If we are going to be the best stewards that we can be to the Lord, another principle that we need to understand is the importance of our training, and how He trains us to be able to handle more authority and resources. Our training is the investment that God is making in us, and we want Him to get the maximum return for this investment. Remarkably, He lets us determine what kind of return He will get from us by our faith and obedience.

One of the most important parts of our training is described by the...

In Luke 16:11, Jesus explains a basic principle that should motivate us to study good financial management: "If therefore you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous mammon, who will entrust the true riches to you?" We have also considered how important He made this in the Parable of the Talents, when He called those who managed what they were entrusted with well "Good and faithful servants" (see Matthew 25:21 NIV), and the one who did not manage what he was entrusted with well, "You wicked, lazy slave" (see Matthew 25:26)....

As we have discussed, a talent was a measure of the currency of the time, and this parable specifically addresses how we handle the money we are entrusted with, which is a primary test of our character and spiritual wisdom. However, it is about more than money, rather all of the resources we have been entrusted with, including the spiritual and natural gifts. If we are going to be good, effective managers, we must begin with prioritizing our lives so that most of our time and effort is devoted to the things that are the most important. Let's look...

As we addressed last week, we tend to think of righteousness in moral terms, not lying, cheating, committing adultery, etc. A large portion of the biblical teachings on righteousness is about managing what we have been entrusted with right. All Christians should be living to hear the words on that great judgment day, "Well done good and faithful servant!" As we are told in The Parable of the Talents, the ones who heard those words were the servants who managed what they were entrusted with well. The one who heard, "Depart you wicked, evil slave," was the one who...

We want to address some very basic and practical kingdom financial management principles. First, we need to go over a couple of principles that can help keep us on the right path.

There is a difference between wealth and riches. Riches come quickly and usually leave quickly. Riches are gained easily and quickly, while wealth is the result of endurance, hard work, and faithfulness. In principle, anything that happens too fast or too easily is usually insignificant. Riches that come fast usually leave fast because those who receive them do not know how to manage them. However, the...