You Live for What You Love
Notes
Transcript
Intro/Opening
Intro/Opening
This is a series about freedom.
This is NOT a ploy or a plan to get more money for the Church.
Money is the biggest threat to joy and freedom that there is.
Money only makes us want more.
Here are some quotes from millionares:
I was happier doing a mechanic’s job - Henry Ford
Millionares seldom Smile - Andrew Carngee
I have made many millions and it has brought me no happieness - Rockerfeller
The fact is, the more we have, the more distracted and stressed out we get.
There is a danger of our priorities getting mixed up.
Here are some statistics from a program from PBS called “Affluenza”
The Average person will spend 6 hours shopping and only 40 minutes with their children
By the age of 20 we will have seen nearly 20 million commercials
Recently more people have declared bankrupcy than graduated from college
in 90% of divorce cases, arguments about money have been a major cause
People spend their whole lives pursuing worthless treasure.
El dorado – The Spanish conquest of Columbia they though it was filled with gold but all the gold was plating over an alloy compound.
They destroyed an entire civilization over copper, tin, and other metals wrapped in a THIN THIN THIN Gold plating.
Main Point
Main Point
You Live for What you Love.
Why it Matters
Why it Matters
Did you know that 15% of what Jesus said in the Gospels was around Money and possessions?
Why?
There is a significant link between the way we think about our spiritual lives and money and possessions
Our faith and our finances are inseparable
If we don’t understand this, we will always struggle and never find the full joy that we could have.
You can’t separate finances from spirituality. One will always influence the other. The question is which one calls the shots?
Scripture
Scripture
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
19 - Don’t focus on what is temp.
20 - Focus on what metters in Heaven
21 - Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also
22 &23 - The eye is the window that Light enters the body which enables the body to find its way
If it is true light it will lead us to victory
If it is a light stained with darkness we will stumble an fall.
24 - This scripture is a universal truth. It is taught a different way but the Cherokee Tribe. Theirs goes like this:
An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”
He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”
This is another parable that we can learn from. Paul did it in Acts when he spoke of the unnamed god. Using their stories to bring light to the truth.
The point being. If we make all of our decisions based on our wealth we feed the wrong wolf. We are walking in a dimly lit room with more obsacles.
BUT...
The more we trust Him the stronger our faith will become.
Faith by definition is trust in something that you cannot see. But that is not what we believe.
Faith is NOT blind. Faith is making decisions based on what we understand to be true. The more we practice faith the stronger it gets. It is like a muscle.
So, who directs us?
God or Money/possessions?
Money will always tell us we need more.
God will tell you that He is enough.
Here are a few examples:
You buy a tv. Then you need something to watch on it. Then maybe a sound system. then something comfortable to watch it in. Then what happens when on of those things breaks.
Or...
In high school I had a 1986 Oldsmobile Cutless Supreme. It was a beast. It was also BEAT UP! Mud, food, drinks, snacks, dirt. We drove that thing everywhere and completely beat that car up for 4 years. I only paid 600 dollars for it.
Then in my 4th year of college I got a brand new still wrapped in plastic Honda Civic. only 15 km on it. IF People brought food in it I lost my mind. I looked over the car for scratches. I bought accessories. I washed it even when it didn’t need to be washed. Once I drove over yellow road paint. I lost sleep because of that.
My “upgrade” also brought stress and cost into my life that I didn’t previously have.
The car itself wasn’t bad. It actually helped me to do a lot of ministry. But I boarderline worshipped that car. How ofter do our possessions actually possess us?
The only way man can serve God is to first dethrone money.
Money is the biggest obstacle in our lives. Everything always seems to revolve around money.
We have to store up heavenly treasure. Here are some biblical examples of what this means.
“He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.
“The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’
“ ‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’
“The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’
“His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’
You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,
for they will surely sprout wings
and fly off to the sky like an eagle.
Civil war
It is almost over, and the north is winning
When the north wins northern currency is the only lender will be accepted
What will you do with all of you accumulated confederate currency?
TRADE IT FOR US CASH the only accepted currency when the war is finished.
Investment in people and the mission of God. That is what heavenly treasure is. Generosity and time. That is heavenly treaseure.
But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
Application
Application
- When we invest what matters here in earth, we get a 10,000% return in Heaven.
- You won’t see a hearse pulling a U-Haul because you can’t take it with you.
- You can’t take it with you, but you CAN send it on ahead.
15% of Jesus teaching was around mony and possession. That is not SMALL!!!
Serving money is a false idol that will ALWAYS leave us wanting more. ALWAYS.
Generousity is always going to bring freedom.
Closing
Closing
Don’t hear me this morning saying you have to give more to the Church to be free. That is NOT the message here.
I want everyone to find joy in freedom. Start listening to God when it comes to finances.
The next time you feel God telling you to do something say yes instead of, can I afford it?
Ask ourselves can we afford not to?