being gods manager

(0:00) We live in a world that’s against God, a world that rebellious, a world that fallen. (0:08) But you are not fallen. The world might have been fallen but you are not fallen because (0:12) you are saved, you are redeemed.

You are not fallen. You are redeemed and you are saved. (0:19) You have been beautifully created and designed and God has a plan to make you succeed.

(0:27) Amen or no amen? Today morning I want to speak to you about being a steward, being a manager (0:34) of God. The word steward you see in the Bible a number of times, it simply means manager. (0:42) You know, let’s turn our Bible to 1 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 1 to 5. (0:48) You know, Bible says, let a man so consider us as servants of Christ and the stewards (0:55) of the mysteries of God.

Moreover, it is required in the steward that no one be found, (1:03) that one to be found faithful but with me it’s a very small thing that I should be judged (1:09) by you or by human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself for I know nothing against myself. (1:19) Maybe I’m justified by this but he who judged me is the Lord.

Therefore, (1:25) judge nothing before the time until the Lord comes who will bring forth, bring to light the (1:32) hidden things of the darkness and reveal the counsels of your heart. Then each one’s praise (1:41) will come from. So Paul is writing the Corinthian church talking about who we are.

He said, (1:52) you are, let a man consider us this way. The first thing that Paul said, consider you in certain (2:01) manner. Don’t consider yourself according to what people say or think.

Consider yourself (2:09) according to what God think of you. You know, the way you consider yourself determined whether (2:16) you are encouraged or discouraged. If you consider as a valuable person, wherever you go, (2:25) you carry value and spread the value.

But if you consider yourself as ordinary person, even if you (2:33) get a special occasion, you manage to make that special as ordinary. Sometime back, I was thinking (2:40) some people have the capability to make the worst out of the best. (2:48) But some people have the capability of making the best out of the worst.

I was watching one (2:54) YouTube talk regarding a businessman. He introduced himself, say I’m a machiwala, I’m a fishman. (3:02) I’m a fish market and you may think that a machiwala, how he can come and speak to you all.

(3:07) The thing is, I’m a different kind of fishwala. I make 12,000 crore a year selling fish. (3:17) My story is interesting, that’s why I came here.

He said, I live in the river side, (3:22) this side of my house. And other side, there was a very famous singer, a writer, (3:27) usually songwriter. He said, when he gets up in the morning, he look at the river, (3:31) he see the waves and the wind and the tree, the coconut leaves hanging and he wrote a lot of (3:38) beautiful songs.

But when I get up and look at the river, I can only think of fish. I cannot think of (3:44) anything. He finishes 12th standard and he then joined into a fisheries factory.

And his job was (3:53) accounts. He used to work from nine o’clock to five o’clock in the accounts. Then five o’clock, (3:58) he go to the factory where the fish has been processed.

And he would stay every day till (4:03) one o’clock. It’s a true story. His name is Matthew Jacob.

He’ll stay till one o’clock every day. And (4:08) he did for 11 years because he liked fish a lot. He loves fish.

And he said, my boss told me, (4:17) I can get many people write the accounts. But the kind of love you have for fish, (4:22) I haven’t found many people. So I’m going to promote you as a manager on the processing floor.

(4:28) And he became a manager. Then after 11 years, he left and he built an empire of fish business, (4:34) you know, fresh to home. That’s his company called Fresh.

It’s all over India, all over (4:39) many countries. And he got what he sowed. What I said that some people have the capability of (4:50) making something beautiful out of the worst, ugly scenario.

But some people have the capability of (4:57) making something really worse from the best scenario. It’s all about your attitude. It’s all about (5:03) how do you think.

So Apostle Paul says to Corinthians, consider this. You know, (5:12) how do you see yourself? Determine what you’re going to become. And Apostle Paul said, we are (5:19) the servants of Christ.

Now, if you’re a servant, one of the first qualities you need to develop (5:26) is humility. Now, we all go to restaurants. And see, I’m 61.

So every time you get a chance to (5:35) eat outside, it’s an opportunity to be celebrated. So every time you go, you go for the experience. (5:44) And what if that waiter had an attitude and he didn’t serve you properly? You really get (5:49) into that.

Yes or no? You really get into that. If he served you well, he would give you a good, (5:56) and I loved it. I gave good tips.

But if he don’t give you a good tip, I hate that place. (6:02) I could have very badly abused straight away. Because you spoiled one experience of mine.

(6:09) So we, as God’s children, we are the servants of Christ. As a servant, the first quality that you (6:17) need to develop is humility. Bible says, God resists the proud, but he gives grace to the (6:30) second thing.

God said, we are the stewards of the mysteries of God. Now, since the mystery, (6:38) it cannot be explained. It cannot be understood by a human logic or human mind.

It can be believed, (6:49) expected, and enjoyed. But it cannot be explained. It’s a mystery.

It cannot be explained. (6:55) The resurrection of Jesus. He’d been beaten up, drained of the blood, and hanged on the cross, (7:02) and then took him out and put him in the grave.

And after three days, he walked out of the grave. (7:08) Now that cannot be scientifically proven. And I had a knee, my knee got dislocated when I was (7:16) 16 or 17 somewhere, due to rough life.

After that, every month my knee used to get (7:22) slipped. Like it is kneecap, it’ll come out and it goes here, and it tear all the muscles. It’s (7:27) very painful.

And I had a fluid collection on my knees. So I went to doctor. First, I didn’t go to (7:34) doctor because I was living by it.

Then I came to my sense, I went to doctor. He said, you have to (7:38) be operated. And the fluid has to be taken out by a fat syringe, very painful.

I said, no, I want (7:45) God to heal me. And I suffered with it for a period of time. Because every now and often, (7:50) now and then, this kneecap comes out.

It just goes up. So, one day I was in a prayer meeting. (7:59) One pastor was preaching.

And at the end of the preaching, he said about healing. And he said, (8:05) here is a man with a knee problem. God is healing him.

I didn’t believe, but I thought, (8:10) what if it’s true? What if he’s a born man? I didn’t, I was not very convinced because I didn’t (8:16) like it. There’s some people you don’t like, but they still say good things, still do good things. (8:21) I didn’t like it.

But I felt, what if it’s been? Anyway, I’ll give a try. I put my hand on my (8:29) knees. I prayed.

And I came home. I didn’t, I didn’t believe much. But you know, from that day, (8:37) my knee never slipped.

(8:41) So, I learned one thing. Even if you don’t believe, God has decided to do something, (8:47) it will happen. And my fluid collection gone.

And I have no problem with my knees from that time. (8:55) So, Bible says, we are the stewards of God’s mystery. You are a manager of God.

(9:04) You are called to manage God’s resources. When God created the human in the book of Genesis (9:10) chapter 20, chapter 1, you know, some people don’t believe in Genesis. And they believe in (9:17) the science and they believe in evolution.

But I don’t care, but I believe in the Bible. (9:23) If God said man, God created man, I believe so. And God alone knows that.

I don’t. I’m not so (9:30) clever, but I learned one thing. You don’t have to be very clever to be successful.

(9:36) You just believe. So, God, when God created man, God spoke over them this word, be fruitful (9:44) and multiply and have domain over the earth. Hallelujah.

God created man to be the manager. (9:55) You know, God didn’t create a man first. God created man at the end.

If God had to create (10:01) man first, man should have said that me and God, we together made all these things. (10:06) So, he knows that he created us final. And God said to Adam, be fruitful and multiply (10:13) and have control, take control.

So, that’s how you have a inbuilt desire to take control of things. (10:23) How many of you like to be in charge? I mean, I like to be. How many of you like to be in charge? (10:29) How many of you like to take charge of things around you? It’s a good habit.

It’s nothing bad. (10:35) It’s an inborn design in you. In fact, if you don’t take charge of the situation and (10:41) the things around me, you are an irresponsible, disobedient person of God.

God expects you to (10:50) take control of things. So, God said to Adam, be fruitful and multiply and have dominion over the earth. (10:58) I’m giving you this.

So, God has created us as his managers. Who created everything? (11:08) God created, correct? Even if you have ability to make money, who gave that ability to make money? (11:13) Perhaps, God gave the ability to make money. If you’re very clever, who gave it? God gave it.

(11:19) If you’re born in a good family, is it you choose to be born in that family or God chose you to be born? (11:25) If you have been born in a chapuri, is it because you choose to be born in a chapuri or God decided? (11:30) See, listen. You are born on your own or your talent, your gifts, everything comes from God (11:38) and you are God’s steward. God expects you to do things cleverly and wisely.

(11:49) So, here Paul says that you have this, you have been appointed as the stewards of God’s wisdom. (11:58) Then he goes down, three things he says there. Number one, God expects wise and faithful stewards.

(12:05) You can go to book of Philippians, book of Luke, chapter 12, verse 41, 42, 43, you can read that. (12:13) You know, God expects you to be a wise and a faithful steward. How many of you know that (12:20) verse? If you are faithful to the little things, God will endorse you to the greater things.

(12:25) When you are not faithful to small things, then big things never come to you. (12:32) So, God expects you to be wise. Now, if you say you are not very wise, what should you do? (12:38) James, chapter 1, verse 3. What should you do? If you feel so dumb, if you feel so stupid, (12:45) book of James, if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask to God who gives generously without repose.

(12:57) So, if you are lacking wisdom, if you feel you are stupid, you are not very clever, (13:07) learn to ask to God who gives you without reproach, generously. He doesn’t give you little wisdom, (13:14) he gives you the complete wisdom that you need to handle a situation and bring something beautiful (13:20) out of it. So, God expects you to be faithful and wise.

If you behave stupid, (13:31) you become stupid at the end. So, here are three things he says. First of all, remember (13:37) what you have is from God.

You are only a manager, you are not the owner. (13:43) You need to have an attitude of humility and you are the managers of God’s mysteries, (13:50) not practical things of the world and because they are mysteries, you don’t worry about what (14:00) people have to say about you. He says, I concern very little about what people have to say.

(14:07) Number one. Number two, he says, I don’t understand what I believe. I don’t understand (14:16) how it works, but I believe.

Now, what is prayer? So, you have no money, tomorrow you have to have (14:21) 50 lakhs and you are praying. What are you praying? Praying, hoping that asking people? No, (14:28) you are praying that God will make the way. Amen? And if you believe God will definitely make the (14:35) way.

God will make the way. God’s work done in God’s way, never like God’s provision. (14:45) You know, even if you turn to be faithless, God still remain faithful because he cannot deny (14:50) himself.

So, first thing he said, don’t bother about what people have to say about you. (14:58) Don’t even listen what people have to say. Some people say, you know what others are, (15:03) they are telling you.

I said, I don’t want to know. Why should I know? (15:06) My life is not in their pocket. Neither they are not paying my bills.

Why should I know what (15:12) people say about me? I don’t want to know. Fr Paul said, I determined not to know anything (15:19) except Christ and him crucified. He said, my preaching is not with a persuasive word.

It is (15:27) the demonstration of the power of God so that their faith will not be built on the knowledge (15:32) of man. Their faith will be built in the wisdom of God. So, don’t worry about what people say.

(15:40) And second thing, don’t think too much about what you think about. Now, (15:49) always have a passion to understand what’s happening rather than being understood. (15:58) People may not understand, they misunderstand.

So, what I’m trying to say, don’t get too worried (16:05) about what people have to say about you. Don’t get too worried about things that you don’t (16:09) understand. It’s true that if you’re on a ladder of success, if you’re on a plan of God, you need (16:15) to take the step by faith, not by sight.

God said, I’m going to do it. How? I don’t know. When? I (16:25) don’t know, but I’m doing it.

And then he said, the last thing he said, there was five. He said, (16:32) do not judge things before time. How many of you know that everything has a point in time? (16:38) We sing a song, it says that in his time, in his time, he makes all things beautiful.

So, (16:45) if things are not beautiful in your life and looks ugly and miserable, that means your time (16:50) has not come. Shut up and continue working. Don’t worry.

God’s time, he makes all things beautiful, (17:00) he will make. So, Paul says to the church, do not judge things in time. Whatever you’ve got (17:06) according to, put your head down and do it by faith.

Lift your head up only to worship and pray. (17:14) If anybody asks you, what are you doing? He’s not going to win. He’s going to lose.

He said, (17:19) you shut up. I don’t want to hear. So, we are God’s stewards.

How many of you believe God has (17:27) plans for your life? Do you believe God has beautiful plans, great, precious, wonderful, (17:35) amazing plans? I am standing as a testimony of God’s plan. I had no idea how to do things, (17:47) even now I don’t know. God’s work does not rely on people’s power.

It relies on the power of the (18:00) Holy Spirit. So, first of all says, look, you are the servant of Christ, you are the steward of God’s (18:09) mysteries. Moreover, it’s required as a steward, you got to be faithful.

If you read Luke chapter (18:16) 12 verse 42 says, you got to be wise, wise and faithful steward. How many of you like to be (18:23) God’s managers? Do you believe God on the earth, God on everything around? Amen. And you are born (18:32) again to be the manager.

You go to any big city, because they honor God. The one who honor God, (18:42) no matter how small, God honor. So, remember, you are God’s steward.

(18:56) You are the caretaker of this earth. God has appointed you. So, as a steward, (19:04) God expects you to have a heart of ownership that belongs to God.

As a steward, you should have (19:11) mindset of accountability. You should know that everything that I have is God’s, is not mine. (19:18) You may have 50 crores sitting in the account, but one small mistake, all 50 crores wiped out.

(19:26) So, don’t boast in what you have. Don’t boast what you know. Whatever you think you have is not (19:32) yours.

Don’t get messed up. You may have a title deed of your property, but you know that’s a (19:38) title deed given to you to say you own it, but anytime God and God, they can take it back. (19:44) Do you know that? Remember, you own nothing.

So, everything we are, everything we have, (19:51) everything we know, He gave it to us. If you’re a little wealthy, don’t get puffed up. It is God’s (20:03) grace.

If you’re a little wise, don’t look down at others. It’s God. If you have some property, (20:11) some money in the bank, good, be thankful, but be humble.

Be humble because everything belongs to (20:21) God. You can lose anything you have in a split of second. Remember, God, you are only the caretaker (20:34) of what you have.

Your job is to be a faithful steward. Now, what is a stewardship? Stewardship (20:41) means managing what belongs to God, someone else. Stewardship is important because that’s what God (20:49) expects from us.

So, you and me, we are God’s stewards. We are God’s managers and do you know (20:57) God has great plans for you in the days to come. What you had in the past is nothing compared to (21:06) what you’re going to have in the future.

Amen? I will say silver is mine, gold is mine. The glory (21:15) of the latter temple will be greater than that. How many of you believe in God from the reign of (21:21) Jesus? How many of you say, I want to be a faithful steward.

I want to be a wise, (21:27) faithful steward. How many of you stand up and say, God, you can trust me? (21:32) How many of you stand up and say, God, you can trust me? I will not let you down.