February 7th, 2024
Wednesday, February 7th
Investing In The Kingdom of God
By: Pastor Melissa Beauvais
Matthew 6:19-34
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[a] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[b] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[c]?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Jesus’ words here are not just a good principle to live by. No, His words are clear, and He commands them. “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,” Jesus says. He is telling the disciples that they must store up or invest in the things that are of worth for God’s Kingdom here and now, for the Kingdom that is coming. How we spend our wealth on the things that reflect kingdom values and transformation, matters. This should be the outflow of our life that practices obedience, love, giving, prayer, and fasting.
He continues in v.21: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”. Investing in the world will ultimately lead to darkness. But if you invest in God’s treasures, His kingdom, your heart will follow. Notice that it does not say, “Where your heart is, there your treasure will be.” It’s not enough just to say giving to others is a good thing. Words and actions must match. Money can and does change your heart. When you put all your efforts into the things you own, your comfort and desires, your savings, there is the potential that you will do anything at any cost to protect it. You cannot serve two masters. “Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money”.
A life treasured on worldly possessions will only lead to anxiety and fear, a faithless faith, a lack of trust, and justifying all the means to get to the end. But a life that “seeks first his kingdom and his righteousness”, everything will fall into place. So, where is your treasure stored? Are you seeking FIRST God’s Kingdom and His righteousness?
Investing In The Kingdom of God
By: Pastor Melissa Beauvais
Matthew 6:19-34
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[a] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[b] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[c]?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Jesus’ words here are not just a good principle to live by. No, His words are clear, and He commands them. “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,” Jesus says. He is telling the disciples that they must store up or invest in the things that are of worth for God’s Kingdom here and now, for the Kingdom that is coming. How we spend our wealth on the things that reflect kingdom values and transformation, matters. This should be the outflow of our life that practices obedience, love, giving, prayer, and fasting.
He continues in v.21: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”. Investing in the world will ultimately lead to darkness. But if you invest in God’s treasures, His kingdom, your heart will follow. Notice that it does not say, “Where your heart is, there your treasure will be.” It’s not enough just to say giving to others is a good thing. Words and actions must match. Money can and does change your heart. When you put all your efforts into the things you own, your comfort and desires, your savings, there is the potential that you will do anything at any cost to protect it. You cannot serve two masters. “Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money”.
A life treasured on worldly possessions will only lead to anxiety and fear, a faithless faith, a lack of trust, and justifying all the means to get to the end. But a life that “seeks first his kingdom and his righteousness”, everything will fall into place. So, where is your treasure stored? Are you seeking FIRST God’s Kingdom and His righteousness?
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