Randy Alcorn: God’s control,ownership, and sovereignty

…Not only does God own everything, God controls everything. Again, the implications are enormous. I don’t have to own everything. I don’t have to control everything. It’s in better hands than mine. When catastrophe strikes, I can honestly adopt the posture of John Wesley when he said, “The Lord’s house burned down. That means one less responsibility for me.”

God’s ownership and sovereignty offer such a life-changing and freeing perspective when the house is robbed, the car is totaled, the bike is stolen . . . or when the diagnosis is terminal cancer.

To visualize and reinforce this vital concept in your mind, I suggest you sit down and draw up a title deed, or use the one on the following page. When we come to Christ, God puts all his resources at our disposal. He also expects us to put all our resources at his disposal. This is what stewardship—and the Christian life—is all about.”

Randy Alcorn in Money, Possessions, and Eternity (Carol Stream: Tyndale House, 2003) 157. Download the book in PDF form freely here. And enjoy the header photos this week from Trinity College, Bristol, where I did my Ph.D. in New Testament.

Before my daily comments, humor me to hear the backstory of the posts this week.

As an apostle and prophet in the biblical stewardship and Christian generosity space, I highly respect the writings of Randy Alcorn. If I were to equate his writings to the prophetic books in the Bible, his book, Money, Possessions, and Eternity, would be like the book of Isaiah. Powerful, prophetic, long, and meaty.

My writings are more like Habakkuk, less known but important, biblical, and practical. As today’s Scripture says, my role is to listen to God, write the revelation, and make it plain so people can run with it.

That said, I was on a zoom recently with a fellow minor prophet, Courtney Markley, Founder of the Center for Financial Discipleship. Learn more here. She’s also the visionary creator of the Idle Treasures podcast, which to continue the metaphor engages a company of prophets. Listen to it here.

Anyway, Courtney happened to reference Money, Possessions, and Eternity on our zoom. I perked up, saying that I was planning to feature it in the Daily Meditations from 18-24 October 2026. Why? I love what Randy has to say about the pilgrim mentality!

She concurred and said that it was one of her favorite books. So I asked her to send me snapshots of her favorite highlighted quotes, which (not surprising!) included parts of the pilgrim mentality section.

So, when I compared her highlights with my underlines, these seven posts came into view. This is the first of seven posts from this book at this time. I will undoubtedly revisit this book in the future.

Let me make three comments on day one about God’s control, ownership, and sovereignty. In the words of Habakkuk, I want to make them plain so you can run with them.

First, God’s control of everything takes the pressure off us as stewards.

Money can tempt us to thinking we can control people and situations. It’s a lie! Money also fools people into thinking they can control outcomes. They can’t. While we may plant and water, only God brings the increase. Ironically, control is the first of three temptations Jesus avoided in the wilderness. He could have turned the stones to bread but did not do it.

Second, God’s ownership of everything helps us keep our hands free to hold onto Him.

When stewards claim ownership of something God owns, it becomes an idol to us. As God owns everything, whatever we think we own, actually takes ownership of us and becomes our new Master. We becomes a slave to it. Interesting, idolatry is the second of the three temptations Jesus dodged in the wilderness as an example to us. He would not bow to anyone or anything but God.

Third, God’s sovereignty over everything sets us free to grasp life as God intended.

When stewards fail to acknowledge God’s sovereignty, we end up struggling to build an earthly kingdom instead of advancing his eternal kingdom. We spin our wheels and get nowhere. This mirrors the third temptation Jesus resisted, namely, pride. Instead, when we humble ourselves, we experience freedom. As Alcorn put it, it’s life-changing.

Father in heaven, I acknowledge your control, ownership, and sovereignty over everything. Work in my life by your Holy Spirit to help me grow as a steward so this is a life-changing week for me. Do this I ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.