09 05 2026 Stewardship and Mission

0:00Most of us eat every day, who some of us too much, because yesterday's food is not enough to supply energy for today's needs. Why then? Do some of us expect yesterday's portion of Heavenly Manna, the Word of God, to keep us through today's challenges? On this program, we are going to change all of that. Let's experience God's words today and receive the power we need to live healthy, vibrant lives. Welcome to your daily portion with your host, author speaker, L. David Harris. Good morning, good morning, good morning. It is Sabbath September 5, 2026. Hello, my name is L. David Harris. I am your host and this is your daily portion where we give you God's Word every single day and today is no exception. We are continuing in our lesson study series through the books of first and second Corinthians. This is lesson number 11 of 13 under the caption, Stuart ship and mission, Stuart ship and

1:01mission. We'll get into that in just a moment. But before we do, I'd like to say welcome to you and ask you to go over to your daily portion.com. Go ahead and click that button if you've not already done so, especially those who are coming in. This is only your second time, your third time. You're like, why does he repeat this every single time? Well, that's because there are new people every single time and some who just need to be reminded. So, stop guessing what to do with your life, discover God's design for your life as every human being has received the gift. This is what the Bible says. Even so, minister the same one to another. So God is showing us that there is a pathway for all of us to minister and He wants us to move according to our unique calling. And to spread His Word to people every day. Okay, and if you will, please click that contribute button. Your daily portion ministries is listener and viewer supported.

2:01Let's pray and get underway. Father, we thank you for giving us the privilege of coming into your presence today. And I'm asking you to please make us holy. Make us great stewards over your gifts, over our responsibility, over the calling that you have placed on our lives and then the things that you have entrusted to our care. Help us to live like Jesus lived. In Jesus name I pray, amen. And amen again in just a couple of hours here. I'm going to be active. The Lord wills. I'm going to be at the Medovale, the Medovale, seven day of venous church in Kingston, Jamaica and do satischool with you all. And then of course later on at the church we attend most at the New Kingston Fellowship, we're going to do Bible class at 2.30 pm, of course, Jamaica time. So I just wanted to invite you if you happen to be in the area. All right. So yeah, God so loved the world that He gave.

3:03I know I just shifted gears quickly. Did not. Yes. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, all of heaven brothers and sisters in one gift. He did not waste this gift. He gave us all that we needed so that we would not have to come back. He did not burn energy or resources to give us an inadequate pathway to eternal life and immortality. I know I've said a lot of words here. And so when God gives us stewardship over the things that He's entrusted to us, He's saying, I've already given you all of heaven and just one gift. Here are the things that I'm entrusting to your care. Now you have the power. You are empowered because of the gift of God through Jesus Christ. You're empowered to live according to my principles. You're empowered to manage the money that I entrust into your care.

4:05Well, your influence, your voice, huh, to manage even your energy, what you put your time into. You understand what I'm saying? All of those things, your health and those things. In fact, I want you, when you have an opportunity, it occurs to me that this is covered very well in the talents chapter of the book, Christ's object lessons. And it shows us there are eight things that God entrusts to every human being, even if it doesn't look the same, but there are eight things that all of us have. So you go ahead and research that. So what God is saying that every act of giving is a participation in the self-giving character of God. When you're giving, hmm, freely, it's because you're receiving freely. So you and God, me, God and I. We are working from that same sheet of music, so to speak. And so our first lesson is coming in from that beautiful passage in John chapter three

5:11in verse 16. Don't take it for granted because you've recited it so many times, thousands of times in your life, likely you've recited this. But let's go slowly for God's soul, love the world. Come on, come on with me. Don't take this for granted because you know it. For God's soul, love the world. Yes, I'm reading that he gave that he gave his only begotten son, the only son like this. There's no other son like this, not the angels, not the children of God that come, become his children through the Holy Ghost. This is special. Jesus is not just any son that whosoever believe it in him should not perish. That means every human being whosoever been born has the privilege and opportunity to be saved. But we have to make the choice, the consistent choice to do so. But have ever lasting life.

6:13And this means this word to give that is used in this passage means to bestow freely, to grant without reservation. You know how sometimes people give you stuff with strings attached? All right, if I do this for you, this is what I need from you. God is giving the life and the power that comes through Christ freely so we can be saved. Anything that comes as a result of that is because God's working within us both to will and to do of His good pleasure. You see what I'm saying? So this is the giving of God. This is the model and the motivation for every act of Christian stewardship. That means to manage the things that God's put into our care. God did not lend His son or loan his son. He gave. He gave completely and without reservation. So stewardship begins at the cross.

7:14Yes, stewardship begins at the cross. The moment you see what God gave for you, giving becomes the most natural response. The minute you are transformed by what God gave to you, that is the natural response. The language of heaven is the language of giving and the believer who has been gripped by what we just read in John chapter 3 and verse 16 will find it impossible. I know. I know what I just said. But if in this moment you are in the grip that Paul said, the love of God constrains me in that moment, it's impossible for you to be selfish in that moment. And so we want God to multiply those moments. Don't we? Uh huh. And so what do we want to do? What do we want from this now? What is the action? Well, let John 3, 16 be your stewardship theology. Like the way you understand God and study him today before any financial decision, return

8:18to what God gave. Can't be selfish when God gave all and let that reality shape how you freely give to his mission. Now we go to 2nd Corinthians chapter 8 and verse 9. It can become simple now. The Bible reads for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich yet for your six, he became poor. That through his poverty, you would become rich. So give something today that costs you something. Don't listen. Don't enter your closet of those old clothes and give them the people. Don't empty your cupboard of that old stuff that you don't want to eat anyway. No lavish upon people. Give them the stuff that you would want. Give them the time that you need. Give them the energy that you would otherwise have used for yourself. Like don't give people the leftover stuff.

9:18Give them the premium best stuff. I see this a lot at the at a park, a place of change ministry and grand ledge in Michigan. This is a beautiful, a beautiful thing taken straight out the Bible. And in that case, as a deliberate participation in the poverty to riches pattern of Jesus Christ, don't make it a great day, peace. Thanks for joining us listening friends. Always remember, we cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. This has been your daily portion with Ella David Harris. Make it a great day.