Lessons for Living (Audio)

We often talk about or sing about “giving it all to God”. If we’re honest with ourselves, though, we many times add caveats to that commitment. We take back our time and especially our money and resources from the altar where we supposedly laid them out for service to God. Pastor Mark will be teaching about our need to remember that God doesn’t need our resources – remember, He owns everything! The use of the resources He’s provided to us are for our benefit, growth and maturity. We desperately need to remember that so that we can be useful to God.

People are selfish. From the time we’re babies, we always want what we want, when we want it – usually now. Being a servant of God requires that our thinking and focus be inverted; that’s why we need the Holy Spirit living in us, changing us from the inside out. Pastor Mark is continuing his teaching about getting free from the thinking patterns of the world system so that we can begin living like God wants us to. He will be speaking about generosity and our need to begin to trust God more than ever, so that we can be used by God to spread the message of His salvation to everyone.

People are selfish. From the time we’re babies, we always want what we want, when we want it – usually now. Being a servant of God requires that our thinking and focus be inverted; that’s why we need the Holy Spirit living in us, changing us from the inside out. Pastor Mark is continuing his teaching about getting free from the thinking patterns of the world system so that we can begin living like God wants us to. He will be speaking about generosity and our need to begin to trust God more than ever, so that we can be used by God to spread the message of His salvation to everyone.

The Bible tells us that, as Christ followers, we have obligations and responsibilities toward God. Firstly, we have to understand that we don’t own anything; we are stewards of our lives as well as the stuff we have. We are told that we will have to account for what we have done with the gifts we’ve been given. Pastor Mark will educate us on what the gifts we may have are and how they can be used to benefit the kingdom of God. He will also teach us about the concept of giving from God’s perspective, how it differs from man’s view, and the promises God makes to the generous.

The Bible tells us that, as Christ followers, we have obligations and responsibilities toward God. Firstly, we have to understand that we don’t own anything; we are stewards of our lives as well as the stuff we have. We are told that we will have to account for what we have done with the gifts we’ve been given. Pastor Mark will educate us on what the gifts we may have are and how they can be used to benefit the kingdom of God. He will also teach us about the concept of giving from God’s perspective, how it differs from man’s view, and the promises God makes to the generous.

“Store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven.” The verse that ends this discourse is well known to us: “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” We often seek our comfort first, sometimes even rather than facing danger. Pastor Mark is teaching that we need to seek to do what pleases God first rather than ourselves, trusting God to provide for us – even if it isn’t comfortable. For those of us who are used to a cushy life, this is a big-time challenge. Thankfully, God’s grace and mercy are sufficient to carry us through.

“Store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven.” The verse that ends this discourse is well known to us: “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” We often seek our comfort first, sometimes even rather than facing danger. Pastor Mark is teaching that we need to seek to do what pleases God first rather than ourselves, trusting God to provide for us – even if it isn’t comfortable. For those of us who are used to a cushy life, this is a big-time challenge. Thankfully, God’s grace and mercy are sufficient to carry us through.

What do we want most in our lives? And do our wants coincide with what we think God wants most in our lives? That’s something to think about. Knowing that we’re encouraged to gather up for ourselves treasures in heaven, where no rust or waste occurs, does that cause us to revisit or revise what we want? Pastor Mark is teaching what the Bible has to say about riches, rich people, and how they use what they’ve been given by God. We are encouraged to pay attention to what God has to say and, if we truly are followers of Christ, align our thinking and living with His.

What do we want most in our lives? And do our wants coincide with what we think God wants most in our lives? That’s something to think about. Knowing that we’re encouraged to gather up for ourselves treasures in heaven, where no rust or waste occurs, does that cause us to revisit or revise what we want? Pastor Mark is teaching what the Bible has to say about riches, rich people, and how they use what they’ve been given by God. We are encouraged to pay attention to what God has to say and, if we truly are followers of Christ, align our thinking and living with His.

The world tells us that “more is better”. Many of us inside the church have bought into this mindset, too. We all know that when we die, we can’t take it with us. Pastor Mark is trying to remind us of this fact and to teach us the Biblical concept that everything is God’s; we are just the caretakers of the stuff. The other aspect to being caretakers is that we will someday give an accounting of how well we took care of the things we were put in charge of. Unlike the mercy seat, which believers will avoid because of trusting in Jesus, we will be judged for our good or poor stewardship.