𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗠 𝗨𝗣

• Have you or your family members ever tried investing in stocks, properties, or other types of investments? How did it turn out?

• Have you ever lost a great sum of money or resources? Tell us what happened.

• If someone robbed your possessions or money today, how do you think you would respond? What is the first thing you would do?

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗

“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.” 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗪 𝟲:𝟭𝟵–𝟮𝟭

“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘺𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘣𝘺 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦, 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘪𝘭, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴.” 𝗗𝗘𝗨𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗢𝗠𝗬 𝟭𝟰:𝟮𝟮–𝟮𝟯

It is easy to put our security in the things of this world. But anything we cling to on this earth will inevitably fade away, pass, or cease to exist. Whether we have been blessed with much or with little, everything we think we own is not ours to keep. Instead of amassing wealth for ourselves, we are called to invest in things that will outlast this life. We are to direct our hearts to God and His kingdom. Today, through our giving, we will look at how we can fully set our hearts apart for God.

𝟭. 𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝗱.

“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.” 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗪 𝟲:𝟭𝟵–𝟮𝟬

Our finances and resources are tools that we can use to further God’s kingdom. They are not solely for accumulating, but for distributing in ways that will honor God. They can be used, for example, to bless others, connect people in church, and send missionaries. Investing to help others find and follow Jesus bears fruit and yields the highest return possible. Because of its eternal impact, giving to God’s kingdom is the most rewarding investment we can ever make. What do you think would happen if we all began to choose God’s kingdom over this world and our own comforts?

𝟮. 𝗦𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗚𝗼𝗱’𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗱𝗼𝗺.

“𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰.” 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗪 𝟲:𝟮𝟭

“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘺𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘣𝘺 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦, 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘪𝘭, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴.” 𝗗𝗘𝗨𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗢𝗠𝗬 𝟭𝟰:𝟮𝟮–𝟮𝟯

Something happens in our hearts when we give. When we set apart our finances for God and His kingdom, we learn to fear and love God—the source of everything we have. Our hearts and minds are directed to Him, resulting in a deep sense of devotion, reverence, and respect for Him. Giving is a spiritual discipline that draws us closer to God and helps us trust Him more. How has investing in God’s kingdom trained your heart to always remember God and focus on what’s truly valuable?

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

• Pause and give some thought to where you put your security in life. What can you do to set your sights on God every day?

• How has God's word revealed truths about where your heart is? Ask God to show you the areas that are not pleasing to Him.

• How can you help advance God’s kingdom in your community this week? Seek opportunities to be a blessing to someone.

𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥

• Thank God for being your treasure, security, and comfort. Ask Him to give you the grace to always set your sights on things above.

• Ask God to help you live out His generosity. Pray that He will enable you to sow a seed of faith and be a blessing to others.

• Pray that God would create in you a heart to advance His kingdom. Ask God to use you to ignite the same passion in your sphere of influence.