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More Valuable than Money

What are the most important things?  A house, car and job?  Clothing on your back? Food and water?  What if all those things were not the most important things.  What if God valued something more?  Things that are not tangible but eternal in value?

Fasting helps us put this and our hearts in perspective.  The symbolism of absolute fasting shows us this exact thing.  God's Glory and his character and attributes far exceed the value of food and water.


Matthew 23:23
""Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy, and faith. These things should have been done without neglecting the others."
Trying to keep the Law (which is impossible) and trying hard to 'be a good person' is not the most important thing. Justice, Mercy and Faith are.  Why is that?  
  • Justice reveals to us that we need a savior.
  • Mercy reveals to us that we receive mercy through the savior
  • Faith reveals to us that we are saved by the savior.
The Gospel message is greater than trying hard to be a moral person.  Moralism and "trying to be a good person" never saved a single soul.

Contentment:

Hebrews 13:5
"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Can we be content? Of course.  The Gospel message and Jesus Christ is so valuable, that when we have HIM we do not need anything else.  We can live at peace with God and be content with what he has given us and what he has not.  The 'things' in this world are of less value to those who seek Christ.

What is your treasure?

Matthew 6:19-21
"“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Treasure on earth is less valuable than the treasure in heaven.  The treasure in heaven is the Justice, Mercy and faithfulness of God.  The greatest valuable 'thing' in all reality is God's Glory.  So valuable we do not get any of it.  We dare not claim any for ourselves.

Also read about Fasting

Quality of Life

Luke 12:15
"And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Possessions do not equal value.  Life is worth more than stuff.  A lot of stuff does not make life more valuable.  Jesus is THE LIFE which is worth more than all stuff.  That's why we need to "guard against all covetousness" because all we need is Christ.  The quality and value of your life is not based on how much you have or what kind of stuff you have.

Value is Based On your Focus

Matthew 6:31-33
"Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
God's glory is priority. When we seek God; our desires line up with his.  We become peaceful and content.  We value heavenly treasures and we live a God pleasing, God glorifying, Christ focused, Gospel centered, life that we then learn that we have everything we will ever need and we have all things.  That we only need what God provides and do not covet anything more than that.

Poverty in Christ

Being poor materialistically in this world does not mean God has cursed you or anyone 'poor'.

Prov 19:1
"Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool."
Acts 3:6
"But Peter said, "I don't have silver or gold, but what I have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!"
Integrity is better than having stuff.  Things of God that reflect his character is worth more than any sort of material gain.  The person and work of Jesus is the most valuable thing to give someone because he is the perfect reflection of God.

Sacrifice is wealth

Hebrews 13:15-16
"Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God"
 Share what we have.  You can be share what you have if you are hoarding it or storing it up for yourself.

Mark 12:41-44
"41 Sitting across from the temple treasury, He watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury. Many rich people were putting in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little.[u] 43 Summoning His disciples, He said to them, “I assure you: This poor widow has put in more than all those giving to the temple treasury. 44 For they all gave out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she possessed—all she had to live on.”
 Why is her few coins worth more than all the "large sums"? Because she sacrificed, they did not.  Thus she was more wealthy to God; they were poor.  Rich in this world but poor before the eyes of God.  This shows that the value of something is not found in materialism, money, or possessions.

Luke 6:20-26
"Bless are you who are poor... woe to you who are rich"
You are NOT more blessed because you have more money and stuff.  Satan even promises material wealth.  Sacrifice for God's Glory is ultimate in value for all eternity.

Giving someone the Gospel Message is worth more than buying yourself a new car.  Donating your car for ministry use is worth more than buying a third car for your self.  We can go on and on about examples of greater value.  Self Sacrifice of materialism so that God is magnified is storing treasure in heaven.  Proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and serving people is worth more than every dollar in your bank account and pay check.

A WAY FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND

Think of something that you have never seen or have any sort of knowledge of.  Unicorns are made up of characteristics that you HAVE seen and have knowledge of.  Horn from a fish, horse, and large eagle wings. It is impossible to think of something you have no knowledge of.  Unless of course it is revealed do you by divine revelation. 

So how can Jesus get our limited minds to understand the majesty of Heaven?  By comparing it to the most valuable thing of earth. At that time it is crystals and gold, now its diamonds.  Does that mean heaven will literally be made of crystals, gold, and diamonds? NO that is not the point being made in scripture.  The message is that heaven will be the most majestic amazing thing.  It is more than a worldly element that humans have given a value to.  It is more value than our applied value.  But the example of analogy of gold streets and crystal structures and so on is to get us to understand what we do not understand; the majesty and glory of heaven... not worldly elements.

THE WORDILY EYES

The worldly minded people will see a nice brand new car, job, and fancy clothing as proof of God's favor.  This is a lie.  Satan also provides these things so that minds and hearts are continually focused on stuff and not The Gospel.  Their value of God's favor is based on the amount of created material stuff.  They tend to ask God for more stuff instead of sacrifice themselves for his glory.

They want and take, instead of serve and give.

 Also read The Errors of The Modern Prosperity Gospel | About the Prosperity Gospel

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