pastorway: Heavenly Treasures

TIME in the Word - Daily Devotional
Together for Inspiration, Motivation, and Encouragement

Verse of the Day - Matthew 6:20
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Daily Scripture Reading - 1 Corinthians 10

Puritan Catechism
Question #9 - What is the work of creation?
Answer - The work of creation is God's making all things (Gen. 1:1) of nothing, by the Word of his power (Heb. 11:3), in six normal consecutive days (Exod. 20:11), and all very good (Gen. 1:31).

Devotional Thoughts
Matthew 6:20 - But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Jesus balances His thought of verse 19 now by taking a positive approach to laying up treasures. He has already taught us that we are not to lay up treasures on earth for ourselves. Now He tells us to lay up treasures in heaven. The treasures He speaks of here are not temporal or material. These are things that cannot be rusted or destroyed.

We need to learn how we can invest in heavenly things. What exactly does He mean by laying up treasures in heaven? The things that we place high priority on are the things we treasure. These things are to be things that we can lay up in heaven. The term for heaven here refers to the "seat of order for all things eternal." In other words, we are to value things that we can keep at the headquarters of God's Kingdom. That is the seat of order - the throne of God! He orders all things eternal. He is our sovereign LORD. He is the One who redeems and keeps us.

He is to be our priority! His glory. Jesus should matter to us more than anything else on this earth. We must value Him and our relationship with the Father through Him. We must spend time in fellowship and prayer with Him. He must be our all in all. And as we walk with Him the things we value and the fruit our lives produce will be stored up for us in His kingdom!

In His kingdom there are no thieves. There are no moths to eat up or rust to destroy. Our fruit, our inheritance is perfectly safe. And one day when we put off this corruptible body we will put on an incorruptible body and then we will able to enjoy the fruit of our labor, produced by Christ through us and for us. Of course the true joy will come in us having rewards to throw back at His feet in adoration and thanksgiving for the sacrifice He made for us.

Instead of investing all we have here and now for ourselves, we must strive to lay up those things which are eternal and will benefit us as we praise Him for all He has accomplished with and through us! And we must learn that the things we treasure, if truly of eternal value, will last forever! What we have here and now will one day pass away. Think about that - won't it be sad if everything we truly value and love is burned up and dissolved with the rest of Creation at the judgment? After all, there are only two things on this earth that will last forever - people and the Word!

So what treasures can we lay up in heaven? What fruit can we see produced in our lives? Some would say that winning souls to Christ is bearing fruit. But the Bible doesn't say that witnessing and leading people to Christ is a fruit. It says that is our command! We must bring people to Jesus! So then, what does the Bible tell us about fruit?

Fruit more often than not is an attitude or motive! It is a decision of the regenerate will to be obedient to God. Fruit is not people - fruit is spiritual progress. When we grow in Him, when we are obedient, when we love, and have joy - that is to bear fruit. Scripture tells us in Galatians 5:22-23 that fruit that the Spirit produces in us consists of :

1. Unconditional love for all - not lust or selfish desire

2. Unquenchable joy - not happiness - happiness is always based on happenings and circumstances can change – true joy is greater than happiness and it sustains us even in times of grief

3. Uncomprehendable peace - not living a stress free life, but being at peace with God and others (even our enemies)

4. Uncompromising patience, or longsuffering - bearing up under the good and bad that can happen to us from day to day

5. Unusual kindness - kindness even in the face of persecution

6. Uncommon goodness - being good and holy because He is holy

7. Unquestioning faithfulness - because He is faithful even if we aren't

8. Unique gentleness - the ability to be known for our gentle , peaceful spirit

9. Uncharacteristic self control - or the self under the control of the Holy Spirit

These are the things the Bible calls fruit. And notice, it is not fruits, plural, but fruit, singular. Just like an orange with many sections, our lives have many facets - all must be in balance and under His control in order for us to lead healthy spiritual lives! This fruit, when produced in our lives, will have eternal effects on us and others and that is laying up treasure in heaven, to do things and say things that are eternal in scope. Things that can change someone's life forever. If we can affect forever, how much more can we effect the here and now? Today - lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven - do things that will last forever!

Puritan Voices
We are reading a small portion each day from Enoch Walked With God - A Sermon by Edward Griffin

These are the things to be studiously avoided. And now,

2. Let us see to what we must attend.

a. We must punctually and earnestly attend on all the means and ordinances of God's appointment. Any neglect or irregularity or carelessness in this attendance, will cut the sinews of our spirituality, and diminish our strength to achieve victories and resist temptations in the future. Separate yourselves from means, and you may as well separate your fields from culture, and even from the rain and dews of heaven. All our light and grace come through the medium of means. This in general; but to be more particular,

b. We must pray the prayer of faith and "pray without ceasing." Prayer is the Christian's life. Though every other ordinance be attended to, yet if this one be neglected, all is in vain. It is as impossible for the soul to be spiritually alive and active without a punctual course of fervent and be- lieving prayer, as for the body to be alive and active without breath. Prayer has more influence on the sanctification of the soul than all other ordinances. It is going directly to God to receive the life-giving Spirit according to an absolute and often repeated promise. "Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him." This is decisive if any language can be. The promise is absolute, and there must be an unwavering belief in the promise in order to give the application success. "If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering; for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord." But the faith instilled is not a belief that I shall receive, but that I shall receive if I ask aright. It is not a belief in my goodness, but in God's truth. It is a firm, unwavering, confident belief that God will "give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him" aright. This strong confidence in God's truth may be exercised whatever doubts we have of our own goodness or election. If we are troubled on these points it ought not to keep us back. We may leave them to be decided afterwards, and go right to God with unlimited confidence in his truth and consequent willingness to hear the cries of all who sincerely seek him. Whoever is elected, this is true of all. Say not, God will hear me if I am elected, and not without. Election or no election, he certainly will hear the cries of all, (be it Judas or be it Peter,) who seek him with the whole heart. This ought to be the strong confidence of every man, whatever opinion he may have of his own character or destiny. This, as the apostle testifies was the faith of Enoch. "Before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe [what? that he himself is good? that he himself is elected? no such thing: must believe] that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." There is a full chance then for doubting Christians to exercise this sweet and successful confidence in God. Tell it to the nations. Let the joyful tidings circulate, through all the region of despondency and gloom. There is no confidence required of you respecting your goodness or election. The only faith demanded is to "believe" in God, "that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him," whoever they are, whether it is I or another man, elect or non-elect.

c. We must watch. In that most trying moment when the powers of hell were let loose upon the suffering Saviour, he gave his disciples no other direction than this, "Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation." So much emphasis did he lay on these two duties. In regard to watchfulness, I would suggest the following rules.

First, be vigilant to observe the first motions of the enemy. If he has made considerable advances before you move, your exertions will probably be too late. It is dangerous to parley with temptation. Check it early or it will probably prevail. Keep your eyes open to watch the different avenues by which the enemy makes his approach. He will often vary his mode of attack. Through all his variations keep your eye steadfastly upon him. Acquaint yourselves with his numerous devices.

Secondly, watch another enemy greater than this; watch your own heart. Keep an attentive eye upon the movements of corruption within you: otherwise some evils will gather too much strength for you to resist; others will work unseen, and go in to form your character unknown to yourselves.
"Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life."

Thirdly, watch opportunities for doing and getting good. Much is lost in reference to both by overlooking the favorable moment.

Fourthly, watch the motions and expressions of divine providence. It will throw much interesting light on the character and government of God and illustrate and confirm many things taught in the Scriptures.

Fifthly, watch the motions of the Spirit upon your minds. Sometimes the Spirit whispers an invitation to prayer or divine contemplation. If the suggestion is followed we may find the duties easy and pleasant, and the effect lasting. But perhaps we refuse to attend to the impulse. The consequence is, our hearts grow cold and lifeless; and then though we attempt to pray or meditate, we find no relish for it. This remark goes no part of the way towards denying God's efficiency, but only assumes that he leaves us sometimes by way of punishment. It may be illustrated by a passage from the Song of Solomon, understood to relate to the relationship between Christ and the Church. The Spouse, half aroused from lethargy, says, "I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my Beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled; for my head is filled with dew and my locks with the drops of the night. [Now mark how her indolence pleads.] I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them?

[Now the heavenly Bridegroom makes a more effectual effort.] My Beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him. I rose up to open to my Beloved, end my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. I opened to my Beloved, but, [see the effect of not opening to Christ at first] my Beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone: my soul failed when he spoke: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him but he gave me no answer." This is enough to confirm my idea of watching and obeying the first suggestion of the Spirit of Christ.

I have thus shown what it is to walk with God, the blessed consequences, and the means. May I not now, my Christian brethren, urge upon you this delightful duty? It is what you owe to the blessed God, your Father and Saviour, who has astonished heaven by his kindness to you, and whose mercies, if you are not deceived, will hold you entranced to eternity. It is what you owe to him, and it will secure you a happy life, more than all the wealth and honors of the world. It is heaven begun below. Do you not wish to be happy? Bend all your cares then to walk with God. Be not satisfied with a general desire to do this, but fix systematically on the means prescribed. Pursue those means hourly, daily, yearly. Reduce your life to a system under the regulation of these rules. Good old Enoch could walk with God three hundred years. And he has never seen cause to repent it. Could you have access to him in his glory, would he express regret for the pleasant mode of spending the last three hundred years of his life? We are apt to think that we are not expected to aim at the superior piety of the ancient saints. But why paralyse every power by such a stupid mistake? Are we not under as great obligations? Is not God as worthy of obedience now as in the days of old? Have the increased displays of his mercy in the Gospel impaired his claims? Has the affecting scene of Calvary rendered him less lovely in the eyes of sinners? Are the means used with mankind less than in the patriarchal age? Or are the happy consequences of a walk with God worn out by time? Why should we then content ourselves with being scarcely alive, when so many saints have been through life rapt in communion with God? Do we thirst for honors? What honor is so great as to be the companion and son and favorite of the everlasting God? Do we wish for riches? Who is so rich as the heir of him who owns all the treasures of the universe? Do we prize the best society? What better society can be found than Enoch had? Does any valuable consideration move us, or any ingenuous motive, O let us never cease to walk with God. Amen.

Bible Reading For Further Study
Look for this fruit in your life :