MATTHEW 25:14-40
“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,[a] each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more.But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Define STEWARDSHIP:
Stewardship is the use of God-given resources for the accomplishment of God-given goals.

I. Four Basic Principles of Money.

• God owns it all.
  
  • God has a right to whatever He wants whenever He wants it. It’s all His, because an owner has rights, and I, as a steward, have only responsibilities.
  • Nobody can fake stewardship.
• God uses money in our lives.
  
  • God uses money and possessions in our earthly life during this growth process as a TOOL, a TEST and a TESTIMONY.
  • Money is a TOOL that teaches us contentment.

LUKE 16:11-12
So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?

Malachi 3:10 - Test me in this

• Multiplication is a miracle process!

• The amount is not important.

  • The amount you have is unimportant to God, but how you handle what you have been entrusted with is very
    important.
  • Your attitude will determine your blessing!
• Faith requires action.
  
  • Many of us know what to do with His money, but we disobey or delay!
  • Remember that you are investing in people as you use your talent.

CREATIVE WAYS TO MULTIPLY YOUR MONEY:
1. Bake some cookies or brownies and sell them.
2. Buy some soap and wax and wash cars.
3. Use coupons to make your next grocery purchase and add the savings to your talent.
4. Buy gas for your vehicle and transport someone to an appointment for a small fee.
5. Pull your money together with another family or group or ministry and work on a fund-raising project together to gain increase.
6. Offer to go shopping for someone too busy or a shut-in who can’t get out.
7. Buy a share of stock that you expect to go up in the next 30 days.
8. Put your money on deposit to earn interest.
9. Cut off your cable TV for 30 days and add the savings to your talent.
10. Skip a meal you would ordinarily eat out and add the savings to your talent.
11. Purchase something valuable at a garage sale or flea market and sell it for a profit.
12. Have a garage/yard sale to get rid of things you don’t need or use and add the profit to your talent.
13. Purchase some paint and go around the neighborhood to paint house numbers on the curb for a small fee.
14. Make something with your hands and sell it.