Posted on 08/13/2018 11:57:24 AM PDT by metmom
“‘Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven’” (Matthew 6:20).
The believer is to be generous in his giving.
The early church was not interested in accumulating great wealth for itself. In Acts 2, for example, thousands of pilgrims gathered in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost. When Peter preached the gospel on that day, 3,000 persons became believers, and soon afterward thousands more were added to the church. The pilgrims who became believers didn’t want to return to their former homes since they were now part of the church. So the believers in Jerusalem had to absorb them. Since many of the inhabitants were undoubtedly poor, the early church had to give to meet their needs. As a result, believers “began selling their property and possessions, and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need” (Acts 2:45). The early church illustrates what it means to lay up treasure in Heaven.
Like the early church, we are to lay up for ourselves treasure in Heaven (Matt. 6:20). What is our treasure in Heaven? In a broad sense it is “an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:4). We could say that, above all, our treasure in Heaven is Christ.
In a specific sense, Jesus is referring in Matthew 6:20 to money, luxury, and wealth. He is saying that to lay up treasure in Heaven is to be generous and ready to share the riches God has given to us, instead of hoarding and stockpiling them. By being generous, you expose yourself to the full potential of all that eternal life can mean. First Timothy 6:18-19 says you are “to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for [yourself] the treasure of a good foundation for the future.” The more you send into Heaven, the greater the glory when you arrive. The greater the investment, the greater the reward. Make it your aim to invest for eternity, where you will never lose your reward.
Suggestions for Prayer
Ask the Lord to help you be generous toward others who are in need.
For Further Study
According to Galatians 6:10, to whom are we to do good?
Studying God’s Word ping
>>Ask the Lord to help you be generous toward others who are in need.<<
That is a complicated concept to parse. I am quite generous and do it instinctively. I believe strongly the song “All good gifts... come from heaven above” from Godspell.
I take it as a fact of life that God’s bounty on me must be shared to help those that need it. I give to charities doing good works I support (such as Childfund,
midnight missions, St. Jude’s and some animal help societies) as well as individuals and situtions that come to my attention.
It has not occurred, nor does it make sense, to me to ask the Lord to somehow guide my heart further. He has spoken quite clearly to me about how His gifts should shared.
Am I misunderstanding? Or am I speaking what others also feel?
That’s what I do.
Just give as the Lord leads.
If He wants you to give somewhere else, He’ll make it clear to you.
>>If He wants you to give somewhere else, He’ll make it clear to you.<<
Should that not be in all things? I am not being pedantic, this topic confuses me within the larger Christian theology to which many of us adhere.
Or maybe I am reading too much into it and it is just being exemplary?
How do you mean?
In areas other than money?
God only gives us so much and all that's required of us is to be good stewards of that which He's given us.
It is not possible,m nor is it wise to give the same way to everyone.. Or even give to everyone.
I had an acquaintance I was helping a few years ago. She was an alcoholic and had lost her DL due to prison time for DWI.
She needed to take the road test again so she could drive and get a job to support herself.
So I took her out driving for practice for the road test.
However, there was NOT WAY I was giving her money. I didn't trust her.
>>I had an acquaintance I was helping a few years ago. She was an alcoholic and had lost her DL due to prison time for DWI.
She needed to take the road test again so she could drive and get a job to support herself.
So I took her out driving for practice for the road test.
However, there was NOT WAY I was giving her money.<<
Wise indeed. We certainly are called on to be judicious.
NOT WAY = NO way.
Sigh......
Wise as serpents, innocent as doves.
One of my prayers has always been that God would give me opportunities that would be fruitful. That HE would have me minister to someone that it would make a difference. There’s so much need in this world and so much to do, and so little time, that I don’t want to waste it.
>>That HE would have me minister to someone that it would make a difference. There’s so much need in this world and so much to do, and so little time, that I don’t want to waste it.<<
You minister wisely and share of yourself unselfishly. We may have disagreed on technical issues in the past but I have never questioned your good heart.
“share of yourself unselfishly.”
Once I posted that I answered my own question :)
Well, thank you for that.
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