The Treasure Principle

My roommate, Matt, recently let me borrow a book entitled "The Treasure Principle" by Randy Alcorn. I started reading it this morning on my flight to Sacramento and read the entire book by the time I landed at my connection in Salt Lake City. This short, 120 page book had me hooked from the start and it radically changed the way I view generosity.

Many of you know that Matt and I are challenging each other to give something away for 30 days in an effort to stretch our hearts in this area. I am days away from completing the challenge, and this book provided 6 key principles that will allow me to turn the 30 day challenge into a LIFESTYLE of giving.

The Treasure Principle is simply this..."You can't take it with you--but you can send it on ahead." Jesus fully unveils what Randy Alcorn calls "The Treasure Principle" in Matthew 6:19-21 which states, "Do not store up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

You may be asking the same question I asked after reading this passage...What does it look like to store up for yourself treasure in heaven? 1 Timothy 6:18-19 answers that question beautifully, stating "Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."

Now that you know what the Treasure Principle is, here are the 6 key principles that rocked my world:

1.) God owns everything. I'm His money manager.
We are the managers of the assets God has entrusted--not given--to us.

2.) My heart always goes where I put God's money.
Watch what happens when you reallocate your money from temporal things to eternal things.

3.) Heaven, not earth, is my home.
We are citizens of "a better country--a heavenly one" (Hebrews 11:16)

4.) I should live not for the dot, but for the line.
From the dot, our present life on earth, extends a line that goes on forever, which is eternity in heaven.

5.) Giving is the only antidote for materialism.
Giving is a joyful surrender to a greater person and a greater agenda. It dethrones me and exalts Him.

6.) God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but to raise my standard of giving.
God gives us more money than we need so we can give--generously.

If you desire to grow in the area of giving, please let me know and I will mail you a copy of this life-changing book. As much as this book has blessed me, it would bless me even more to share it with you.

Generosity is infectious...I hope you catch the bug.

James