Practicing Personal Stewardship & Wise Giving
The giving God calls us to is generous but discerning, and it requires us to handle what has been entrusted to us with great care and integrity.
2 Corinthians
Understanding Giving’s Big Picture
We should give willingly and proportionately, trusting God to accomplish good through our gifts and to provide for us in the process.
Seeking to Excel in the Grace of Giving
We must choose to practice biblical generosity, motivated by Christ’s gracious example rather than mere agreement with its principles.
When Giving Seems Impossible
Godly generosity is grounded in what God has done for us and begins when our hearts are gripped by it.
Rejoicing in Our Sanctification
We ought to be attentive to the work of sanctification taking place around us, and intentionally affirm, celebrate, and be encouraged by the growth in holiness we see.
Inspecting Our Repentance
We must practice a repentance that takes sin seriously, accepts whatever pain it requires, and works diligently to restore sincere obedience.
Solidifying Our Relationships
Because God intends our relationships in the church to be marked by a quality that the world cannot match, we must be serious about building friendships that are uniquely loving, loyal, and encouraging.
Perfecting Our Holiness
Actively and carefully pursue holiness in your mind and body for the sake of our great God who said we will draw near to us when we do.
Clarifying Our Identity
God wants us to pursue moral purity as his distinctive people, which he has promised will increase our daily experience of fellowship, joy, and assurance with him.
Guarding Our Partnerships
We must guard the personal partnerships in our lives, so our devotion to Christ is not imperiled and our usefulness to the Lord remains uncompromised.
Strengthening Our Unity
We should continually pursue an affectionate and joyful unity within the church—willing to stretch for it even when others aren’t—appealing for it through loving, sincere words and actions.
Increasing Our Endurance
Be an effective and determined Ambassador of Christ, willing to endure the hardships, while maintaining your integrity and sincere love for others.
Heightening Our Urgency
We must no longer be casual or timid about relaying the gospel to our generation, but we must be bold and urgent about it, as Christ would have us be while there’s still time in our crazy and chaotic culture.
Deepening Our Concern
Take up the responsibility of being Christ’s ambassador with the time you have left by working to see the people around you as in desperate need of being reconciled to God.
Broadening Our Acceptance
Stop prejudging fellow church members by outward measures or their worldly pasts, and accept them as redeemed new creations in Christ.
Narrowing Our Audience
Because Christ paid the ultimate price to redeem us, our love for him should compel us to put aside our old desires and live wholly for him.
Purifying Our Motives
In light of all people one day standing before God, we must be motivated to live and speak with a deep concern for others, always with a clear conscience, resolved to be faithful regardless of how we are perceived.
Investing in Our Post-Resurrection Life
We need to live thoughtfully, carefully, and boldly for Christ, knowing that one day, our King will evaluate and reward us for how well we did.
Checking Your Confidence in the Resurrection
We should live with the kind of confidence in God’s promises that makes it obvious we are certain about our perfected and eternal future.
Considering God’s Resurrection Plan
As Christians we shouldn’t be discouraged by failing bodies, but should always pin our hope on the eternal glorified bodies that God has graciously promised to us.
Holding Tightly to His Faithful Promises
Keep being sacrificial and confident as you hold up God’s powerful word, knowing this his saving promises are guaranteed by his faithful character.
Keeping the Focus on Christ
To be effective in relaying the life-changing truth of the gospel, we must keep both our weakness and God’s greatness clearly in view.
Refusing to Distort the Truth to Fit Our Culture’s Demands
We need to keep representing and sharing the truth without compromising it, regardless of people who don’t get it or oppose us for upholding it.
Standing in Awe of the Gospel’s Greatness
We need to appreciate and celebrate the greatness of the God-breathed New Testament gospel and its power to transform and shape our lives.
Letting the Bible Use You to Make a Difference
We should live as genuinely regenerate Christians, consistently speaking and acting so that others are clearly shown the transforming power of God’s living and active Word.
The Satisfaction of Stewardship
It is an honor and a solemn stewardship to represent Christ in our world—a task that brings profound satisfaction when done faithfully, even though it will not always be well-received.
The Unsettling Concerns of Love
We need to be ready for the challenges, sacrifices, and emotional discomfort that come with truly loving other Christians the way God calls us to.
The Pains of Testing
We must be prepared for the challenges of the testing that will be sure to come in the Christian life, passing these tests without falling to the schemes of our spiritual enemy.
The Joy of True Repentance
We should seek to find true joy in repentance – our own and others’ – as we celebrate grace and purpose to genuinely love other forgiven brothers and sisters.