Today's Truth Matters covers a subject that you have probably rarely thought of...namely, giving back to God what God has blessed you with.  Especially in the affluent, materialist world we all live in, we assume God's blessings to us are ours to keep and enjoy to the point that these blessings are protected, hoarded and even fought to preserve without ever giving a thought to giving them back to God.  There are two basic reasons why this “giving back” rarely crosses our minds:
1)  We fail to realize that God blesses us so that we can bless others.  The greatest example of this was demonstrated by Jesus.  Philippians 2:5-8 shows us:
5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, as He already existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant...He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross.
He emptied Himself of all the glory of the godhead to serve us.  The text says, “have this attitude in yourselves.”  
To the materially blessed Jesus said, “If you want to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”   (Matthew 19:21)
2)  This world is not our home.  Joel Osteen wrote the book, “Your Best Life Now.”  If that's what you believe, you're on your way to hell because for the Christian, “your best life” is ahead in heaven, not here.  For us to hoard, fight for, and spend our blessings on ourselves is a strong indication that we have lost our “eternity focus.”  Jesus advises us:
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal (Matthew 6:18-20)
 
Today's My Utmost for His Highest hits upon this Truth Matter:
 
“It's at the peril of your soul's well-being that you use God's gifts to satisfy yourself. If you do, you cannot pour it out before the Lord. Remember that you can never sacrifice to God that with which you long to satisfy yourself. Satisfy yourself with one of his blessings and it will corrupt you. Rather, you must do what common sense says is an absurd waste and pour it out...There's only one way: through the determination of my mind.
 
Have you become bitter and sour because you have clutched God's blessings for yourself?  God wants to use you to enlarge other people's horizons. Get into the habit of giving back to Him everything He gives to you, and He will make you an immeasurable blessing to others.”
 
Here's a Truth Matter written by evangelist C.T. Stud that's well worth reminding ourselves of:  “Only one life will soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last.”  The actor Denzel Washington reminds us:  “You'll never see a U-Haul behind a hearse. There is a cap on earthly success, a ceiling on the amount of joy that possessions and awards can bring before disillusionment sets in.  All of it is so fleeting. But a life of true significance has unlimited impact. It is measured in how well we've loved those around us, how much we've given away, how many seeds we've sown along our path.”
 
My prayer for you and me this day is this:  Lord, we thank You for all the blessings You give to us.  Blessings like loving parents, Christian friends, so many material things, living in this great country.  But Lord, we determine to not let these blessings become selfish, ego driven, self-satisfying...but rather, Lord we will use Your blessings so that we can share Christ's love with others and advance Your kingdom.  Remind us often of our short time and Your eternal glory.  Amen.
 
Walk with the King today and be a blessing.