LAYING UP YOUR TREASURES IN HEAVEN - PART 4

WEDNESDAY 30 NOVEMBER 2022

What we learn from Christ is a revelation that can change anyone. And we can go deep and intimate in our relationship with God, by learning from Christ, the manifold wisdom which He unfolded in the Word. Therefore, according to Colossians 3:16 (NLT), let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your life, and be willing to function correspondingly.

Reference: Matthew 6:19-21 King James Version (KJV) "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

To me, heaven is an expression of untold bliss. Some things about heaven are made definite and clear to us by the thoughts Christ Jesus shared with us in His humanity. In some pages of the Scripture, He shared about what the Kingdom of heaven is likened to. For instance, in Matthew 13:24, He said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field." In Matthew 22:2, He said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son." In Matthew 25:1, it says, "Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom…" And there are many more instances.

What is Jesus always trying to accomplish? He is focusing our minds on heaven. In the same manner, He says, "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven...For where your treasure is, there will be your heart also." Simply put, place your heart on the Kingdom of heaven. Apostle Paul paraphrased it by this expression: "Therefore if you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, sharing in His resurrection from the dead], keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value]" (Colossians 3:1-2 AMP).

Keeping our eyes on things above does not mean: looking heavenward and staring at the rare beauty of the whitish clouds that exist right above us, but rather it is looking unto Jesus the Author and Perfecter of our faith, and thereby abiding by His teachings.

Beloved, don't take for granted that we have been raised with Christ to a new life and it's not just that, God raised us up together with Him when we believed, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places...(Ephesians 2:6 AMP). So Paul the apostle urges us from the heart to ascend to heaven by habitual focus and be mindful of seeking heavenly realities. In another way, maintain a close personal relationship with God in Christ Jesus. You will also gain glorious ideas from being heavenly minded, and by functioning with heaven in you.

Proverbs 23:26 (NIV) reads, "My son, give me your heart and let your eyes delight in my ways." Indeed, where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Therefore remain heavenly-minded. When you function that way, it's easy to store up treasures in heaven for yourself. Stay tuned for part 5. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Proverbs 3:5; Romans 12:2; Proverbs 4:23; Luke 12:34.

Exuberant Declaration: Christ has been made unto me, wisdom from God. By studying and paying attention to the message about Christ, the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ is activated in my life for my all-round progress. Therefore I sustain a huge expression of faith in the truth which the Lord Jesus Himself has revealed to me. Blessed be God!