““Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Luke 12:33-34 NLT
When it comes to finances there are plenty of opinions about what to do with and how to spend or save your money.
Some people are excessive saver's and others are excessive spenders. Both have their downfalls.
Jesus warns us to not put all our eggs into one basket and just store up treasures on earth but to invest in that which is eternal - by investing in God's kingdom.
Jesus said if we put God’s kingdom first (and by that he included our treasure) He will provide everything we need here on earth.
By storing treasure in heaven we break the bonds of greed and materialism, and we learn to trust in God as our provider rather than in our own ability to stockpile for the future, and we also build God’s kingdom here on earth, all at the same time.
When we do that - we break the bonds of greed and materialism because, as Jesus said, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Where you invest your treasure, that is where your heart is.
If we place our treasure in stuff, where is our heart? In materialistic things. If we place our treasure in God’s priorities, where will our hearts be? Our hearts will slowly become focused on God and His priorities.
The two are always tied together because we place our money where our real priorities lie. If you let me look at your checkbook and all your assets I could tell you where your heart really lies, and what your priorities really are.
Look at these surprising numbers about priorities of the average American...
- The average American spends - $1,350 per year for soda
- The average American spends - $1,100 per year for coffee and tea
- The average American spends - $3,500 per year for beer, wine, and alcohol
- And... the average American gives - $14 per year to the hungry and homeless
This should tell us a lot about where our hearts really are.
If our priority should be storing up treasure in heaven, how do go about doing that? Somehow I don’t think you can ship your cash or possessions to heaven. I don’t think UPS or FedEx deliver there. As the saying goes, ‘you can’t take it with you.’
A great way to store up treasures in heaven is to GIVE TO THOSE IN NEED.
Jesus tells us one way of storing up our treasure in heaven in 12:33 “Sell your possessions and give to the poor.”
Did you realize that 28 % of children in developing countries under age 5 are underweight because of malnourishment,
An infant born in a developing nation is 10 times more likely to die at birth than in a developed nation.
A mother is 32 times more likely to die during childbirth in a developing nation.
More than half the world’s children are suffering the effects of poverty, war and HIV/AIDS. UNICEF Annual Report, 2004
The United States has the highest homeless rate of the top 21 developed countries.
As a result of a tsunami a few years ago, 15 million people lost their jobs, their livelihood…over 5 million Indonesians had no clean water, no electricity, no medical care.
Right now the global orphan population is over 110 million children.
• 15 million U.S. children live in poverty…
• 12 million U.S. children go to bed hungry every night…
• 7 million U.S. children are homeless…
• 4½ million U.S. children lack adequate medical treatment.
There are 629 million children living in the world today…
- 72% -- 452 million -- will live at or below the poverty line…
- 76% -- 478 million -- will be functionally illiterate…
The Bible tells us that the very first Christians did exactly what Jesus said. They literally sold their possessions and gave to those in need. Listen to what the Bible shares about these first Christians.
Acts 2:44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.
If you want to invest in eternity - ask God to put a burden on your heart to help someone who is in real need. If you don't know of anyone or any situation - ask me. I can give you all sorts of needs that could use your help. I know of orphanages in Pakistan, Cambodia, Mexico, Sri Lanka and many more.
I know of some deserving young people that need help to go to Bible School to be trained for ministry.
I know of families that are living below the poverty line in our own city and in our own church.
I could go on and on with many needs that you can invest into "eternity."
As we end this year - I pray that God would stir your heart and that you would invest where the kingdom of God is going to outline you. It is then that you will feel "truly blessed of God."
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