Check Your Savings Account!
Sunday Morning
Pastor Jim Lowe III
Sunday Morning, 9:30am Stream
09/05/21 (1st Sunday Message)
{All scriptures are NIV84 unless stated}
This series is about shifting a mindset.
Things we know…but don’t think about as often as we should.
This is 2021.
Back in January we spent time making resolutions.
Prob the same ones we say every year.
We want to pay off more debt.
We want to MAKE more money.
We want to SAVE more money.
We say this for the whole year.
Even today:
We will affirm to walk outside and find thousands lying on the ground.
We want to find checks in the mail from random people.
We want raises on the job.
We want student loans canceled.
Cancel the debt on the credit card…but keep the card active.
We want the big house.
We want the nice car.
We want the savings account with “multiple commas.”
And somewhere on that list…
…is becoming a better Christian.
Something we need to remind ourselves of:
Matthew 6:19-20 (NIV)
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth.
Matthew 6:19-20 (AMP)
19 Do not gather and heap up and store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust and worm consume and destroy, and where thieves break through and steal. 20 But gather and heap up and store for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust nor worm consume and destroy, and where thieves do not break through and steal;
This is a reminder.
Instead of spending all our time making, laying up all our treasure here,
Lay them up in heaven.
We have 2 types of treasures.
Earthly Treasures:
Not To Be Our Focus
Can Be Destroyed
Can Be Stolen
And
Heavenly Treasures:
Should Be Our Focus
Can NOT Be Destroyed
Can NOT Be Stolen
We are talking about our mindset.
What do we think about?
What are we after?
Which Savings Account Is Bigger?
Where Is Our Focus?
The things we have are NOT safe!
The things we work for are NOT secure!
We spend time working this life for so much.
But we can lose ANY of it.
We can lose ALL of it.
In todays tech age…
Your whole identity can be stolen from you.
Stuff you didn’t pay for…
Stuff you CAN’T pay for…
Your wealth can be taken from you.
Another thing about earthly possessions…
When we die, we can’t take it with us.
We Spend Our Lives Working For Things We Can’t Take With Us!
1 Timothy 6:7
7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.
Ecclesiastes 2:18
18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me.
These things we work so hard for…
If it’s only material stuff…
It doesn’t mean much.
Luke 16:19-22
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.
We have 2 men:
The Rich Man
Lazarus
These men have 2 adjectives about them.
The bible makes a distinction between the two men.
One was rich…
The other was not.
Verse 19-21
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
The Rich Man was covered in the things people wanted in life.
Purple (sign of royalty)
Fine linen
Lazarus was covered in the things people didn’t.
Sores
Even the dogs felt sorry for him.
Another translation says his only friends were the dogs.
Because at least they cared enough to lick them.
Dogs lick sores because it provides them comfort….
But licking the sores usually makes them worse.
Verse 22
22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.
Both men died.
Lazarus was carried to Abraham’s side.
The Rich Man was buried.
Verse 23-31
23 In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
30 “ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”
The Rich man ended up in torment.
When he asked for relief in the afterlife…
He was told he received his good things in his lifetime.
We don’t know much about Lazurus.
The bible says he was a beggar.
Leads us to believe he didn’t have much at all.
He DID had sores…
But if he ended up with Abraham…
There was something he DID HAVE to put him there.
The Rich Man Was Prepared For His Present
Lazarus Was Prepared For His Future
The Rich Man had all the signs of having everything together on the surface.
He could give to others.
Lazarus was referred too as a beggar.
He needed others to give to him.
Only one had something stored up for later.
Don’t Be So Focused On Your Right Now That You Aren’t Storing Up For Your Future!
Don’t be so focused on making money and wealth and material stuff right now.
You need heavenly treasure also!
Luke 16:22
22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.
The bible stated that both Lazarus and the Rich Man died.
When did they die?
When the time came..
When will our time come?
We don’t know.
James 4:13-14
13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
Our lives are a mist.
We are here today and gone tomorrow.
Psalm 144:4
4 Man is like a breath;
his days are like a fleeting shadow.
A breath meaning here now…
Gone shortly…
Have You Realized How Fast Time Flies?
Do you have childhood memories from decades ago that “feel like yesterday?”
It’s because time moves fast and waits for no one.
Time moves quickly and isn’t promised.
Psalm 90:12
12 Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
So the question again:
Which Savings Account Is Bigger?
Life isn’t just about having wealth.
There’s more to it than that.
Luke 12:15
15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
A man’s life doesn’t consist in the abundance of stuff.
The rich man seemed to have everything.
But He ended up in hell.
Lazarus seemed to have nothing in his life…
But afterward he had everything.
You Can Have Everything But Without God You Have Nothing!
This Is NOT about wealth specifically.
It can be misinterpreted that having wealth is a bad thing.
If you have money…that’s not God.
That God wants you to be poor.
It Is Not A Sin To Be Wealthy!
There are many scriptures of how God blesses those who love him.
Deuteronomy 8:18
18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.
He gives you the ability to produce wealth.
NCV - “get rich”
Proverbs 10:22
22 The blessing of the Lord brings wealth,
and he adds no trouble to it.
Other translations says makes “one rich.”
Some can interpret this to say…
“the bible is talking about non material riches”
“a good healthy life.”
Which it can!
You May Not Be Rich, But With God You Can Be Healthy And Happy!
God can do that…
But God can also give physical things as well.
Genesis 13:2
2 Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.
livestock
silver
gold
these are possessions!
God can bless you with material things as well.
Ecclesiastes 5:19
19 Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God.
It is okay to have material possessions.
God can bless us with those things.
Those with the Spiritual Gift of Giving - God gives them material things to give to others.
But those things are not to be our focus!
Keep Your Focus On God! He Is The One Who Brings Wealth!
Our focus should not be on money.
1 Timothy 6:9-10
9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
It’s okay to work.
It’s okay to provide for ourselves.
But while we’re working on ourselves,
Are We Storing Treasures In Heaven?
While you are working to create for yourself.
Store up treasures in heaven!
Don’t make it all about you.
Life already goes too fast.
Are we doing what’s best for our real future?
Anything That Doesn’t Positively Affect Your Future Needs To Go!
The bible tells us to store up treasures in heaven.
The treasures on earth are corruptible.
The treasures in heaven are forever.
The treasures on earth won’t last.
The treasures in heaven will.
Only The Things You Do For Christ Will Last!
Don’t forget to store up treasures in heaven!
So how do we store up heavenly treasures?
What do we do?
How Do We Store Up Heavenly Treasures?
- Spend More Time With God
- Learning and Living His Word
- Walking In Your God-Given Purpose
- Showing Love To One Another
Alowe has a saying she’s going to have put on a shirt.
It goes well with the message today.
In My Bag & In My Bible Too!
- Alowe
Don’t Be Focused On Your Wallet And Not Your Word!
Remember God gives the true ability to produces wealth!
Proverbs 22:10
22 The blessing of the Lord brings wealth,
and he adds no trouble to it.
God is where the true wealth comes from.
We can’t overlook him!
Don’t Forget About God’s Business While You’re Doing Your Own!
We spend so much time encouraging one another to create wealth.
We look for ways to enhance our way of life.
While you are working to provide for yourself and your family.
Remember there is more to life than the few years we are here.
While we work to store up for ourselves…
Remember the REAL savings account is in heaven.
What are you storing up there?
We will spend time taking about these in the following weeks.
This Week:
- Ask God For Help Remembering To Seek Heavenly Treasures
- Seek Ways To Pursue God’s Purpose In Your Life
- Do The Best You Can By Showing God’s Love For Someone
