Hello there! We hope you have enjoyed these lessons so far. We are excited to have you back with us today. Let us continue together as we share our hearts regarding debt, finances and working together, so that we can continue to grow as one flesh in all areas of our marriage. We know that this is one of the biggest struggles in marriages today and a subject that is greatly avoided and can also cause such turmoil in a united front relationship.
The goal of the marital union should always be working toward being united in all areas. As we have discussed in previous lessons and will continue to share.
Husband and wife are one flesh and therefore:
United physically
United spiritually
United financially
Finances allow you the opportunity in which two come together in unity and agreement on where, when, and how the money is distributed. “Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?” (Amos 3:3 NLT). This has been a huge burden lifted from us like a festering splinter that has been removed, or maybe more like a thorn in our flesh. What once brought division between us has brought peace and a powerful unity. We now work together to manage the funds that are available to us each month. We communicate about and plan for literally everything.
Friend, the world says to store up for yourselves treasures here on earth such as, houses, properties, multiple cars, and many other things for yourself and security for the future, “For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them” (Matthew 6:32). Before we go any further we wanted to make it clear that you are free in Christ, and therefore free to store up and provide for you and your family.
Believers have a wonderful opportunity to store up treasures in heaven where moths and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21) In other words, storing up eternal things rather than only temporary things that are here today and gone tomorrow.
Money is a matter of the heart as it shows what we value in this life. Before we were crucified with Christ and given a new heart, you might recall that our hearts were full of evil continually (Genesis 6:5). However, Jesus paid our ultimate debt with His blood and life (what we owed but could not pay) to purchase our new hearts and lives. So remember our lives are now hidden with Christ, our hearts and minds are not set on earthly things alone but on things above. This heart change, changes what we value, how we value and the way we view everything. Our goal as believers is not the same as the world's which says, “he who dies with the most toys wins” or “eat, drink and be merry,” but rather the believer is focused on storing up treasures in heaven while at the same time providing for yourself and loved ones with no conflict between the two.
Let’s take a look at the parable below which is comparable to chasing the ‘American Dream’ rather than being ‘rich toward God.’. Jesus taught this parable to His disciples about storing up.
“And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:16-21
Friend, is this not the ‘American Dream’? Make as much money as you can, ‘keep up with the Joneses, then sit back in retirement and “eat, drink and be merry”? The man in the parable stored up treasures on earth with his riches that would soon be taken from him, rather than storing up treasures in heaven that will never be taken away!
Question 1. How many times in the parable above does the rich fool use the words ‘I,’ ‘I’ll,’ ‘my,’ or ‘myself’?