August 23, 2009

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It Came From Within! - Week 4

The Invisible Greed Monster Within!

Where did that come from?

The 4 enemies from within the Heart:

Seeing the INVISIBLE

It is not a FINANCIAL issue; it is a HEART issue!

"Beware! Don't be greedy for what you don't have. Real life is not measured by how much we own."
Luke 12:15

The driving force behind greed is FEAR.

BEWARE OF BIGGER BARN SYNDROME (BBS)

And He gave an illustration: "A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. In fact, his barns were full to overflowing. So he said, 'I know! I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll have room enough to store everything. And I'll sit back and say to myself, My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!'  "But God said to him, 'You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get it all?'  "Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth will not be rich towards God."
Luke 12:16-21
 

The parable of the rich fool does two important things for us.

1st, it defines greed from God’s perspective.

A greedy person is someone who SAVES carefully but GIVES sparingly.

2nd,it offers a simple remedy.

The habit of GENEROUS GIVING will break the grip of greed on your life.

Don’t wait until God changes your heart to begin giving.

Giving is the way God chooses to change your heart.

Become a percentage giver.

Be a spontaneous giver too.

Having money is not a bad thing. It’s not knowing why you have money that causes problems.

We shouldn’t feel guilty; we should feel RESPONSIBLE.

You really are just the manger of Someone else’s assets. With this recognition comes a freedom that “owners” never experience.

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