Passage:

“”Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on 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 and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:19-21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mat.6.19-21.esv

Paraphrase:

Don’t hide away treasures for yourself on earth instead send them ahead to heaven where nothing like rust or moths or theives can affect them. Earthly treasures are subject to all kinds of issues but heavenly treasures remain forever. You can tell what treasures are most valuable to you by where you choose to store them.

Premise:

Throughout our lives we invest in many things. Some of those things have lasting effects while others are temporary. What we do with our time, resources and money reveals what things are most important to us. If we focus more on earthly things, those things will only last while on earth. Whereas things that we invest for heaven will last throughout eternity.

Principle:

We protect what we treasure.

Earthly treasures are short lived; Heavenly treasures remain forever.

Ponder:

What kind of treasures am I storing up?

Do I value earthly or heavenly treasures more?

What are heavenly treasures?

How do I store up heavenly treasures?

Practice:

Spend more time, resources and money for things that will outlast me on earth and make a difference for eternity.

Make better use of and take care of earthly treasures so as to not have to replace or buy them again.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank you for all I have. Everything is a blessing. Help me to keep an eternal focus and store up heavenly treasures. Guide me in the use of my time, resources and money to help others on earth and to make eternal differences that will outlive me.