"Being a good steward" and "placing your hope in" is not the same thing.

The Imperfect Pastor by Zack Eswine might be the most helpful and profound book I've read in years. If you're in pastoral ministry grab a copy.

If you are in Christ, you are fully and completely forgiven for all your sin-past, present and future.

I'm accepted by God and it has nothing to do with me.

Intellectual ascent to correct doctrine is not salvation

We’ve got to get past this idea that God is most glorified when we’re rich, healthy and wealthy and we go, “Isn’t God grand? Look at all He gave me.” Because if anybody joins us in that and says, “Oh, if you love Jesus, you get a house and health and cars? Then I love Jesus too.” Because then all of a sudden you’ve got a different religion. You have the religion of cars and houses, not God.

When we see the bankruptcy, slavery, and vanity of everything else, we can finally say, ‘To die is gain.’