Stewardship - Saturday December 5

Saturday
As you have pondered deeply the ideas of ownership and offerings of your time, talents, money and efforts, what factors have you found motivate you to offer these things in a joyful way? What factors may give you uneasy feelings about these offerings? Where do you think these ideas come from?

Prayer: Pray that God gives you and honest and real picture of your heart as a steward.

Stewardship - Friday December 4

In church we talked about how God already owns everything so, when we offer of ourselves, we essentially offer back what is already God's.

When you think about offering your life's resources back to God, which are the hardest ones to offer and why? When you think about the things that maybe you should give up to make space for more valuable and healthy things, think deeply about any difficulties you have with allowing yourself to do so.

Prayer: Pray that God will teach you more about the value of your resources as you think about these issues.

Stewardship - Thursday December 3

So far this month we have thought about things to appreciate and be thankful for. Today, we will look for things you may appreciate too much.

What are things in your life that you hold high in value that maybe you shouldn't. Sometimes these can be easier to identify when you think of them in terms of what you do with your resources. Often, a quick look at your bank statement can tell you a lot about what you really value.

Think of things you give a lot of time, money, effort or thought to (pay attention to this as you go about your day too). Do these things line up with your values and mirror things you believe in? Do they line up with your plans for your future? Do they help move you to a place where your talents are better utilized and nurtured?

Prayer: Pray that God will help you find unnecessary things in your life and help align your life to better fit your purpose.

Stewardship - Wednesday December 2

Today we will also look for things to be thankful for, but with a different take. Today we will look at things we take for granted that we really should deeply appreciate.

We get used to our bodies, our planet, our relationships, and the culture around us as we are born into them and grow with them throughout our lives. Today, challenge those thoughts. Think about all of the things your body can do, all of the things that exist on our planet and the complex systems that keep them in action. Think about all of the people you have known and all of the things you have learned from them. Let your imagination take you as far as it can go. Don't edit it. See where it takes you, even if it's silly. When you get there, think about God's plan for His creation in that place.

Though this is an exercise in appreciation, it will also help show you just how large and creative God is.

Prayer: Pray that God will reveal Himself as you ponder His creation.

Stewardship - Tuesday December 1

Now that you have a strong, personal understanding of grace in your life, take some time to look at God's providence. What are things in your life that you find you are very appreciative of? Are they attributes of yourself? People you know? Things you possess? Things you find beautiful? As you discover these things, think of why you appreciate them and what kinds of value they hold in your life.

Prayer: Earnestly thank God today for the blessings He has given you.

Gratitude: Tuesday November 17

Keeping in mind our ideas from yesterday about our unity with God and each other, think about the honor bestowed on us when God actually calls us part of His body. He could have just called us friends or children only. Dwell intently on the depths of what it means to have such an intimate and personal definition of our place as defined by God himself.

Prayer: Ask God to help us understand our true place in his will, his family and his kingdom.

Gratitude: Monday November 16

Yesterday in Ephesians 4 we read:

"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

What is the reason for Paul's repeated use of the word "one" when describing both the body of the church and God himself?

Prayer: Pray that God will help you understand the depth of unity he wants us to have with Him and with our fellow believers.