LAY UP FOR YOURSELF TREASURES IN HEAVEN!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2024.

SUBJECT : LAY UP FOR YOURSELF TREASURES IN HEAVEN!

Memory verse: “So When Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come, follow Me.” (Luke 18 vs 22.)

READ: Matthew 6 vs 19 - 21: 

6:19: Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;

6:20: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

6:21: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

INTIMATION:

A “treasure” is anything considered to be valuable. Such things are, by natural instinct, adequately cared for, and stored in safe places in order not to lose them. What are your treasures? And where are you laying them up for safety? Jesus made it clear that having your treasures wrongly laid up, leads to our hearts being in the wrong place. But when they are properly laid in safety, you are sure of not losing the stored value in them. Laying up your treasures on earth and earthly things is considered unsuitable because such earthly treasures are temporal; they can perish, stolen, become obsolete, and eventually be destroyed when the earth passes away (Mark 13 vs 31; Second Peter 3 vs 10.) 

Heavenly treasures are not in physical or material substances. They are values stored up in good deeds, and are the only thing you take along with you to eternity. God is not interested in your possessions, money, and wealth. He is only interested in what you use them to do while it lasted here on earth. He is interested on how you used your wealth to build up your relationship with Him and your neighbors. 

It is noteworthy that all the “Ten Commandments” of God are relationship based, none is materialistic. Therefore, having riches carries great responsibility. If you have been blessed with wealth, then thank the Lord. Don’t be proud and don’t build your trust your material wealth. Use your wealth to do good. Be rich in good works; generous, and ready to share. Consequently, building for yourself lasting treasures which follows you to in heaven due to the value God attaches to your good deeds. 

No matter how much money you have, your life should demonstrate that God controls the wealth that He has placed under your care. When your treasures are heavenly bound, definitely your heart will be heavenly bound also. What we treasure most controls us and our thought, whether we admit it or not. If possessions or money becomes too important to you, then loosen your grip to re-establish what controls you or get rid of them. It is for this reason that Jesus admonishes us to make decisions that allow us to live contentedly with whatever we have, and learns to choose eternal values over earthly temporary treasures.

In our memory verse, Jesus said to the rich young man; “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” This man’s wealth made his life comfortable and gave him prestige and power. By telling him to sell everything he owned, Jesus was touching the very basis of his security, trust, and identity, which are earthly temporal treasures, instead of his building his trust in God. The man did not understand that he would be more secure if he followed Jesus than he was with all his wealth. 

When Jesus told this young man that he would “be perfect” if he gave everything he had to the poor, Jesus wasn’t speaking in the temporal, human sense. He was explaining how to be justified and made whole or complete in God’s sight. He was explaining to the young man God’s value system—using your possessions to build up your relationship with Him and others which God place great value on. Jesus does not ask believers to sell all they have. He did not ask most of His followers to sell everything, but rather use their possessions to serve God and others.  

Although this may be His Will for some who are controlled by their possessions, He does ask us all, however, to get rid of anything that has become more important to us in life than God. If your possessions take first place in your life, it would be better for you to get rid of them. We must remove all barriers to serving and trusting in Him fully. 

Don’t spend your time chasing fleeting earthly treasures. Instead store up for yourself treasures in heaven, for such treasures will never be lost nor destroyed by anything. The key to using money wisely is to see how much we can use it for God’s kingdom purposes. 

Does love for God touch your wallet? Does your money free you to help others? If so, you are storing up lasting treasures in heaven. If your financial goals and possessions hinder you from giving generously, loving others, or serving God with them, sell what you must to bring your life in line with His purposes. Laying up treasures in heaven is accomplished by all acts of obedience and service to God. 

If Jesus would ask, ‘Could you give your house, or your car, or your level of income, or your position in the society, or your position on the ladder of promotion for His course,’ what would be your response? Definitely your response will show your attitude toward earthly treasures—whether it is your servant or your master, and would reveal who you serve—whether God or mammon. Where do you channel your time, money, and energy to mostly? What do you think about most? The sincere answers to these questions will reveal your real self! if your answer is tending toward earthly things, think of how you should change the way you use your resources in order to reflect kingdom values more accurately?

Prayer: Abba Father, all things are Yours. You have only entrusted to our care things that are Yours. Give me the grace to manage all that You have put in my care adequately for Your kingdom sake as is pleasing to You, that I may lay up lasting treasures for myself in heaven, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!