WEDNESDAY'S WORD - DELIVERANCE - Sadell Bradley - 09/25/19

"The more I am in a position to be tried in faith with reference to my body, my family, my service to the Lord, my business, etc., the more shall I have the opportunity of seeing God's help of deliverance; and every fresh instance, in which He helps and delivers me, will tend towards the increase of my faith."   - George Muller      Last Wednesday, I attended the Habitation Conference, a convening of worshippers, pastors and leaders in the presence of the LORD in Orlando, FL. The weeks approaching the event were filled with stress. I was weary and looked forward to the times of refreshing that come from the presence of the LORD. (Acts 3:20) Habitation is an immersion experience - for three and a half days, about a thousand people bask an an atmosphere of worship, the Word, prophetic impartation, signs, wonders, healing and deliverance ministry. DELIVERANCE is the action of being rescued or set free; or to provide what is promised or expected. I experienced deliverance throughout the days of the conference as answers, guidance, and direction were dispensed. Relief, peace, and joy overflowed in an atmosphere of God's love and grace.       Deliverance is another word for salvation. I love the image above of someone reaching up for rescue and being met by a strong hand to save. The person to your left doesn't have the strength to reach for help, but is still rescued, despite the fact that just their cry may have been heard. God hears and answers us. In Psalm 3, an aged king David is in flight because of a coup attempt by his son Absalom. He cries out in his distress, "O LORD, how my foes have increased! How many rise up against me! Many say of me, "God will not deliver him." Selah. But You, O LORD are a shield around me, my glory and the One who lifts my head." David speaks of the LORD's faithfulness to sustain him when he can't save himself, "From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people." (vs. 8, NIV)      George Muller, is an English Evangelist who cared for 10,024 orphans during his lifetime: educating them and changing their futures. Muller established 117 schools that taught 120,000 children. He raised the equivalent of $141 million dollars for these ventures. He never made formal requests for financial support, nor did he go into debt. Many times, he received unsolicited food donations only hours before they were needed, further strengthening his faith in God.  George Müller was in constant prayer that God touch the hearts of donors to make provisions for the orphans.In his autobiographical entry for February 12, 1842, he wrote: "A brother in the Lord came to me this morning and, after a few minutes of conversation gave me two thousand pounds for furnishing the new Orphan House ... Now I am able to meet all of the expenses. In all probability I will even have several hundred pounds more than I need. The Lord not only gives as much as is absolutely necessary for his work, but he gives abundantly. This blessing filled me with inexplicable delight. He had given me the full answer to my thousands of prayers during the [past] 1,195 days." Müller never sought donations from specific individuals and relied on the Almighty for all of his needs. He trusted God for deliverance in every area of his life and ministry. May we all be boldly encouraged to do the same.

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - BROODING - Sadell Bradley - New Life Covenant Cincinnati

"You must always be open to new experiences; by this means, your physical and etheric bodies will be brought into a condition which may be compared with the contented mood of a brooding hen." - Rudolf Steiner     Last week I attended a conference called "Conspire," an assembly of Christians called to deal particularly with injustices (racial, economic, etc.). The worship band sang a song entitled"Canopy," which has still been ringing in my spirit. The lyrics were both unique and soothing, "May we dwell in Your tent, O Lord. May we dwell in Your tent, O God. Harbored by brooding wings, held in Your wide mercy, under Your canopy of love."  I was swept away by the music, and the idea of God as a harbor - a place of refuge, was just what I needed. The word BROODING was not only a word you don't normally see in a song, but it's generally used to imply deep unhappiness of thought that appears dark or menacing. But another definition for brooding is a bird, sitting on eggs to hatch them, or a hen nursing chicks under her wings.        King David, in his psalms, cried out to the LORD in his distress. In Psalm 17:8 he asks for protection, "Guard me as you would guard your own eyes. Hide me in the shadow of your wings."  When he fled from king Saul into the cave, "Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by." In Psalm 61, the basis of "Canopy", he prays, "From the ends of the earth I call out to You whenever my heart is faint (overwhelmed); Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been my refuge, a tower of strength against the enemy. Let me dwell in Your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of Your wings." (vs. 1-4)     The image of the brooding hen ensuring the safety and protection of her young, is a powerful one. Yet the same word describes both the negative attention we put into our worries and concerns...and the strong surveillance with which God takes care of us as His children. Imagine the 'wings' of God's love safeguarding and defending you! Psalm 91:4 reassures us, "He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection."

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - INERTIA - 09/04/19 Sadell Bradley - New Life Covenant Cincinnati

   

"So many fail because they don't get started - they don't go. They don't overcome inertia. They don't begin." - Ben Stein   

Have you heard? Sitting is the new smoking. The Mayo Clinic cites a number of health concerns that derive from sitting too much. We use less energy than when we stand or move which causes: obesity, increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess fat around the waist, and lower metabolism. Lack of movement seems to increase the possibility of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer. The Clinic surveyed more than 1 million people and found that 60-75 minutes of physical activity per day countered the effects of a sedentary lifestyle. Respondents saw increased muscle tone, movement, and mental well-being, especially with age. They recommended taking a break from sitting every 30 minutes, and standing or even walking on a treadmill while talking on the phone or working at your desk. Moving increases your quality of life. The Apostle Paul told his protege Timothy, "Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come." (1 Timothy 4:8)

 

INERTIA is the tendency to do nothing or remain unchanged. In physics, it is a property of matter which continues in its existing state unless that state is changed by an external force. As is true for our physical bodies, spiritual inactivity is deadly. James said, "faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds. Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds."" (James 2:17-18, NIV) Too many are in a condition of spiritual atrophy. They live degenerated lives that are in a decline of effectiveness or vigor due to under-use or neglect. They say they dream of movement, but love comfort and routine. They desire to get ahead in their thoughts...they say they want fulfill God's call and do new things...but their wishing, wanting, and even hating on others, doesn't move them to real action. Writer Elbert Hubbard wrote, "The reason men oppose progress is not that they hate progress, but that they love inertia."   

 

Sometimes it takes an outside force of Divine intervention to make us shift and make forward progress. Often what initiates transformation is a crisis or adversity that God allows - something that shakes us up and calls us to change our ways. The law of inertia says we'll keep doing what we've been doing (nothing), and things will be as they have been (comfortable and complacent) until an external force changes our focus, speed, or direction. The more immovable we are, the more force it will take for us to budge, grow and develop. Have you been cuddling up with inertia lately? It's a life-killer.   

  

 

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - CONCEALED - 08/28/19 -Sadell Bradley - New Life Covenant Cincinnati

 

"A fraudulent intent, however carefully concealed at the outset, will generally, in the end, betray itself." - Livy - Roman Historian   

When I looked for a photo to describe the word CONCEALED, images displaying individuals with concealed guns popped up. That was interesting, and a sign of the times I guess. I was actually thinking more about hiding internal issues, not deadly weapons. Sometimes there's not a whole lot of difference, at least figuratively.  To CONCEAL means to keep from sight, or to hide completely; to keep something secret; to prevent it from being known or noticed. Certainly, most who carry concealed arms have a self or other-protective intent. The same could be said for many who hold secrets, sins, and deceptions, but, "God can't heal what you won't reveal."  

"Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer the righteous availeth much." (James 5:16)  This is one of the most well-known but difficult to apply scriptural instructions. Uncovering problem areas is excruciating, but it's a part of the Cross-life. It feels like we're going to die if we admit that something is awry in our lives or we've done something wrong. We take such pride in appearing perfect. We wonder if anyone will care for us or handle our flaws or sins graciously. So instead of disclosing the issue, we do what makeup artists have been instructing women across the globe to do every day. We apply CONCEALER to cover up any perceived flaw. Except we don't use commercial make-up; we wield distraction, deflection and projection. We use jokes, anger, tears, attacks, substances, and behaviors to prevent people from discovering the truth.      

"...everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open and every secret will be brought to light." (Mark 4:22)    

Jesus employed this statement several times, positively and negatively in the Gospels. He tells his disciples to be aware of the yeast or the growing negative influence of the Pharisees. Jesus assures His followers that eventually the deeds and motives of these legalistic Jewish leaders will be exposed. (Luke 12:1-2) However, in Mark 4:21-25 and Luke 8:16-18, Jesus uses the same phraseology to state that the light of the true Word of God and the light being held in its carriers will also not be hidden, but exposed to all the world. The mystery of Christ, the Good News of the Gospel, was not ever meant to be concealed, but revealed. Bringing all things that God wants to expose to light is a powerful tool for freedom, deliverance, and salvation. I pray that none of us are stifled or bound by what we conceal.  

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - ARMOR - Sadell Bradley 08/21/19 - New Life Covenant Cincinnati

   

"The military's own report says that one-third of deaths and casualties could have been avoided if proper body armor and vehicle armor had been provided from the start of the war." - John Olver - Politician  

 

ARMOR is defined as the metal coverings formerly worn by soldiers or warriors to protect the body in battle; or the tough metal layer covering a military vehicle or ship to defend it from attack. Outside of the US military, the coolest example of an armored vehicle I've seen is the Batmobile. At the push of a button or a spoken word, its strong defenses roll into place within just a few seconds and the hero is shielded from an array of bullets and grenades. The tail winged, technologically advanced motorcar is more than a high-speed pursuit vehicle; it is critical defensive and offensive weaponry of the highest form that saves. Bruce Wayne would be a goner without the body and automotive armor specifically designed for him. He would just be a regular vulnerable and defenseless bloke without that armor.  

 

It's hard to talk about AMOR without giving a nod to Ephesians 6:10-17. There, Paul instructs us to put on the full armor of God in order to stand when the day of evil comes. He emphasizes that our battles are not with flesh and blood. Our true warfare is against the powers of the world's darkness and against spiritual forces in heavenly realms. This is a great reminder when conflicts arise and we want to make them about people. If we do not see the higher reality and apply the ARMOR of God, we are susceptible to the enemy's attacks.   

  

In 1 Samuel 17, Goliath and the Philistine military, are taunting the armies of Israel to send an opponent to engage in a deathmatch. The Israeli soldiers were in fear, including king Saul and David's brothers. David accepts the challenge confident that with the LORD's help, he will defeat the 'uncircumcised Phillistine,' and gain a victory for Israel. In verses 38-39, Saul tries to help David by giving him his armor, "Then Saul clothed David with his garments and put a bronze helmet on his head, and he clothed him with armor. David girded his sword over his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. So David said to Saul, "I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them." And David took them off."  David proceeds to defeat the giant with his own clothing and simple weaponry: a slingshot, 5 smooth stones, superior skills, and the hand of the LORD.  

 

The Batsuit was designed to fit only Bruce Wayne. In the same way, David could not fulfill his assignment with another man's armor...not even the armor of a king. There are people whom you admire greatly, but they'll never be you. You want to have what they have and do what they do, but that might not be what God wants for you. Letting go of comparisons and being yourself will probably bring you great relief. Have you been trying to fight a battle or fulfill your assignment with someone else's armor?     

   

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - BOLDNESS - 08/14/19 - Sadell Bradley - New Life Covenant Cincinnati

"It is better by noble boldness to run the risk of being subject to half of the evils we anticipate, than to remain in cowardly listlessness for fear of what might happen."  - Herodotus - Greek Historian    "The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion." (Prov. 28:1) A BOLD person shows an ability to take risks; displays confidence, courage and a lack of shame. I love this quote from author and theologian Mike Yaconelli,  "Boldness doesn't mean rude, obnoxious, loud, or disrespectful. Being bold is being firm, sure, confident, fearless, daring, strong, resilient, and not easily intimidated. It means you're willing to try what you've never tried, and willing to trust what you've never trusted. Boldness is quiet, not noisy."  It's interesting that this word batach in Hebrew is the same word for trust. A person who is righteous is inwardly secure and outwardly bold because they trust in God.     In Acts 3, Peter and John healed a lame man at the temple by the power of Jesus' name and had many converts. They came under the scrutiny of the Elders and Scribes. The leaders of the synagogue wanted to know in what name the miracle had been performed. The Apostles answered boldly. "Let this be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed." The Bible says in verse 13-14, "When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they marveled and took note that these men had been with Jesus. And seeing the man who had been healed standing there with them, they had nothing to say in response." The Jewish leaders warned Peter and John not to speak or teach in Jesus' name. "But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to listen to you rather than God. For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard." (18-20)    Sadly, boldness is a somewhat scarce character trait in Christians these days. We are too often intimidated in situations that require bravery. Neither the confrontation nor its potential dangers dissuaded Peter and John. Despite the fact that this all occurred in the same city where Jesus was conspired against, falsely accused, and tried; instead of running away they prayed:   "And now, Lord, consider their threats, and enable Your servants to speak Your word with complete boldness, as You stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus. After they had prayed, their meeting place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly." (29-31)   Let's pray for the same boldness.

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - EXODUS - 08/06/19 - Sadell Bradley - New Life Covenant Cincinnati

"You know that Moses was spinning like crazy in Exodus 14-17 when the Jewish people wanted to go back and become a place again because tramping through the desert was a bit too hard." - Joe Klein - American Journalist    On Monday I heard the song "Deliver Me - This is My Exodus" by psalmist Donald Lawrence featuring soloist Leandria Johnson. The song discusses how God is able to heal the holes in our souls that exist because of painful events in our past. The soloist's lyric begins, "Lord, deliver me, 'cause all I seem to do is hurt me. God rescued me from myself...from my overthinking." Throughout Deliver Me, Lawrence speaks the Word of God over listeners toward healing, freedom and release. Then Johnson and the choir rise to a powerful repetitive declaration, "THIS IS MY EXODUS!" stating emphatically that they will no longer be bound or enslaved to the past. An EXODUS is defined as a mass departure of a people, in the Old Testament of the Jewish people's escape from bondage to their Egyptian captors. Exodus means 'out of the way.' So 'Deliver Me' personalizes this sentiment, 'My Exodus' is that I'm now deciding to get out of my own way - and I need God's help to do that. That's very powerful, and not just for Leandria Johnson who has endured many things in her life, but for us as well.       We generally see an EXODUS as breaking free from a shackled or bound existence. But it's also the fulfillment of a promise God made to Abraham in Genesis 15:13-14. "Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions." When the fullness of time arrived, the LORD held true to His Word bringing immediate restoration to millions simultaneously. Luke tells the ultimate result of this deliverance in Acts 7:7 'But I will punish the nation that enslaves them,' God said, 'and afterward they will come forth and worship Me in this place.'    The Children of Israel experienced the same circular, repetitive, struggle in the wilderness that the songwriter describes in 'Deliver Me'. Every time they wanted to do right, as the Apostle Paul said, "evil was present." (Rom. 7:21) For the Jews, it took a new generation and a few faithful leaders to purge out fully their inbred past bondage so that they could wage war for their future inheritance. When we sing a song or make a proclamation like, Deliver Me, This is My Exodus! we are invoking God's rescue, deciding to break free, believing what He's promised, anticipating restoration, committing to worship Him fully, and preparing to go to war for our inheritance.

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - MERCIFUL - 07/31/19 - Sadell Bradley - New Life Covenant Cincinnati

"Our Heavenly Father is far more merciful, infinitely more charitable, than even the best of His servants, and the Everlasting Gospel is mightier in power to save than our narrow, finite minds can comprehend." - Rev. Orson F. Whitney     "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." - (Matt 5:7) That means God will extend His grace, benefits and advantages to the person who is MERCIFUL - full of pity and compassion, who acts in accordance with God's covenant-love and loyalty. Mercy means we don't get the punishment we deserve. Grace and mercy combined replace penalties with undeserved favor. MERCY is defined as compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm; an event to be grateful for, especially because its occurrence prevents something unpleasant  or provides relief from suffering.     One compelling parable on mercy is the Prodigal Son in Luke 15. The son requests that his father give him his inheritance early. Then he foolishly and selfishly squanders his inheritance on a promiscuous and luxuriant lifestyle. He returns ashamed to his father, thinking he would be better off as a servant than to suffer the repercussions of his choices. To his surprise, his father welcomes him back, not as a servant, but as his son. He celebrates his return and restores his position and fortunes, canceling the consequences of his egocentric choices in a jaw dropping display of compassion and love. We've all experienced God's abundant leniency.     GOD's mercy is usually not in question...OURS is. We only have a demonstration opportunity when someone is at our mercy.  In Matthew 18, Peter asks Jesus, ""LORD, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you not not until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.""(vs. 21-22) He goes on to tell the story of the unmerciful servant who owed his master 10,000 talents (10+ billion dollars). He was about to be sold, along with his wife and children, into slavery but was forgiven. Later, the same servant was owed one hundred denarii (100 days wages, or about $10,000) by a brother, but would not have patience with him and threw him into prison. Jesus told His disciples, "32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' 34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. 35 "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses." Jesus commanded us, "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." (Luke 6:36)

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - INSTITUTIONAL - 07/24/19 - Sadell Bradley - New Life Covenant Cincinnati

"The times when black women have been successful in confronting and overcoming the structural and institutional sexism and racism that persists in our society have been when we are thoughtful and strategic about speaking up. It's when we've done what it takes to introduce and implement our ideas and our plans to make things better." - Marcia Fudge - U.S. Representative for Ohio's 11th Congressional District      On Sunday, I watched the fascinating yet disturbing HBO docu-drama, "Too Big To Fail." It's about the housing and banking economic crisis of 2008 and how it was 'solved' by the US Treasury Department, Banks, some   74th US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson Fortune 50 Corporations and Investment Companies. Here's a Trailer  I believe every American should witness this. You will get a glimpse into the high-level greed, corruption and INSTITUTIONAL decision-making that happens behind closed doors, but affects us all.  INSTITUTIONAL means of, in, or like an INSTITUTION - an established official organization having an important role in the life of a country, such as a church, legislature, or in this case banks involved in financial trading. There are folks in rooms right now making decisions about which you are completely unaware that will positively or negatively affect your life, your family, your workplace, your City, State and Nation. They're not personal decisions; they're INSTITUTIONAL decisions that bring sweeping impact... like Flint's water.      The movie depicts a recent time where government and business leaders of the most influential companies and countries jockeyed and jostled for financial and political survival in a crisis that crippled many everyday Americans. Most of us never see or experience this kind of institutional power until it affects: gas prices like in the 70's, home mortgages in 2008-12, or our ever-looming doubt about Social Security and Medicare. When INSTITUTIONAL issues hit the pockets of middle class Caucasian Americans, they spur an uproar and groups like Occupy Wall Street rise up in protest.     As an African-American woman, I'm all too familiar with the affects of INSTITUTIONAL economic injustices, sexism, racism, and the like. There are laws in the US that still impede women's freedoms. Slavery was not just a racial issue, but an INSTITUTIONAL economic engine that upheld the wealth of the Southern States... no, of the entire Country for centuries. In the Netflix Documentaries "13th," 13th Trailer and "When They See Us," When They See Us Trailer, Director Ava DuVernay masterfully navigates the travesty of Mass Incarceration, a modern day slavery of economic terrorism and brutality. If you watch 13th, you'll see the INSTITUTIONAL decisions made by representatives, judges, and presidents from both Democratic and Republican parties that created and sustain preschool to prison pipelines and the money grab of prison privatization. Your jaw will drop when you see these documentaries. I hope you'll dare to watch them.          Into this INSTITUTIONAL landscape that primarily affects African-American young boys and men in Cincinnati strode local advocate Judge Tracie Hunter, a pastor whom I've known for 20+ years. Though marred by controversy, she is a strong woman of faith and a champion for black youth. We watched her fight voter suppression in 2010 to have discarded provisional ballots counted in order to prove that she indeed was the first African-American voted in to the Juvenile Court. She waited 2 years to assume that post. Judge Hunter introduced legislation that made it illegal to show minor's faces and names from Juvenile court in the news. She also introduced legislation to keep children from being handcuffed coming into the courtroom. She attempted to find alternatives for these children to escape the aforementioned prison pipeline. Judge Hunter challenged the status quo and has withstood scrutiny and pressure under which most of us would break. For 9 years she faced this opposition as 8 charges levied against her were dropped. The one that 'stuck' had jury members state not guilty was their verdict, but were denied their right to be polled openly in court. It's complicated and convoluted. I'm sure there is a lot we don't know - as there are always 3 sides to every story. She attempted to share her account of the facts, but it was withheld by the press.       I don't claim to have the answers, but I do know that African-Americans have seen INSTITUTIONAL and personal injustices in many forms in these 'United States.' There are good reasons why INSTITUTIONAL trust from our community is so low: Jim Crow, Redlining, Gentrification, Housing and Wage Discrimination, to name a few. We've endured as false accusers like Carolyn Bryant, the woman who lied and had Emmett Till brutally attacked and murdered, got away scott-free. We've watched Dylan Roof, who killed the Charleston 9 in cold blood at their church, live and be treated to hamburgers by local police. We've seen countless Caucasians who commit heinous crimes go free or have minimal sentences, while innocent Black boys with toy guns are shot dead, and grown men are choked out, or serve sentences for half their lives for crimes they didn't commit. So no matter what you believe about the current case, you can understand why we might be skeptical about our government's INSTITUTIONS. I hope Christ followers will take time to consider what might be layers of truth more deeply. Isaiah shared this about the times:      14 Our courts oppose the righteous, and justice is nowhere to be found. Truth stumbles in the streets, and honesty has been outlawed. 15Yes, truth is gone, and anyone who renounces evil is attacked. The LORD looked and was displeased to find there was no justice.16He was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed. So he himself stepped in to save them with his strong arm, and his justice sustained him.17He put on righteousness as his body armor and placed the helmet of salvation on his head. He clothed himself with a robe of vengeance and wrapped himself in a cloak of divine passion. 18He will repay his enemies for their evil deeds. His fury will fall on his foes. He will pay them back even to the ends of the earth.19In the west, people will respect the name of the LORD; in the east, they will glorify him. For he will come like a raging flood tide driven by the breath of the LORD." (Isaiah 59:14-19, NLT)

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - TRUSTEE- 07/10/19 Sadell Bradley - New Life Covenant Cincinnati

"Every generation inherits a world it never made; and, as it does so, it automatically becomes the trustee of that world for those who come after. In due course, each generation makes its own accounting to its children." - Robert Kennedy    I've been teaching on what the Bible says about financial stability, freedom and stewardship - things I was not taught as a youth. The statistics are scary: 46% of Americans say they can't cover a $400 emergency. The richest 1% holds 40% of the Nation's wealth (Washington Post). 32% of Americans have only saved between $1 and $74,999 for retirement. 15% say they've saved nothing at all (MSN).  Only 41% of Americans say they live on a budget (US Bank). In Cincinnati where I live, the poverty level is 28.7%. One out of every 3.5 people lives in poverty. This is a dire situation! I don't know if many pastors address these things or find them relevant, but the Bible goes into a lot of detail on the importance of stewardship. God has entrusted us with this earth, with children, with work, with our time, with relationships, with His possessions, with finances, with gifts and callings, and with His mysteries.    TRUSTEES in a church are a group of folks, ostensibly business people with whom the direction of the financial and sometimes operational life of a church is entrusted. Trustees are also found outside of churches. A TRUSTEE is a person who is given control or powers of administration of property in trust with a legal obligation to administer it solely for the purposes specified. You and I are really trustees of what God owns. We are to steward these things as He specifies. In the Parable of the Minas in Luke 19:11-27, Jesus tells of a master who calls together his servants, gives them each ten minas (about 3 months wages) and tells them to 'occupy til I come,' which means do business, put this money work until I return. (13) This nobleman wanted to receive a return on his investment (ROI). The servant's response to this command was not unlike ours when God taps on our shoulders with commands about stewardship, soul winning, obedience or accountability, "But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.' (14)     The servants who took their trusteeship seriously and gained a return were given levels of responsibility over cities. The one who did not, was called wicked and unprofitable. His minas were taken from him and given to the most profitable person. This seems unfair and not something God would do, but Jesus had already told His disciples, "10Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11If, then, you have not been faithful with worldly wealth, who will entrust you with true riches? 12And if you have not been faithful with the belongings of another, who will give you belongings of your own? (Luke16:10-12)  Fortune Magazine reported that Millennials are the first generation to believe that they will grow up to be financially worse off than their parents. But the trust we have received is not solely financial. We also have a spiritual trust. What kind of TRUSTEE have you been? Will the next generation be better because you've properly managed what's been entrusted to you?