Most Christians don’t struggle with saying Jesus is Lord.
We just struggle with living like He is.
Sure, we trust Him with our eternity. We trust Him with our sins. But when it comes to the everyday stuff like the calendar, the bank account, the retirement plan suddenly the throne of our lives gets very crowded.
Let’s be honest: biblical generosity isn’t usually where discipleship begins. It’s where it culminates.
Giving is often the last stronghold we surrender in our walk with Jesus. Why? Because generosity isn’t just about money. It’s about control. It’s about security. It’s about faith.
That’s why Jesus talked about it so much. Not because He needed our stuff, but because our stuff has a way of replacing Him as our Savior.
Entrusting Jesus with Your T.E.R.M.
True discipleship means giving Jesus full authority over our T.E.R.M. That stands for our Time, Energy, Relationships, and Material resources. Until we do, we’re still holding back. We’re still hedging our bets. We’re still following Him… with conditions.
Let’s break it down:
Time
You can tell a lot about someone’s priorities by looking at their calendar. Does Jesus get the leftovers, or the firstfruits?
Do we have margin in our schedule for worship, prayer, service, or is our time budget already maxed out with soccer practices, Netflix, and overtime hours?
Paul says:
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15–16, ESV)
If Jesus is Lord of our life, He must also be Lord of our time.
Energy
We all wake up with a certain amount of gas in the tank. And if we’re honest, most of us use it all on ourselves.
But discipleship means pouring out your energy not just on making a living, but on making disciples with your kids, your friends, your neighbors, your church.
“Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9, ESV)
Where you invest your energy shows who you believe is worthy of it.
Relationships
Who gets your best? To whom do you open your heart? Who do you serve without expecting anything in return?
Biblical generosity includes the giving of yourself to people who can’t pay you back. That’s grace. That’s the whole point of the Gospel.
And that’s exactly what Jesus did.
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13, ESV)
Our relationships reflect our theology. Do we live like people are eternal, or are we too busy managing our circle for convenience?
Material Resources
Here’s where the rubber meets the road. Giving our stuff. This is where we talk about giving sacrificially, regularly, cheerfully. And it’s often the most tangible evidence of spiritual maturity.
Yet, it’s the part most Christians dodge, delay, or delegate.
“No one can serve two masters… You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24, ESV)
Ouch. That one hits hard. Because most of us have tried. We keep both masters in the room and try to play the spiritual field.
But the truth is, you can’t follow Jesus with one hand on your wallet and one foot in the world.
Why Generosity Is the Final Stage
When we finally entrust Jesus with our T.E.R.M., we stop compartmentalizing our faith. It’s no longer “Jesus on Sunday and me the rest of the week.” It’s not “Jesus gets my heart, but I’ll keep my bank account, my calendar, and my comfort zones.”
It’s full surrender.
Because the goal of discipleship isn’t learning more about Jesus. It’s becoming more like Him.
And He didn’t give sporadically, spontaneously, or sparingly.
He gave everything.
“Though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9, ESV)
That’s not just good theology. That’s the blueprint.
Time to Take Inventory
So here’s the challenge: take a T.E.R.M. inventory.
- Are you giving God your time or just squeezing Him in when it’s convenient?
- Are you spending your energy on eternal things or are you running on fumes chasing temporary ones?
- Are your relationships a reflection of Jesus or are they curated for your comfort?
- Are your finances surrendered or are they still “off-limits” in your spiritual life?
Until we surrender all four, our discipleship is still unfinished.
But the moment we entrust Jesus with our T.E.R.M. that’s the moment we stop calling the shots, and start living like He’s truly Lord.
So… where are you still holding back?
Source: www.derrickhurst.org