Deuteronomy 28:12 -13 (NKJV)The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them.
The Covid-19 pandemic has caused many people to lose their health, wealth and loved ones. To conquer this crisis, we need to have a firm foundation in the Word. The same goes for other crises and tribulations in our lives. We have to know that God does not cause tribulations in our lives. God is a good God filled with compassion and mercy. We should have faith in God and trust that He will restore everything back to us.
Philipians4:19 (NKJV) And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
The question we need to ask ourselves is what do we do with our wealth once God brings about restoration after this global economic crisis?
We need to be good stewards of God’s money. We are able to do a lot of good works if we manage the wealth in a godly manner to ensure that we are able to meet the needs of the underprivileged.
Job and Abraham were very rich and influential men. They were tremendous blessings to their communities! Job did not cling on to his wealth, but rather he allowed the wealth God had given him to flow through him to bless others. Job was a good steward of God’s money. He was a distributor instead of a hoarder of wealth. Job used his money to rescue the needy, cared for the handicapped and the dying, and brought orphans into his home. He did all of this without tax exemptions or government assistance. He did it out of his love for people with the money that God had blessed him. Likewise, when God blesses us, He also wants us to be good stewards of His money and a blessing to the community around us.
Sermon Series: Job & I (Part 3)
上帝钱财的好管家
许多谬误的观念认为上帝反对基督徒富有。我们就断定富人都是些不爱上帝而爱世界的人。我们有一种微妙的观念，认为虔诚往往与苦难和贫穷拴在一起。如果这是我们的观念，那么在这次全球经济危机中，我们应该继续处于贫困、匮乏和企业破产之中；如果这是我们的观念，那么就没有必要为恢复我们的企业和就业而祈祷了!这种观念是来自地狱魔鬼的谎言，因为生活在贫穷和匮乏中并不是一种美德。有许多人因为贫穷和匮乏、无法养家糊口，而对上帝心怀苦毒。
亚当和夏娃在伊甸园中得到了很好的供应，这表明我们得到供应是符合上帝的特征和本性的(Jehovah Jireh -我们的供应者)。
申命记28:12-13耶和华必为你开天上的府库，按时降雨在你的地上。在你手里所办的一切事上赐福与你。你必借给许多国民，却不至向他们借贷。 你若听从耶和华－你 神的诫命，就是我今日所吩咐你的，谨守遵行，不偏左右，也不随从侍奉别神，耶和华就必使你作首不作尾，但居上不居下。
新冠肺炎疫情使许多人失去了健康、财富和亲人。要战胜这场危机，我们需要对圣经有一个坚实的基础。我们要战胜生活中的其他危机和磨难也是如此。我们必须知道上帝不会在我们的生活中造成苦难。上帝是一个充满怜悯和恩慈的良善的主。我们应该相信上帝，相信祂会把我们的一切恢复如初。
腓利比书4:19 我的 神必照他荣耀的丰富，在基督耶稣里，使你们一切所需用的都充足。
我们需要自问的是，一旦上帝在这次全球性的经济危机后带来复兴，我们该如何处置手中的财富?
我们要成为上帝钱财的好管家。若我们以敬虔的方式管理财富，以确保我们能够满足弱势群体的需要，那么我们就能做很多善事。
约伯和亚伯拉罕都是非常富有和有影响力的人。他们对于其社群是极大的祝福!约伯没有牢牢地攥着钱不放，而是让自己成为流通的管道，使上帝赐给他的财富祝福他人。约伯是上帝钱财的好管家。他是财富的分发者，而不是囤积者。约伯用他的钱救助穷人，照顾残障和垂死的人，把孤儿带回家。他做这一切并没有获得免税或政府援助。他用上帝赐予他的财富表达了他的爱心。同样地，当上帝祝福我们的时候，祂也要我们成为祂钱财的好管家，成为我们周遭社群的祝福。
讲章系列：约伯和我（第三部分）