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"Stewardship - It's Not Just About Money"
In the June Ministry Messenger, I shared principles 5 & 6 of 10 stewardship principles - they were "controlling our money" and "shaping lives through obedience." This month, let's look at (7) "seeking contentment" and (8) "faithful giving." Seeking Contentment: The Apostle Paul knew both the secret of contentment and how to receive it. Read Philippians 4:10-13. Paul had learned the secret of contentment . . . of being satisfied with every circumstance in which God had placed him. Certainly our personal circumstances are different from Paul's, and certainly our society is different today. But it does seem that at one time or another, we fall victim to discontentment, the desire for more. You know the old saying, "the more you get, the more you want." Jesus spoke about this in Matthew 16:26, "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul." (NIV) How often have we said, if only . . . owned a nicer home, had more money, married someone else, had a different career, belonged to a different church . . . the list is endless. Until we find contentment in Christ, we are going to continue our search for contentment in the wrong places. Four truths to consider about contentment. They are: - Determined by what is inside us, not the circumstances around us. In Christ alone we find contentment. (Mt. 11:28-30)
- Need-oriented, not want oriented. Contentment is impossible if we seek it only by having our wishes and dreams fulfilled. If we emphasize things, we will end up frustrated and depressed when we fail to acquire them. (Philippians 4:19)
- A matter of trust. When we really trust God, we believe in all situations He is in control and will take care of us. (Ps. 37:4-5)
- Responding to God's call. Don't we sometimes want to keep our earthly possessions - money, investment, time - for ourselves? When God wants something, we ignore Him. We forget He is the owner; our things are not our own.
Attitudes and Actions: Accumulating more will never be enough. Our relationship with Christ will make it possible for us to be content in all circumstances. Without Christ, we will never be satisfied. Faithful Giving: We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. Billy Graham is to have said, "God has given us two hands - one to receive with and the other to give with." The miracle of giving, which many have experienced, is the more we give, the more we receive. God's gifts to us are far greater than our gifts to Him. Reasons for giving: - We give to honor God as the creator of all things. All that we have is a gift from Him. We give offerings because we desire to express gratitude to God for His faithfulness.
- To demonstrate our commitment, love, trust and thankfulness. Giving is a witness that it is not a burden but rather a privilege, not to be seen as an obligation. God's grace empowers us to be faithful with our lives and resources.
- We are part of God's family, the church. Giving to the local church proclaims that the church is important to us and we want to be involved in its mission and ministry. Our churches are stewards of what we give to God.
- To grow as believers. When we are generous with our gifts, we acknowledge God's ownership of all we have, and we put trust in Him.
Martin Luther once wrote; "There are three conversions necessary for a believer: the conversion of the heart, mind and purse." You can always count on Luther to get right to it! Attitudes and Actions: Our faithful giving honors and glorifies the Lord. The act of giving is found in both the Old and New Testaments. We are not to give out of duty but rather in faith and love for God. A foundational truth about Christian giving is that it comes from the heart . . . it is an expression of love and care. May your walk with our Lord Jesus continue to be a blessing to you. ~ ~ A few other notes to share . . . Thank you to Diane Shildbach and John Phillips for being willing to serve on the LGB with the new term beginning July 1st. Please do pray for all your leaders of Our Savior Ministries as they work on your behalf in God's ministry. Look for more information on Joining Jesus In His Mission in the days and weeks ahead. This will be a big focus of our evangelism that helps equip all people to share their faith. Five questions that help direct this effort that we as individuals can ask ourselves and more importantly, discuss within any group we may be involved are: - How did you see God at work in your life this week?
- What has God been teaching you in His Word?
- What kind of conversations are you having with pre-Christians?
- What good can we do around here?
- How can we help you in prayer?
I will also begin a sermon series starting July 17th that will focus on these questions. May you all have a safe and enjoyable 4th of July. We are grateful that we can celebrate all the many freedoms we have as Americans, but even more so, we rejoice in the freedom we have in Christ by a loving God. Serving Him by serving you . . . Pr. John | 
Announcing a Thrivent Action Project on Saturday, June 25, from 10:30 am to 3 pm, in the Ministry Center Kitchen- YOU ARE NEEDED!
of Our Savior Lutheran School, and each individual also received a prayer book. At each location, we gave an uplifting audio CD that the residents can "check-out" from their libraries to listen to as a way to lift their spirits. It was a great way to share the love of our Heavenly Father to those unable to easily come to worship or even leave the centers. 
ng to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light." -- 1 Peter 2:9