-SIMPLIFY: Inventory Your Idols/Distractions
SIMPLIFY
Inventory Your
Idols/Distractions
Matthew 6:19-27*
Key Verse, 21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
1 Corinthians 7:35 “I am saying this for your benefit…I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible.” (New Living Translation—NLT)
Hebrews 12:1b “…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles…” (NIV & Contemporary English Version—CEV)
What is a treasure?
- Storeroom, treasure box, valuables?
A treasure is whatever you hold on to for value and security.
What is a distraction?
- A misplaced treasure?
A distraction is anything that has, or can capture your attention and affection to such a degree that you pursue them for your value and security, instead of God.
Three Indicators that You are at Risk of Being Distracted
- If You Are Holding On to Things for your Value and Security.
- A distraction is a depreciating asset.
Verses 19-20 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
- Christ followers (disciples) store their treasures with God (Heaven). They invest in what is eternal.
Mark 8:36 “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?” (New American Standard Bible—NASB)
Inventory:
- What material things are taking up more of your energy and attention, than what is eternal?
- If You Struggle to Hold Your focus on What is Important.
- A distraction divides your loyalty.
Verse 21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Principle: My heart attaches itself to whatever I value.
Two Illustrations
First Illustration: The Eye
Verses 22-23 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 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!”
Proverbs 23:26 “My son, give me your heart and let your eyes keep to my ways…”
Colossians 1:13 “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves…”
“Good”, haplous : Single eye, simple, without folds, without disease, generous
“Bad”, poneros : Evil eye, cross-eyed, stingy, with disease
James 1:8 “…he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does…”
- Christ followers (disciples) set their focus (heart) on God. They focus on what is important.
Inventory:
- Where are you tempted to put things over people?
Second Illustration: Masters / Money
Verse 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.”
- Christ followers (disciples) synchronize their life around God. They are devoted to God.
Colossians 3:22-24a “Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
Inventory:
- What or who is your master?
- Where do you feel pulled in an opposite direction from God?
- Where are you tempted to be stingy, instead of being generous?
1 Timothy 6:17-18 “Command those who are rich in this present world 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. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In 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.”
- If you are Being Held Captive by anxiety / Worry.
- A distraction is anything that interrupts your confidence in God’s provision.
Verses 25-27 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life…”
Verses 25-27 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”
Inventory:
- What have you been worrying about?
Matthew 6:31-33 “What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions.” (MSG)
- Christ followers (disciples) put their trust in God, for their earthly provisions. They enjoy life now.
