OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23RD 2016- WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS

Memorise: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:21
Read: Matthew 6:19-21 (KJV)
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Bible in one year: Leviticus 20:1-22:16, Psalms 131-132

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1. Treasures are highly valued objects or accumulated riches. Physical treasure has at best only short-term benefits and is capable of opening up the owner to various physical and spiritual dangers.
2. The problem is that wealthy people are familiar with how to make earthly investment and acquire earthy treasures, but only a few of them have the understanding of what it means to lay-up treasures in Heaven or how to go about it.
3. The solution that Jesus offered is simple, if you want to have treasures in Heaven and you have earthly wealth, sow a bulk of it into the lives of the poor. If you go the extra mile to enrich the poor, you will have treasures in Heaven.
4. Your wealth or possessions on their own are worth nothing to God, except they are converted into something of value that promotes the work of God, or affects the lives of others for good.
5. If you use your wealth to promote the gospel or you meet needs with it, you will reap the harvests in Heaven because the principle of sowing and reaping applies there.
6 . Use your wealth to better other people’s life, no rich Christian Brother or Sister has a reason to be poor in Heaven. No poor believer should also be poor in Heaven. You are the one to take the decision that will positively impact your eternity. Invest in the work of God by promoting the Gospel and sow bountifully into the lives of the poor.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

The story of Lazarus and the rich man is a good example for us to know riches of this world is not a criteria for anyone to enter into the kingdom of God. The Bible in Matt 19:24 says it is easier for a camel to enter into the eye of a niddle than a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. There is also another deep question that should be a drive for us putting our treasure in God’s kingdom rather than this earth. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
Some prefer to oppress the poor with their riches instead of enriching them. Others give in church with the motive of oppressing the poor or impressing the pastor. It should be known and understood that not until you have more than enough before you can give to the work of the gospel (the widows moth) you can as well be a blessing to someone else with the little the Lord has blessed you with. Even your true service in the house of God, time committed to the things of a God, love for the things of God and kingdom growth falls in the category of heavenly investment. Let’s take the bold step of deciding to do things that will impact our eternity positively and God will help us in Jesus’ name. God be praised for our father in the Lord Pastor E.A Adeboye for the daily insight into God’s word through this devotional, may He alone be adored forever more in Jesus’ name

Prayer Point
Father, please help me lay up heavenly treasure more than earthly treasure.

HYMN

1 Standing on the promises of Christ my king,
through eternal ages let his praises ring;
glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
standing on the promises of God.
Refrain:
Standing, standing,
standing on the promises of God my Savior;
standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.
2 Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
when the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
by the living Word of God I shall prevail,
standing on the promises of God. [Refrain]
3 Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
bound to him eternally by love’s strong cord,
overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
standing on the promises of God. [Refrain]
4 Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
listening every moment to the Spirit’s call,
resting in my Savior as my all in all,
standing on the promises of God. [Refrain]

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