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Today's devotional focuses on a basic biblical stewardship principle: GOD OWNS IT ALL!
Psalm 24:1 - "The earth is the Lord's and everything in it, the world and all who live in it."
Psalm 50:9-10 - "I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills"!
Haggai 2:8 - "The silver is mine and the gold is mine declares the Lord Almighty."
Luke 9:13 - "So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. 'Put this money to work', he said, until I come back."
Romans 14:8, 12 - "If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.... So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God."
I Corinthians 4:2 - "It is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful."
I Corinthians 6:19-20 - "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."
I Peter 4:10 - "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms."
To put it most simply, these verses tell us that God owns it all! He owns the heavens and the earth, He owns every living thing, He owns all silver and gold and money. He owns it all! To bring it up close and personal, He owns me! He owns all that I have, He owns my years and days and hours and moments. He wanted me so much He paid a great price for me. I belong to Him and I will forever! It is thus my great privilege and honor to live my life in light of this glorious reality! My responsibility is to love Him, and trust Him, and serve Him by being a good steward of what He has entrusted to me, for I belong to Him!
Through the years I have had many opportunities to learn and apply this principle of Divine Ownership. Helen and I now have a fresh opportunity to see our lives from this perspective. On July 17 I was informed that I am being recalled to active duty in the United Navy for a while to be sent to Kuwait to minister to troops coming and going into Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait. I will leave home on August 27, and following about four weeks for processing and training, I will depart on September 24 for seven months of service in Kuwait. In all I expect to be gone from this office and from my wife and family for about 8 and a half months. The Board of Directors has appointed my dear friend and co-worker Dr. Ron Hamilton to serve as Conference Minister (Acting) while I take a leave of absence for military service. In Ron's appointment we so clearly see the wisdom and gracious provision of God. Ron will thus serve as editor of this monthly devotional for the upcoming months.
Though I will certainly miss my wife and family and our CCCC family while I am gone, I am very confident in the Lord's leading and in His faithfulness, and reminded of the truth of the Biblical Principle we're reflecting on in this devotional, OUR GOD IS THE OWNER OF ALL! If He owns everything, then He owns my life and He owns yours. Let us go where He directs us, serve as He enables us, and give as He directs us! What a privilege is ours in Christ Jesus! Thanks for reading, and thanks for praying. I look forward to seeing you when I get back if the Lord wills, or some future day in glory!
Steve Gammon
Conference Minister
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