There are all sorts of images of who Jesus is. Someone has said that God created man in his own image, and man returned the favor. What is your image/concept of this baby who was born in a stable in Bethlehem? Jesus asked His disciple that question once. “What about you? Who do you say that I am?” (Mt 16:15) This is the most crucial question we face. No other religious, spiritual, or philosophical influencer ever said, “You’re opinion of me will affect your eternal destiny.” It’s all about Jesus.

Becoming a Christian can be like coming downstairs on Christmas morning and seeing a beautifully decorated tree stuffed with presents under its branches. You’ve already received eternal life and know that you will receive many other good gifts from God. But how disappointing would it be if, as you opened those presents, you found that all the packages were empty? For many of us, daily Christian living seems empty because there is no sense of God’s presence in our lives. We long to please God and live in a way that honors Jesus, but how can we when we don’t understand His will? In these verses, we learn how we can enjoy God’s perfectly pleasing presence!

At Christmas, we sometimes become aware of how small and broken down things are in our lives. Financial resources may seem small. Our decorations may look small compared to the neighbors. Our heart might feel small when we don’t have the feelings of good-will or generosity towards others, or a closeness to God that we know we ought to have. Paul’s letter to the new church in the small town of Colossae reminds us that God’s good news of the gospel comes to small places and fills them with joy!

Time is one of the most precious resources that we have, and yet it is one of the most neglected areas of management. Most people live with little or no margin in their time. As we pursue Godly priorities, He will lead us into a place of margin.

Today we’re going to look at finances, and specifically, how to find financial margin. The closer you live to the limit of what you make, the less margin you will have and the more tension you feel. We weren’t meant to live on 100% of what we make. God, in His wisdom and love, intends for us to have margin.

Poor management of our time and resources costs you and I personally. This is why Jesus devoted one-fourth of His parables to how we manage our belongings – our money, our abilities, and our time. Two management experiences that we usually don’t find enjoyable are going to work and giving away our hard-earned money. By following the guidance of Scripture, you can learn how to make money, give it away, and enjoy both.

For the next few weeks we’re going to be talking about why and how to properly manage or use the resources that God has given to each of us. Dictionaries define stewardship as “a personal responsibility for taking care of another person’s property or financial affairs.” Today, we’ll look at our most important belonging of all – God’s calling to belong to Jesus.

Today, we’re concluding our look at the Seasons of Life by considering the last phase, age 60 and up. Many have a negative view of old age and do what they can to avoid any appearance of age. But the Bible presents a positive view of what it means to be old. At the same time, Psalm 90 teaches that our days on earth need to be lived with wisdom that comes from an understanding of God’s eternal plan.

Today, we’re looking at the season of life from 40 to 59 years-old. It’s during middle-age that many choose to place a new focus on their health. This is wise, but our spiritual health is even more important than physical health. The examination may be uncomfortable, but Jesus, the Great Physician, provides us any healing that we need.

Today, we’re looking at the season of life from 20 to 39 years-old. It’s in the twenty-something years that God wants us to open our eyes to the resources that He has blessed us with. The “life lesson” of this stage of life is that our treasure, talents, and time are resources to be invested. Jesus challenged a man in his twenties to invest where the need was greatest – his own soul.