What Are “Treasures In Heaven”?

Earthly treasures vs heavenly treasures

What could live meliorate than the American Dream?

H5N1 steady labor, money inward the banking business inward add-on to a hefty 401(k) for retirement – coupled alongside a overnice theater inwards the ‘burbs, a white-spotter fence, two kids in improver to a domestic dog, a swagger railroad vehicle for mom too a sedan for dad.

Life couldn’t larn whatsoever meliorate than that, right?

Isn’t There More to Life?

I intend, do we precisely croak through life trying to accomplish the following advertisement so we tin sack into a improve neighborhood amongst a amend schoolhouse scheme hence our kids give the sack do meliorate than we stimulate done?

I ofttimes think nigh what Jesus power tell regarding the American Dream.

Would he want everyone to be a homeowner, everyone to have comfort and the security of a nice economy with zippo to worry nearly?

For some ground, I exactly tin give discovery’t believe Jesus would encourage us to pursue the American Dream! Maybe I’1000 wrong – if thus delight tell me.

But hither’s why I think this:

Do non store upwards for yourselves treasures on solid basis, where moths equally good as vermin destroy, too where thieves intermission inwards as well as pocket. But shop upward for yourselves treasures inward sky, where moths inwards add-on to vermin do not destroy, too where thieves do non pause inward as well as steal. For where your treasure is, inwards that location your ticker testament be also. – Matthew 6:nineteen-21 NIV

The American Dream seems to exist nearly earthly treasure – not the treasure of the heavenly sort! So hither’s the enquiry of the solar daytime:

“Are yous building upward earthly treasure, or are you lot storing upwardly treasures inward sky?”

In monastic order to reply that interrogation we demand to empathise the departure between earthly together with heavenly treasure as well equally together with then nosotros demand to aspect at our hold hearts to do upward i's head which ane nosotros are truly living for.

The Heart of the Matter

This whole resultant of heavenly versus earthly treasure truly comes downwardly to the pump. In other words, which do you dear to a greater extent – earthly goods or heavenly treasure?

Don’t you just love how Jesus always brings things right back to our hearts and challenges us with our idols?

Jesus has a way of reaching downwards to the epicenter of our souls inward improver to challenging our framework together with so getting us to rethink our framework thence that He is the ane we are living for!

So, let me ask you: Are you constantly worrying nigh your money? Do you have an unhealthy preoccupation with your meshing worth, accumulating more wealth, becoming debt-unloose, investing, making to a greater extent than than money, saving to a greater extent than coin, or getting the adjacent promotion?

Any 1 of those things strength out boot the bucket an earthly treasure. Again, it comes downwards to what our hearts dearest to a greater extent!

What is Treasure inward Heaven?

In Jesus time, the Jews he was speaking to would have been very familiar with the terms “earthly treasure” and “heavenly treasure.” It was common for their vernacular. In fact, the Jews defined storing up treasure in heaven as deeds of mercy in add-on to deeds of kindness to people inwards distress.

Jesus, inwards Luke 12:33-34 NIV, gives us an thought of treasure in sky when he says:

Sell your possessions and give to the wretched. Provide purses for yourselves that testament non habiliment out, a treasure inward sky that testament never fail, where no thief comes near every bit good every bit no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, at that spot your ticker volition live also.

We see that Jesus equates selling possessions and giving to the needy as treasure in heaven. If I were to define it myself, treasure in heaven would simply be living life amongst opened upwards hearts too opened upwardly hands.

Open hearts agency nosotros cause a heart that God has – i for the pitiful, the weak, the disenfranchised, in improver to the marginalized.

Open hands means that nosotros live life with a loose maintain mentality thus that our earthly goods are non used for our ain contentment, but rather are used to stimulate got an touching on on those who are less fortunate for the sake of Jesus Christ.

Jesus himself said he had come to:

. . . proclaim skillful discussion to the wretched. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners every bit well as recovery of sight for the blind, to create the oppressed gratis. – Luke 4:eighteen NIV

We store upwards treasure inward sky yesteryear seeking the kingdom of God through helping others, which demonstrates the greatest of all sacrifices that God made for us!

How Do We Pursue Treasure inward Heaven?

So how should we respond to this?

1. Repent from Seeking Earthly Treasure

We always need to start here any time we see that we’ve been living for something else besides Christ himself. Turn from earthly treasure and turn to God as well as worship Him.

2. Replace Earthly Treasure

Earthly treasure (and our love for it) must be replaced by a deeper love for Jesus. There is only one way to deal with this issue correctly and that is a reorientation back to the greatness of the gospel:

For y'all know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, l-fifty hence for your sake he became miserable, so that yous through his poverty mightiness acquire rich. – 2 Corinthians 8:ix NIV

3. Rearrange Our Priorities

Instead of living for six digits, job status, houses, cars, TV’s, vacations, comfort or safety – we should concluding living for the next story of giving, of helping the pitiable in improver to of using our money for the sake of the gospel!

In other words, our priorities should be set on simplification for the kingdom of God, non accumulation for our have earthly kingdom!

Here are some practical ways to rearrange priorites too showtime living for heavenly treasure:

Build generosity into your budget – start budgeting for giving and start looking to give to others as good equally those inward demand.

Give time inward plus to money to local shelters – the Boys as well every bit Girls clubs are in desperate need of volunteers to come upward in addition to exceed time amongst disadvantaged youth. That’s ane out of hundreds of organizations that demand aid.

Have a garage sale or sell stuff on eBay – as good every bit give the proceeds away to a hurting business solid unit!

Adopt an orphan or give-upwardly the ghost a foster parent – inward that location are hence many kids that demand adept construction as well every bit parents who beloved them.