MEMORISE:
Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. Luke 12:33
READ: Luke 12:30-37
30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;
36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.
37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.
MESSAGE
Prosperity is a very good thing. In fact, God wants His children to prosper and live in abundance. So many good things come with being rich. For example, a rich man is more likely to be respected and listened to than a poor man. Ecclesiastes 9:15-16 says:
“Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard”.
However, as good as riches are, they never really satisfy. We even understand through Ecclesiastes 5:12 that the abundance of a man’s riches keeps him from good sleep. The humbling truth is that no matter how many treasures a man amasses here on earth, he will never take a penny with him when he dies.
In today’s Bible reading, our Lord Jesus Christ advised us to store our riches in heaven for a number of reasons. First, riches stored in heaven are secure, because there are no moths, thieves or other devourers in heaven. Secondly, your heart will be wherever your riches are, and so if your riches are stored in heaven, your heart will also concentrate on the things of heaven (Matthew 6:21). Also, a person whose riches are stored in heaven will have just one master: God. Money has become the master of some people, and as the Bible says, no man can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). The Holy Spirit makes it clear that the love of money is the root of all evil (1 timothy 6:10).
How then can we store up our riches in heaven? Jesus answered this question in our memory verse, instructing us to give the poor. This He said would guarantee us treasures in heaven. Paul also made the same connection in 1Timothy 6:17-19, saying:
“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life”.
We can also store up our riches in heaven by investing in things that bring people to Jesus: financially supporting evangelism, bringing your tithes into God’s storehouse, and much more. Prospering here on earth is important, but nothing is as important as making it to heaven.
KEY POINT:
How much wealth do you presently have in heaven?
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Zechariah 7-10
John 20:1-23
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 12: TAKE MY LIFE, AND LET IT BE
1.Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise,
Let them flow in endless praise.
2.Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3.Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
4. Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose,
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.
5. Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.
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