GOOD NEWS FOR YOU
TREASURES IN HEAVEN
What is your biggest treasure on earth? What is the MOST important possession you have in life? What do you store in your life, maybe hidden secrets or desires that you value greatly?
Jesus promises us in Rev. 22:12 that He will bring rewards with Him when He returns for us. We are to treasure the Lord Jesus above everything else. When Jesus is our treasure, we will commit our resources - our money, our time, our talents, our efforts, ourthoughts and our to actions Him and His kingdom.
In Matthew 19:16-20 we read how a rich young man came to Jesus and asked Him what he could do to inherit Eternal life. Jesus told the man to sell his possessions and give to the poor, "and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me" (verse 21). This man had much wealth, and he could not let go of his earthly treasures to follow Jesus. The issue was not that the man was rich but that he "treasured" and valued his riches above the "treasure" he could have in Christ. He was not willing to make Christ his priority.
Christian author Randy Alcorn wrote that "15 % of everything Christ said relates to The Treasure Principle." For example, in Luke 4:13 Jesus said – "So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple."
"Happy is he who is gracious to the poor. "(Proverbs 14:21) and "He who is generous will be blessed."(Proverbs 22:9)
Jesus said in Matthew 6:19 – 21 - "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
In Luke 12:16 – 21, Jesus told the parable about a rich man who had such good harvests on his farm, that he wanted to break down his old barns and build bigger and better ones. "…God said to this man - 'You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for? So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God." (Luke 12:20–21)
Just after this Jesus reminded his disciples (and us) that we must not worry or be anxious but to "rather seek the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto us;" Luke 12:31) He also said - "…Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Luke 12: 33 – 34)