Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Here is a helpful outline on Stewardship by Robert Morey. It is taken
from "The Encyclopedia of Practical Christianity." If anyone
experiences formatting issues, I have attached a pdf of the article.
If it is reposted online or anywhere else, be sure to include "Used
with permission by Faith Defenders" and this email is your permission!
(I work for this ministry). Enjoy, and may God bless your study!

In Jesus,

Stephen Macasil
Faith Defenders
Biblical Thought

-----

Chapter Seventeen
Stewardship



Foundational Principles
I. Every Christian must look upon himself as a steward of the things
of God (1 Pet. 4:7–11)
Definition: A steward is a person who has the responsibility of
managing the money and possessions which belong to someone else (Lk.
16:1–12).
II. Stewardship is based on the fact that God owns everything and that
we do not own anything, not even ourselves (Psa. 24:1, 2; Lev. 25:23;
1 Cor. 6:19, 20).
III. Stewardship involves a threefold managing of the money God has given to us.
SPENDING GIVING SAVING
Prov. 21:20
Luke 15:13 Luke 6:38
Acts 20:35 Prov. 6:6–11
2 Cor. 12:14
Prov. 11:24–26, 28
Matt. 6:19–21

The point is that God is so concerned with what we do with his money
that He has put in Scripture clear-cut financial principles which are
to regulate our spending, giving and saving.
Are you a faithful steward? (1 Cor. 4:2)



The Book of Proverbs on Money
I. Principles of Earning Money
1. Do not profit through crimes such as theft (1:10–19).
2. The hard-working ants show lazy people the right path (6:6–11).
3. Ill-gotten money will not ultimately profit (10:2).
4. Negligence leads to poverty (10:4).
5. Diligence leads to wealth (10:4).
6. Employers hate lazy workers (10:26).
7. God hates cheating (11:1, 20:10, 23).
8. God loves honesty (11:1).
9. Hard work pays off (12:11; 14:23).
10. Daydreamers will fail in life (12:11; 28:19).
11. Lazy people are always greedy and covetous (13:4).
12. Hard work is good for mental health (13:4).
13. Wealth obtained through fraud is spent quickly (13:11).
14. Wealth obtained by hard work accumulates (13:11).
15. Those who merely talk instead of work, become poor (14:23).
16. Lazy people live in constant frustration (15:19).
17. To destroy your family, seek profit through crime (15:27).
18. If you hate bribes and kickbacks, you love life (15:27).
19. God is vitally interested in honest weights and work (16:11).
20. Lazy people are always sleepy (19:15).
21. When you are idle, you get hungry (19:15).
22. A lazy person is too lazy even to feed himself (19:24).
23. Lazy people do not plan ahead and thus end up begging (20:4).
24. Poverty comes to those who love to sleep (20:13).
25. Although wealth obtained by theft brings immediate joy, it will
bring ultimate destruction (20:17).
26. Wealth obtained through "get rich quick" schemes can be lost just
as quickly (20:21).
27. Be careful and diligent by planning ahead. Do not try "get rich
quick" schemes (21:5; 28:20, 22).
28. Wealth obtained through lying does not last long (21:6).
29. Lazy people do not give to others because they are greedy (21:26).
30. Lazy people refuse to work and this will lead to their death (21:25).
31. Hard-working people give to others and do not hold back (21:26).
32. Lazy people can always make up some ridiculous excuse to get out
of work (22:13).
33. Poverty comes to those who try to impress the rich (22:16).
34. God will punish those who oppress the poor (22:22–23).
35. Do not falsify property lines to steal land (22:28; 23:10).
36. Obtain a skill and be good at it. You will be honored for it (22:29; 18:16).
37. Do not wear yourself out in trying to obtain riches. Why? They are
quickly spent and soon disappear (23:4–5).
38. Establish yourself financially before building your own house (24:27).
39. Laziness will end in poverty (24:30–34).
40. Lazy people are full of fear and insecurity. It cripples them (26:13).
41. Lazy people love sleep (26:14).
42. Lazy people are often too "tired" to eat (26:15).
43. Lazy people really think that they are the wisest people around.
They love to give advice (26:16).
44. Manage your finances correctly and you will prosper (27:23–27).
45. A rich person will think he is wise, but a wise poor person can
see the foolishness of the rich (28:11).
46. Government officials who oppress the people by unfair taxation are
fools (28:16).
47. The official who rejects dirty money will stay in office (28:16).
48. Do not rob your parents (28:24).
49. Since poverty can lead to stealing, and riches can lead to
indifference toward God, it is better to be in the middle (30:7–9).
50. A wise woman shows her wisdom by hard work and good investments (31:13–19).
II. Principles of Spending Money
1. Do not get involved in immoral activities. Such things as
prostitution, pornography, etc., will ultimately take all your money
(5:3–10; 6:24–28; 29:3).
2. Poverty comes to those who live for the pleasures of this life (21:17).
3. Do not associate with drunkards or gluttons. To do so will reduce
you to poverty (23:20, 21).
4. Always seek advice from several wise counselors before making
financial decisions (24:6).
III. Principles of Borrowing and Loaning Money
1. If you have already co-signed a note, do whatever you have to do,
but get out of it. Do not rest until you are free of that note
(6:1–5).
2. If you co-sign a note for a stranger, you will have to pay it. So,
do not co-sign any notes. Hate the very idea of it and you will be
safe (11:15).
3. Only a fool would co-sign a note for his neighbors (17:18).
4. You are a slave to the one who loans you money. The rich rule over
the poor by loaning them money (22:7).
5. Do not pledge or sign any notes. If you cannot pay, they can take
your bed from you (22:26–27).
6. When foolish people co-sign a note for a stranger, do not hesitate
to collect from them what they owe you (27:12–13).
IV. Principles on Saving Money
1. The ants teach us to prepare for the future. Only lazy people
neglect to do this (6:6–11).
2. A wise son is known by his careful preparation for the future. Only
a lazy son lives day to day (10:5).
3. A man's savings are a fortress of protection (10:15).
4. Do not put your ultimate trust in wealth (11:28).
5. A good man leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren (13:22).
6. The righteous should have wealth stored up (15:6; 21:20).
7. Wealth is like a strong city and a high wall (18:11).
8. The more wealth you have, the more friends you will have (19:4).
9. A father should leave his wealth to his children (19:14).
10. Only a fool does not prepare for future evils. The wise foresee it
and deliver themselves (22:3; 27:12).
V. Principles on Giving Money
1. We must honor the Lord with our wealth by giving from the first
part of our income (3:9).
2. Do not refuse to give to those in need if you have the means (3:27–28).
3. The way to increase your wealth is by giving it away (3:10; 11:24–25).
4. The person who refuses to sell basic products such as food will be
cursed by the people. But if he sells, they will bless him (11:26).
5. The person who gives to the poor is gracious (14:31).
6. Everyone wants to be a friend of a generous person (19:6).
7. If you refuse to give to others, they will refuse to give to you
when you are in trouble (21:13).
8. A gift often patches up a quarrel (21:14).
9. God blesses the generous (22:9).
10. Give to the needs of your enemies as well as to your friends (25:21, 22).
11. If you give to the poor, you will never end up in need (28:27).
12. If you close your eyes to the needs of others you will be cursed (28:27).
13. A wise woman gives to the poor (31:20).




Special Note on Giving
I. God has commanded in Scripture that the ministries and ministers of
the church should be supported through the giving of believers.
Old Testament — Num. 18:20–24 New Testament — 1 Cor. 9:4–10, 13–14

II. Giving has always been regulated by God and is to be done
according to biblical principles. God never said that giving should be
regulated by emotionalism or sentimentality.
III. One basic biblical principle envisions every believer as giving
tithes and offerings.
Definition: A tithe is 10 percent of one's gross income.
Definition: Offerings refer to anything beyond the tithe.
TAUGHT BY PRACTICED
Example: Gen. 14:20
Precept: Lev. 27:30
Matt. 23:23
Command: Mal. 3:10 Before the Law: Gen. 28:22
Under the Law: Mal. 3:10
Under the Gospel: 1 Cor. 9:13–14

IV. Not to give is to rob God of what belongs to Him.
(1) Example: Ex. 20:15: "You shall not steal"
Definition: Stealing is the taking and using as your own that which
belongs to another without his permission.
(2) We are stealing from God when we fail to give God what we owe Him
and what belongs to Him (Mal. 3:7–10; Mk. 12:17).
(3) To return to God, we must repent and give restitution to God
(Mal. 3:7; Lk. 2:8, 10–14; Ex. 22:1–15; cf. Lk. 19:8, 9).
V. Our attitude in giving should be regulated by Scripture. 2 Cor. 9:7
says that we are to give cheerfully, not grudgingly, or out of
necessity.
VI. The secret of cheerful giving is to see that giving is not losing
but gaining, because giving is sowing (2 Cor. 9:6; Gal. 6:6–9).
VII. As you sow through your giving, you shall reap if you do not faint.
SPIRITUAL REAPING MATERIAL REAPING
2 Cor. 8:1–7
Cor. 9:7–8
Gal. 6:6–7 Mal. 3:7–11; Phil. 4:14–19
Prov. 3:9–10
Prov. 11:24–25




Questions
Must all giving be to or through the local church?
or
Should all giving be to or through the local church?
Answer: These are complicated questions and a simple "yes" or "no"
will not be sufficient. To arrive at the biblical answer several steps
must be taken first.
Step1. Recognize that this question is crucial today because there are
so many Christian organizations asking for money.
A. Para-church organizations did not exist in the early church because
the church was fulfilling its biblical responsibilities.
(1) The ministry of the Word—Col. 1:28
(2) The ministry of mercy—Acts 6:1–3
(3) The ministry of evangelism—Acts 4:31; 8:4
(4) The ministry of missions—Acts 13:1–4, etc.
B. These organizations arose when the church failed to fulfill its
responsibilities.
Example: Independent missionary organizations arose because the
established churches were not concerned with missions.
C. The modern Christian is torn between giving everything to his
church and splitting up his giving between the church and worthy
Christian organizations.
Step2. Gather the Biblical data.
A. Old Testament picture
(1) All giving was generally to the church, but there were exceptions
to this general practice (Num. 18:21; Deut. 12:5–6, 11; 26:12–14).
(2) No absolute rule was given.
B. New Testament picture
(1) Since the church was doing its job and had competent spiritual
leaders, all giving was generally to or through the church (Acts
4:32–37; 5:2; 6:1–7; 2 Cor. 8:1–4; 9:7; Phil. 4:14–18).
(2) No absolute rule was given.
The biblical answer is that while we cannot say that all giving must
be to or through the local church, we must say that all giving should
be to or through the local church.
Why should all giving should be to or through the local church?
(1) This was the general practice of the people of God throughout the ages.
(2) This is the general practice of giving which best fulfills the
biblical vision of the ideal church.
(3) The church is the center of God's plan of salvation (Matt. 16:18).
(4) Organizations come and go but the institution of the local church
will always remain (Matt. 16:18).
(5) Without sufficient funds, the local church will never be able to
take up its biblical responsibilities.
(6) This is God's method of training the leaders of the church to be
good stewards of God's money. This puts the pressure on them (Acts
6:1–6).



Now What About the "What if …" Questions?
1. Make sure that you are not trying to rationalize your disobedience.
2. If you ask honest questions, you will get honest answers.
Question: "What if I belong to a liberal church or denomination?"
Answer: Leave at once and join a Bible-believing church (2 Cor. 6:14–18).
Question: "What if I feel that my church has all the money it needs?"
Answer: Seek the advice of the pastors or church leaders as to worthy
projects which you can support.
(1) We are told to seek godly advice in Prov. 11:14; 12:15; 19:20; 20:18; 24:6.
2) There are dangers in giving your money without first seeking godly advice.
(a) Pride (wise in own eyes).
(b) You will give on emotion.
(c) You may support unsound works.
Question: "What if a Christian organization is doing something that
the church is failing to do?"
Answer: Until the church begins to fulfill its biblical
responsibilities, we must support these parachurch organizations which
"fill in the gap." But give to such groups after seeking advice from
your elders.



Conclusion
God will hold us responsible for all the things He has given us. The
money we have is to be used to His glory as well as to support
ourselves and our families.


On Tue, Jan 6, 2009 at 10:46 AM, Kern R. Pegues <kernpegues@...> wrote:
> Another great book is by Gene Getz. Rich In Every Way.
>
> Kern R. Pegues Phone 225-288-6266Phone 225-288-4545Email:
> kernpegues@...: kernpegues
>
> ________________________________
> From: Brian G. Hedges <brianghedges@...>
> To: pipertalk@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2008 3:57:00 PM
> Subject: RE: [pipertalk] [Piper Talk] Stewardship
>
> The best book I know of is Craig Blomberg's Neither Poverty nor Riches: A
> Biblical Theology of Possessions.
>
> From: pipertalk@yahoogrou ps.com [mailto:pipertalk@yahoogrou ps.com] On
> Behalf
> Of jthomas899
> Sent: Friday, December 19, 2008 11:06 AM
> To: pipertalk@yahoogrou ps.com
> Subject: [pipertalk] [Piper Talk] Stewardship
>
> I have been thinking lately about being a faithful steward. I have
> been helped by Piper's book on Don't Waste Your Life. A book I read
> several years ago. I want to devote 3 or 4 months of personal study
> to this matter, and would like the help of people on this list. If
> you could supply me with a list of verses, books, articles, or even
> websites.
>
> Jeff
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>



--
Soli Deo Gloria,

Stephen Macasil

I am a contributing author for biblicalthought.com

"Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight
with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be"

--Jonathan Edwards
Resolutions, 56
***********************************************
"A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw
that God's Truth was attacked and yet would remain silent."

--John Calvin
***********************************************
"Sanctify them in the truth, your word is truth".

--John 17:17 [NASB]


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]