WHAT IS YOUR TREASURE?

Matthew 6:19-21
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

What do you treasure? Make a list. Then open your checkbook. Does your list match up with the money spent? Our checkbook (and credit card statements) will tell us where our heart is because that is what we spend our money on. You have heard the saying, “Put your money where your mouth is.” Are you saying all the right things but your money doesn’t back you up?

Is your treasure: Things? People? Power? Fame? God? Do you know what your heart wants? Do your actions line up with your heart? How do you spend your free or spare time?

If God is your treasure; if winning souls for Christ is your treasure; if reaching the lost is your treasure; then your calendar and checkbook will show it. Do you pray for the unsaved? For the missionaries? For your church? Who or what do you pray for? If a stranger were to watch what you spend your time and money on, would they know that you are a Christian?

Our heart breaks when we see pictures of people that are suffering or being killed for their faith. What do we do with that? Do we turn our backs and go on our merry way to the mall? If our heart was truly broken, we would do something. Maybe make a donation to one of the many causes that will help those people. Maybe we could pray for them . . . earnestly pray, not just a quick prayer and then forget them. Maybe we would send ourselves on a mission trip to bring them the good news. We would do something with our time and our money.

But, you may say, I go to church every Sunday and I even give money to my church. Doesn’t that show where my heart is? Not exactly. What happens on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday . . . what things do you treasure on those days?

When you get up in the morning, determine to notice exactly what your heart desires. At the end of the day, look back on all that things that you noticed. What did you do with your time? What did you spend your money on? Are you able to see what you treasure? Are you okay with what your heart desired? If not, are there changes you can make?

What do you treasure on Sunday morning? Sleep? After a long week of work, sleeping in on Sunday sounds good. Do you sleep in so late that you miss church services? No problem, most churches have their services available online – you could watch it once you get up. But, do you?

What about a devotion time with the Lord? In many cases it means getting up earlier in order to make that time. Do you hit the snooze button and promise to spend time with God later in the day? But, do you?

If we are only focused on ourselves, then that is what we treasure. If we want to do something, we will find a way, the means, and the time to do it. So the question is – What is your treasure? Is it God or something else?

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture verses are from the New King James Version of the Bible.

NEEDS AND WANTS

Philippians 4:19
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Matthew 6:8
Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

God knows what we need. He is aware of everything that is going on. He has not forgotten you. Isn’t that a relief? Knowing that someone is taking care of us and we do not have to worry.

There is a caveat to that. We cannot just sit on the couch and wait for stuff to drop from heaven. We need to be active in our faith that God will supply our need.

We get ourselves into trouble when we confuse our needs with our wants. God has promised to supply our needs, not our wants. Do you need steak and lobster for dinner? No. We just need food to eat. Do you need designer clothes? No. We just need clothes to wear.

Matthew 6:31-33
Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

The intent of our heart is an important part of this. We don’t do things for God just to see what we can get from Him. We do things to put ourselves in line with God’s word. When our heart lines up with His, there is no limit to what God will do.

When the Israelites traveled thru the desert, they had no food or water. All they had brought with them was gone. They were hungry and thirsty. God fed them and He gave them water. He didn’t give them steak and lobster. But they were fed. They had exactly what they needed.
Exodus 15:22-27 (water)
Exodus 16:4-5 (manna)
Exodus 17:5-6 (water)
Exodus 16: 11-14 (quails, manna)

God did supply what they needed. But, they still had to go out every day and collect it. They worked for it and God made it available to them. It didn’t just drop into their lap. Our faith needs to be active, not stagnant.

Are you living within your means? Do you have enough money each month to meet your obligations and provide food, clothing and shelter for your family? If so, then you have what you need and you are living within your means. If not, then you are living a lifestyle that doesn’t fit your means. Are there too many “wants” coming out of your paycheck?

God will supply what we need, not what we want. If we are not satisfied with what we have, we will never be satisfied with more. God will give to us as we are able to receive it. When we trust God with our needs, He will provide.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture verses are from the New King James Version of the Bible.

IS GOD FRUGAL?

What do you think? Is God frugal? I think He is! Let’s look at John 6:10-13:
Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost”. Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.

Did you catch it? Jesus had His disciples pick up the leftovers! Our God, who has cattle on a thousand hills, saved the leftovers! Why? Obviously he could make a ton of fish and loaves anytime He wanted to. This story is mentioned in all 4 gospels – Mark 6:41-44, Matthew 14:18-21 and Luke 9:14-17 – which is known as the feeding of the 5000.

The Amplified version of the Bible puts John 6:12 this way: When they had all had enough, He said to His disciples, gather up now the fragments (broken pieces that are left over), so that nothing may be lost and wasted. The NIV says this: When they had all had enough to eat, He said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.”

Now, I am no Bible scholar, but I think Jesus is making a point here. We need to be good stewards even when the stuff is free.

We never read in the Bible – or at least I haven’t seen it, where Jesus is frivolous – just throwing money around. He could have been – He had the ability. But, He took a coin out of a fish’s mouth to pay His taxes. He could just as easily have gotten a bucket of coins. He only took what was needed – no more, no less. When He multiplied the loaves and the fishes, I wondered why He didn’t make just enough. Why did He allow for leftovers? This is one small verse and yet it is powerful. When it came to blessing the people, Jesus gave them an abundance. When it came to Himself, He only took what was needed. Jesus isn’t cheap with His children. He is not a tightwad. But He is frugal and He shows us that even in times of abundance, we need to be good stewards with ALL that He has given us – even the extras! Don’t waste it just because it didn’t cost you anything. When I make dinner and there are leftovers – enough to eat for lunch – I feel like I’ve just gotten a free lunch. If I throw away the leftovers, I am being wasteful. So, the next time your kids won’t eat leftovers tell them that it is in the Bible!

Now, I am sure that you all have heard it said, that when the Bible mentions something more than once, we should pay attention. I have already mentioned that the feeding of the 5,000 is in all 4 gospels. There is also another story – the feeding of the 4,000. Matthew 15:35-37 says:
So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude. So they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left. Now those who ate were 4,000 men, besides women and children.

This is not the same miracle as the feeding of the 5000, even though many things are similar. This section mentions a different place where they were, a different amount of time that had been spent with Jesus, a different number of people and a different amount of food left over. Plus, Jesus said it was 2 different events in Matthew 16:9-10 which says: Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the 5,000 and how many baskets you took up? Nor the seven loaves of the 4,000 and how many large baskets you took up? This is also recorded in Mark 8:1-9. Jesus performed the same miracle twice – it’s like He knew we wouldn’t get it the first time.

One last scripture and that is Colossians 3:17: And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Do ALL in the name of the Lord Jesus. How much is all? Is it some things some of the time or most things most of the time? I think it means ALL things, ALL the time. Being a good steward is a lifestyle, not just a once in a while event. Start today. Choose to be a good steward of all that God has given you.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture verses are from the New King James Version of the Bible.