LAST WEEK:
Our gratitude shows that our circumstances do not rule the day our God does
There are two spirits that cause the attitude of greed: pride and poverty.
Pride tries to get you to think more about your stuff than you should.
Poverty tries to get you to feel guilty for your stuff. They’re both wrong because they put your focus on stuff.
How we think about stuff determines whether we have a heart of gratitude or not.
In fact, there are three ways GOD wants us to view stuff so that we can make room for gratitude
GOD:
THREE WAYS WE NEED TO VIEW STUFF
- STUFF IS JUST STUFF
God has no problem if you have stuff, but He does have a problem if your stuff has you.
Look at Luke 12:13–15 as an example: “Then one from the crowd said to Him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.’ But He said to him, ‘Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?’ And He said to them, ‘Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.’”
The last statement Jesus says here is a great one to memorize.
‘Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.’”
If you want to make room for Gratitude you do it by Giving what you have to others!
Your Life is not summed up by your stuff!
- STUFF IS JUST A TEST
Stuff is just a test on where we're going to look for our provision.
God will actually give you stuff sometimes to see how you respond. What are you going to do with your stuff?
And did you know God is not only concerned with how you think about your stuff? He's concerned about how you think about other people’s stuff.
Deuteronomy 5:21 says, “‘You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife; and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.’”
A desire for stuff really bothers God because it means something other than Him has your heart.
God will not share you with anyone or anything.
- GRATITUDE IS PASSING THE STUFF TEST
“You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion … your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:11 (NIV)
God uses this test to give us hearts of gratitude.
We read in Deuteronomy 8 that God took the children of Israel through the wilderness for 40 years to “humble” and “test” them.
Then in verses 11–18, God tells them that when they reach the Promised Land and they have great wealth, they should not forget when they wandered through the desert.
18 “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. (Duet. 8:18)
The key to walking in gratitude is remembering where we were before God rescued us.
When we’re being attacked by pride and poverty, and we’re taking on an attitude of greed, the Bible says to remember how God rescued us.
An attitude of gratitude is that simple, and that’s what Thanksgiving is all about.
YOU:
FOUR THINGS YOU MUST DO…
- Deal with a selfish heart, which arises before giving.
- Deal with a grieving heart, which arises after giving.
- Develop a generous heart, which gives freely and joyfully.
- Develop a grateful heart, which acknowledges God is our Source and Provider.
WE:
Whether we pass the test is up to us, but if we put God first in our lives, we should ace it.
It helps to remember the Principle of First:
God told Israel from the beginning that the first always belonged to him: first born, First fruits, First victory (Jericho) every first was to be dedicated to God.
WHY?
When God is first in our lives, others will see it our check book will record it and our decisions will confirm it.
If you’re unsure whether God is first or somewhere further down the list, you can look where you spend your money.
Matthew 6:21 tells us that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also
Comments(4)