Transcendent Planning Principles - #6 (God Owns It All)
Dear Friends,
The six principles that we have been exploring have guided all of the advice and counsel that I’ve given over the years. As I mentioned in the video, God’s wisdom, as expressed in these principles, is both timeless and eternal. Keeping these six principles in mind (spend less than you earn, avoid debt, maintain liquidity, set long term goals, give generously, and remember that God owns it all) can draw the boundary lines for you as you make financial decisions…in any economy, at any income level, and at any age.
The foundational principle among the six is today’s principle: God owns it all. I saved it for last because it is the most important. As Christians, we believe that we are merely stewards, managers, or trustees of the resources that God has entrusted to us. Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world, and they that dwell therein.”
Being a steward rather than an owner is both a freedom and a privilege.
Stewardship brings freedom because I hold my financial resources with an open hand and it is up to God whether He chooses to bless or withhold resources. I steward; He owns. I manage; He decides. Grasping “my” resources in order to gain control, reputation, or comfort always leads toward idolatry. When I open my hand and recognize God’s ownership of my resources, I begin to be free of the idols that are rampant in our world.
Stewardship is a privilege because God has entrusted me with His resources. As an image bearer of the Holy God, I can steward His resources to create, to redeem, to grow, and to work for His glory. It is my privilege to use the resources He has given to me in order to function purposefully and effectively as His son or daughter in a broken world. It is God’s grace that allows us the stewardship privilege!
My prayer for you as we wrap up this series is that you will be refreshed, encouraged, and challenged to live deliberately in light of the truths that God’s Word has revealed about wise financial choices.
Gratefully,
Ron
Click here for the video transcript
The six principles that we have been exploring have guided all of the advice and counsel that I’ve given over the years. As I mentioned in the video, God’s wisdom, as expressed in these principles, is both timeless and eternal. Keeping these six principles in mind (spend less than you earn, avoid debt, maintain liquidity, set long term goals, give generously, and remember that God owns it all) can draw the boundary lines for you as you make financial decisions…in any economy, at any income level, and at any age.
The foundational principle among the six is today’s principle: God owns it all. I saved it for last because it is the most important. As Christians, we believe that we are merely stewards, managers, or trustees of the resources that God has entrusted to us. Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world, and they that dwell therein.”
Being a steward rather than an owner is both a freedom and a privilege.
Stewardship brings freedom because I hold my financial resources with an open hand and it is up to God whether He chooses to bless or withhold resources. I steward; He owns. I manage; He decides. Grasping “my” resources in order to gain control, reputation, or comfort always leads toward idolatry. When I open my hand and recognize God’s ownership of my resources, I begin to be free of the idols that are rampant in our world.
Stewardship is a privilege because God has entrusted me with His resources. As an image bearer of the Holy God, I can steward His resources to create, to redeem, to grow, and to work for His glory. It is my privilege to use the resources He has given to me in order to function purposefully and effectively as His son or daughter in a broken world. It is God’s grace that allows us the stewardship privilege!
My prayer for you as we wrap up this series is that you will be refreshed, encouraged, and challenged to live deliberately in light of the truths that God’s Word has revealed about wise financial choices.
Gratefully,
Ron
Click here for the video transcript
Comments