YOU, INC.

You are the chief financial officer of “You, Inc.,” a wholly owned subsidiary within God’s universal holding company called The Kingdom.

You wear a lot of titles in God’s Kingdom:

• son or daughter
• child of God
• heir
• beloved
• treasure
• friend
• CFO

Paul puts it this way:

Behind that old English word dispensation in that verse is the Greek word oikonomia, the root of our English words for economy and economics.

Oikonomia is defined as the management of a household or of household affairs; specifically the management, oversight, administration, of other’s property.

It’s the very word the ancient Greeks would have used to describe a person left in charge of managing someone else’s farm or operation.

Isn’t it interesting that Paul used this particular word when describing what God had called him to do?

In other words, Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:17:
Paul uses this same word over and over again — check out Ephesians 3:2 and Colossians 1:25.



YOUR LIFE IS NOT ABOUT YOU

Paul viewed his life and calling in terms of managing a spiritual business enterprise that God had entrusted to him.

In light of this and Jesus’ numerous stewardship parables, shouldn’t we do so as well?



YOUR BOSS

One thing people fail to understand about God is that He loves to delegate authority and responsibility to His people.

From the very beginning, God invited His first created son and daughter into His highest work.
Remember that humanity’s original job was to tend the garden and expand it across the earth.

What was true back in the garden remained true when Jesus announced the launch of God’s program of restoring what the Fall had broken.

Just as God had told Adam and Eve to be fruitful, multiply, and extend their dominion everywhere, after the resurrection Jesus essentially told His disciples the same thing:
Notice how in the Great Commission Jesus delegates His authority to His followers.
He could have won the world on His own, but He chooses to invite us to join Him.



GOOD BOSSES DO PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS

Remember Jesus’ words in Luke 16:10:
Big or small amounts can test your heart with equal measure - because it’s about your heart, not the amounts.

It’s about whether you’re being faithful - literally whether you’re acting out of faith and trust in Jesus or out of something else: fear, greed, or even resentment.

God’s passionate love for people compels Him to redirect resources to the hands of those who will partner with Him in the most important cause on earth.



NO REWARDS FOR MAINTAINING

God is looking for good stewards because He loves people!

The point of following Jesus is to help make Heaven crowded; we want it to be standing-room-only in the heavenly realms!

God’s resources are precious and how we manage God’s stuff counts for eternity.

The problem is we’re very good at conning ourselves.
Most poor stewards tell themselves that if they only had a little more money, then they would be prudent, generous, and put God first in their finances.  
“If only I were better off, I’d be a better steward,” they think.
But that simply isn’t true.  

Jesus knew and clearly stated that if you’re not a good steward with a little, you won’t be a good steward with a lot.

And you’ll never be entrusted with a lot until you learn to steward what you already have.

The magic formula is simple:

• Give 10% (the tithe)
• Save 10%
• Live on the remaining 80%

If God can’t trust you with a little, He can’t trust you with a lot.

Maximize the 100% by bringing the first 10% to God.  Test Him!

Only then will the Lord bless the remaining 90% in your hands.

God doesn’t hand out rewards for maintaining; He wants you to maximize what you already have right now.

Blessing follows tithing.  God cannot bless sin.



YOU ARE THE ONLY CFO “YOU, INC.” HAS

What are you going to do with your one-and-only life?

You are the chief financial officer of your one-and-only life.

If you’re married, you and your spouse hold that position jointly for your household.

Your little enterprise is an important part of a much larger conglomerate.

According to Colossians 1:13, when God saved you, He rescued you from the domain of darkness and transferred you into the kingdom of His beloved Son.

God is the Chairman of the Board.  Though He isn’t seen right now, He is present.

You will have to give Him an account.

So let’s choose to be wise CFO’s — wise stewards — of the Chairman’s resources.

You are a CFO.  Now let’s roll up our sleeves and get into the nuts and bolts of what it takes to be a great one.


REFLECTION

1) What surprised you in this session?

2) How did God the Spirit speak to you?

3) Write out a prayer to God, thanking Him for entrusting you with His resources.  Ask Him for wisdom.  Ask the Spirit to create a hunger within you for the next session.