"Stewardship: A Way of Life" Philippians 4:4-9 11/13/05

I want to begin this evening by inviting us to have a gratitude
fest. I want to ask you to turn to someone near you. And tell them
about the things you are grateful in your life right now. Take about a
minute and then let the other person share what they are grateful for
this evening.

We are truly blessed. God has entrusted to us everything that we need for our journey in life. Everything we have is given to us by God. Our homes, our jobs, our friends, our partners, our family, the skills and talents that we have, our money. The land we walk upon, the air we breathe. The dawn of each new day. We indeed has so very much to be thankful for even in the difficult times of struggle or challenge. I was talking with someone this week who is having a particularly difficult time right now. And as she was telling me about what's happening, the lost of a job, health problems, and a difficult relationship she said the one thing that Keeps me going and the only thing I can hang on to right now is that God is with me. She said I've been at the bottom before and eventually made it: okay God is with me. We've been there - haven't we. But here we are. God has gotten us through even the worst of circumstances. We were given the strength when we needed. We had a friend who walked along side of us. An unexpected gift of money came just in time to pay the rent. Someone invited us out to dinner. We went back to school to get the education we needed to get a different kind of job. We discovered our lover when we weren't even Looking. You walked through the doors of MCC Pittsburgh when you thought God didn't love you anymore. You can tell me stories from you own life and I can tell you stories from my life that reflect over and over again the great care that God has for our lives. Don't ever doubt that. God is with us and has entrusted us with the precious gift of life. We have much to be thankful for this evening.

Now how we use the gift of life is stewardship. What we do with everything we have is stewardship. How we use the moments that have been given to us on this earth is stewardship? How we spend the money that touches our hands is stewardship? How we care for the earth, the air, the water, the animals that share this earth with us is stewardship. How we care for the human beings that come into our lives is stewardship. How we treat our bodies is stewardship. How we care for the gift of life God has entrusted to us reflects our gratitude for God's many blessings. ! invite you this night to begin to serious consider the ways you are using God's gifts to you. Start by taking a look at how you spend your time. Do you have a healthy balance between time spend alone, time spent at work, time spent relaxing and having fun, time spent with the important people in your life, time spent volunteering to help a good cause, time spend working for the church, time spend helping out someone in need. Time is one of the most precious gifts that God has given to us. How we use that time reflects what is important in our lives. Part of our homework for this week is to take a look at our calendars and how we are using the moments of each day to give honor and glory to God. I want to also ask you to take a serious look at how you are using the money God has entrusted to us. Most of don't have all the money we think we want in life, (who among us wouldn't want to win the lottery, but most of us have all the money we need to get by. A lot of us live from paycheck to paycheck and just when we think we're getting ahead the price of something seems to go up. The next time you write out a check take the time to look back through your checkbook. You'll get a pretty good idea of were you're money is going and what's important in your life. Are you spending money on unnecessary things? Are you getting the best deal you can from your cable company? Are you tithing to the church? Do you give to charities? Do you have a couple of extra dollars this week to help out a friend who is struggling right now? Money affects what we have control of and impacts all of the parts of our lives. Pray about the role of money in your life, do all that you can do to be the best steward of the money you have, and trust that God will indeed bless you with everything that you need. ! have always believe that God will take care of us and what we give away comes back to us in some form and it blesses the lives of the people it touches. Be generous with what you have and bless the lives of the people around you who are less fortunate.

Stewardship - a way of life. In this month of Thanksgiving let us take the time each day to thank God for God's wondrous blessings. Each morning when you get up thank God for the day that is before you and all of the people and situations that will come your way. And when you go to bed at night do a gratitude fest. As the old hymn goes "count your many blessings, name them one by one - see what good things God has done.' Take the time to thank the people in your life for all of the ways they bless you. Write a note, make a phone call, send an email of thanksgiving to those special people. As you go about your days pay attention especially to the way you are using your time, talents, and financial resources, in all that you do may you bless the lives of others in word and deed as you touch their lives with God's presence. May God Continue to bless you abundantly.