Summary: To truly understand what is important in life requires one to have a grip on what is important. In our materialistic society, we think a plethora of possessions is important, but Jesus taught his disciples and teaches us differently.

DISCOVERING YOUR GIFT (PART IX); GET A GRIP (GIFT OF POVERTY)

MATTHEW 6:24-34

SOMETIMES YOU DON’T APPRECIATE WHAT YOU HAVE, UNTIL YOU DON’T HAVE WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE APPRECIATED.

MEN – GOOD THING . . . MS. GOOD THING

TEENAGERS . . .

CHURCH – COMPLAINING . . .

MISS WATER – WELL RUNS DRY.

LESSON ONE LEARNS – MOVIE “CLICK”

ADAM SANDLER’S CHARACTER – CLICK IS POSSESSED WITH HAVING POSSESSIONS (THE MORE HE HAS . . .).

IN THE MOVIE, ADAM SANDLER’S CHARACTER BECAUSE HE IS POSSESSED WITH HAVING POSSESSIONS, WHEN AN OPPORTUNITY PRESENTS ITSELF FOR HIM TO INHERIT A DEVICE THAT WILL ALLOW HIM TO FAST FORWARD CERTAIN EVENTS/TIME FRAMES IN HIS LIFE THAT WILL PLACE HIM AT THE HIGHLIGHTS OF HIS LIFE, HE JUMPS AT IT. WHILE THIS DEVICE BRINGS HIM TO A LEVEL OF GREAT PROSPERITY, HE IS UNAWARE OF THE COST HE HAS PAID.

DIVORCE

SON

DAUGHTER

MOM

DAD

DEATH BED – REALIZE HIS MISTAKE AS HE SEES THE PATTERN HE DISPLAYED RELIVING ITSELF IN HIS SON. BREATHING HIS LAST BREATH “SON, FAMILY COMES FIRST.”

IT COST ADAM SANDLER’S CHARACTER ALMOST LOSING HIS LIFE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS IMPORTANT IN LIFE. IT’S ON HIS DEATH BED THAT HE NOW UNDERSTANDS THE QUESTION POSED IN MARK 8:36&37 “WHAT DOES IT PROFIT . . .?”

FOR MY BROTHERS/SISTERS PLEASE UNDERSTAND, YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE TRAPPINGS OF SUCCESS:

MONEY – POCKET

HONEY – ARM

CADILLAC WITH A DIAMOND . . .

BUT UNLESS YOU LEARN HOW TO PRIORITIZE/CATEGORIZE THAT WHICH IS TRULY IMPORTANT IN LIFE, YOU WILL WAKE UP AND DISCOVER THAT WHILE YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE ON RODEO DRIVE, YOU WERE REALLY ON RODEO AVE.

THE LATE GREAT REV. CLAY EVANS SPEAKING IN THE DIALECT OF OUR ANCESTORS “AIN’T NOTHING YOU GOT GONE LAST FOREVER.” SO YOU HAVE TO GET A GRIP ON LIFE AND LEARN WHAT’S TRULY IMPORTANT IN LIFE.

THAT’S WHAT JESUS WAS TEACHING HIS DISCIPLES IN OUR TEXT BY RECALLING PSALM 37:16&17 (READ).

NO ONE CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS

DIVIDED LOYALTY (TWO LIKE ENTITIES VYING SAME QUALITIES)

UNFILLED LIVING (NEVER GIVE TOTALLY OF YOURSELF)

UNHEALTHY LOVING (LOVE TWO PEOPLE)

JESUS SAID

HATE ONE/LOVE THE OTHER

GENESIS 29 – LOVE TRIANGLE BETWEEN JACOB, RACHEL, AND LEAH.

JACOB LOVED RACHEL

RACHEL LOVED JACOB

BUT, LEAH LOVED JACOB ALSO.

WOMB WAS OPENED – JACOB MANY CHILDREN.

BUT ALL THE CHILDREN SHE PROVIDED FOR JACOB, DID NOT MAKE JACOB LOVE HER ANYMORE. LEAH WAS WRONG WHEN SHE DECLARED IN GENESIS 29:32 “THE LORD HAS NOTICED MY MISERY, AND NOW MY HUSBAND WILL LOVE ME.”

CAMP OUT HERE . . . Pissed off Momma Syndrome

SINCE I’M CAMPING OUT HERS, BUILD A TENT – SISTA – 2ND FIDDLE –

HIT IT/QUIT IT

HAD FUN/DONE

I DON’T CARE HOW MUCH . . . HE AIN’T LEAVING HIS WIFE FOR YOU.

JESUS SAID YOU CANNOT SERVE TWO MASTERS

HATE ONE/LOVE THE OTHER

DEVOTED TO ONE/DESPISE THE OTHER

JESUS TRANSITIONS FROM THE NATURAL TO SPIRITUAL, YOU CANNOT SERVE BOTH GOD/MAMMON (MONEY, WEALTH, A LIFE OF LUXURIOUS THINGS).

NOW – CAN’T HAVE WEALTH – NOT TO BE A SERVANT/SLAVE TO IT.

DON’T GET IT TWISTED . . .

EDISON BILL – PRAISING GOD – DARK

GAS BILL – PRAISING GOD – COLD

MISS YOUR PHONE BILL – DISCOVER, THAT IT’S GOOD TO KNOW THAT JESUS IS ON THE MAIN LINE . . . CALL YOU ON YOUR LAND LINE. JESUS WAS TEACHING HIS DISCIPLES, YOU CONTROL IT . . .

V.25 BEING THAT YOU CANNOT SERVE BOTH GOD/MAMMON, SERVE GOD BY MAKING UP YOUR MIND NOT TO WORRY ABOUT EVERYDAY LIFE: EAT, DRINK, WEAR. ISN’T LIFE MORE THAN FOOD, DRINK, PAIR OF PRADA, SEAN JOHN OUTFIT, LATEST JORDAN’S?

YOU HAVE TO GET A GRIP IN UNDERSTANDING THE “FATHER FACTOR” (2X).

FATHER FACTOR – FATHER KNOWS WHAT’S BEST FOR US AND WANTS WHAT’S BEST FOR US AND WILL ALWAYS GIVE US WHAT WE NEED, WHEN WE NEED IT (2X).

TICKET STORY . . .

MORAL: GOD ALWAYS HAS WHAT WE NEED, BUT OFTEN TIMES DON’T GIVE US WHAT WE NEED, UNTIL WE NEED IT . . .

MONEY

RELATIONSHIP

ANSWER TO MY PRAYER . . .

GOD GIVES US WHAT WE NEED, WHEN WE NEED IT!

“FOCUS FACTOR” – REMINDS US THAT WORRYING CAUSES US TO LOSE FOCUS.

WORRYING IS WORTHLESS

WORRYING IS LIKE A ROCKING CHAIR. IT GIVES YOU SOMETHING TO DO BUT DOESN’T GET YOU ANYWHERE!” IT USES UP ALL YOUR ENERGY, BUT WHERE DOES IT GET YOU?

SOMEONE ELSE SUGGESTED: "WORRYING NEVER ROBS TOMORROW OF ITS SORROW, IT ONLY SAPS TODAY OF ITS JOY."

JESUS WAS TEACHING HIS DISCIPLES TO CONTROL WHAT YOU CAN, DON’T WORRY ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN’T CONTROL (2X).

TONGUE

BODY

MIND OF MINE . . .

IN FACT STATISTICS REVEAL: 40% OF WHAT WE WORRY ABOUT WILL NEVER HAPPEN. 30% HAS ALREADY HAPPENED. 12% IS UNFOUNDED CRITICISM FROM OTHERS. 10% IS OUR HEALTH. THE LAST 8% IS THE ACTUAL PROBLEMS WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT. THAT MEANS 92% OF WORRYING IS USELESS! AND WORRYING ABOUT THE 8% DOESN’T HELP THE SITUATION ONE BIT!

SO WHEN YOU FEEL YOUR MIND/THOUGHTS SLIPPING INTO THE WORRY ZONE – FOCUS ZONE.

V.26 – LOOK AT THE BIRDS.

DON’T PLANT, HARVEST, STORE FOOD IN BARNS . . .

YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MORNING, I LOOKED AT A BIRD:

CHIRPING

SINGING

FLAPPING

FLYING

COME HERE BIRD – I KNOW WHY YOU PRAISE GOD. YOU PRAISE GOD BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED . . . “I’VE BEEN BLESSED, BECAUSE I PRAISE GOD.”

BILL – PRAISE GOD

OUTCOME – DOCTOR’S OFFICE – PRAISE GOD

MESS/HOME – PRAISE GOD

I’M NOT GOING TO WORRY ABOUT A THING BECAUSE GOD IS MY PROFESSIONAL WORRIER.

WHAT IS A PROFESSIONAL WORRIER?

TWO MEN WERE TALKING AND ONE SAID, MY FINANCES ARE IN TERRIBLE SHAPE, AND I’M CONCERNED ABOUT MY JOB SECURITY. THE OTHER RESPONDED, WELL, I DID LOSE MY JOB AND MY HOUSE IS NOW IN FORECLOSURE. BUT I’M NOT WORRIED. THE FIRST MAN SAID “THAT’S TERRIBLE. SO WHY AREN’T YOU WORRIED?¨ WELL, SAID THE SECOND MAN, I’VE HIRED A PROFESSIONAL WORRIER. HE DOES ALL MY WORRYING FOR ME, SO THAT WAY I DON’T HAVE TO EVEN THINK ABOUT MY PROBLEMS.¨ THAT’S FANTASTIC¨ SAID THE FIRST MAN. HOW MUCH DOES YOUR PROFESSIONAL WORRIER CHARGE FOR HIS SERVICES?¨

$50,000 A YEAR,¨

$50,000 A YEAR? WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GET THAT KIND OF MONEY?¨

“I DON’T KNOW. THAT’S NOT MY WORRY.¨

1 PETER 5:7 - CAST ALL YOUR ANXIETY ON HIM, BECAUSE HE CARES FOR YOU.

GET A GRIP:

FATHER FACTOR

FOCUS FACTOR

FUTURE FACTOR – TEACHES US NOT TO BORROW FROM TOMORROW’S TROUBLES, BUT LIVE ONE DAY AT A TIME.

JESUS SUMMED IT UP IN VERSES 31-34 (READ).

JUST HELP ME GET THROUGH TODAY . . . FACE – TOMORROW.

DIE TODAY – TOMORROW . . .

ONE DAY AT A TIME, SWEET JESUS

THAT’S ALL I’M ASKING FROM YOU.

JUST GIVE ME THE STRENGTH TO DO EVERY DAY

WHAT I HAVE TO DO.

YESTERDAY’S GONE, SWEET JESUS

AND TOMORROW MAY NEVER BE MINE.

LORD HELP ME TO DAY, SHOW ME THE WAY

ONE DAY AT A TIME.