Life Initiatives * P.O. Box 7505, Rapid City, SD * (605) 430-0794

Home   Training Main Page   Contact Us

__________________________________________________

sPIRITUAL DYNAMICS 302

Ron Jensen

"Eternal Currency "

(6 minutes)

 

Eternal Currency

Post a Comment in the Forum

(you may need to register)

Email Ron about this video

 

Text of the Video Message:

Eternal Currency

Returning from Mexico, I had quite a few leftover pesos from that country. It was a little frustrating being back in the States having a currency that wouldn’t allow me to get what I needed to go from the airport to my home, a 6 hour drive away. In Mexico, the pesos worked fine, but back home, they were worthless unless I could exchange them.

We use the currency of this world all the time. God is challenging you to recognize that eternal currency is different. We may be able to figure creative ways to get return on our investment of dollars, but what kind of investment will pay rewards in an eternal world? God says understanding and remembering the poor will pay rewards in an eternal currency.

That’s Jesus’ point in Luke 14. He says don’t invite friends and family to your dinner party – they’ll just invite you back and your reward will be in this world’s currency. Instead, invite those who don’t have the ability to pay you back. Then the Lord will reward you in an eternal currency.

12 Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." (Luke 14:12-14, NIV)

The eternal currency I’m talking about is the changed lives that result from your faithfulness.

That’s part of the reason ministry to the poor is a priority for God. Look at all the places he addresses this issue (scroll 151 vss across the screen). If you’re viewing this video on the Life Initiatives website, you can read the full text of these verses at the bottom of this web page.

After coming back from Mexico, if I had stopped at a gas station in Denver and asked the attendant how much gas I could get for 100 pesos, he would have looked at me funny and said… “Well, none! It’s the wrong currency, it’s not worth anything here.”

If I can take some liberties here and imagine a scene in heaven, let’s imagine you’re talking to the Lord. Lord, I’d like to turn in my life investments to you here. What can I get for this deed to my really nice house? My very profitable and growing business? My ski equipment and exercise club memberships? My X-box? His answer, like the gas station attendant: “Well, nothing. It’s the wrong currency, it’s not worth anything here.”

What currency will pay dividends eternally? I’m not talking about salvation – that’s covered only by the currency of Jesus’ work on the cross. I’m talking about what kind of investment will bring the reward Jesus spoke of?

Imagine another scene where you look into the face of the one who loves you and you say, “thank you Lord for connecting me with the needs of the poor and the oppressed. I learned a lot there.” And Jesus says, “You’re going to like these dividends. Here’s Sam, do you remember him? You became his friend and helped him look for work. You ran errands with him until he was able to save enough for a car. You thought you were doing this for Sam, but you were really doing it for me, and Sam saw me in you and he came to believe in me through that. And here’s his wife and kids, and I want you to meet the 237 other people who were spiritually impacted by Sam’s family. They’ll be around forever, enjoying my presence right along with you from now on.“

Instead of that scene being just you enjoying the Lord, it will multiplied over and over again, when you live focused on eternal currency, not just on what this world gives you. We need to earn a living, but God wants us to focus on investments that last forever. And one of God’s supreme priorities is ministry to the poor.

That’s what Life Initiatives is all about – that you might be introduced into how to do that more productively… so that scene in heaven I imagined with you a minute, though it might be far inferior to what will really be there… Life Initiatives is here so that that scene might happen for you.

How’s that for a reward?

 

____________________________

Some verses where God speaks of his priority of ministry to the poor:

Ex 23:6 "Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits.

Ex 23:11 but during the seventh year let the land lie unploughed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what they leave. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

Le 19:10 Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.

Le 19:15 "‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.

Le 23:22 "‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.'"

Le 25:25 "‘If one of your countrymen becomes poor and sells some of his property, his nearest relative is to come and redeem what his countryman has sold.

Le 25:35 "‘If one of your countrymen becomes poor and is unable to support himself among you, help him as you would an alien or a temporary resident, so that he can continue to live among you.

Le 25:39 "‘If one of your countrymen becomes poor among you and sells himself to you, do not make him work as a slave.

Le 25:47 "‘If an alien or a temporary resident among you becomes rich and one of your countrymen becomes poor and sells himself to the alien living among you or to a member of the alien's clan,

De 15:4 However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you,

De 15:7 If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted towards your poor brother.

De 15:11 There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be open-handed towards your brothers and towards the poor and needy in your land.

De 24:12 If the man is poor , do not go to sleep with his pledge in your possession.

De 24:14 Do not take advantage of a hired man who is poor and needy, whether he is a brother Israelite or an alien living in one of your towns.

De 24:15 Pay him his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and is counting on it. Otherwise he may cry to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin.

1Sa 2:8 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. "For the foundations of the earth are the LORD's; upon them he has set the world.

2Sa 12:1 The LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, "There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor .

2Sa 12:3 but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.

2Sa 12:4 "Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him."

Es 9:22 as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote to them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor .

Job 5:16 So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth.

Job 20:10 His children must make amends to the poor ; his own hands must give back his wealth.

Job 20:19 For he has oppressed the poor and left them destitute; he has seized houses he did not build.

Job 24:4 They thrust the needy from the path and force all the poor of the land into hiding.

Job 24:5 Like wild donkeys in the desert, the poor go about their labour of foraging food; the wasteland provides food for their children.

Job 24:9 The fatherless child is snatched from the breast; the infant of the poor is seized for a debt.

Job 24:14 When daylight is gone, the murderer rises up and kills the poor and needy; in the night he steals forth like a thief.

Job 29:12 because I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist him.

Job 30:25 Have I not wept for those in trouble? Has not my soul grieved for the poor ?

Job 31:16 "If I have denied the desires of the poor or let the eyes of the widow grow weary,

Job 34:19 who shows no partiality to princes and does not favor the rich over the poor , for they are all the work of his hands?

Job 34:28 They caused the cry of the poor to come before him, so that he heard the cry of the needy.

Ps 14:6 You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor , but the LORD is their refuge.

Ps 22:26 The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise him—may your hearts live for ever!

Ps 34:6 This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.

Ps 35:10 My whole being will exclaim, "Who is like you, O LORD? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them."

Ps 37:14 The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.

Ps 40:17 Yet I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; O my God, do not delay.

Ps 68:10 Your people settled in it, and from your bounty, O God, you provided for the poor .

Ps 69:32 The poor will see and be glad—you who seek God, may your hearts live!

Ps 70:5 Yet I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay.

Ps 74:21 Do not let the oppressed retreat in disgrace; may the poor and needy praise your name.

Ps 82:3 Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.

Ps 86:1 A prayer of David. Hear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.

Ps 109:16 For he never thought of doing a kindness, but hounded to death the poor and the needy and the broken-hearted.

Ps 109:22 For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.

Ps 112:9 He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor , his righteousness endures for ever; his horn will be lifted high in honor.

Ps 113:7 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap;

Ps 132:15 I will bless her with abundant provisions; her poor will I satisfy with food.

Ps 140:12 I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.

Pr 10:4 Lazy hands make a man poor , but diligent hands bring wealth.

Pr 10:15 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor .

Pr 13:8 A man's riches may ransom his life, but a poor man hears no threat.

Pr 13:23 A poor man's field may produce abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away.

Pr 14:31 He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honours God.

Pr 17:5 He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.

Pr 18:23 A poor man pleads for mercy, but a rich man answers harshly.

Pr 19:1 Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse.

Pr 19:17 He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.

Pr 19:22 What a man desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar.

Pr 20:13 Do not love sleep or you will grow poor ; stay awake and you will have food to spare.

Pr 21:13 If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor , he too will cry out and not be answered.

Pr 22:2 Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all.

Pr 22:7 The rich rule over the poor , and the borrower is servant to the lender.

Pr 22:9 A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor .

Pr 22:16 He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.

Pr 22:22 Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court,

Pr 23:21 for drunkards and gluttons become poor , and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

Pr 28:3 A ruler who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.

Pr 28:6 Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a rich man whose ways are perverse.

Pr 28:8 He who increases his wealth by exorbitant interest amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor .

Pr 28:11 A rich man may be wise in his own eyes, but a poor man who has discernment sees through him.

Pr 28:27 He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses.

Pr 29:7 The righteous care about justice for the poor , but the wicked have no such concern.

Pr 29:13 The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: The LORD gives sight to the eyes of both.

Pr 29:14 If a king judges the poor with fairness, his throne will always be secure.

Pr 30:9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

Pr 30:14 those whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are set with knives to devour the poor from the earth, the needy from among mankind.

Pr 31:9 Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."

Pr 31:20 She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.

Ec 4:13 Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take warning.

Ec 5:8 If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still.

Ec 9:15 Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man.

Ec 9:16 So I said, "Wisdom is better than strength." But the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded.

Isa 3:14 The LORD enters into judgment against the elders and leaders of his people: "It is you who have ruined my vineyard; the plunder from the poor is in your houses.

Isa 3:15 What do you mean by crushing my people and grinding the faces of the poor ?" declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.

Isa 10:2 to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless.

Isa 11:4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.

Isa 14:30 The poorest of the poor will find pasture, and the needy will lie down in safety. But your root I will destroy by famine; it will slay your survivors.

Isa 25:4 You have been a refuge for the poor , a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless is like a storm driving against a wall

Isa 26:6 Feet trample it down—the feet of the oppressed, the footsteps of the poor .

Isa 32:7 The scoundrel's methods are wicked, he makes up evil schemes to destroy the poor with lies, even when the plea of the needy is just.

Isa 40:20 A man too poor to present such an offering selects wood that will not rot. He looks for a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that will not topple.

Isa 41:17 "The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the LORD will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

Isa 58:7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor . He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,

Jer 2:34 On your clothes men find the lifeblood of the innocent poor , though you did not catch them breaking in. Yet in spite of all this

Jer 5:4 I thought, "These are only the poor ; they are foolish, for they do not know the way of the LORD, the requirements of their God.

Jer 5:28 and have grown fat and sleek. Their evil deeds have no limit; they do not plead the case of the fatherless to win it, they do not defend the rights of the poor .

Jer 22:16 He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?" declares the LORD.

Jer 39:10 But Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people, who owned nothing; and at that time he gave them vineyards and fields.

Eze 16:49 "‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom : She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.

Eze 18:12 He oppresses the poor and needy. He commits robbery. He does not return what he took in pledge. He looks to the idols. He does detestable things.

Eze 22:29 The people of the land practise extortion and commit robbery; they oppress the poor and needy and ill-treat the alien, denying them justice.

Am 2:7 They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed. Father and son use the same girl and so profane my holy name.

Am 4:1 Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria , you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy and say to your husbands, "Bring us some drinks!"

Am 5:11 You trample on the poor and force him to give you grain. Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them; though you have planted lush vineyards, you will not drink their wine.

Am 5:12 For I know how many are your offences and how great your sins. You oppress the righteous and take bribes and you deprive the poor of justice in the courts.

Am 8:4 Hear this, you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land,

Am 8:6 buying the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the sweepings with the wheat.

Zec 7:10 Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor . In your hearts do not think evil of each other.'

Mt 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Mt 11:5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor .

Mt 19:21 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor , and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

Mt 26:9 "This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor ."

Mt 26:11 The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me.

Mr 10:21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor , and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

Mr 12:42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.

Mr 12:43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.

Mr 14:5 It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor ." And they rebuked her harshly.

Mr 14:7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me.

Lu 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor . He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,

Lu 6:20 Looking at his disciples, he said: "Blessed are you who are poor , for yours is the kingdom of God .

Lu 7:22 So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor .

Lu 11:41 But give what is inside the dish to the poor , and everything will be clean for you.

Lu 12:33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor . Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.

Lu 14:13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor , the crippled, the lame, the blind,

Lu 14:21 "The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor , the crippled, the blind and the lame.'

Lu 18:22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor , and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

Lu 19:8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor , and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."

Lu 21:2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.

Lu 21:3 "I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others.

Joh 12:5 "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor ? It was worth a year's wages."

Joh 12:6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

Joh 12:8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me."

Joh 13:29 Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast, or to give something to the poor .

Ac 9:36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping the poor .

Ac 10:4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.

Ac 10:31 and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor .

Ac 24:17 "After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings.

Ro 15:26 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem .

1Co 13:3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

2Co 6:10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor , yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

2Co 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor , so that you through his poverty might become rich.

2Co 9:9 As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor ; his righteousness endures for ever."

Ga 2:10 All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor , the very thing I was eager to do.

Jas 2:2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.

Jas 2:3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet,"

Jas 2:5 Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

Jas 2:6 But you have insulted the poor . Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?

Re 3:17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realise that you are wretched, pitiful, poor , blind and naked.

 

 

Return to Training Main Page.