Podcasts

In the Desert with Jesus

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

Jesus was driven into the desert as we read in Mark 1:12-13, “At once the Spirit drove him out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan.” And this – right after being baptized. He trusted that God would provide for Him during those 40 days. To help Him get through it, surely He clung to the words God said to Him on coming up out of the water, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased (Mk 1:9-11).” 

Living a stewardship way of life, putting God first in every area of our life, giving courageously of our Time, Talent, and Treasure, requires that we trust God. To live stewardship requires that we believe in our core that we are His children. And so we cling to His promise to provide, even in the midst of our desert, our trials and temptations. We know that God does not tempt us. Rather, we are tempted by our own desires (Jas 1:13-14). To help us stand firm and be confident that we can, in fact, trust God, we too hear Him say, “You are my beloved.” 

So, don’t give in to the temptation of thinking you can’t afford to give, or that you need to buy things to be happy. Instead, be courageous, give generously. Be confident in your position as a child of God, and trust in His provision for you. Give and be a part of the majestic mission of the church to serve the poor and make an impact in your community. See if in doing that you don’t begin to have the sense of peace you truly seek. 

                                                                                                                                                                               Photo by Marion from Pixabay

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Do Everything for the Glory of God

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

1 Corinthians 10:31   So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.

What do you have that you haven’t been given (1 Cor 4:7)? God gives us everything. Every single thing.

Think of all the gifts and blessings God gives to you: your talents and abilities, drives and desires, every moment of time to use and enjoy these, and every dime of treasure you earn when you employ your time and talent. Everything!

What do you do with these gifts? How do you use them? We know from paragraph 226 in the Catechism that we are to make good use of created things; to use them only insofar as they bring us closer to God. How we use our time and talent and how we spend our money impacts our relationship with God. It is important to get this right. In Luke 16:11 Jesus tells us that if we are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth – which is eternal life!

So, in whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. 

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Entrusted with a Stewardship

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

1 Corinthians 9:16-17  If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast, for an obligation has been imposed on me, and woe to me if I do not preach it! If I do so willingly, I have a recompense, but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship.

God called Paul to preach the Gospel, but preaching the Gospel may not be your charge. God gave Paul the gift of oratory, and so he felt obligated to preach. And like with Paul, God gives each of us unique talents and abilities. As disciples, we should feel obligated to use them for the good of His kingdom. 

What talents and blessings has God given to you? He entrusts you with their stewardship. What does that mean? The Church defines “stewardship” as:

  • Receiving God’s gifts gratefully.
  • Tending and Managing those gifts as best we can.
  • Sharing them in love and justice with our neighbors.
  • Returning them with increase to the Lord.

Doing this is being a Disciple. Doing this is how we live a “stewardship life.” God is counting on you. Can He trust you with the stewardship of the gifts He’s given you?

Photo Credit: Robert Davis

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Have Stress and Anxiety?

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

St. Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 7:32, “I should like you to be free of anxieties.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              How much stress and anxiety do we bring on ourselves by insistently worrying about having enough, constantly striving to obtain more things and achieve more?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

And when we get it, then what? Usually more stress and anxiety. This is not what God wants for us. He wants us to be free of anxieties. Jesus tells us 4 times in Matthew 6 to stop worrying.

How do we rid ourselves of this kind of stress? By putting God first in our lives, in every facet of our lives – including with money. Putting God first in our finances prioritizes our spending. Giving to God gives us purpose by  making us a part of the mission of the church. Something bigger than ourselves. Something majestic.  Something beautiful.

Try this – instead of worrying about getting more things, bring it to God in prayer. Pray to God about the things you want and the accomplishments you want to achieve. Leave them with Him. Then get on with using the talents He gave you to the best of your ability. And give to those ministries that serve the poor. Give to God first and trust Him to provide. 

 

Photo credit: Robert Davis

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Time is Running Out

Published on: by Joe Galloway 1 Comment

1 Cor. 7:29-31 “I tell you, brothers, the time is running out. From now on, let those…buying as not owning, those using the world as not using it fully. For the world in its present form is passing away.

Paul exhorts us to live differently than the rest of society. But, how do we do this? We do this by living a  life of Stewardship. It gives us the perfect framework for how to order our lives. 

Stewardship is counter-cultural. Our culture tells us to look out for ourselves, to go for  the gusto and get all we can. It tells us to pay ourselves first, and that to be happy and successful, we must save up hundreds of thousands if not millions in our investment accounts. But as Christians, we live in God’s culture. We are disciples of Jesus Christ. As disciples, we are other-centered and self-sacrificing. As good stewards we put God first in our lives, in every facet of our lives – including first with money. We pay God first!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Be counter-cultural! Decide today to fully embrace stewardship – God first in all areas of your life Time, Talent, and Treasure. Try Him in this and see if He won’t pour out blessings without measure (Mal. 3:10). Hurry, because time is running out. The world in its present form is passing away.

                            (Photo by Robert Davis)

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