Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“Transfer ownership of your possessions to God. The very first thing a Christian should understand in relation to money and possessions is about turning them over into God’s hands. Dr. E. Stanley Jones, one of my spiritual mentors, used to say: ‘A road that perhaps more than any other leads to self-atrophy is undedicated money.’
So if you haven’t done so, then consider transferring your possessions and money over to Him today. When you let go of your possessions and let God have them, then life takes on a sense of stewardship. It really does. Perhaps a question we ought to ask ourselves before going any further is this: who owns my possessions, does God or do I?
Whether we acknowledge it or not, we are only in possession of our possessions for a brief period. If in reality we don’t own our possessions then the obvious thing is to acknowledge this in a prayer to God. Have the sense to say to Him, ‘I am not the owner; I am the ower!’
Selwyn Hughes in Divine Mathematics: A Biblical Perspective on Investing in God’s Kingdom (Surrey, UK: CWR, 2004) 24-25.
Owner thinking is not only anti-biblical, it’s destructive! Having any measure of wealth not dedicated to God leads to self-atrophy. Whatever we hold on to chokes the life of God from us.
We must ask ourself this question: Do I live like an owner or like an ower?
What a great question to ask as 2025 draws to a close and as we anticipate life in 2026! Today’s Scripture reminds us that God not only owns all material wealth, He owns you and me. He bought us with the price of the blood of Christ.
I pray this inspires you to live differently in 2026.
Live as a steward who understands what it means to play the role of ower. God bought you and so you use all you are and all you have in service to Him and to advance His purposes.
A test to see if you are an owner or an ower links to assets.
Do you possess assets and struggle to part with them thinking you need them to live? I thought that way for years. It’s so limiting. Only when I let go of assets did I learn how God could supply the resources for my generosity.
He looks for owers with their hands free to receive, enjoy, and share. Make that be you in 2026!