Biblical Stewardship – God Owns It All

Last week, we kicked off our journey to faithful financial freedom by setting financial goals rooted in God’s truth and aligned with His will. This week, we’re laying the foundation for biblical stewardship—because before we can manage money wisely, we must first understand who really owns it.

💡 This Week’s Focus: God Owns It All
The most important thing to understand about our finances is this foundational truth: the Lord owns everything we have.

Psalm 24:1 tells us, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all its people belong to Him.” (NLT)

Deuteronomy 10:14 reinforces this truth: “Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it.” (NASB)

When we truly acknowledge that God owns it all, every spending decision becomes a spiritual decision. It’s no longer asking, “Lord what do You want me to do with my money?” Instead, we being asking “Lord what do You want me to do with Your money?”

Now, it’s easy to say we believe God owns everything, but here’s the real question: Are we actually living like we believe it? Think about it — if we truly lived as though everything belongs to God, how would that change the way we handle money? Would we spend it more carefully, invest it more intentionally, or give more generously? Would we stop worrying about having enough, trusting that the God who owns it all will always provide for us?

Living like we believe God owns everything requires a mindset shift. It’s means seeking His guidance for every financial decision and remembering that these decisions have eternal significance.

Not only is God the owner of everything, but He’s in complete control of everything that happens here on earth. As His children, we can rest in knowing that nothing comes our way without first passing through His hands. Even the circumstances that seem devastating, He can use for our good. I love how 1 Chronicles 29:11 puts it:

“Everything in the heavens and earth is Yours, O Lord, and this is Your kingdom. We adore You as being in control of everything.” (TLB)

This truth reminds us that we’re not navigating life on our own. God is always in charge, working things out according to His plan—even when we don’t understand it in the moment.

Beyond ownership and control, we also see God as our faithful provider. The same God who fed 5,000 men (not including women and children) with just five loaves and two fish is the One who promises to meet our needs. We may not always know how He will provide, but we can always count on His faithfulness. He knows exactly what we need, even before we ask. Jesus reminds us of this in Matthew 6:31-33:

“Do not worry then, saying, ‘what will we eat?’ or ‘what will we drink?’ or ‘what will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (NASB)

This is a call to trust. Instead of worrying about the details, Jesus invites us to focus on God— on His kingdom and His righteousness—and to rest in the promise that He will take care of everything else.

📖 Key Biblical Principle: God’s ownership, control, and provision. 
I Chronicles 29:11-12 (NLT): “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is Yours, O Lord, and this is Your kingdom. We adore You as the one who is over all things. Wealth and honor come from You alone, for You rule over everything. Power and might are in Your hand, and at Your discretion people are made great and given strength.”

🙌 Why This Matters in Everyday Life
Understanding stewardship changes how we:
✅ Spend: We ask, “Is this purchase honoring God?”
✅ Save: We plan wisely, knowing we are managing His resources.
✅ Give: We are generous because we’re giving back what was never ours to begin with.
✅ Work: We serve as unto the Lord because our job is part of our stewardship.

Stewardship is a mindset shift—from “My money, my stuff” to “God’s resources, my responsibility.”

🎯 Weekly Challenge: 
Take 5 minutes today to pray over your finances and ask:
🔹 Am I managing my money the way God would want me to?
🔹 What areas of my finances have I been holding onto instead of surrendering to Him?

Write down one action you can take this week to steward your money better—whether it’s budgeting, saving, or resisting an unnecessary purchase.

📖 Reflection Questions:
• Do I see myself as an owner or a steward of what I have?
• How would my financial decisions change if I truly believed God owns it all?
• What does it mean to be faithful with my finances?

📢 What’s Coming Next: 
Next week, we’ll continue the conversation by talking about our role—now that we understand God’s role. It’s all about stewardship: what it means, how it shapes our daily financial decisions, and how we can live it out faithfully.

💬 I’d love to hear from you—What’s one area of your finances you want to surrender more to God? Hit "Reply" and share!

🗞️ In Case You Missed It Check Out Last Week’s Edition…
https://financebyfaith.beehiiv.com/p/welcome-to-financial-freedom-for-faithful-living

Blessings and financial peace to you!

Sigrid Wardlaw
Wardlaw CPA | Helping clients steward finances with wisdom
📧 [email protected]| 🌐 www.wardlawcpa.com