Stewardship

Moses wasn’t your average Israelite. In fact, he grew up between two worlds: raised by his birth mother to be one day handed back to the daughter of pharaoh, he was able to see two sides of of two cultured joined together through slavery. His own people losing strength day by day, and the Egyptian empire grew minute by minute. Moses had dreams to serve his people and eventually God called him to revive those dreams and finally aid in saving God’s people. It required Moses to give up a lot, and we’re called to do so too if we want to see the dreams of serving God met in stellar brilliance. Putting God first means letting go of our own abilities. Let us learn how to believe in God’s abilities and receive divine strength for the purpose of our love towards others in this devotional. To support the ministries of our church and invest in the lives of others through giving, visit: https://www.centralcaliforniaadventist.com/giving Subscribe for more content and messages from Central California Conference here: https://www.youtube.com/cccsda To join an online service click here: https://www.centralcaliforniaadventist.com/streamingresources

Putting God first can be difficult. What can we learn from Esther that will help us put God first in our lives today? When Esther agreed to join the selection process that would eventually make her queen of the Persian empire, many doubts must have rushed through her mind. Her people were exiles and their prospects were dim. It looked like God had abandoned them to the Persian rule, while still demanding obedience. But Esther was beautiful and this was an opportunity to rise above every woman in the empire. Esther was beautiful, both inside and out. Even a ruthless king could see that. Xerxes chose her, above all others, to become his queen. Esther enjoyed her own palace and privileges she could have only imagined in previous years. It is difficult to put God first when we struggle with poverty and the lack of resources. Yet, wealth and power often also lead people away from Him. How do you put God first when you have more wealth and influence than those around you? You follow the example of Esther and remember those who need protection. King Xerxes was deceived by an advisor when he issued a death decree against all Hebrews. When challenged to beg the king for mercy, Esther was afraid. In her own words, Esther 4:11 reads: “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” Esther was not immune to fear. But she was as courageous as she was beautiful. After asking all the Hebrews to fast and pray, she risked her life by entering the king’s presence uninvited. At that moment of great risk, she puts God first and proclaims some of the most unforgettable words in all history: “If I perish, I perish.” Esther put God first. Her example compels us to do the same. To support the ministries of our church and invest in the lives of others through giving, visit: https://www.centralcaliforniaadventist.com/giving Subscribe for more content and messages from Central California Conference here: https://www.youtube.com/cccsda To join an online service click here: https://www.centralcaliforniaadventist.com/streamingresources

Adam and Eve had been cast out of the Garden of Eden when Cain was born. They experienced hardship together. Adam worked hard to grow sustenance from the earth and his children certainly helped when they were old enough to start working. Cain focused on agriculture. Abel kept flocks. Both observed carefully how their parents talked about God and told stories of the garden. Both heard how God sacrificed the first animal for the forgiveness of their sins and to cover their shame. Both Cain and Abel wanted to worship God. When they came of age, the Bible says they both brought an offering from the best of what they had. Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock, while Cain brought some of the first fruits from the soil. God looked with favor on the offering Abel brought, but rejected Cain’s offering. Cain became furious. Not at God and not even at himself. He was furious with Abel, his brother. Rejection isn’t something human beings know how to deal with well. We hate being rejected and much of our lives is spent doing everything we can to avoid rejection. We sacrifice many years studying, so we are not rejected when applying for a job. We sacrifice time and money dressing up and taking care of ourselves, so we are not rejected romantically. We sacrifice our talents raising resources, so our credit card isn’t rejected at the store. Despite our best efforts, however, rejection still comes. In this case, Cain clearly rejected God’s example of what an acceptable offering should have been. In humility, Cain should have arranged with his brother to have an animal sacrifice. He didn’t. Perhaps he thought he would do his best and that should have been enough. Sometimes we decide to make our own rules when it comes to our offering. This is a mistake. God is God and we are not. The instructions on what we should do with our tithes and offerings are clear and we must follow them. Once rejected, Cain could not bring himself to be vulnerable and talk to God, his parents or even his brother. Without any resistance, resentment took over Cain. God tried to help but Cain rejected God too. Sin took over his heart and he surrendered all control to his anger and violence. Cain would go down in history as the first murderer. Cain refused to put God first. The consequences were terrible for him and the people around him. God’s love compels us to put His Kingdom first, while Cain’s example is a warning for us today. But we don’t have to be like Cain. As the deacons collect the tithe and offerings, let’s put God first. To support the ministries of our church and invest in the lives of others through giving, visit: https://www.centralcaliforniaadventist.com/giving Subscribe for more content and messages from Central California Conference here: https://www.youtube.com/cccsda To join an online service click here: https://www.centralcaliforniaadventist.com/streamingresources

Joshua saw a lot in his lifetime. Witnessing Moses lead the people through to the edge of the promised land and finally being given the task of leading them into the land, he would face challenge after challenge, followed by victory after victory that God would claim on behalf of the people of Israel. But God was only able to have him serve in this capacity because Joshua continue to put God first. As you are inspired by this reflective video on the topic of putting God first in our day and age, may you see how God is leading you to put Him first and serve however He calls you to. To support the ministries of our church and invest in the lives of others through giving, visit: https://www.centralcaliforniaadventist.com/giving Subscribe for more content and messages from Central California Conference here: https://www.youtube.com/cccsda To join an online service click here: https://www.centralcaliforniaadventist.com/streamingresources

Putting God first can be difficult. In this video, we will explore what we can learn from Jesus that will help us put God first in our lives today. To support the ministries of our church and invest in the lives of others through giving, visit: https://www.centralcaliforniaadventist.com/giving Subscribe for more content and messages from Central California Conference here: https://www.youtube.com/cccsda To join an online service click here: https://www.centralcaliforniaadventist.com/streamingresources

Imagine losing your husband and two sons in the space of years: this is what Naomi, the mother-in-law of Ruth faced. Deep sadness, unyielding grief. So when she made the decision to go back to her homeland, Naomi was surprised to learn she would be accompanied. Life would be difficult, but it was the company of Ruth and her faithfulness to serve that gave Naomi hope in such a hard time in her life. What can we learn from Ruth’s kindness towards Naomi? Are there lessons we can apply today? Can we, like Ruth, put God first and center our lives on worshiping Him? To support the ministries of our church and invest in the lives of others through giving, visit: https://www.centralcaliforniaadventist.com/giving Subscribe for more content and messages from Central California Conference here: https://www.youtube.com/cccsda To join an online service click here: https://www.centralcaliforniaadventist.com/streamingresources

Abraham’s story isn’t a linear progression of faithfulness. But it is a relatable story that shows us today how we can truly put God first. When it comes to how we hear and respond to God’s promises, the life of Abraham teaches us that there are lessons all along the way. There are moments when we are disappointed, but God is faithful to take us where we are and lead us through. How can we faithfully give back to God in our lives? Learn more in this devotional thought on how Abraham learned to put God first. To support the ministries of our church and invest in the lives of others through giving, visit: https://www.centralcaliforniaadventist.com/giving Subscribe for more content and messages from Central California Conference here: https://www.youtube.com/cccsda To join an online service click here: https://www.centralcaliforniaadventist.com/streamingresources

Daniel and several other young men found themselves whisked away into captivity in Babylon, but throughout years of challenges and difficulties, they still managed to put God first by way of stewarding what God had given them: faith, talents and wisdom. What can we learn from their stories? Watch to find out how Daniel put God first, and how we can ultimately use our circumstances to do likewise. To support the ministries of our church and invest in the lives of others through giving, visit: https://www.centralcaliforniaadventist.com/giving Subscribe for more content and messages from Central California Conference here: https://www.youtube.com/cccsda To join an online service click here: https://www.centralcaliforniaadventist.com/streamingresources