A few days ago, while I was at work, I was straightening up some handbags when I looked all around me and noticed the busyness of the place. I would look at customers as they were shopping and I could see a “lust” in their eyes as they were inspecting their items. Then, I would notice some little children yelling out to their parents, “Daddy, can I please have this?” or they would cry out, “but I want it!”. I call this the “I want” or “gotta have it” syndrome.
Why do we desire things that don’t last? What eternal value does this “thing” have? Clothes get stained, torn and worn out, toys break, money gets lost or stolen, and many things that we buy usually end up in the attic or basement where they collect dust. Why is it so important that we have so many possessions?
Many years ago, I went down to a suburb of Detroit with my mom to visit one of her uncles. As we entered the subdivision that he lived in, I noticed a driveway in front of someone’s house that had 5 Ferraris parked in it. I wonder how the owner of the cars would react if a storm came through causing one of the trees to come crashing down on top of them. I’m sure he wouldn’t be very happy.
Sometimes, when I am at work, I notice some grandmothers buying a lot of clothes and toys for their grandchildren. Their arms are overloaded with items that will soon be broken, stained, ripped apart, or outgrown; they won’t last for long. Instead of buying a lot of things that won’t last, they need to invest in things that will last a lifetime or perhaps an eternity. They can read a Bible story with them, pray, sing Jesus Loves Me, play games, pass out hugs, and just share Jesus’ love with them….these are things that will have a lasting impact on the grandchildren’s lives and maybe draw them to a personal relationship with Christ.
“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven…” How do we do this?
1. Well I think the most important thing is to get our desires off of the things the world has to offer and place them on the things of God.
(Colossians 3:16; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16-17)
3. Spend time talking to God in prayer. (1 Thessalonians. 5:17)
4. Exercise your faith by witnessing, serving and doing good works for others(Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; James 2:14-26)
I once heard a saying that said, "He who dies with the most toys wins". In this society the person who has the most possessions is the greatest. When I think of this, I think of all the people who are materially wealthy like Bill Gates, Donald Trump, etc. People think these guys are great just because they have a lot of money. But, if they don't have Jesus Christ in their life, they really have nothing. One day, their wealth will be stripped away and they won't have anything left.
A friend of mine gave an excellent example of being a witness. When he was given two drinks instead of one, he went back to the employee, and they were impressed by his honesty. So, the next time we do something out of the ordinary or we go out of our way to help someone and that person questions us, just say, “I am a Christian and I have to be honest” or “I did it in Jesus’ name.”
When we do “Acts of Kindness” for someone, we are indirectly showing them the love of Christ, and it is a great way to point others to Him.
There is a Christian's motto that goes with the other saying: "He who dies with the dirtiest towel wins". The dirty towel represents our service to God by serving others, and it comes from when Jesus washed the disciples' feet (John 13:1-20)
Our heavenly treasure comes from serving others: visiting the sick and the lonely, feeding the hungry, giving a shoulder to someone to lean on....Jesus said, "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40)
I’m not trying to boast of anything, but it was kind of a neat feeling when I did some nice things for some people at work at Christmastime and saw their reactions. For instance, I saw a co-worker looking at a purse and she really liked it and it wasn’t really expensive so she was going to wait until after work and have her husband pay for it. So, the Kris Kringle (whom I am named after
) inside me thought it might be cool if I bought the purse for her and surprised her with it. It was so awesome to see her reaction.
However, she is already a Christian and she knows that I am one, too, so I didn’t have to witness to her. But, even though she didn’t need to be witnessed to, there may have been someone else around who was watching…who knows…only God does.
So, I think that the “treasures” we have in heaven are the things we learn about God as our faith in Him grows (if that makes sense)… treasures of love, joy, and peace that we can only have in Christ. It comes through being obedient to Him, and, also it comes from sharing Jesus with others, and leading them to a desire to have a personal relationship with Him.
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also”
If you treasure earthly and temporal things then your desires will be for the things of this world, but if you desire to do what pleases God then you will want to focus on things that will last for eternity.
Where is your heart today? Is it on earthly wealth or heavenly wealth?
Matthew 6:19-21
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 moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth…”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 moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Why do we desire things that don’t last? What eternal value does this “thing” have? Clothes get stained, torn and worn out, toys break, money gets lost or stolen, and many things that we buy usually end up in the attic or basement where they collect dust. Why is it so important that we have so many possessions?
Many years ago, I went down to a suburb of Detroit with my mom to visit one of her uncles. As we entered the subdivision that he lived in, I noticed a driveway in front of someone’s house that had 5 Ferraris parked in it. I wonder how the owner of the cars would react if a storm came through causing one of the trees to come crashing down on top of them. I’m sure he wouldn’t be very happy.
Sometimes, when I am at work, I notice some grandmothers buying a lot of clothes and toys for their grandchildren. Their arms are overloaded with items that will soon be broken, stained, ripped apart, or outgrown; they won’t last for long. Instead of buying a lot of things that won’t last, they need to invest in things that will last a lifetime or perhaps an eternity. They can read a Bible story with them, pray, sing Jesus Loves Me, play games, pass out hugs, and just share Jesus’ love with them….these are things that will have a lasting impact on the grandchildren’s lives and maybe draw them to a personal relationship with Christ.
“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven…” How do we do this?
1. Well I think the most important thing is to get our desires off of the things the world has to offer and place them on the things of God.
1 John 2:15-17
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world.
17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
2. Read and meditate on His word.15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world.
17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
(Colossians 3:16; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16-17)
3. Spend time talking to God in prayer. (1 Thessalonians. 5:17)
4. Exercise your faith by witnessing, serving and doing good works for others(Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; James 2:14-26)
I once heard a saying that said, "He who dies with the most toys wins". In this society the person who has the most possessions is the greatest. When I think of this, I think of all the people who are materially wealthy like Bill Gates, Donald Trump, etc. People think these guys are great just because they have a lot of money. But, if they don't have Jesus Christ in their life, they really have nothing. One day, their wealth will be stripped away and they won't have anything left.
A friend of mine gave an excellent example of being a witness. When he was given two drinks instead of one, he went back to the employee, and they were impressed by his honesty. So, the next time we do something out of the ordinary or we go out of our way to help someone and that person questions us, just say, “I am a Christian and I have to be honest” or “I did it in Jesus’ name.”
When we do “Acts of Kindness” for someone, we are indirectly showing them the love of Christ, and it is a great way to point others to Him.
There is a Christian's motto that goes with the other saying: "He who dies with the dirtiest towel wins". The dirty towel represents our service to God by serving others, and it comes from when Jesus washed the disciples' feet (John 13:1-20)
Our heavenly treasure comes from serving others: visiting the sick and the lonely, feeding the hungry, giving a shoulder to someone to lean on....Jesus said, "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40)
I’m not trying to boast of anything, but it was kind of a neat feeling when I did some nice things for some people at work at Christmastime and saw their reactions. For instance, I saw a co-worker looking at a purse and she really liked it and it wasn’t really expensive so she was going to wait until after work and have her husband pay for it. So, the Kris Kringle (whom I am named after
) inside me thought it might be cool if I bought the purse for her and surprised her with it. It was so awesome to see her reaction.
So, I think that the “treasures” we have in heaven are the things we learn about God as our faith in Him grows (if that makes sense)… treasures of love, joy, and peace that we can only have in Christ. It comes through being obedient to Him, and, also it comes from sharing Jesus with others, and leading them to a desire to have a personal relationship with Him.
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also”
If you treasure earthly and temporal things then your desires will be for the things of this world, but if you desire to do what pleases God then you will want to focus on things that will last for eternity.
Where is your heart today? Is it on earthly wealth or heavenly wealth?
