Ditching Stuff

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This week we are Launching our Christmas Series Travel Light.

As I was looking for a theme this Christmas I found this 5 week theme that really challenged me and my Holiday Season Mindset….

Sometimes we need to be reminded that as a Jesus Follower this world is not our home….We are citizens of another Kingdom one where accumulation looks a little different…….

Speaking of Accumulation.

Have you ever noticed how much stuff we accumulate during our time on this Earth…..

We accumulate hurts.

We accumulate junk.

We accumulate seeds of, of discontentment that grow into all sorts of problems….

So over the next few weeks what we are goning to talk about letting go of some of the stuff that has a hold on us, weighs us down, and holds us back from really living the life that allows us live a life that not only honors God but allows us to walk in the freedom of His Fellowship.

So here are the topics we are going to cover as we walk through these next 5 weeks.

Letting go of Distractions.

Letting go of Bitterness.

Letting go of Control, which some of you probably want to skip that week because you are, you have the spiritual gift of control freak all over you.

And your husband just said Amen.

Letting go of the Past

Body

But today we are going to talk about letting go of the stuff that weights you down…….

If you are taking notes this morning the key thought for today is …..

It is better to have less of what doesn't matter and more of what does matter.

Let's say this outloud just to make sure your with me this morning..

It's better to have what?

It is better to have less of what doesn't matter and more of what does.

This is going to be hard to take in because society says the exact opposite……

You can go all the way back to the beginning and see that this has been a problem for mankind.

You have Adam and Eve in the Garden. It was Good…They are both naked, they get to physically go on walks with God every day…. They are in Paradise….Everything they need or want is right there……

But then enters the Serpent…with his Did God really say you can’t eat that fruit….

Satan comes in an implys that what they don’t have is the very thing that is going to make them Happy, Fulfill their desires, and needs..

They have all these blessings but what they don’t have will fulfill something they haven’t experienced yet…….

We live in this world where if we have 1 dollar 2 must be better

If we have 2 cars 3 must be better……

And we just keep accumulating……….

Chaplain Rigard and the Motorcycle……… Travel, Ministry, Family, and a Neglected Motorcycle……….

He said it felt like the Motorcycle owned Him not the other way around..

Almost like he was Chained to His Stuff….

Solomon actually had a wise saying about this:

Ecclesiastes 4:4–6 CSB

4 I saw that all labor and all skillful work is due to one person’s jealousy of another. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. 5 The fool folds his arms and consumes his own flesh. 6 Better one handful with rest than two handfuls with effort and a pursuit of the wind.

We are going to say it this way:

Better is one handful with rest than two handfuls with effort and a pursuit of the wind.

Say that with me this morning:

Better is one handful with rest than two handfuls with effort and a pursuit of the wind.

The truth is the more stuff we have the more we have to work for it and the more it works us……..

In Luke chapter 12 there are two brothers arguing over an inheritance and instead of arbitrating the situation Jesus answers this way…..

Luke 12:15 CSB

15 He then told them, “Watch out and be on guard against all greed, because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.”

Usually when you are told to watch out it is because you are about to have something physically harm you.

But Jesus like always is dealing with a Spiritual Matter.

So Turn to your neighbor and say : Watch out!

Jesus the Guy who coined the phrase John 10:10

John 10:10 CSB

10 A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

Tells us to watch out because Life is not in the abundance of Stuff…..

But Culture tells us differently…..

You are not what you drive.

You are not what you wear.

You are not what you own….

The question you have to ask yourself is:

Is the stuff that I currently have robbing me of the life that I truly want?

Michelle and I love going to Estate Sales……We like to look at the stuff people leave behind and try to determine what kind of life they lived….However, the truth is all that stuff you accumulate is probably going to be sold by your kids when you die…..

Better is one handful with rest than two handfuls with effort and a pursuit of the wind.

So I believe this is the perfect time of year to to speak of this before you go out an buy your kids a lot of stuff that they are going to ignore and just play with the boxes.

I want to give you three thoughts about what one hand living can look like..

Are you ready?

Principle Number 1 is going to be the hardest for me but I am determined for my kids sake and my sanity to implement this Principle…..

Principle Number 1: Throw it Out

Your life does not consist in the abundance of the junk that you have in your drawer, in your closet, up in your attic, and in your garage that is overflowing so much that you can't even park your car in it.

It's not your life. It's not your life, it's a lie.

Let’s look at another Bible Story:

Matthew 19:16–22 CSB

16 Just then someone came up and asked him, “Teacher, what good must I do to have eternal life?” 17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” he said to him. “There is only one who is good. If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18 “Which ones?” he asked him. Jesus answered: Do not murder; do not commit adultery; do not steal; do not bear false witness; 19 honor your father and your mother; and love your neighbor as yourself. 20 “I have kept all these,” the young man told him. “What do I still lack?” 21 “If you want to be perfect,” Jesus said to him, “go, sell your belongings and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard that, he went away grieving, because he had many possessions.

I am not saying that God doesn’t want you to have anything.

God is Generous and Blesses us.

We are among the most blessed in the World by the very fact that we live in the U.S.A.

It isn’t about owning stuff it is about your stuff owning you.

Jesus wants us to have less of the stuff that doesn’t matter and more of the stuff that does matter.

The problem for this guy was that he was too attached to his stuff….

So many of us are trying to fill a spiritual void in our lives by believing that more stuff will make us happier, more attractive, or more powerful….When in acuality it is blocking our ability to be more generous and giving…….

That spiritual void need to be filled with the goodness of God and His Grace.

So Throw it out .....Let’s declutter…….

You are never going to watch those old vhs tapes again anyways.

Like the young ruler

You never know what Idols you have until Jesus asks you to give it up.

The problem it comes down to is founded in two reasons.

FEAR: Might need—Children might want—Don’t want to waste!

SENTIMENT—Gift—First ribbon—Diaper.

We must learn to trust God as our provider

I want to learn to live with a Faith that if I need it God will supply it and when I know longer need it I can bless someone else with it.

That does not mean bring the stuff you no longer want to the Church……

Principle #2: Buy Less

62% of people admit to shopping to cheer themselves up.

We are living in a credit crisis because we are looking for a means of:

Escape—Entertainment—New clean—Power—Momentary significance.

Good deal—Something didn’t need—Money don’t have—Temp High!

Psalm 119:36–37 TPT

36 Cause my heart to bow before your words of wisdom and not to the wealth of this world. 37 Help me turn my eyes away from illusions so that I pursue only that which is true; drench my soul with life as I walk in your paths.

We should long to live in that abundance of life that only God can supply, so that we no longer need to fill the void.

My kid’s don’t remember what they got for Christmas in 2013 let alone 2020 but what they do remember is the experiences we shared.

From ski trips, to lake trips, that one time we went to Silver Dollar City…

The issue is so often we are overwelmed by the cost of all the stuff we have bought we can’t afford the experiences they will remember……

Working for Hi Plains Hull……..They just needed time…..and time can never be bought……..

Principle #3: Give More

1 Timothy 6:17–19 CSB

17 Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy. 18 Instruct them to do what is good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and willing to share, 19 storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of what is truly life.

A lot of people get bent out of shape when I start talking about giving.

Why because there is this inner battle that if I give I might not give.

But as I wrote this message I could not come up with one significant moment of getting something that has brought me as much joy as when I give of myself sacrificially…..

I have so many giving stories that we don’t have enough time for me to share them all….

But I will share one….. My First AR-15.

There is just something special about trusting God and giving what he asks us to give…..

This World is not our home.

Are you accumulating on earth what you cannot keep?

Or are you investing in heaven what you cannot lose?

If we are going to Travel Light: then we are going to haver to learn how to Throw out-Buy less-and Give More.

We need less of what doesn’t matter and more of what does matter. Why

Life is too valuable-our Calling is too Great-God is too Good, and Stuff doesn’t last..

Better is one handful with rest than two handfuls with effort and a pursuit of the wind.

Why is one handful better?

Because when one hand is empty:

I can help somebody up.

I can give to someone who is in need.

I can give a brotherly Hug of encouragement…

I can give a pat on the back or a high five….

Say it with me this morning.

Better is one handful

with Rest

than Two handfuls

with effort

and a pursuit of the wind.

Pray…….

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