Temple Baptist Church - 10-15-2023
Psalm 26:2; 1 Corinthians 11:28; 2 Corinthians 13:5
Introduction:
A. Last week, I preached on “Stewardship” and did not get my introduction preached, much less cover what I wanted to cover.
1. “Stewardship” means to be put in charge of another’s property or business. With the believer’s stewardship, it is both.
2. “Stewardship” is responsibility over another’s property. We are God’s property. We are not our own as we have been bought with a price. Our body is not our own because it is the temple of the Holy Ghost who lives within us.
3. “Stewardship” is also responsibility over another’s business. Once saved, our business is God’s business.
4. “Stewardship” is a responsibility that requires faithfulness.
1 Corinthians 4:1-2 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. (2) Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
B. Now, let us look at spiritual inventory as inventory is a necessity to make sure that we have all that we need and lack all that we do not need. There are two aspects of spiritual inventory that are necessary for a right evaluation of stewardship:
1. Examine me, O LORD. Psalms 26:2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.
a. Most believers never ask God what He thinks. Why is this? Because they are afraid of what His answer would be.
Psalms 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: (24) And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
b. “Dear Lord, what do you think of my life; what do you think that I need to do; what do you think that I do not need to do?”
Colossians 3:1-2 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (2) Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
c. We need to ask for the Lord’s examination so as to prove us. Put us to the acid test of the Bible. Tear off the layers of excuses to find the truth of what and who we are.
1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
d. We need to ask for the Lord to examine our reigns. The reign is an instrument used for guidance of a horse. Are we “heady” as 1 Timothy 3 says. We like to do what we want without checking for the approval of the owner of the business. Who is in charge of our lives, us, or Him?
Psalms 31:3-5 For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. (4) Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength. (5) Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.
e. We need to ask for the Lord to examine our hearts, our motives. The pleasure of the world or the pleasure of the Lord.
1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (16) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (17) And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
2. Self-Examination: Self-examination MUST BE Bible Examination.
1 Corinthians 11:28 But let a man examine himself …
2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.
James 1:22-25 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. (23) For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: (24) For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. (25) But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
a. Spiritual inventory takes proper examination. I have been in business as I started 2 businesses from the ground up and helped to start a third. Though I started these businesses, I did not own them but started them for someone else. I was very careful when it came to inventory because I was accountable for both the merchandise and the efficiency of the operation of the business.
b. Inventory is an important time of the year in a business. Many stores only take inventory once a year, but the more often, the better. I inventoried constantly as the business began with little inventory, so it was imperative that I knew what was in store.
c. I inventoried for several reasons:
1) To find out what was there. I found things that I was unaware of.
2) To find out how much was there. I found that I sometimes had more and at other times less than I thought.
3) To find out what was not there. Sometimes I was surprised at what I had or what was missing.
d. The same is true with the Christian life. We need to scrutinize our lives:
1) To find out what is there. What we have and what we have done and are doing for Christ?
2) To find out how much is there. (Are we doing enough, and can we improve in certain areas?
3) To find out what is not there. What we do not have or do not do that we need. Adding what is lacking and disposing of what is not needed.
Conclusion: The Caution: Because believers belong to God, He continues to have power over their 1) their blessings, 2) and their possessions.
Job 1:20-21 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, (21) And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
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