What Does It Mean to Be Built Up

In Matthew 6:xix-21, Jesus says "Practise not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay upwards for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves exercise not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Treasure is linked to the heart. What does our centre long for? Does information technology treasure the things of this globe like money, fame, possessions, security, success, ability and influence? Or is our heart longing for Jesus to be the greatest treasure in our life, both now and for eternity?

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What Does it Mean to Store Up Treasure in Sky?

Afterward speaking of earthly and heavenly treasure, Jesus said, "No 1 can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and honey the other, or he volition be devoted to the 1 and despise the other. You cannot serve God and coin" (Matthew 6:24). Our hearts volition be mastered past one or the other. Non both.

This is seen in the story of the rich young ruler who came to Jesus wanting to know what he had to practice to get eternal life. He had kept the commandments but wanted to know what he lacked. Jesus replied, "If you desire to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you volition have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me" (Matthew xix:21). The response of the young homo was sadness because of all the wealth that he had, so he walked away from Jesus. Jesus so said to His disciples, "Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 19:23).

He likewise told a parable nearly the Word of God being like seed scattered on different soil. Jesus said that when the seed falls among thorns, it is like "those who hear [the Word], but as they go on their way they are choked past life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do non mature" (Luke 8:fourteen). The riches of this life and the cares of this world can hinder maturity in the faith as people become preoccupied by earthly concerns and treasures rather than God and His Word.

It is not necessarily wrong to take money, merely nosotros demand to know the dangers of what it tin do to us. Paul says in ane Timothy 6:9-10, "those who want to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. Information technology is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs."

Nosotros are storing up treasures on earth if the object of our affection is centered on ourselves and what nosotros can accumulate. Information technology can result in our ruin also as falling away from faith. However, if our greatest treasure is Jesus, we will desire to put our time, money, resources and talent on pursuits that glorify Him and we will store up treasures in the kingdom of sky.

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6 Ways Nosotros Can Store Upward Treasure in Heaven

1. We Demand a New Eye

To desire the things of heaven, we need a transformed heart that values Jesus more than an affluence of wealth and possessions. The heart is deceitful above all things (Jeremiah 17:ix). We were born into sin and cannot dearest or seek afterwards God of our own accordance due to our hardened centre (Romans 3:xi). It is the Begetter who draws u.s. to Himself (John 6:44) and we demand to be born again to be able to see God'south kingdom (John 3:iii).

Our desires need to alter away from earthly things and into eternal, everlasting, never-perishing treasure. In Colossians 3:two it says, "set up your minds on things that are above, non on things that are on earth." Equally we look to Christ and trust in the Holy Spirit for our transformation, nosotros volition desire the things that are of His kingdom for His glory, rather than for ourselves on world.

ii. Help the Poor and Those in Need

Similar the early church building that sold their possessions and distributed to those in need (Acts 2:45), nosotros tin can look to the needs of others around the states. Jesus told a story in the parable of the banquet nearly inviting "the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind" to a feast and said that "you will exist blessed, because they cannot repay yous" (Luke 14:13-xiv). The Lord sees what we exercise for Him and we will exist repaid "at the resurrection of the only" (verse 14).

Although we might not encounter any reward on earth for helping those in demand, nosotros know that we are advancing the heavenly kingdom and giving God the celebrity, which is of more worth than having an abundance of treasure on earth.

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3. Accept Risks That Volition Award God

When we are not tied up with fright and anxiety over money and the values of this world are no longer ours, we can live in abandonment to God'due south will with open up hands. When we live for and serve a Rex who will e'er be enthroned, and for a kingdom that will never end, nosotros tin accept risks which may toll usa on earth. This may look like suffering and persecution. It could mean we brand choices which seem conflicting or challenging to those effectually us. Simply we know that we tin trust God'southward plans and purposes in all things.

An example of someone that took a gamble was the widow in Mark 12:41-44 who gave all that she had out of her poverty. This was in stark contrast to the rich who were putting in large amounts out of the abundance of their wealth. Jesus said to His disciples that the widow had put more in the temple treasury than everyone else considering she gave all she had to alive on. Her middle was non wrapped up in any earthly treasure, simply instead she entrusted it all to God.

If we fully surrender all we have to God rather than chasing earthly pursuits, we will be able to accept greater risks for the kingdom of God as our heart, and therefore our treasure, is with Him.

4. Alive a Unproblematic Life

Choose to alive simply and not effort to attain the life that others around usa might be living. The attraction of "making it" in life keeps our eyes focused on earthly treasures and pursuits. People may strive for bigger, better and more in whatsoever number of ways. Yet, chasing after success for ourselves and trying to keep up with anybody else will eventually get out the states feeling empty, wearied and discontented.

Our identity cannot exist based on annihilation or anyone on earth. Jesus said that nosotros should lookout out, be on guard confronting all kinds of greed and that life does non consist in an abundance of possessions (Luke 12:xv NIV). We need to hold everything loosely in this life as nosotros ready our gaze on the eternal.

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5. Seek the Kingdom of God Starting time

Pursue Jesus above all things and surrender everything to Him. Exist rich toward Him in every area of life, from the money we spend, the words we say, our interactions with others and in all that nosotros do. For all that Christ has done for united states of america nosotros should treasure Him and His kingdom purposes offset. He knows all that we need so nosotros can seek the kingdom and His righteousness, knowing that everything we demand will exist added (Matthew 6:33). Having a heavenly mindset will complimentary us from the values found on earth and keep our heart and mind on Christ and eternity.

6. Trust the Promises of God and Do Not Be Anxious

Later on Jesus talks of storing up treasures in heaven rather than on world, He tells His listeners not to worry about life, what to consume and drink, or the trunk and what to wear (Matthew 6:25). We cannot add a single hour to our life by worrying (Matthew six:27), even so how many of the states worry near our life? Jesus frees united states from the false sense of security that money and possessions have on u.s.. Information technology is God who knows what nosotros need and He will take intendance of us when we trust Him.

It is a radical way to live, yet Jesus lived this kind of life in full obedience to the Father. His priority was ever to exercise His Father's volition and we can trust Him to assistance us every bit nosotros seek to live an obedient, holy life for the celebrity of God. He has given u.s.a. the Holy Spirit to help united states on earth. We tin live a life where worry does not hold us captive. Regardless of our circumstances, when we follow Jesus nosotros tin be confident knowing that all our needs are met in Him.

A last idea for those of us who do acquire wealth is to mind the words of the Apostle Paul. He said to those who are rich "not to be haughty, nor to gear up their hopes on the doubt of riches, only on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to exist rich in good works, to be generous and set up to share, thus storing upwardly treasure for themselves as a practiced foundation for the future, so that they may accept concur of that which is truly life" (ane Timothy 6:17-19). That which is truly life is institute in Christ lonely who gives everlasting life (i John 5:11). No matter how we have approached money and earthly treasure in the past, it is never as well belatedly to retrieve differently and to pursue Christ above all.

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Ruth Clemence is a wife, mom, writer and Premier Digital honour-winning blogger based in South West England. Read more at: ruthclemence.com and follow her on Twitter: @ruth_the_writer.

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Source: https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/ways-to-store-up-treasures-in-heaven.html

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