The Iron Pen #106

"...graven with an iron pen and lead..." Job 19:24
Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D.

The following advertisement was placed by King’s College in the newspapers of Metropolitan New York: "The chief thing that is aimed at in this college is, to teach…children to know God in Jesus Christ and to love and serve Him in all Sobriety, Godliness, and Richness of Life." The date of the ad was 1754. Tragically, King’s College, which is now Columbia University, advocates an educational philosophy diametrically opposed to the Biblical philosophy the college was founded on.

The great evangelist D. L. Moody once used this illustration –

"Have you heard the story of the child who was rescued from a fire that was raging away up in the fourth story of the house. The child came to the window, and, as the flames were shooting up higher and higher, he cried for help. A fireman started up the ladder of the fire-escape to rescue the child from its dangerous position.

"The wind swept the flames near him, and it was getting so hot that he wavered, and it looked as if he would have to return without the child.

"Someone in the crowd cried: ‘Give him a cheer!’ Cheer after cheer went up, and, as the man heard them, he gathered fresh courage. Up he went into the midst of the smoke and fire, and brought down the child safely.

"If you cannot go and rescue the perishing yourself, you can at least pray for those who do, and cheer them on. If you do, the Lord will bless the effort. Do not grumble and criticize; it takes neither heart nor brains to do that."

A teacher asked her class to name five different members of the "cat" family. Nobody answered until one little girl raised her hand.

"Well?" said the teacher, encouragingly.

The little girl said, "Father cat, mother cat and three little kittens!"

Benjamin Franklin published "Poor Richard’s" almanac for some twenty-five years. He made up many of the maxims found in its pages. These are taken from Poor Richard’s:

"Lost time is never found again."

"He who rises late must trot all day."

"There are no gains without pains."

"The cat in gloves catches not mice."

"One today is worth two tomorrows."

"Keep thy shop and thy shop will keep thee."

"Fish and visitors both smell in three days."

David L. Brown, Ph.D.

"Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." 1 Corinthians 4:2

We seldom use the word steward or stewardship today, so I will begin with the definition of a steward. A steward is a person who manages and administrates what has been entrusted to him by another. In this case, a steward is a person who manages what has been entrusted to him/her by God. God has entrusted us with our lives, our talents, our time, and our money. Therefore, stewardship is the careful and responsible management of the things God has entrusted to your care. Consider the Four Principles of Stewardship listed below.

God owns all things – The truth of this principle is seen in Psalms 24:1 "The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." Since God owns it all, when He entrusts us with a portion of His possession, we are to manage what he has entrusted to us as He would have us manage it.

Stewardship is a sacred trust which all Christians should respect -- 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."

Every believer has the personal responsibility to manage, supervise, and administer all that God has given him/her to the glory of God -- Luke 19:13 "And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy (= use what you possess) till I come."

Every Believer-Steward will give account of his/her stewardship -- Luke 16:2 "And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward." Romans 14:12 "So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God."

Ponder this question – "Are You A Faithful Steward?"