Matthew 6:19-24   Jesus is "proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom.."  He has taught us that the kingdom is near.. that it is in our midst.. in us.  We come into the kingdom with repentance and by following Him.  The kingdom becomes ours when we acknowledge our spiritual poverty, when we mourn our sins and find His comfort, when we humble ourselves as His children, when we hunger and thirst for righteousness and find satisfaction in His provision. 

We have learned that Jesus did not lessen the standard of holiness that was given in the Law, but that He came to fulfill all the requirements of it... going beyond the letter of the Law to the very heart of it.. to the heart of the Father who has called us to be "perfect" as He, our "heavenly Father is perfect." 

Jesus taught that outward actions.. even religious rites.. done with selfish motives, are worthless, but true worship... between us and God.. giving, praying, fasting.. are only worthwhile when done for God's purposes.. according to His will. 

 Jesus has taught what true prayer looks like... drawing us into communion with our Heavenly Father.. with what He desires for us and what He knows we really need.. 

His name to be honored.

His kingdom to come.

His will to be done.

His provision for daily needs.

His forgiveness for our debts.. and our obedience to forgive others.

His leading through temptations.

His deliverance from evil. 

And in this we have learned that the Kingdom is His.. the Power is His.. and the Glory is His. 

Jesus continued to teach kingdom truths.. things that we need to acknowledge.. receive.. believe.. and live by.. the next one being: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon 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 or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (v19-21)

The word "treasure" can be a noun - a store, accumulated wealth.. anything of great value;  or it can be used as a verb - to store away or save up.. to cherish or value deeply;  even to hoard.  Either way, it must be placed - we put our treasures in a safe place. Jesus says that what we treasure is where our hearts are placed. 

The choice we have to make is what are we going to treasure and where we want to place our treasures. What we fill our hearts with.. matters.  What we value most... matters.  If we desire and value and cherish only the things that are earthbound.. Jesus tells us.. we need to know that they will rust or be eaten up.. or stolen away.  Nothing on earth is truly permanent or worth what we think it is. 

But treasures in heaven... are eternal, never fading, never rusting, and can never be stolen!  So, how do we do that.. how do we lay up "treasures in heaven."?   In Matthew 19:21 Jesus told the rich young ruler, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come follow Me."  In Luke 12:33 this verse is included in the teaching about not being anxious about what we need.. "Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves purses which do not wear out, and unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys." 

Well... I don't know about you, but selling everything and giving it all away makes me a little more anxious.. not less!  Not that I expect my earthly possessions to mean anything for eternity.. but I just want to be able to pay the bills and.. give what I can to ministries of the gospel.. and to help those who are in greater need than I.. and to do good as God leads... ahh.. He has made a way!

Father, I am Yours. Everything I have is a gift from You. I give it back to You.. Your will be done.  Be my treasure.. fill my heart with Yourself.  May I hold on loosely to the things of this world and trust You for all our needs.. which You already know.. and have so bountifully provided.  Take away all anxiousness.. all selfishness.. all that keeps me from following You completely.  I have much to learn and I am so helpless to be all that You desire me to be.. but I thank You for the truth, that You are able to bring to pass in me what You have promised.. sanctify me through and through so that I might stand blameless before You and the coming of the Lord Jesus!  I ask these things in His wonderful Name. Amen.