Where your treasure is your heart will be.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

I wonder how often in today’s busy world that we forget to stop and really consider what our priorities are in life?

So I work hard and get ahead at the office, maybe make a few more bucks, will that really benefit me in the long run?

It won’t benefit you at all and in fact can really hurt you if we get out of our own little narrow perspective for a bit and have a look at things from God’s eternal perspective.

Jesus said no one can serve two masters and that a man will love one and hate the other. Then Jesus made it very clear what He was talking about when He said, “You cannot serve God and mammon” in Matthew 6:24.

Sure seems to me that a lot if not most of the church these days are serving mammon and trying to “keep up with the Jones’” instead of seeking first the Kingdom of God.

How many do you know that put on a mask for church on Sunday morning and then live as bad or even in some cases worse than the rest of the world the other six days and twenty-two hours of the week? Sadly, I know plenty of people that are like this, even a few so-called pastors. Not a surprise that when pastors are all about making money and chasing after fame that their congregation members would be the same way is it?

I actually know a pastor in my area that is always pushing his congregation members to give more. But then this pastor lives in a home that rivals corporate CEO's in the area and his kid drives a hummer to school. Care to guess the motives? This man is all about making a name for himself. Sad really. God will not share His glory with anyone so you can bet this particular pastor had better enjoy the "fame and fortune" now because it is all the reward he will ever see for his efforts.

So lets assume for a moment even some of these that live like the world most of the time are even saved. Even if we make this assumption it is certain that in the long run their way of life in seeking after the things of this world will cost them.

Everything in this world they might earn is temporary. Eventually they will die and all they have earned will be left to heirs. Likely even ungrateful heirs in many cases will be the ones who benefit from riches accumulated in this world. Prophecy states that eventually all of this in the “here and now” will be burned up to make way for a new Heaven and new earth so really any fame, money and so forth you might have now is temporary in the divine and eternal view of things.

Please note that if you continue to refuse the Gospel of Jesus and refuse to make Him the Lord of your life then this message is not for you. You will face judgment no doubt but your judgment will be eternity in hell for refusing to accept the Gospel and trying to earn your way to Heaven.

But the believer will face a different judgment. It will be one where the question is not a destiny in Heaven or hell but a judgment of eternal rewards gained or lost.

“each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it (the only Foundation of Jesus) endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:13-15 NKJ version with comment added)

So what sort of work will endure this test as by fire? It sure won’t be making the greedy corporate boss a few more bucks in screwing the little guy over. It sure won’t be building a bigger house and teaching your kids that it is all about “show me the money”. It certainly won't be fleecing the flock "in the name of Jesus" so you can build a bigger house and get your kids a really "cool" car to drive.

No things you have done in the name of Jesus with the proper motives in your heart will be rewarded. The kind deed done, the time spent praying for others, visiting that sick person in the hospital, sharing the Gospel with a lost soul, teaching a Sunday school class. I could go on and on but these are the types of things that will receive eternal rewards. These are the things you do because you yield daily to what the Lord would have you to do. They are not things you would do with a motive of "getting paid" for your "work."

Makes you stop and think about how you allocate your time each day doesn’t it? Sure makes me stop and think about what my priorities are.