CHAPTER 9: THE MYTH OF STEWARDSHIP 2025
Everybody thinks they’re going to heaven. Everybody thinks they’re doing the best they can and if there is a God, He’ll take them into heaven, no problem. Everybody believes that. Well, I don’t. I’m pretty sure, it’s best I keep an eye on me, myself and Jesus, the Word and never take for granted the blood of Christ that forgives my sins or the salvation provided me through Christ. I’d prefer not to fool myself into believing that if there is a hell, it’s just for people worse than me. Chapter 9 is story of people fooling themselves. I don’t want to fool me anymore. There is a hell and I want to miss it. Oh, and just in case you were wondering how this translates to your business, none of us ever expected that we would ever be bad enough to file bankruptcy, “that’s for irresponsible individuals, certainly not me, I’ll always pay my bills, I’m a man of my word.” We have all discovered that insolvency and debt is an equal opportunity employer and the myth that we are above it, is just that. Well, if a mistake can be made in my assessment of my own life, it stands to reason I could make a little tiny miscalculation about my own person. We’ve learned there is a hell on earth when things get out of whack, and believe me, there is a hell in eternity. Let’s dive-in..
Jesus doesn’t only reference hell, he describes it in great detail. He says it is a place of eternal torment (Luke 16:23), of unquenchable fire (Mark 9:43), where the worm does not die (Mark 9:48), where people will gnash their teeth in anguish and regret…
When Jesus tells us what he will say to those who are going to hell he says, “Then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’” (Matt. 7:23). They are workers of “lawlessness.” That is, they break God’s law. Sin is against God first, then man.
Making incorrect assessments about myself is very easy to do, and I assure it does not give me a place in heaven, just because I think I’m worthy. Scripture says it is a narrow gate and few find it, it also says the road to perdition is wide and many follow it. I can come up with a lot of things that a good guy like me can do in the name of good, that ain’t so good.
Romans 2:19-21 and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal?
All the nations of the world have re-organized God into a concept that has little or nothing to do with scripture. The Word, as read and adhered to by the founding fathers of this nation, quoted scripture all the time. They carved it into the stone masonry of our capitals building, and in our colleges across the nation. Oh yea, Yale, Harvard, Princeton, all of them have scripture on the walls and cause ways of the buildings. The building blocks of America, written in the pledge of allegiance..
“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
Does anybody remember this? Not really. Most haven’t even heard of it. We have a whole generation of grown children who little or nothing about history or the Bible. It’s a twisted world our children live in. And everybody thinks they’re going to heaven. They’ve made the assessment of themselves and come out on top. Not really. Don’t play that game.
Psalm 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, And all the [a]nations that forget God.
I remember a bible verse about a guy who thought he was pretty good, and he was wrong. Unfortunately, he didn’t know it, until it was too late. It scares the life right out of me. And it should. You guys have heard of that saying, “I could see the writing on the wall.” You know where it came from? Let me tell you. A King named Belshazzar, ruled a short time over Babylon. At this time all of Israel and Judah were held in captive in this place. One night Belshazzar had a party and thought it would be fun to use the holy temple plates and goblets, used for the worship of God by the Jews, for the party. He ordered them brought, got drunk, used the goblets and had fun making fun of God. In terror the king suddenly watched as an invisible hand appeared in mid-air and wrote this on the wall.
Daniel 5:26-28 This is the interpretation of each word. MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; 27 TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; 28 PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.”[a]
That night Belshazzar’s kingdom was overthrown and the king murdered. I’m sure Belshazzar thought he was a good guy, just blowing off a little steam and having some fun with the gang. Myth of Stewardship.., “I’m doing all the right things, I’m a good person.”
Revelation 20:11-15 Judgment Before the Great White Throne
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
I don’t know about you, but I can’t live by the rules if I don’t remember them everyday, and I can’t remember everyday without that book. And without that book, I start thinking “hey, I’m a pretty good steward to God, I do really good things.” Yea, no I don’t, not without His help. However, with His help, things are clearer, and clearer is better…
1 Peter 2:16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.
Stewardship is a blessing. The myth of stewardship is when somehow, someway, I buy a bill of goods about myself that is spoiled, sick, poison, not right, not true. Bamboozling myself and others, talking nonsense about good things I know nothing about, or worse I’ve forgotten.
James 3:8-14
New American Standard Bible
8 But no one among mankind can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people, who have been made in the likeness of God; 10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way.
13 (goes on to say)Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and [c]selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.
How many 100’s of thousands of dollars are put towards the almighty business? How much debt is justified to grow a business, at what cost to the family? How much time put towards the business, justified as the future. Is the business the future or is God in the future? I’m not saying the business isn’t important. It is, God gave it to you. However, be careful! Leave plenty of room for God! Hey, what about the guy who planned his retirement perfectly and then died on the day he retired.
Luke 12:19-21 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ 21 “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
Evil is a tricky business. If the devil can’t make you sin, he’ll waste your time and your money, all in the name of stewardship.
Luke 12:15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
2 Peter 1:5-8 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I’m sure Judas thought he was doing a good job when he turned Christ over to the authorities for 30 pieces of silver. I’m sure Pharaoh thought he was a great steward to Egypt, in his decision not let the Israelites free, I’m sure King Saul thought himself justified in disobeying the Lord and I’m sure David felt himself a good steward to Israel when he stole Bathsheba from her husband, Uriah, the Hittite. I’m sure the Pharisees and the Sadducees thought they were doing a tremendous service to the community when they nailed Jesus to the cross. All, realizing too late, the error of fraud, myth of Stewardship, the lie of importance. We must stay ever vigilant. I remember back in the day, the rock-band “The Who,” reminds me of this chapter. Written way back in June 1971, but ever so mindful of today. Dig these lyrics.
“I’ll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around
Pick up my guitar and play….
Just like yesterday
Then I’ll get on my knees and pray
We don’t get fooled again”
2 Corinthians 2:11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
Pay attention my friends.., be aware. Pray for America, Israel and revival. Pray for clarity in your life that your eyes see and your ears hear, clearly, the Truth. What Jesus said, is coming true, right now, don’t be a part of it, stay out of it, read your book, contemplate your redemption, ask forgiveness, study what must be done while you’re breathing. Don’t kid yourself about heaven, hell or who you are, or who you’re not. Talk to Him about it, right now.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
So what exactly is the myth of stewardship? Simply put, in a word.
“Poison..”
It is the defying of the one true God and refocusing power as if it belongs to me…, it is the sin of stupid, obnoxious and a braggart, wrapped in a delightful description of a good person..
“There is no slavery like this. Sin is indeed the hardest of all taskmasters.
Misery and disappointment by the way, despair and hell in the end, —these are the only wages that sin pays to its servants.
To deliver men from this bondage, is the grand object of the Gospel.
To awaken people to a sense of their degradation, to show them their chains, to make them arise and struggle to be free, —this is the great end for which Christ sent forth His ministers.
Happy is he who has opened his eyes and found out his danger. To know that we are being led captive, is the very first step toward deliverance.” –
That is a quote by:
J. C. Ryle – The Man, The Minister and The Missionary
In his day he was famous, outstanding and beloved as a champion and exponent of the evangelical and reformed faith. For some reason or other, however, his name and his works are not familiar to modern evangelicals. His books are, I believe, all out of print in this country and very difficult to obtain second-hand.”
1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.[a]
After all this, “Patrick, could you just give me a straight example of how I did this Myth of Stewardship in my business?” Yes, I can! You give customers credit. As if doing the job isn’t enough, now you’re a bank and if you won’t extend credit, you’re not a player, a big time operator. Myth of Stewardship? You bet! “Hey, wait a minute, I’m just trying to help my customer.” Really! Do you think your customer cares about your bills, your life? Other than the fact, you give him credit, and he takes that home with him and stretches you out. You’re not a good steward to your family, your company, you, you’re kidding yourself. “Hey, they won’t be me friend without credit! We will lose them as a customer!” So what? Who needs that kind of friend, that kind of customer.
Long story short
Psalm 46:10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
Chapter 9: The Myth of Stewardship 2025, It’s a dangerous game of false “perception,” when correct “perspective” is much better served. Amen.
