WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DECEMBER 12, 2024
TOPIC: STORE UP FOR YOURSELF TREASURES IN HEAVEN
BY T. O. BANSO
“Do not store up for yourselves [material] treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart [your wishes, your desires; that on which your life centers] will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21 Amplified Bible).
The Bible describes humans’ stay on earth as temporary. David says, “LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away” (Psalm 39:4 New Living Translation). The Apostle John says, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15-17 New King James Version).
The time we spend on earth cannot be compared to the time we shall spend in eternity. Therefore, we should hold lightly to the things of this world. 1 Corinthians 7:31 says, “Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away” (New Living Translation).
We must not put our trust in material things. Jesus says, “Do not store up for yourselves [material] treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart [your wishes, your desires; that on which your life centers] will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21 Amplified Bible).
Nothing is secure here on earth, including material treasures. Unforeseen circumstances such as economic recession or depression, unfavourable government policies, etc. could affect one’s treasures. There is a risk that is associated with every investment on earth. Ultimately, one will leave all the treasures one has gathered on earth. Nobody takes his money with him to heaven. Randy Alcorn says, “You can’t take it with you, but you can send it on ahead.”
If anyone is storing up for himself his treasures here on earth, it is most likely that the person will lose his soul and will spend his eternity with the devil, not with God. Why? Because he won’t be preparing for eternity. His constant concern will be to acquire more possessions and maximize his returns on investments.
Those who see themselves as permanent residents of the earth don’t store their treasures in heaven. They heap up wealth, live selfishly, and delude themselves that they can continue to enjoy forever. But they can lose their riches or death will put an end to everything when they least expect it.
This is what the Bible says about the rich fool: “So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:18-21 New King James Version). Note the phrase “and is not rich toward God.” Storing up for yourself treasures in heaven is being rich towards God.
The rich fool’s concern was just himself. He excluded God and other people from his thoughts. All he cared about was how to enjoy the blessings of the Lord selfishly. He made no mention of giving to God from what He has blessed him with or blessing other human beings. He did not store his wealth in heaven but on earth. The night of the day he announced his plan to himself, God withdrew his breath from him.
Concluding the parable of this rich fool, Luke 12:21 says, “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God” (New Living Translation). The New King James Version puts it this way: “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Don’t be like the rich fool. Store up for yourself treasures in heaven.
How do you store up treasures for yourself in heaven? Be generous to fellow human beings, especially the poor and needy, orphans, and widows. “If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD — and he will repay you!” (Proverbs 19:17 New Living Translation). James 1:27 says, “Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us” (New Living Translation).
The other way of storing your treasures in heaven is by being generous to God and His causes on earth, including contributing financially and materially to God-related projects and programmes, especially soul-winning and care for the poor and needy.
Those who don’t store up for themselves their treasures in heaven are not involved in these types of giving. All their treasures are here on earth; they hoard their wealth and selfishly enjoy it. Although they’re rich while alive, they’re poor after death, for they have no treasures stored ahead in heaven.
Don’t live your life as the unbelievers or carnal Christians live. They are obsessed with the love of money. Their goal is to make money by hook or by crook and lavish it on satisfying their selfish appetite. “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:10 New King James Version).
The writer of Ecclesiastes says, “Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth — except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers!” (Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 New Living Translation).
The time to start being rich towards God is today, not tomorrow. Don’t wait till you have millions before you will give to God and His causes on the earth or give to bless others, especially the poor and needy. If you wait till you have plenty, you will never give. “If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done” (Ecclesiastes 11:4 Living Bible).
Don’t become so attached to the things of this world that you can’t give them away. The rich young ruler was so attached to his wealth that he could not obey Jesus’ instructions to go and sell his properties and give the money to the poor to have treasure in heaven, and then come to follow Him. Matthew 19:22 says when the young man heard the words of Jesus, he went away sorrowful because he had great possessions.
In the world, the emphasis is on grabbing and acquiring. However, in the Kingdom of God, the emphasis is on giving. Luke 6:38 says, “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (New King James Version).
Although you are in this world, you are not of this world (John 15:19). Your citizenship is not of this world but in heaven (Philippians 3:20). Therefore, don’t copy the behaviour and practices of the world. “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2 New Living Translation).
Be rich towards God. Don’t be stingy. It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). Givers get more; stingy people lose more, as seen in the story of the rich fool. He lost everything. “There is one who scatters, yet increases more; and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty. The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself. The people will curse him who withholds grain, but blessing will be on the head of him who sells it” (Proverbs 11:24-26 New King James Version).
The Apostle James says to the rich oppressors, “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days” (James 5:1-3 New King James Version). To heap up, in the passage, means to store up. The rich stored up treasures that would not do them good. No child of God should be envious of the prosperity of the wicked or those storing their treasures on earth. His goal should not be to become the richest man on earth but to be generous! He should store up his treasures in heaven – be rich towards God.
Store up for yourself treasures in heaven. There is a reward waiting for you. Give to fellow human beings, especially the poor and needy, and God’s causes on earth. Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will repay him (Proverbs 19:17). Whatever good deed you do to a fellow human being, you also do it to God, and He will reward you (Matthew 25:34-46). “For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister” (Hebrews 6:10 New King James Version).
Also, never forget to give to God’s servants, particularly those ministering to you. Paul asked the Corinthians, “If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things? If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more?” (1 Corinthians 9:11-12a New King James Version).
Store up for yourself treasures in heaven. This does not mean you should not save on earth or enjoy your money. Ecclesiastes 5:19 says, “Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God” (New International Version). Storing up your treasures in heaven means that you are not living a selfish and self-centred life, without giving to others, especially the poor and needy, widows, and orphans, and giving to God’s causes on earth. In his popular sermon on “The use of money”, John Wesley said, “Earn all you can, save all you, and give all you can.” Store up your treasures in heaven.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. Take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner, and cannot save yourself, and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You must join a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: With the help of the Holy Spirit, I shall not store up for myself material treasures on earth, but in heaven. I shall be rich towards God and give to the poor and needy and the servants of God. I shall not wait for perfect conditions to sow, I shall sow according to my ability, generously and consistently in Jesus’ name.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
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