Mission 1:8 Generation Now Devotional | 2018 - Day 8
You Can’t Take it with You
By Ben Lovvorn
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.”
Matthew 6:19
Dr. George W. Truett was pastor of First Dallas for half a century. Nearly 100 years ago, he stood in the pulpit in the Historic Sanctuary and said this: “If First Baptist Dallas is not going to be serious about fulfilling the Great Commission, we ought to turn over this property downtown to another church that will be serious about it.” Thankfully, this church has been serious about the Great Commission for 150 years. We have a rich history of ministry in the heart of one of America’s greatest cities and a worldwide impact. But we want God to use us further still, which is why we created a strategy called Mission 1:8.
Mission 1:8 is built upon Acts 1:8, in which Jesus gave the strategy for ministry, starting locally, then going further to the uttermost parts of the earth. We watched God change our hearts and church through Mission 1:8, then ignite ministry during Fuel the Fire, and now we are preparing for transformation through Generation Now. Mission 1:8 is all about changing lives. Our mission is to transform the world with God’s Word…one life at a time.
So how do you determine how much to give to a kingdom enterprise like this? People tend to go about determining this in several ways. Some add their income, subtract their expenses, and if anything is left over, they may give. Others give whatever it takes to avoid feeling guilty. Others still acknowledge the mention of giving 10 percent in the Bible and so only give 10 percent and keep the other 90 to use at their own discretion. Some may barely be making ends meet and resolve to give once their circumstances finally change. But we all may be thinking about it incorrectly.
Jesus gives us a different perspective on giving. In Matthew 6:19, Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.” In other words, you can’t take it with you, and none of it belongs to you. But if you invest in the kingdom of God, you can send it on ahead of you to heaven. That eternal investment will look like the faces of those whose lives are impacted here on earth because you chose to give, serve, and invest in what matters – people’s eternity.
Questions for Thought
- Which giving scenario do you most closely resemble?
- In what ways can you make changes in order to have Jesus’ perspective on money in Matthew 6:19?
Author Bio
Ben Lovvorn
Executive Pastor
Ben serves by leading and overseeing the ministries and operations of First Baptist Dallas as the Executive Pastor. He earned a Juris Doctorate from Baylor University and a B.B.A. from Hardin-Simmons University. He and his wife, Parris, have four boys.
