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PLEASANT HILL BAPTIST CHURCH
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ensuring that God gets the glory out your time spent. What we
do with our time should testify to God’s goodness and grace.
James 4:14-15,
“Whereas you know not what shall be
on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that
appears for a little time, then vanishes away. You ought to
say, if the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.”
This verse again refers to having your complete being in
Christ. We must realize that our time is not ours, but God’s.
The time that we have been granted is a gift from God and
should be used for the furthering of the Gospel Message.
Stewardship of Talents
We must realize that the church is a “body” with many members.
Just as the different “members” or parts of your body have a specific
function to perform, as a member of the body of Christ you too
have a specific function to perform (I Corinthians 12:11-12.)
Ephesians 4:11-12,
“And he (Christ) gave some apostles,
and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some
pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, all of
the gifts work together to build-up the body of Christ.”
The gifts or talents that God has given you are for the good
of the collective body of Christ. Whether your gift is in the
list above, for the “edifying” or building up of the saints, or
whether your gift is for encouraging or comforting the saints,
all of the gifts work together to build-up the body of Christ.
Just as it is impossible for you to walk with one leg. It is impossible
for the Church to function as Christ intended if you sit on
your gift. So, whether you are a leg, a foot, a hand, or a nose
in the body of Christ you are extremely important and have
a distinct place in the continuing ministry of the church.
Stewardship of Treasury
Malachi 3:10,
“Bring ye all tithes and offerings into the
storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove
me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open
you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing
that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
A tithe is giving ten percent of your earned resources back to
God. Although you “give” your tithe to God, it is not a gift. A
tithe is what you owe God. God requires at least 10 percent, and
whatever you chose to give him beyond that is your “gift.” Because
our God is so awesome He never demands anything of us with
out the promise of a blessing in return. So while we are required
to give a tenth of our earnings we are promised a pouring out