by Rick Duncan, Founding Pastor
This past weekend, Pastor Dale Piscura challenged us from the Scriptures to be “rich toward God” as he taught from Luke 12 – The Parable of the Rich Fool.
So, how can we be more rich toward God? One way, of course, is through prayer – asking God to change our hearts and our priorities.
We’ve learned in recent months how important it is to build prayer from Scripture. As I reflected on Dale’s text, I composed the following prayer that he asked me to share. Perhaps it will encourage us to keep applying the truths of this past weekend’s message.
***
Dear Heavenly Father,
Help me not to be inheritance-minded, only focused on what I can get.
Give me the capacity to take care and be on my guard against all covetousness because life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.
When I am experiencing plenty, give me the ability to ask not “What can I store for myself?” but “What can I share with others?”
May I learn to say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods. Be zealous and find joy in blessing others, in building Christ’s kingdom.”
May I be called wise when my soul is required of me. May my possessions always be leveraged for Kingdom purposes.
Show me how to lay up treasure in heaven. Show me how to be rich toward You. Make it so, dear Lord.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
***
Our Creative Team meets together each week to pray, to walk through the text with the lead teacher, and to design the various elements of the service. This past week, we considered a powerful video from Pastor John Piper, a leader that Dale quoted on Sunday. We really didn’t have the margin in the service to play the video from Pastor Piper. But we thought it would be good to share links to his words here – words that reinforce the very important message that Pastor Dale gave us on Sunday.
So, just how rich are you? Add up what you have that money cannot buy and death cannot take away. That’s how rich you are!
Let’s be busy laying up treasures in heaven. If we do that, then when we die we will, as Pastor Dale said, be going to our treasure rather than away from it.
