Posts by Elinor Brown

As stewards we need to be aware of the open doors God places before us. While no one can shut the door, we must take the opportunities which are ours. We may think of ourselves as having little power, as was the case noted in our scripture. Nonetheless, we must endure, using what we have […]

Stewards are constantly faced with temptation. The nature of our temptation may be different from Jezebel, but temptation is just as real. We who know God also know that we are known by God. God searches our hearts and minds and knows our works. Others may indeed see only works that we do, but God […]

Good stewards are said to be those who show up in church the Sunday after Easter. Of course, there are exceptions to this, but there is no exception to “patient endurance” of which John wrote (Revelation 2). The question becomes, how are people brought from that first love of God into a deep and abiding […]

Stewards have God-given tasks to accomplish, John in his writing to the seven churches in Asia indicated. Finding our task is to discern God’s will for our lives. To begin the task, we should take note of John’s writing. He was on Patmos because of the “word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” The […]

Good stewards encourage one another with the resurrection hope. The hopes and dreams of a lifetime are at the feet of youth. The nature of hope greatly changes as youth lose friends to death, as I lost a friend in high school. He committed suicide “to be with his dead little brother,” according to the […]

Stewardship becomes the way of living for Christians. Steadfastness is our key word because good stewards maintain a steady and lasting course. This is one difference between fund-raising and Christian giving. Modern institutions raise much money through the emotions of a fund-raising campaign, but the continued support depends on the steadfastness of Christian giving continuously. […]

Why is prayer discussed as stewardship? Because prayer is the best gift you can give someone. Prayer is also one of the best uses of your time. Prayer takes your thoughts beyond yourself, which is a necessity for stewards. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians (2 Thessalonians 1) that “we give thanks to God always for […]

Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 3 “may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all….” Once again we are at the heart of stewardship. The favorite Bible verse for Cumberland Presbyterians through the years has been John 3:16, which portrays God’s love for us as the basis of […]

Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 2:1-13 that we have been “entrusted with the gospel….” This trust given by God is the heart of stewardship. Many think of stewardship simply as giving money, time, and talents. A closer reading of the scriptures reveals stewardship as encompassing the whole life, a way of life. Stewardship motivation comes […]

It is obvious at first glance that the Apostle Paul played and continues to play a crucial role in the formation and life of the Church. Yet he proudly calls himself a slave of Christ Jesus and humbly describes himself as chief of sinners. To add to this, Paul openly acknowledges his need and gratefulness […]