30. I Work for God
WG

1. WHAT DID GOD SAY WAS TO BE THE MAJOR WORK FOR WHICH HE CREATED MAN?

1WG Gen. 1:26 God created man for the purpose of managing affairs on Planet Earth. God, being Creator, was, naturally, the owner.

2. HOW DID GOD TEACH ADAM AND EVE THAT GOD WAS THE OWNER AND MAN WAS THE MANAGER?

2WG Gen. 2:15-17 God restricted man, as His manager, by reserving one tree on earth for Himself. This restriction perpetually reminded man that he was only a manager. Because only the Owner had the authority to institute a restriction.

3. HOW DID ADAM AND EVE DESTROY THEIR OWNER/MANAGER RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?

3WG Gen. 3:1-7 God's managers rebelled. They stole God's fruit, and in this way man was declaring: "I want to be the owner."

4. WHAT HAPPENED AS A RESULT OF MAN'S TYRANNY?

4WG Gen. 3:24 God fired man as His manager of the Garden of Eden and withdraw the gift of eternal life. If Adam and Eve couldn't be trusted to manage God's property without stealing from God, then how could God trust man with eternal life.

5. DOES GOD STILL OWN THE EARTH?

5WG Ps. 24:1, 2 God proclaims that He is still the Owner of the earth and everything in it. Just because Satan led man to rebel against His Creator, and declare, falsely, that he owned the earth didn't change anything as far as God's ownership was concerned. God was still the Owner.

6. BUT WE OWN ALL THE GOLD AND SILVER THAT WE HAVE, DON'T WE?

6WG Hag. 2:8 All the precious metals, and everything of which they are made, belong to God.

7. WHO OWNS THE ANIMALS?

7WG Ps. 50:9-12 God owns all the animals.

8. WITH WHAT WORD DOES GOD DESCRIBE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LAND?

8WG Lev. 25:23 The land belongs to God, and man is but a "tenant" (NIV). So man is still only a manager of all that God has placed within his hands. We don't have to agree with that principle for it to be true: It's a fact.

9. WHERE DOES GOD WANT TO LIVE?

9WG Isa. 57:15 God wants to live in the hearts of His managers, whether or not they are faithful. He loves every one of His children, whether or not they love Him in return, and He wants them all to accept Him as their Savior and Lord.

10. WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE WE NEED TO FOLLOW AS MANAGERS OF GOD'S BUSINESS?

10WG Ex. 20:3 God should be first in the lives of His stewards.  He created us from dust and gave us the high honor of taking care of everything He places within our hands. He deserves the highest honor in our lives. We should give Him our first attention, our best gifts, our most faithful service.

11. HOW DOES GOD PROMISE TO TREAT HIS FAITHFUL MANAGERS?

11WG Matt. 6:31-33 If we serve God as faithful managers, putting Him first in everything we do, then He will supply all our needs.

      • Phil 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs
        according to his glorious riches in
        Christ Jesus.
      • Psa 72:12 For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the
        afflicted who have no one to
        help.
      • 2 Cor 9:9, 10 As it is written: "He has scattered abroad
        his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."
        Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread
        for food will also supply and increase your store of seed
        and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
      • Psa 37:3-6 Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the
        land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the
        LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
        Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will
        do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the
        dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
      • Psa 37:25 "I was young and now I am old, yet I have
        never seen the righteous
        forsaken or their children begging bread."
      • "He who has given you life knows your need of food to
        sustain it. He who created the body is not unmindful of
        your need of raiment. Will not He who has bestowed the
        greater gift bestow also what is needed to make it
        complete?" {MB 95.2}
      • "At all times and in all places, in all sorrows and in all
        afflictions, when the outlook seems dark and the future
        perplexing, and we feel helpless and alone, the
        Comforter will be sent in answer to the prayer of faith.
        Circumstances may separate us from every earthly
        friend; but no circumstance, no distance, can separate us
        from the heavenly Comforter. Wherever we are,
        wherever we may go, He is always at our right
        hand to support, sustain, uphold, and cheer.The Desire
        of Ages, pp. 669,670.
      • Psa 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the
        LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he
        withhold from those whose walk is blameless.

An Agent for God (a story)

Charles, a traveling salesman, stopped to eat in a small town on his route. As he ate, he overheard two men at a table nearby talking about a widow in town. They described her, in their conversation, as having lost her job and her savings had given out. She had several small children and was now barely able to feed and clothe them—nothing left for the rent.

"Just this morning," exclaimed one, "The landlord told her that he had been as charitable as possible, but that he needed to have income from that apartment. She would have to find shelter somewhere else. He gave her a week."

"That’s terrible," said his friend. "Where’s she going to find a place to live with no income?"

Charles’ heart went out to that poor lady, and he couldn’t stand by idle. He turned in his chair and asked a few questions about her predicament. "Where does she live?" he asked. "How much is her rent?"

After receiving this information, Charles put a "tip" on the table, paid his bill, and left. He drove to her apartment, climbed the steps, and knocked on her door.

A woman appeared, with three little children crowding in behind her, faces upturned to see who this was.

"I understand that you are being evicted from your apartment," Charles commented.

"Yes," she mumbled, embarrassed that a stranger should know this information.

"Where will you go?" he inquired.

"I-I don’t know," she stammered. "I suppose we’ll have to live in the car. I’ve tried to find another job, but no one seems to want a woman with small children. They’re afraid that problems with the children will take my mind away from my work."

"I understand." Charles looked into her eyes. Tears swelled on her lower eyelids, spilled over the rims, and ran down her cheeks. "How much is your rent?"

She told him. "I just can’t pay it and feed my babies too."

Charles handed her a thick wad of bills. "This ought to be enough to pay your rent for several months so you’ll have time to find a job."

She hesitated. Charles moved the money a little closer in an attempt to show her that he was serious.

Finally she took the money. "How can I ever thank you." she began to sob. "Who are you anyway?"

Charles smiled. "Who I am is not important. And you needn’t thank me. Thank the Lord. I’m just one of his agents."

With that, Charles turned, and walked away, got into his car and proceeded on to his next appointment.

Would that we all considered ourselves as agents for God, and helped others as we see their needs.

(Based on a story told by Mel Rees.)