Sunday 08:04:13

"I'm not greedy, I could be more generous though". No one thinks they're greedy. They say they're "careful", "take care" of their stuff. We think of Scrooge - I'm not like that. There are different kinds of greed. It affects your money and your relationships It's almost impossible to see. Greed is a heart issue - Gods word helps us rid of it Luke 12:15 "be on guard for all kinds of greed" There are All kinds of greed. "A man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Hoarding, adding, shopping for more stuff. This greed is life= more, newer stuff, collecting, purchasing. Then when asked to give, we have no money. We spend hours, days, months figuring out how to upgrade, but then when we want to give we can't b/c we don't have the cash. That's never stopped you from spending, just giving. That is living as though upgrading, and acquisition=life. This is the theme of our society. It's greed. Greed says, "You owe me" It can impact your relationships You will hurt people's feelings to get and protect your stuff. People around you feel like they come second after your stuff. You live your life as if acquisition and upgrading is your life. It's not a financial problem, it's a heart problem. Our attitude toward spending - we'll spend money we don't have to buy something we don't need. But we won't or can't give b/c we don't have cash. We have to be on guard b/c this is a tendency of our hearts Guard your heart - it makes your kingdom decisions. Our culture constantly reminds us of what we don't have. We all want a more generous heart, we'd pray for it. We all want it. Jesus gives a way for God to deal with greed in our hearts. Matt 6:19-21 do not store up treasure on earth, but in heaven. Doesn't mean no savings. Proverbs says store up for life's actualities He is addressing who swap old for new, upgrading, hoarding. Give your stuff away - treasures in heaven Luke 12:33 Move things out of your kingdom - giving is sending treasure to heaven Don't be a hoarder Not just b/c of the poor, b/c of this principle. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be There is a connection b/n your stuff and your heart Follow the money trail to find your heart. That's how you know where your heart is Your heart follows your money. The reason God wants us to give generously, is because where you send your money will direct your heart. God's not interested in the money. He's interested in your heart. Systematically send money out of your kingdom. Your money has the potential to redirect your heart Strategic, systematic generosity will break the power of greed in your heart. This principle works, it changes your heart, your family, your relationships Matthew 6:22-23 The eye is the lamp of the body. The eye directs the body, so treasure directs the heart. Not just where you are, but where you're going. In Greek, v. 22., "good" not used anywhere else in the Bible, outside the Bible, can mean "generous" He's using a play on words. If you have generous eyes, your whole life will be full of light "Bad" is translated "envious" in Matt 22 Envious eyes will lead your whole body to be full of darkness. How you handle money can affect your whole life, Not a surprise. Money affects your marriage, right? How can little green papers affect your marriage and love life? B/c greed affects every area of your life. Ever met an unhappy generous person? Their whole life is full of light. Ever met a happy greedy person? Their whole life is full of darkness. This isn't a financial issue, it's a matter of your heart. You have to make the tough decision to send your money in a new direction b/c generosity will break the power of greed over your life. How does this work? Only used stuff? Never buy anything? Live in a shack? The practical way to apply this: percentage, priority giving. Give a percentage and before you spend your income on your kingdom. Get it out of your kingdom, not relying on emotional giving. Make it first priority - Putting someone else ahead of you. Grow progressively - growing in percentage If that scares you, it's b/c you're greedy. It's not about money, it's about your heart. It will change what drives you. It will improve your relationships It will make you happier The money you give away wont give you anxiety. Before you get sucked into buying something you didn't need, give it away. You'll never meet a person who regrets being more generous. You've never met a greedy person who wasn't miserable. I've never regretted the money I've given away. There's no magic prayer. Sit down. Think about percentage. Give it in priority. The average American gives 2%. The average American Christian gives about the same. Yet we are in the most prosperous society on the world - why? Greed Redirect your money, it will redirect your heart and bring light into your life and relationships.