DEVOTION – DAY 427

Matthew 6:19-21 “Treasures In Heaven”

Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

In ancient times and also today, many people seek to accumulate possessions and things that they value. People want beautiful and expensive clothing, jewelry, cars, latest handphones, shoes, handbags, etc. People continue to desire these things and cannot seem to get enough of them. But what the Bible says is true – these material things that people desire never last. They lose their appeal and luster. They can also be lost or stolen. In the same way, hard-earned money that people saved in banks could be stolen when people are scammed. It is ironical that people choose to spend their lives accumulating wealth and material things that could be stolen from them, or soon lose their appeal because they become out of fashion. These verses tell us to spend our lives storing up treasures in heaven, not earthly treasures. Examples of treasures in heaven would be anything that has eternal value, like bringing up your children to love and obey God. The foundation we lay in our children will last a lifetime. They will be able to tell the difference between right and wrong. Another thing of value is to help someone receive the gospel message so that they will receive God’s gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Their salvation is eternal. 

Lottie Moon was born into a wealthy family in Virginia in 1840. She was a bright student and had a gift for languages. Although she had a Christian upbringing, she did not think much about her faith at first. She was too busy trying to establish herself. In 1858, she attended some revival meetings that struck at her heart. For the first time, she surrendered herself to serve the Lord Jesus. By 1873, at the age of 32, she was sent to north China, being one of the few single women Baptist missionaries in China. She started teaching in Shandong, but quickly realized her call was to evangelize to local people, especially women. She realized that in China, it was impossible for male missionaries to reach local Chinese women. So, she left her teaching position to evangelize and plant churches in China’s interior. She spent a total of almost 40 years in China. As a result of her ministry, thousands were converted to Christianity. She was instrumental in getting the Southern Baptist Missions Board to support her financially and send fellow missionaries to expand her work. During her time in China, she weathered plague, famine, disease, revolution and war. She was focused on serving and bringing people to the Lord. She had turned her back on comfort and wealth and chose to store treasures in heaven instead.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we praise you and honor you. Please help us to store up treasures in heaven and not be distracted by the things of this world. We ask this in the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Questions

1. What are some things you spend a lot of time doing in your life? The things that command our time and actions often reveal what we consider to be our treasures.
2. Are these things of eternal value? Share.
3. If they are not, how can you change your lifestyle so that you can focus on building more treasures that have eternal value?
4. If you are already spending your time on eternal value activities, how can you help others to do the same?