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Treasure in Heaven: The Sermon

Laying up Treasure comes naturally when we folow and live out the Words of Jesus the Christ


Matthew 6: 1-24
Giving to the Needy
6 “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Prayer
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one. 14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Fasting
16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Treasures in Heaven
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

Treasure
A storeroom, a treasure box, a treasure chest, a place where precious things are kept, a place where things are stored because of their value.

We automatically think of money, gold, expensive things that we can put our hands on but God is saying there are some things in life that are so much more important than these THINGS. A True Test of the Heart will reveal just where your treasure is.

How much time and energy do you put into building your treasure on earth?

Treasure means different things to different people. To some treasure is money, whether you have a little or a lot.
While others who have a lot of wealth in this world still do not consider that wealth their treasure at all.
Just this week while in Atlanta, I spoke with a man while I was there who has as a dear friend- a man who is a 50ish, awesomely humble, leader of a men’s prayer group and leader of men, brilliant, trained in the art of major finance who along with the wife of his youth give away the greater part of what he earns. This man knows that this couple has prayerfully set a Limit on what they will live on.  The amount has creeped up through the years since they have been married to a now 45k annually  the rest they give away.They jointly spend the majority of their day delivering food & other necessities to those whom the Lord has laid on their heart. An amazing man and woman indeed!  This man told me that  it is a great honor and privilege  for this man to personally know & learn from this truly Christian couple who freely share of God’s Grace (and freely share of their overwhelming and continual blessing he and his wife receive as they participate in their “hands on ministry.”
This is an example of a man who does not see his financial wealth here on earth as a treasure that he will keep. Ironically, he is building treasure in heaven with what many people here believe is the ultimate treasure.
I Timothy 6: 17-19
NIV

17Command those who are rich in this present world ( this would pertain to most Americans) not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

Do Good!

Be Rich in Good Deeds!

Be Generous!

Share what you have!

The following passage is from the book “The Sacred Meal” by Nora Gallagher

We live in what is thought to be abundance, with lots of stuff to buy. But somehow, it is never enough. In the late eightees, I asked the owner of a successful business, who must have made at least half a million dollars a year, if he had enough money, and he replied “dont you understand? There is never enough.”

The “never enough” reaches into every aspect of our lives. We don’t have enough money, solitude or peace. The emotional consequences are subtle and pervasive; we’ve got fantasy and illusion and anxiety. Believe me, I know them all. So I call the economy we live in “the economy of scarcity.”

Here’s the irony; the economy of scarcity appears to be abundant, while abundance is marked by an appearance of scarcity. the scarce economy looks rich and full, but within it peoples souls and bodies starve. The economy of abundance, on the other hand, is organized to provide just enough. Like the manna in the desert that could not be stored but was only enough to get through the day, so the economy of abundance releases no more than enough nourishment.

Practice Spiritual Disciplines – Live in Abundance

So How Do We Lay Up Treasure in Heaven?


#1. Giving

Luke 19:8

8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas, who was always doing good and helping the poor.

Acts 2:45
45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.
Acts 4:34-37
34 There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
2 Corinthians 8: 10-15
10 And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. 11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.
13 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14 At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, 15 as it is written: “He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.”
2 Corinthians 9: 6-11
6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written:
“He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.“
10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
Challenge – Buy Christmas presents for people this year who could never repay the gift, people you may not even know, people who need something materially as well as people who need God in their lives.

#2. Praying
hallowed be your name, (recognize God’s Holiness)
10 your kingdom come, (Jesus Come Quickly)
your will be done, (take me out of the way)
11 Give us today our daily bread. (meet my needs for today)
12 Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors. (treat us the way we treat others)
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one. 14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
#3. Fasting

“Physical fasting from food is the joining of the body to the spirits hunger for God”

Prayer & Fasting are weapons of warfare & we are in a battle

Fasting is misunderstood much like running a Marathon

Most people think Fasting and running a marathon is an unreachable goal

Therefore they never do either.

Most people think that both are too much of a sacrifice.

Therefore they never attempt either.

Most see only the pain and hard work in both.

Therefore they miss the rewards.

Most have heard stories of people dying while doing these things.

Therefore they miss the health benefits.

Fasting is to the feeding of the spirit as food is to the feeding of the body.

Prayer is reaching out after the unseen; fasting is letting go of all that is seen and temporal. Fasting helps express, deepen, confirm the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, even ourselves to attain what we seek for the kingdom of God.

Andrew Murray

Fasting confirms our utter dependence upon God by finding in Him a source of sustenance beyond food.

Dallas Willard

Fasting can be a painful admission that I am not free, that my life is enslaved, obsessed or addicted to external things such as food, drink, codependent relationships, sex, television, privacy and the like.

Albert Haase

In Shansi I found Chinese Christians who were accustomed to spend time in fasting and prayer. They recognized that this fasting, which so many dislike, which requires faith in God, since it makes one feel weak and poorly, is really a Divinely appointed means of grace. Perhaps the greatest hindrance to our work is our own imagined strength; and in fasting we learn what poor, weak creatures we are – dependent on a meal of meat for the little strength which we are so apt to lean upon.

James Hudson Taylor

The purpose of fasting is to loosen to some degree the ties which bind us to the world of material things and our surroundings as a whole, in order that we may concentrate all our spiritual powers upon the unseen and eternal things.

Ole Kristian O. Hallesby

When the devil, the foe and the tyrant, sees a man bearing this weapon [fasting], he is straight-away frightened and he recollects and considers that defeat which he suffered in the wilderness at the hands of the Saviour; at once his strength is shattered and the very sight of this weapon, given us by our Commander-in-chief, burns him.

Isaac of Syria

So how do we lay up treasure in Heaven?

It’s really not a fromula of give this much, pray morning, noon, and night, and Fast on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. No, it is so much more than that.

It is a matter of putting God 1st in everything in our lives.

It is the matter of giving of the abundance that I have so that others who are in need might have.

It is a matter of not holding on to what I have and being willing to share as God shared His son Jesus Christ and He didn’t have to, neither do you.

It is a matter of praying and accepting Gid’s Will for my life and not settling for and not demanding what I want.

It is a matter of asking and trusting God for what my needs are today and not focusing on what the needs will be tomorrow.

It is a matter of forgiving others who have wronged me, just as God forgives me just when I ask.

It is a matter of putting God 1st to the point of going without the basic nescessities of life that we might experience His Provision in new and unimagined ways.

If we as Christians will simply live out the Words that Christ gave to us then we cannot help but lay up treasure in heaven, it will just come naturally.

Ronnie

November 29, 2009 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

How many Holston Churches will commit to being involved?

3000 Baptisms in Holston on Pentecost Sunday

50 “Golden Days” of Evangelism

40 Days of Prayer and Preparation

TELL ME MORE!

You may remember hearing from the stage of Annual Conference that the Conference Witness team would challenge us to celebrate 3000 baptisms on Pentecost Sunday (May 23, 2010) in Holston Conference.  The Witness Team would like to take this opportunity to “brief” you, our Conference leaders, on the plan, invite you to ask questions, share comments, and help publicize as we continue refining and developing this time for an exciting and potentially Conference-transforming Spring in Holston Conference.  Info coming soon in the Call, Call 2 and a save the date(s) letter to each pastor under appointment in Holston.

In the book Prophetic Evangelist, Harry Denman called the 50 days between Easter and Pentecost the “50 Golden Days of Evangelism”.  He also wrote a letter in which he called on every pastor not only to observe Pentecost, but to lay the groundwork for experiencing Pentecost.  That is what we are praying for in Holston in 2010.  Here is an outline:

* Feb 19-20  Holston Evangelism Conference

This event will be held at Cokesbury Center in Knoxville, TN. We welcome the Rev. Rudy Rasmus and Bishop James Swanson to lead us through this inspirational and motivating event.  We will celebrate the past year’s theme and covenant to “Offer Them Christ” and to invite Holston to the next steps toward Pentecost 2010.  Friday: Optional Mission Outreach (“Grace bags” to Knoxville Homeless) 3-5; Registration 5-7; Session I begins 7pm.  Bishop Swanson will conclude the conference by 3pm on Saturday.

* 40 Days of Prayer and Preparation — beginning on Feb 23rd, we will encourage every congregation to pray, fast and ask God for a burden for the lost. Churches may organize specific prayer groups, teaching or preaching about prayer and fasting, or other creative Holston ways of preparation.  The Witness Team will provide a 40 Day Prayer Guide which will be daily devotions written by lay and clergy members of our Conference.  (District Superintendents – if you haven’t already, there may still be space for you to add a day’s devotional writing…) At this time we are working on the best delivery of these guides, but at the least we will be emailing copies to local church pastors and designated leaders for copying and distribution. The Witness Team is asking that every Pastor and Lay member who has a blog to add the daily devotional to your church and personal blogs.

*  50 Golden Days of Evangelism — from Easter to Pentecost 2010, each congregation will be asked to intentionally concentrate on evangelism in their community. Again, the Conference Witness Team will supply a guide (“50 Days of Evangelism”) with concrete, specific suggestions for individuals and groups within churches to start conversations, build relationships, and offer Christ in your community.  Some congregations may plan for a Pentecost celebration with dinner on the grounds where river baptisms and all other forms of baptism recognized by The UMC may take place.

*** 1 Great Day of Pentecost *** — baptisms, renewals and lives transformed for and by Jesus Christ

40 Days of Preparation + 50 Days of Evangelism = A 90 Day Investment in 3000 lives. Sound unlikely? Unbelievable? Too much?  In our 904 churches, this would be an AVERAGE of 3.1 baptisms per worshipping community.  What do we have to lose?  Suppose we ONLY baptize 1000???  Help the Witness Team make this Spring of Pentecost preparation a reality for Holston.  No single group, ministry team or leader can do this.  We believe that God is in this… and we ask for your support, feedback and most importantly for your prayers.

With Bold, Passionate, Risk-taking love –              The Holston Conference Witness Team

Contact Ronnie Collins         ronnie24317@yahoo.com or (276) 728-2434

or Amy Rollins Probst     pastor@broadwayumc.net or (865) 202-3019

with feedback or suggestions.

November 29, 2009 Posted by | Holston Challenge 2010, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Mistletoe Run Half Marathon 13.1 Miles is this Saturday in Winston Salem

26th Annual Mistletoe 5K and Half Marathon coming in December!

26th Annual Mistletoe 5K and Half Marathon coming in December 5th, 2009

5K begins at 8 a.m. with the half marathon following at 8:15 a.m.

Be among the first 2,000 registrants and receive a Mistletoe race shirt! Great after race party starting at 9:00 when the first runners come back with a DJ, lots of food, door prizes & awards!

All proceeds from this event enable families and individuals in the Winston Salem area to participate in Membership, Teen Advancement, Camp, Mentoring, After School, Sports & Aquatics programs of the YMCA that would otherwise be outside of their financial capability.

Click here for more information: http://www.twincitytc.org/RaceInformation/RaceCalendar/tabid/31/ctl/Details/Mid/657/ItemID/6723/Default.aspx

November 29, 2009 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

Childrens Time @ 1st UMC this morning

Children’s Time and Shoe Boxes

Each year our church packs shoe boxes for children around the world. We will have a group that also travels to the center in Charlotte North Carolina to help with the processing of all the boxes that come through.

We have plenty of empty boxes at 1st Hillsville, please stop by the office and pick up a box to fill with love for a child this Christmas.

Ronnie

OCC_Pack 2

How to Pack
a Shoe Box

1. SHOE BOX

PRINT THESE INSTRUCTIONS AND LABELS
Click to download.

Use an empty shoe box (standard size, please) or a small plastic container. You can wrap the box (lid separately), but wrapping is not required. Most importantly, pray for the child who will receive your gift.

2. BOY OR GIRL?

Determine whether your gift will be for a boy or a girl, and the child’s age category: 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14. Print out the appropriate boy/girl label by downloading the artwork to the right. Mark the correct age category on the label, and tape the label to the top of your box.

3. FILL WITH GIFTS

Fill the box with a variety of gifts that will bring delight to a child.  Use the gift ideas provided on the bottom of this page.

4. INCLUDE YOUR DONATION

Please donate $7 or more for each shoe box you prepare to help cover shipping and other project costs. You can give online by using our EZGIVE option, or you can write a check to Samaritan’s Purse (note “OCC” on memo line) and place it in an envelope on top of the gift items inside your box. If you or your family are preparing more than one shoe box, please make one combined donation.

5. DROP OFF


Place a rubber band around each closed shoe box and drop off at the Collection Center nearest you during our collection week November 16 – 23.

For locations and hours of collection visit our Drop-Off Locations page where you can find the nearest place to take your shoe box by entering your ZIP Code or you can call 1-800-353-5949.

You can also send your shoe box gift to:
Samaritan’s Purse
Operation Christmas Child
801 Bamboo Road
Boone, NC 28607

GIFT IDEAS

TOYS
small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed animals, kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos, jump ropes, small Etch A Sketch®, toys that light up or make noise (with extra batteries), Slinky®, etc.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES
pens, pencils and sharpener, crayons or markers, stamps and ink pad sets, writing pads or paper, solar calculators, coloring and picture books, etc.

HYGIENE ITEMS
toothbrush, toothpaste, mild bar soap (in a plastic bag), comb, washcloth, etc.

OTHER
Hard candy and lollipops (please double bag all candy), mints, gum, T-shirts, socks, ball caps; sunglasses, hair clips, toy jewelry, watches, flashlights (with extra batteries)

A PERSONAL NOTE
In a separate envelope, you may enclose a note to the child and a photo of yourself or your family. (If you include your name and address, the child may write back.)

DO NOT INCLUDE:
Used or damaged items; war-related items such as toy guns, knives or military figures; chocolate or food; out-of-date candy; liquids or lotions; medications or vitamins; breakable items such as snowglobes or glass containers; aerosol cans

November 29, 2009 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

“The Economy of Scarcity”

The following passage is from the book “The Sacred Meal” by Nora Gallagher

We live in what is thought to be abundance, with lots of stuff to buy. But somehow, it is never enough. In the late eightees, I asked the owner of a successful business, who must have made at least half a million dollars a year, if he had enough money, and he replied “dont you understand? There is never enough.”

The “never enough” reaches into every aspect of our lives. We don’t have enough money, solitude or peace. The emotional consequences are subtle and pervasive; we’ve got fantasy and illusion and anxiety. Believe me, I know them all. So I call the economy we live in “the economy of scarcity.”

Here’s the irony; the economy of scarcity appears to be abundant, while abundance is marked by an appearance of scarcity. the scarce economy looks rich and full, but within it peoples souls and bodies starve. The economy of abundance, on the other hand, is organized to provide just enough. Like the manna in the desert that could not be stored but was only enough to get through the day, so the economy of abundance releases no more than enough nourishment.

Practice Spiritual Disciplines – Live in Abundance

Ronnie

November 29, 2009 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

SNL Tonight – A true Test of The Heart

Come tonight @ 6:30 and lets worship God together and then we will change the world together.

Ronnie

Matthew 6: 19 -21 The Message

19-21“Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.


November 29, 2009 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

This day in the life of your pastor – November 28th, 2009

  1. going to bed, it has been a packed day, a blessed day, an awesome day. Thank you God for allowing me this Joy! about 11 hours ago from web

  2. Join us N Changing The World Doing Something We Love http://www.facebook.com/gro… about 11 hours ago from web

  3. I am looking 4 ppl N Holston who will dream BIG with me, then RUN with me. I raised $2,000 + 4 Sudan Children. What we could do together about 12 hours ago from web

  4. Find Purpose Beyond Our Pain http://imagebearer.wordpres… about 13 hours ago from web

  5. Book Review – The Sacred Meal http://imagebearer.wordpres… about 13 hours ago from web

  6. Hunger – Did You Know??? http://imagebearer.wordpres… about 14 hours ago from web

  7. I have used the recovery excuse for eating too much for the last time. No more! But it was really good, mamas pumpkin pies are awesome about 16 hours ago from TwitterBerry

  8. We are having a Thanksgiving feast and Christopher and Seth are eating Crunch Berries, lol about 16 hours ago from TwitterBerry

  9. Dinner with the family for Thanksgiving, man it smells great about 17 hours ago from web

  10. “There is the liturgy after the liturgy, that work in the world is inseparable from worship” Ion Bria about 18 hours ago from TwitterBerry

  11. “All Spiritual Practices R meant, not 2 B a place where U stay & take a nap, but to lead somewhere, outward toward the world” Nora Gallagher about 18 hours ago from TwitterBerry

  12. Samuel amazes me with his vocabulary. The older boys just asked “do U want 2 play ring around the roses” Samuel says “yeah sure” just over 2 about 18 hours ago from TwitterBerry

  13. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. http://read.ly/1Tim6.18.NIV about 19 hours ago from API

  14. Riding 4 wheelers with Samuel and Kyle about 20 hours ago from TwitterBerry

  15. Home, Samuel needs a nap. Family coming over for Thanksgiving meal in a bit, can’t wait! about 21 hours ago from TwitterBerry

  16. Hanging out with family and great friends Tim and Mandy Taylor about 22 hours ago from TwitterBerry

  17. @ McDonald’s playplace. We love it but we R @ the 1 N Mt Airy & it is nasty, when we asked 4 someone 2 clean a spill we rec a nasty response about 22 hours ago from TwitterBerry

  18. feels great knowing that the Children of Sudan have benefited from our Thanksgiving & people on fb. The total is still out but $1500.00 plus about 22 hours ago from web

  19. updating http://www.facebook.com/inb… about 22 hours ago from web

  20. getting ready to take Mike, Caitlin, Kyle, Christopher, Samuel, & Victoria to see Thomas “Splish, Splash, Splosh” about 22 hours ago from web

  21. The Call 2 is Packed Full of helpful info. If you R United Methodist, in Holston Conference, or just hungry for what God is doing, read it! about 22 hours ago from web

  22. Help Spread The Word: Holston Grants Available http://imagebearer.wordpres… about 22 hours ago from web

  23. Holston Conference Calendar http://imagebearer.wordpres… about 23 hours ago from web

  24. What if Jesus meant all that stuff? http://imagebearer.wordpres… about 23 hours ago from web

  25. Sun December 6th is our Cantata – “Adoration – N Search of a King” @ 1st Hillsville UMC. Our oldest son Mike has a part N the Drama, join us about 23 hours ago from web

  26. working on SNL Sermon for tommorow night about 24 hours ago from web

  27. A true test of the heart http://imagebearer.wordpres… 5:00 AM Nov 28th from web

  28. up having coffee, reading scripture, most of the marathion soreness is gone, praise the Lord

November 29, 2009 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

   

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