#3 Thief - Things. (Chapter 3)

Philippians 3:19-whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.

20-For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, (NKJV)

19-They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.

20-But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. (NLT)

The Apostle Paul points out the thieves, which would rob us of our joy, and then he shows the attitudes or mind-set we must have in order to slay these "thieves."

If you could sum up chapter 3 of Philippians, it would be that Paul talked about things and how they can be a blessing or they can be a hindrance.

Jesus warns, Luke 12:15-And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

Things are like saltwater. The more you have the thirstier you become.

When asked how much money would satisfy a person, John D. Rockefeller replied, "Just a little bit more."

? I heard about this husband and wife who were having trouble, Herman and Henrietta. They were going through their brand new house. It was a house that Henrietta had paid for with her money. Henrietta was constantly reminding Herman that it was her money that had paid for the house. In each room as they toured the house she said to her husband, "Herman, if it were not for my money we wouldn't be here." Poor old Herman didn't say a word.

That afternoon a truck delivered to the house a load of furniture, furniture which Henrietta paid for with her money. After the furniture was in place, the couple toured the house again. As they observed each room, beautifully appointed and magnificently decorated, Henrietta reminded her husband, "Herman, if it were not for my money this furniture - would not be here." Poor old Herman stood there in silence.

Late in the afternoon a truck came with a special piece of furniture which was to be the focal point of the den, a combination stereo - television – computer all wrapped into one gorgeous piece of furniture, which Henrietta paid for with her money. When it was in place Henrietta again addressed her beleaguered husband and said, "If it were not for my money that piece of furniture would not be here."

Finally Herman spoke. He said, "Honey, I don't want to make you feel bad, but if it were not for your money I wouldn't be here either."

“Possessions should be tools for our hands, not idols for our hearts.” –Marty Duren

Luke 6:38-“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

The possessions we have are to be used for the good of those around us.

If we trust money to bring peace, anxiety, worry and concern is the result.

If we use money, blessing and gifts for God’s kingdom, peace is the result.

God owns everything. Ps. 24:1 – The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the Lord.

We are not owners, only managers

Joyfully manage what is put in our hands.

So often our possessions possess us.

In the novel Where the Red Fern Grows, a grandfather builds a raccoon trap for his grandson. He cuts a hole in a log, puts a shiny object in it, and then adds some nails to make the hole smaller than the object inside. The racoon will reach into the hole and grab the object but will be trapped because the object is too big to get out of the hole. The grandson points out that all the raccoon would have to do is let go of the shiny object, and then he’d be free from the trap. His grandfather laughs and then explains, “Once he reaches in and gets hold of that tin, he’s caught, because he will never open his paw” (Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows [New York: Random House, 1961], 56–69).

What shiny object in your life have you reached for, and now you’re trapped?

Do you know that if you just let go, if you just surrender all, you’ll be set free?

The man who put together a playset, and after 3 hours of working on it and still wasn't thru, and came to the conclusion that he didn't own a playset, a playset owned him!!