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 neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Focused Thinking:
What does the scripture say about treasures?
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth.”
“where moth and rust destroy,”
“where thieves break in and steal.”
We do the exact opposite of the Scripture says.
We spend all of our time pursuing and storing treasures.
We spend all of our energy pursuing and storing treasures.
We spend all of our time and energy focused on us.
- “yourselves” is a key word.
- “on earth” is a key phrase.
Why don’t we ever post scriptures like this on our walls?
Ultimately, we don’t want to obey these scriptures.
- We want to forget these scriptures.
- We want to minimize these scriptures.
What should we do in the area of treasures?
“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,”
“where neither moth nor rust destroys,”
“and where thieves do not break in or steal;”
What do treasures in heaven look like?
God defines treasures differently than man.
In the same way that our family should be our treasure; God’s family is His treasure.
- Your tithe isn’t about monetary treasures; your tithe is about people treasures.
- Your above and beyond offerings aren’t about monetary treasures; your above and beyond offerings about advancing God’s kingdom.
What is the relationship between your treasures and your heart?
“for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
I think there is a double truth here.
Sometimes your treasure determines the location of your heart; sometimes your heart determines the location of your treasure.
If your treasure is on earth; then your heart will be focused on earth.
If your heart is focused on heaven; then your treasure will be in heaven.
If your treasure is on earth; then it is impossible for your heart to be focused the God of heaven.
You can’t get around these truths.
There is a direct relationship between our treasures and our heart.
How ridiculous that we constantly trade temporary treasures for eternal treasures?
God wants to be the treasure of our heart, not something that can be destroyed by moths and rust.
The bottom line here is the love of money which ultimately is the love of self.
You can’t love both God and money; you will love the one and hate the other, you will be devoted to one and despise the other.
Personal Application:
How do we die to the love of money?
You are never going to love money less until you love God more.
You are never going to invest in the earthly kingdom less until you start investing the heavenly kingdom.
We will never die to the love of money as sitters instead of servers.
We will never die to the love of money as attendees instead of followers.
We will never die to the love of money as consumers instead of contributors.
Money is this country’s # 1 idol.
It is our number # 1 idol because it is the false god that can do the most for us.
We are married to God, but we are having adulterous relationship with money.
We have believed so many lies about money.
We must quit avoiding teaching this subject and go after it aggressively under the teaching of idolatry instead of under the teaching of stewardship.
Interactive Prayer:
Father, increase my love for You, my family’s love for You and our church’s love for You. We will never overcome the money issue by loving money less, because we can’t love ourselves less apart from Your death, burial and resurrection. Father, forgive us for our idolatrous and adulterous relationship with money. Forgive us for all the lies we tell ourselves in the area of money. Forgive us and give us a godly sorrow in the area of money.
Father, give me the insight, wisdom and understanding of scripture to teach on this subject from the context of idolatry instead of stewardship. Father, please do a radical work in our hearts to make our treasure You instead of money. Your Word tells us that we can’t love both God and money. Give us the courage to be spiritually honest about money. Give us the courage to love You more and money less.
Father, I’m running out of time this morning, but I ask You to enlarge this prayers in my heart and mind in the coming days, weeks and months. Give me the vision for a series on idolatry.
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