THE REAL WORLD
WE ALL WANT THE COOL STUFF. IT MAKES OUR LIFE BETTER. AT LEAST THAT IS WHAT WE TELL OURSELVES AS WE
GET THE LATEST PHONE OUR THE BIGGEST TRUCK! IT IS THE HOLLOW PROMISE OF MATERIALISM. IT PROMISES
MUCH AND DELIVERS NOTHING. WE CAN GROW TIRED OF WHAT WE HAVE. WE TEND TO LOOK FOR INTERNAL
FULFILLMENT FROM EXTERNAL THINGS. MATERIAL THINGS WILL NOT BRING THE HAPPINESS AND CONTENTMENT
THAT WE ALL LONG FOR. MORE STUFF DOES NOT EQUAL FULFILLMENT. IN FACT IT IS USUALLY THE OPPOSITE. WE
ARE ADDICTED AS GUYS TO OUR STUFF. IF I COULD JUST MAKE A LITTLE MORE MONEY. IF I COULD JUST BUY THAT
ONE GADGET I NEED. THEN MY LIFE WOULD BE SO MUCH BETTER! WE LAUGH AT THE RIDICULOUSNESS OF THE
STATEMENTS YET WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE IN OUR MINDS ALL THE TIME. TODAY STATISTICS ABOUT DEBT AND
BANKRUPTCY ONLY SUPPORT WHAT I AM SAYING. WE KNOW WE NEED TO SET A BUDGET AND LIVE WITHIN OUR
MEANS . WE KNOW SO MUCH AND DO SO LITTLE. WHY? THAT IS WHAT THIS LESSON IS ALL ABOUT.
THE REAL WORD
MATTHEW 6:19-34 NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV)
TREASURES IN HEAVEN
19 “DO
NOT STORE UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES ON EARTH, WHERE MOTHS AND VERMIN DESTROY, AND WHERE THIEVES BREAK IN AND STEAL. 20 BUT STORE UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES IN
HEAVEN, WHERE MOTHS AND VERMIN DO NOT DESTROY, AND WHERE THIEVES DO NOT BREAK IN AND STEAL. 21 FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE YOUR HEART WILL BE ALSO.
22 “THE
EYE IS THE LAMP OF THE BODY. IF YOUR EYES ARE HEALTHY,[A] YOUR WHOLE BODY WILL BE FULL OF LIGHT. 23 BUT IF YOUR EYES ARE UNHEALTHY,[B] YOUR WHOLE BODY WILL BE FULL OF
DARKNESS. IF THEN THE LIGHT WITHIN YOU IS DARKNESS, HOW GREAT IS THAT DARKNESS!
24 “NO
ONE CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS. EITHER YOU WILL HATE THE ONE AND LOVE THE OTHER, OR YOU WILL BE DEVOTED TO THE ONE AND DESPISE THE OTHER. YOU CANNOT SERVE BOTH GOD AND
MONEY.
DO NOT WORRY
25 “THEREFORE
I TELL YOU, DO NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE, WHAT YOU WILL EAT OR DRINK; OR ABOUT YOUR BODY, WHAT YOU WILL WEAR. IS NOT LIFE MORE THAN FOOD, AND THE BODY MORE
THAN CLOTHES? 26 LOOK AT THE BIRDS OF THE AIR; THEY DO NOT SOW OR REAP OR STORE AWAY IN BARNS, AND YET YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER FEEDS THEM. ARE YOU NOT MUCH MORE VALUABLE THAN
THEY? 27 CAN ANY ONE OF YOU BY WORRYING ADD A SINGLE HOUR TO YOUR LIFE[C]?
28 “AND
WHY DO YOU WORRY ABOUT CLOTHES? SEE HOW THE FLOWERS OF THE FIELD GROW. THEY DO NOT LABOR OR SPIN. 29 YET I TELL YOU THAT NOT EVEN SOLOMON IN ALL HIS SPLENDOR WAS
DRESSED LIKE ONE OF THESE. 30 IF THAT IS HOW GOD CLOTHES THE GRASS OF THE FIELD, WHICH IS HERE TODAY AND TOMORROW IS THROWN INTO THE FIRE, WILL HE NOT MUCH MORE CLOTHE YOU—
YOU OF LITTLE FAITH? 31 SO DO NOT WORRY, SAYING, ‘WHAT SHALL WE EAT?’ OR ‘WHAT SHALL WE DRINK?’ OR ‘WHAT SHALL WE WEAR?’ 32 FOR THE PAGANS RUN AFTER ALL THESE THINGS, AND YOUR
HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS THAT YOU NEED THEM. 33 BUT SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU AS WELL. 34 THEREFORE DO NOT WORRY
ABOUT TOMORROW, FOR TOMORROW WILL WORRY ABOUT ITSELF. EACH DAY HAS ENOUGH TROUBLE OF ITS OWN.
REAL TALK
WHAT KIND OF PULL DO MATERIAL POSSESSIONS EXERT ON YOUR LIFE?
ARE YOU ADDICTED TO THINGS?
WHAT HAS REPLACED GOD IN YOUR LIFE?
REAL STEPS
HOW TO OVERCOME MATERIALISM:
EXAMINE YOUR HEART –
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SOME PEOPLE WILL BE RICHER THAT YOU. THIS IS A REALITY OF LIFE.
MONEY MAKES US FEEL INSULATED FROM THE PROBLEMS OF LIFE. MONEY CANNOT BUY ETERNAL LIFE.
WEALTH IS UNCERTAIN. PUT YOUR HOPE IN GOD. HERE TODAY AND GONE TOMORROW.
GOD WILL SUPPLY YOUR NEEDS. TRUST IN HIM NOT IN YOUR POSSESSIONS.
CONSIDER YOUR ACTIONS -
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DO GOOD WITH YOUR MONEY. LOOK FOR WAYS TO MAKE ETERNAL IMPACT.
BE RICH IN GOOD DEEDS. BE KNOWN FOR HELPING OTHERS.
HAVE A GENEROUS SPIRIT. ATTITUDE OF THE HEART WILL EFFECT THE REST OF YOUR BEING.
ENJOY YOUR REWARDS –
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LAY UP TREASURES IN HEAVEN. NOT HERE ON EARTH. ETERNAL VALUES HAVE EVERLASTING IMPACT.
LEARN ABOUT GENEROUS LIVING. THIS ATTITUDE WILL CHANGE YOUR WORLD. GIVE IT AWAY AND GOD WILL GIVE IT BACK.
TIME TO CLOSE
IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING IN THIS AREA I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO TO GOD AND CONFESS YOUR SIN. WE OFTEN DO
NOT KNOW WHAT TO SAY OR HOW TO PRAY. HERE IS A SIMPLE PRAYER FOR YOU TO USE:
“ALMIGHTY AND MERCIFUL FATHER, I HAVE ERRED AND STRAYED FROM YOUR WAYS LIKE A LOST SHEEP. I HAVE
FOLLOWED THE DEVICES AND DESIRES OF MY HEART. I HAVE OFFENDED YOUR PERFECT WILL. I HAVE LEFT UNDONE
ETERNAL ACTIONS AND CHASED AFTER THINGS TO BRING ME SATISFACTION. GOD, HAVE MERCY ON ME AND GIVE
GRACE AS I CONFESS MY FAULTS TO YOU. RESTORE ME AND GRANT ME A HOLY POWER TO LIVE A GENEROUS LIFE
GIVEN ALL TO YOU. TO THE GLORY OF CHRIST AND HIS KINGDOM. AMEN.”
IF YOU PRAYED THIS JUST NOW GOD HAS FORGIVEN YOU. NOW GO AND APPLY THE BLESSINGS OF THE
SCRIPTURES IN YOUR LIFE. START NOW WITH A JOURNAL AND WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU OWN AND WHAT YOU
WANT TO BUY. ASK THE LORD TO HELP YOU PRIORITIZE YOUR NEEDS AND WANTS. THEN TALK ABOUT THIS WITH A
TRUSTED FRIEND OR YOUR CORPS OFFICER. GET THIS RIGHT AND YOU WILL BE FREE! TIME TO MAN UP!