:36:07,540 He was high up there in the hierarchy of corporate world. 680 00:36:08,780 --> 00:36:10,000 He was an investor. 681 00:36:11,100 --> 00:36:14,460 And he was always talking about how much he had in stocks. 682 00:36:15,940 --> 00:36:18,760 Oh, the man was doing good. 683 00:36:18,760 --> 00:36:22,120 He had a going. 684 00:36:22,120 --> 00:36:25,120 He drove, he used to drive one of those S500s 685 00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:27,400 or is that what they called it, 500s? 686 00:36:27,400 --> 00:36:29,960 I don't know, Mercedes convertibles. 687 00:36:29,960 --> 00:36:33,400 And back in that time, it was amazing, wow. 688 00:36:33,400 --> 00:36:36,640 He'd drive around with the top down everywhere 689 00:36:36,640 --> 00:36:39,680 and he was well off. 690 00:36:39,680 --> 00:36:42,040 One day I came in on a Monday morning. 691 00:36:42,040 --> 00:36:47,040 When I came into the building, I heard this cry. 692 00:36:51,040 --> 00:36:53,920 A grown man crying. 693 00:36:55,400 --> 00:36:58,920 And it struck me on, it says what, somebody died? 694 00:36:58,920 --> 00:36:59,760 Or what happened? 695 00:36:59,760 --> 00:37:03,400 And I came in and walking around 696 00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:08,400 and there he was in his office crying like a baby 697 00:37:08,400 --> 00:37:13,400 over his desk just pounding it and crying. 698 00:37:14,560 --> 00:37:17,160 And I asked somebody, what's going on? 699 00:37:17,160 --> 00:37:18,640 He says, didn't you hear? 700 00:37:18,640 --> 00:37:22,340 I said, no, the stock market crashed. 701 00:37:23,400 --> 00:37:25,520 He lost everything. 702 00:37:27,920 --> 00:37:30,320 And me, I wasn't an investor like that. 703 00:37:30,320 --> 00:37:31,480 What do I know? 704 00:37:31,480 --> 00:37:33,960 I said, so what's wrong with a guy putting everything 705 00:37:33,960 --> 00:37:35,600 in something like this? 706 00:37:35,600 --> 00:37:36,980 He had everything. 707 00:37:36,980 --> 00:37:41,420 He was crying like a baby. 708 00:37:41,420 --> 00:37:44,860 He lost it all, just like that. 709 00:37:46,980 --> 00:37:47,820 Gone. 710 00:37:50,180 --> 00:37:52,680 So that was an awakening to me. 711 00:37:54,340 --> 00:37:59,340 Not to put my treasures in this world 712 00:38:01,380 --> 00:38:05,020 but to invest everything I have in God. 713 00:38:05,020 --> 00:38:09,500 I'd rather where there's no thief, 714 00:38:09,500 --> 00:38:13,020 no stock market is gonna affect that. 715 00:38:13,020 --> 00:38:15,420 It doesn't matter what the world does 716 00:38:15,420 --> 00:38:17,820 when we invest in Jesus. 717 00:38:17,820 --> 00:38:19,660 Blessed be the name of the Lord, 718 00:38:19,660 --> 00:38:22,460 everything is gonna be all right. 719 00:38:22,460 --> 00:38:25,500 We may not be the wealthiest or the richest people 720 00:38:25,500 --> 00:38:30,180 in the world but we are the most content people 721 00:38:30,180 --> 00:38:31,020 in the world. 722 00:38:31,020 --> 00:38:35,700 God bless God and the world cannot control 723 00:38:35,700 --> 00:38:40,060 what the economy does but God can control our economy 724 00:38:41,020 --> 00:38:42,420 in the church. 725 00:38:42,420 --> 00:38:46,120 But more importantly than those things, 726 00:38:48,220 --> 00:38:52,020 there's only one thing that has value in this world 727 00:38:52,020 --> 00:38:55,220 to our master, that's a soul. 728 00:38:55,220 --> 00:39:00,220 If we can lead one of those souls to the master, 729 00:39:05,240 --> 00:39:06,560 we're doing our job. 730 00:39:08,240 --> 00:39:11,500 That's stewards of grace. 731 00:39:11,500 --> 00:39:13,620 I'm gonna ask you today, 732 00:39:16,040 --> 00:39:18,320 I know that this is, I'm not the pastor here 733 00:39:18,320 --> 00:39:21,000 but I'm sure he'll be okay with this 734 00:39:21,000 --> 00:39:23,680 and if everybody brought a soul next week, 735 00:39:23,680 --> 00:39:25,000 I think we'll be okay. 736 00:39:26,000 --> 00:39:31,000 But I'm gonna ask you, if you want God to use you 737 00:39:32,280 --> 00:39:37,280 as a steward of grace to reach one soul, 738 00:39:38,640 --> 00:39:42,760 I wanna pray with you, come on up, come on up. 739 00:39:42,760 --> 00:39:46,520 Let's pray together, this is just me. 740 00:39:46,520 --> 00:39:51,520 Come on up, come on up. 741 00:39:51,520 --> 00:39:56,520 We can win a soul if we can be stewards of his grace. 742 00:40:04,500 --> 00:40:07,060 I wanna speak to that person that has been 743 00:40:07,060 --> 00:40:10,580 at the coffee shop every week and I see them 744 00:40:10,580 --> 00:40:11,760 and I say hi. 745 00:40:11,760 --> 00:40:16,640 That person that walks their dog around the neighborhood 746 00:40:16,640 --> 00:40:21,220 and always says hi to you when they come by. 747 00:40:23,560 --> 00:40:28,560 Or that family that's at the same school as your children. 748 00:40:33,640 --> 00:40:35,380 Let's build up courage. 749 00:40:36,760 --> 00:40:38,600 Let's not become distracted. 750 00:40:38,600 --> 00:40:43,600 The liaison was not distracted, he was on a mission 751 00:40:46,040 --> 00:40:47,540 and we are on a mission. 752 00:40:51,560 --> 00:40:54,720 Can we just open our hearts to the Lord and say, 753 00:40:54,720 --> 00:40:58,640 Lord, if you can use anything, you can use me. 754 00:40:59,900 --> 00:41:02,640 I'm available to you Lord. 755 00:41:02,640 --> 00:41:07,640 I'm your steward, faithful, I'll do it for you Jesus. 756 00:41:10,160 --> 00:41:15,160 I won't get distracted with the affairs of life. 757 00:41:15,600 --> 00:41:20,100 I won't get distracted with politics. 758 00:41:21,180 --> 00:41:26,180 I won't get distracted Lord with the things that surround us. 759 00:41:28,360 --> 00:41:30,100 I wanna stick with the mission. 760 00:41:30,100 --> 00:41:33,100 I wanna be a steward of grace. 761 00:41:34,580 --> 00:41:36,220 Let us pray together. 762 00:41:36,220 --> 00:41:37,180 Vamos a orar juntos. 763 00:41:37,180 --> 00:41:41,620 Let us pray together and pray that somehow, some way, 764 00:41:41,620 --> 00:41:46,620 you and I can be a steward of grace this week. 765 00:41:47,300 --> 00:41:52,300 God in your name, Father I thank you for your word 766 00:41:52,300 --> 00:41:57,300 that is easily understood but sometimes difficult to accept. 767 00:42:03,820 --> 00:42:05,460 But I accept it today. 768 00:42:06,980 --> 00:42:11,220 I accept your word Lord that you are looking for stewards 769 00:42:11,220 --> 00:42:16,220 of your grace to reach the unsaved. 770 00:42:17,340 --> 00:42:20,180 That is your treasure. 771 00:42:20,180 --> 00:42:22,740 That's your treasure Lord. 772 00:42:22,740 --> 00:42:25,860 Help me to uncover that treasure. 773 00:42:25,860 --> 00:42:30,300 Help me to reach down and help that situation. 774 00:42:31,220 --> 00:42:35,140 Let me go to that hospital room and pray for that family. 775 00:42:36,060 --> 00:42:39,540 Let me pray for my neighbors, pray for my co-labors, 776 00:42:39,540 --> 00:42:42,540 pray for my extended family. 777 00:42:42,540 --> 00:42:44,620 I'll go to the prison house. 778 00:42:44,620 --> 00:42:47,820 I'll go to the hospital. 779 00:42:47,820 --> 00:42:51,060 I'll go to wherever you send me. 780 00:42:51,060 --> 00:42:55,700 And I'll tell them your grace is sufficient. 781 00:42:56,620 --> 00:42:58,740 Your grace is sufficient. 782 00:42:59,740 --> 00:43:04,740 Father in the name of Jesus, I decree and I declare 783 00:43:05,380 --> 00:43:09,820 upon all of us here today and including myself Lord, 784 00:43:09,820 --> 00:43:14,660 help us to be faithful, so ever faithful to you, 785 00:43:14,660 --> 00:43:15,660 to your grace. 786 00:43:15,660 --> 00:43:20,660 Oh, hallelujah.