“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also… 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.” Matthew 6:19-21, 24 NIV
THINGS WE CAN DO WITH MONEY AND POSSESSIONS
- Spend it
- Waste it
- Worship it
- Manage and Invest it for an eternal return
HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR TREASURE
1. Take inventory
“Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever.” Proverbs 27:23-24 NIV
- What do I own?
- What do I owe?
2. Don’t spend more than you make
“The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth—except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers!” Ecclesiastes 5:11 NLT
- Budget
- Live within your means
- Avoid Credit if you can (Proverbs 22:7)
3. Strive to be generous
“And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” 2 Corinthians 8:1-7 NIV
- Give consistently
- Give generously
- Give spontaneously
4. Save for the future
“The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets.” Proverbs 21:20 LB
“Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time.” Proverbs 13:11 NLT
5. Enjoy what God has given you
“Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless—like chasing the wind.” Ecclesiastes 6:9 NLT