How would it look if we really put our resources at God's feet and asked Him what He wanted us to do with them? Lately I have been challenged on the issue of stewardship and inspired by what a Kingdom attitude would look like.
Our homes, cars, money, time and ministries were all given to us from God's heart, and God's heart is to bring Jesus His full inheritance. What does this mean, to give Jesus His full inheritance? It means our cars and homes and money can bring God glory when we use them to honour God and build His kingdom.
I think we have to be careful not to ride the grace train all the time because God said 'to whom much is given, much is required.' (Luke chapter 12, verse 48). There is a responsibility for us to share the blessings God has given us. This becomes even more important when you put what we have in perspective with the people of the world and how rich we really are.
Everything for the Kingdom
I believe the Lord is watching how we use our resources and He delights when we ask Him to bless what we have for Kingdom use. He is waiting to see which of His children will rise up and use their homes to press into His heart and have homes of continual worship and prayer. Houses set apart for Him, where the television rarely gets turned on but communion and worship happens daily. Houses the Lord's angels come and surround, as the doors are opened to strangers and opened for fellowship to those who need encouragement over a meal. Houses where children are taught about the Lord through more than just prayers before bed. Houses where families are brought together in unity, through the blessing of having a roof over their head and a heart of thankfulness together.
How we use our cars can be given over to the Lord as well. Be intentional about spending car trips in worship, or prayer, or in fostering relationships with family in the car with you. Let love govern all you say and do in your car. For the Holy Spirit resides with you wherever you go—so why not let your car be a place of communing with Him. Be thankful God has given you a way to get from A to B and bless Him for the fuel in your tank. Ask Him what He wants you to do with the kilometres in your tank. Maybe He wants you to go pray with somebody specific, or offer practical help and bring hope into their situation. After all, everything that we have been given is to 'do good, be rich in good works, be generous and ready to share' as it says in 1 Timothy chapter 6, verse 18.
This is what it means to live given over lives, it means that we hold nothing back, that we have literally given over everything and continue to daily surrender all we have and all we are for Jesus. Given over lives bear much fruit for the Lord and as we give from a place of love we are blessing King Jesus and building his Kingdom of love.
Stewarding our time
How we steward our time is also important to the Lord because He wants us to be available, and listen to Him so he can flow through us each day.
God is stirring many of His people to move out of a place of 'busyness' to a place of availability and listening to the Lord. Jesus is teaching many of His children the art of retreating, and pressing in to hear the Father's voice—just like Jesus retreated to spend time with the Father away from the crowds when He walked the earth.
You will find that as you tune into the Father's voice, you will have your own divine appointments of healing and speaking truth like Jesus did on earth. A really good prayer is 'Lord help me be exactly where I am supposed to be each day doing exactly what you would have me do'.
I have had this prayer on my heart each day for a few months and the amount of people God has blessed through my willingness to pray, listen and obey has astounded me. One person was healed before my eyes and in his words his body, 'changed from death to life' and all his vitality came back into his face and joy into his heart for the Lord. This man went from depressed and sick to now continual praise and worship, new energy and a hunger for reading God's word.
Do you go to the well of God and fill up before your day starts? My husband and I have been ministering out of a place of overflow; people are drinking from our saucer, not our cup. Our cup gets filled up daily as we spend time with God, often early in the morning. Out of this place of overflow, God has been spilling out of us, ministering hope to those struggling with depression, releasing keys to freedom and healing, unity in marriages and encouragement to those who are struggling. It is a wonderful and exciting life when we partner with God in building His Kingdom.
So maybe it is time for you to pray the scripture from 1 Samuel chapter 3, verse 10: 'Speak Lord, your servant is listening' and see what the Lord will show you.
Liana Monaghan lives in Goolwa, South Australia and is a songwriter for the Lord. Liana runs a home fellowship and creative worship house with her husband Justin who is a prophetic artist and minister.
Liana Monaghan previous articles may be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/liana-monaghan.html