Triggers: How To Overcome Money Triggers: Matthew 6:19-24

 

HOW TO OVERCOME MONEY TRIGGERS?

1. Heart Check—Where is your treasure?

“Don’t collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.  But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:19-21 (HCSB)

2. Eye Exam—What is your focus?

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.

 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the light within you is darkness—how deep is that darkness!
Matthew 6:22-23 (HCSB)

You do not have because you do not ask.
James 4:2 (CSB)

Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?
Matthew 6:26 (CSB)

I am the Lord your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.

Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
Psalm 81:10 (CSB)

And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Philippians 4:19 (CSB)

3. Will Assessment—Who is your master?

“No one can be a slave of two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves of God and of money.
Matthew 6:24 (HCSB)

source https://edgechurchcolorado.com/triggers-how-to-overcome-money-triggers-matthew-619-24/

A New Focus For A New Year: Psalm 8:1-9

 

Lord, our Lord, how magnificent is your name throughout the earth! You have covered the heavens with your majesty.
Psalm 8:1 (CSB)

1. He Created Us

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you have set in place.
Psalm 8:3 (NLT)

I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born.
Isaiah 44:2 (CEV)

Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out one after another, calling each by its name. And he counts them to see that none are lost or have strayed away.
Isaiah 40:26 (NLT)

Call on me in a day of trouble; I will rescue you, and you will honor me.
Psalm 50:15 (CSV)

2. He Cares For Us

What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?
Psalms 8:4 (NIV)

3. He Crowned Us

You made him little less than God and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet.
Psalms 8:5-6 (CSB)

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.”
Genesis 1:26 (NIV)

source https://edgechurchcolorado.com/a-new-focus-for-a-new-year-psalm-81-9/

A Star Is Born: Baby Pictures: Baby Jesus: Matthew 1:20-23; Luke 2:6-7

 

1)         HIS CONCEPTION—Jesus is both holy and human

But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 1:20 (CSB)

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.
Hebrews 4:15-16 (CSB)

2)         HIS BIRTH—Jesus is humble

While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 Then she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped him tightly in cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
Luke 2:6-7 (CSB)

3)         HIS NAMES—Jesus is with me and saves me

Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel, which is translated “God is with us.”
Matthew 1:21-23 (CSB)

source https://edgechurchcolorado.com/a-star-is-born-baby-pictures-baby-jesus-matthew-120-23-luke-26-7/

A Star Is Born: The Fear Of Christmas: Mary: Luke 1:26-38

 

3 Fears We All Face…

1. Fear of what people will think

But if this accusation is true and no evidence of the young woman’s virginity is found, they will bring the woman to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city will stone her to death. For she has committed an outrage in Israel by being promiscuous while living in her father’s house.
Deuteronomy 22:20-21 (CSB)

The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant from the Holy Spirit.  So her husband Joseph, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly.
Matthew 1:18-19 (CSB)

2. Fear of will I have enough

Then she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped him tightly in cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
Luke 2:7 (CSB)

3. Fear of where is this going

After they were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Get up! Take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. For Herod is about to search for the child to kill him.”
Matthew 2:13 (CSB)

4 Things God says to help you overcome fear…

1. You are highly favored

And the angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you.”
Luke 1:28 (CSB)

2. You Are Not Alone

And the angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you.”
Luke 1:28 (CSB)

3. I have a plan

Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.  He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.”  Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” The angel replied to her: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
Luke 1:31-35 (CSB)

4. I have given you the Holy Spirit

The angel replied to her: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
Luke 1:35 (CSB)

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped inside her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:41 (CSB)

source https://edgechurchcolorado.com/a-star-is-born-the-fear-of-christmas-mary-luke-126-38/

A Star Is Born: Christmas Exuberance: The Shepherds: Luke 2:8-20

 

What we can learn from the enthusiasm of the shepherds…

1.  Hurry and Find

In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.” Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors! When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger.
Luke 2:8-16 (CSB)

2.  Worship and Celebrate

The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard, which were just as they had been told.
Luke 2:20 (CSB)

3.  Go and Tell

After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
Luke 2:17-18 (CSB)

source https://edgechurchcolorado.com/a-star-is-born-christmas-exuberance-the-shepherds-luke-28-20/

A Star Is Born: The Wisdom Of The Wise Men: Matthew 2:1-18

 

Christmas Should Fill Us With…

1. Wholehearted Pursuit

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.”
Matthew 2:1-2 (CSB)

I see him, but not now; I perceive him, but not near. A star will come from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel. He will smash the forehead of Moab and strike down all the Shethites.
Numbers 24:17 (CSB)

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 
Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV)

2. Abounding Joy

When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy.
Matthew 2:10 (CSB)

3. Fervent Worship

Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped him.
Matthew 2:11 (CSB)

Then the angel told her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.
Luke 1:30-32 (CSB)

4. Extravagant Generosity

…Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 
Matthew 2:11 (CSB)

5. Vigorous Protection

And being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route.
Matthew 2:12 (CSB)

source https://edgechurchcolorado.com/a-star-is-born-the-wisdom-of-the-wise-men-matthew-21-18/

Next Level: The Teething of Tithing: Leviticus 27:30-33

 

“One-tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain from the fields or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord and must be set apart to him as holy. 31 If you want to buy back the Lord’s tenth of the grain or fruit, you must pay its value, plus 20 percent. 32 Count off every tenth animal from your herds and flocks and set them apart for the Lord as holy. 33 You may not pick and choose between good and bad animals, and you may not substitute one for another. But if you do exchange one animal for another, then both the original animal and its substitute will be considered holy and cannot be bought back.”
Leviticus 27:30-33 (NLT)

What Is A Tithe?

Bring the best of the firstfruits of your land to the house of the Lord your God.
Exodus 23:19 (CSB)

Why Should I Tithe?

A. It Belongs To The Lord

The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty.
Haggai 2:8 (NIV)

…but remember that the Lord your God gives you the power to gain wealth. 
Deuteronomy 8:18 (CSB)

B. It’s Holy To God

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I TITHE?

A. Keeps me from becoming selfish  

“In every way I’ve shown you that it is necessary to help the weak by laboring like this and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, because he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
Acts 20:35 (CSB)

B. Empowers my church

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. 
Matthew 28:19-20 (CSB)

C. Puts me in the place of blessing

Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over—will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
Luke 6:38 (CSB)

But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided—a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.  And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:18-19 (CSB)

D. Challenges me to live by faith

Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 
Hebrews 11:6 (CSB)

source https://edgechurchcolorado.com/next-level-the-teething-of-tithing-leviticus-2730-33/