PART VI: The Finish Line December 8-9, 2012 Spending & Investing… The Fuel Campaign is a serious test of our values and priorities. This week is the completion of the Fuel Campaign series, but the beginning of the trust in God demonstrated by where we invest. READ: Luke 12:31–34 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. (NLT) What is a difference between spending & investing? How do we adjust our lives to seeing God’s Kingdom before my own kingdom? Take a quick Kingdom of God vs. my kingdom inventory. How does your use of your time, energy and resources reflect a growing priority of God’s Kingdom over my own? How God Calls Us to Risk The context of Matthew 25 is Jesus teaching about what the Kingdom of Heaven is like. Here He introduces the idea of what the followers of Christ should invest in after Christ returns to Heaven. READ: Matthew 25:14-30 Let’s begin with interpreting the meaning of the players in this parable. Who is the master leaving for a distant country? Who are the servants given the master’s wealth? What were they called to invest in? What are the rewards given for those who invested well? Why is the one who buried the wealth treated as an unbeliever? What do you think are the possessions of Christ that He entrusts to us? Did the man who buried the wealth entrusted to him invest or spend? What was the difference in the two who doubled their investment and the one who buried the master’s money? What are the gifts you have to invest in? How is the Fuel Campaign, and Harvest’s responsibility to invest in the Kingdom, every person’s responsibility? The Fuel Campaign Commitments What are any questions you have about the Fuel Capital Campaign. Harvest is taking an aggressive step to invest in families of our communities through our Kids Ministries (the specifics are online at www.harvestweb.net/fuel). This vision is based on the mission of Christ to us to invest His wealth into Kingdom Building efforts. There is no insignificant gift, Christ gives to each to invest into His Kingdom. This week is the Commitment Week for Harvest Church. The Staff and Church Council have already turned in their commitments and they have committed nearly 1/4th of the goal, just over 1 million dollars. This coming weekend we will be taking the campaign commitments of the rest of Harvest attenders. How are you considering your part In the Fuel Campaign? This Week’s Fuel Campaign Prayer Guide Monday 12/10 Prayer Lord Your Word promises me a future and a hope and today I pray that I will keep my focus on the long term and not my immediate circumstance. Help me to trust and believe in this promise. Verse Jer 29:11 Tuesday Wednesday 12/11 12/12 Thursday 12/13 Friday 12/14 Saturday 12/15 Sunday 12/16 Lord help me to be mindful that this life is truly just a small portion of my eternity. Develop in me a longing for what is to come and not to linger on the troubles of this world. Father God You gave me such a gift in our Savior Jesus Christ. Today I pray that my focus will be on Him and that through Your strength I can accomplish Your will. Lord every day is a new day and I am running a race to glorify You. Please build up my perseverance so that I do not become weary and that I finish this race strong for Your glory. Lord today I Oh Lord I pray that we would love one another as the early church did; that we would see a need and meet it whether it is a physical need or a need for encouragement. Help me to authentically love You and others. Dear Lord, as I am seeking Your will in how much I will commit to this campaign keep me mindful that all that I have is Yours and You are our source of all that I see, receive, and give. Dear Lord today I pray for our leaders. Please guard them and help them to keep a good reputation with those outside the church. Help them be a reflection of You. Phil 3:13-14 Heb 12:1 Acts 2:44-47 John 15:5 John 14:1-3 1 Tim 3:7