Sunday January 23, 2010

Next in the series: Don’t spend your life, Invest your life!

Genesis 1:28-31

And God blessed them.  And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the  fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. ‘You shall have them for food.  And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.”  And it was so.  And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.  And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

What prevents us from experiencing abundance?

• Blindness to what we actually have
• Worrying
• Not trusting God with our money
• Losing perspective on why we’re alive

Matthew 6:25-33

“So I tell you, don’t worry about everyday life– whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes.  Doesn’t life consist of more than food and clothing?  Look at the birds. They don’t need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them.  And you are far more valuable to him than they are.  Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not. “And why worry about your clothes? Look at the lilies and how they grow.  They don’t work or make their clothing, yet  Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.  And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t he more surely care for you? You have so little faith! “So don’t worry about having enough food or drink or clothing.  Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things?  Your heavenly Father alreadyknows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the kingdom of God your primary concern.

Haggai 1:5-6,10-11

Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.  You have planted much, but have harvested little.  You eat, but never have enough.  You drink, but never have your fill.  You put on clothes, but are not warm.  You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it….Because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops.  I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands.

Proverbs 3:9-10

Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Remember this — a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop.  But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.  You must each make up your own mind as to how much you should give.  Don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure.  For God loves the person who gives cheerfully.  And god will generously provide all you need.  Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.