09-23-12 - Can God Trust Me

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Luke 16:1-13 Jesus told His disciples "There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. 2 So he called him in and asked him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.' 3 "The manager said to himself, 'What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg--
4 I know what I'll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.' 5 "So he called in each one of his master's debtors. He asked the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'
6 "'Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,' he replied. "The manager told him, 'Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.'
7 "Then he asked the second, 'And how much do you owe?' "'A thousand bushels of wheat,' he replied. "He told him, 'Take your bill and make it eight hundred.' 8 "The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.
9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.  10 "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own? 13 "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."
1) The Accountability of the Foolish Steward. Verses 1-2
a. God is the owner and we are the managers.
If I feel like I am the owner, then what I do with what I have will constantly be in conflict with the plan of God.
We cannot call Him Lord and answer “No” when He asks of us!
b. The owner has expectations of the manager.                                                                                
 Areas of expectation for our lives:
A. Ourselves-
Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.
B. Possessions-
Luke 14:33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

C. Time-
Eph. 5:15-17 15 Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
D. Gifts-
1 Peter 4:10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.

E. Good news-
1Thess 2:4  For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts.

2. The Assessment of the Foolish Steward.
Vs. 3 What shall I do…

3. The Action of the Foolish Steward.  Verses 4-7
– We must use our opportunities wisely Verse 8-9
Ken-  Video on how much is enough.                                                                                                                    
-Trust must be earned  Verses 10-12                                                                      
Matthew  25:14 - called his servant.
Are you doubling your talents?
Have you earned God’s trust?
Are you trustworthy?  
WHAT AM I DOING WITH WHAT I HAVE RIGHT NOW?
AM I TRUSTWORTHY RIGHT NOW?
 
- Trust can be measured
Saying: You can fool some of the people some of the time, or you can fool all the people all the time but you can’t fool God.                                              
- Be totally devoted to God.  Vs. 13  
13 You cannot be slave to two masters! You will either like one more than the other or you will be more loyal to one than the other. You cannot serve God and money.

You can trust God… but can God trust you?