Giving...Treasures In Heaven

GBF!
Enjoyed our time together Sunday! How did you like the new time? Thirty minutes makes a pretty big difference, in a POSITIVE way according to many of you :)

I wanted to first provide you all with the links to the organizations at work in Haiti that Brent Wilkins mentioned yesterday:

1. Joe White with Kanakuk Ministries – GBF men attended Men At the Cross in 09, a ministry that Joe White leads.
Send your checks to Kanakuk Ministries, Attn: Haiti Fund, 1353 Lake Shore Drive, Branson, MO 65616 or donate on-line at https://dlq4.donatelinq.net/qv10/default.aspx?MerchantID=KanakukMinistries and choose Kanakuk Haiti Fund. (All donated funds will go to the relief effort in Haiti.)

2. Crisis Response- EFCA – GBF youth and leaders served with this organization last Spring doing Hurricane relief work in Galveston.
You can give by going to www.efca.org and clicking on the "give now" button.
(Crisis Response)“will be in this for the long term recovery and for proclamation of the Gospel and disciplemaking”

In addition please keep the people of Haiti, the relief work, and the whole situation in your prayers.

Yesterday we talked about earthly treasures verses treasures in Heaven and what the Bible about how that relates to giving of our finances and possessions. Much of what we discussed came from Randy Alcorn’s book, The Treasure Principle, which I highly recommend.

Here are some notes and verse references you might have missed:
The New Testament is FAR from silent on the subject of giving, so it is for GOD'S GLORY that we discuss this topic:
Luke 3: 7-14
o share clothes and food with the poor (v.11)
o Tax collectors shouldn’t take extra $ (v. 13)
o Soldiers should be content with their wages and not try and extort money(v. 14)
See also: Acts 2:45, Acts 4:32-35, Acts 19:19

About 15% of all that Jesus said had to do with possessions and giving. Here are some examples texts:
o Mark 10:21, Luke 6:20, Luke 6:24, Luke 14:33, Luke 18:25, Luke 12:15, Matthew 6:33, Luke 12:33, Luke 19:8-9, Matthew 13:44, Luke 21:1, Luke 12:20-21, Luke 9:58

Also we discuss this for your joy!
o Proverbs 14:21, "Happy is he who is gracious to the poor."
o 1st Timothy 6:9, "Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction."

Our main text on Sunday was Matthew 6:19-21
Matthew6:19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,
YOU CANT TAKE IT WITH YOU….Proverbs 23:4-5 says…
4 Do not toil to acquire wealth (Do not wear yourself out to get rich NIV); be discerning enough to desist. 5 When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.

Matthew6:20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
YOU CANT TAKE IT WITH YOU, BUT YOU CAN SEND IT ON AHEAD

Matthew6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
WHERE YOUR GIVING GOES, YOUR HEART WILL FOLLOW
If you give to your local church you’ll be involved in your local church. If you give to missions you’ll be involved in missions. If you want your heart to grow for things like these, things that have eternal value, then give to these things.

Giving your money and possessions is not the ONLY way to store treasures in heaven, but it is A WAY.
Other ways include:
o Doing good works (Eph 6:8 & Romans 2:6,10)
o Persevering under persecution (Luke 6:22-23)
o Showing compassion (Luke 14:13-14)
o Treating our enemies kindly (Luke 6:35)

And remember your FIRST TREASURE and the GREATEST TREASURE BY FAR has to be a person in CHRIST JESUS, resulting in a place for you in heaven. We have to have eternity with Christ established before we try and add treasures to it.

Have a great week!