Heavenly Tresures!

“Do NOT store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But STORE up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” – Matthew 6:19-20 NIV

If we FULLY-SURRENDERED before Jesus, we MUSTN’T store/hoard earthly treasures for our own good, for “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You CANNOT serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24) They can damage us spiritually, for they are part of the world, which are Satan’s who is the enemy of God (see 1 John 5:19) –

“Those who desire 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. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” (1 Timothy 6:9-10)

Then why they are created? They are created, because we are MEANT to use them for the kingdom of God – “….. whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31), as ‘faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.’ (James 2:17)

Secondly, we HAVE to know that any earthly treasures are NOT worth of storing/hoarding, unless they are used for the kingdom of heaven, ‘….. since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.’ (2 Corinthians 4:18) – “Do NOT love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is NOT in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is NOT from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever DOES the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:15-17)

The treasure that we will get in heaven (our ETERNAL HOME – Philippians 3:20-21, 2 Corinthians 5:1) is Jesus, Himself who was crucified on the cross as an atonement of our sins (Colossians 2:13-15), in order to make us as new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17) to be the righteousness of God -  ‘“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”’ (1 Peter 2:24) – “God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). For he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

Since Jesus had done that for us, how much our joy and happiness would it be, if we enter the kingdom of heaven, where our savior is! Therefore, ‘….. let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, FIXING our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.’ (Hebrews 12:1-2) – “Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:7-14)