Jesus said, “Where your treasure is there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:21 and also in Luke 12:34. I want you to really think about this verse and what it means to you.
Now I am going to ask you some questions; what are you seeking, and what is your main interest, is it the things of the world or the things of the Kingdom? If someone was to check out the place you live, because they wanted to write a book on your life without really knowing you or anything about you, what would they say about you? Think of this, whatever the person saw in your home the Lord has already seen. If this person saw all the things you own would they think you were seeking God’s kingdom or the world? If this person knew about your finances and what you do with your money could they tell which kingdom you are seeking? Would this person know what you hold nearest and dearest in your heart? And what about your friends what would they say was the most important treasure in your life?
People say they love the Lord and they want to go to heaven all the time, but I wonder how many of them really do. Jesus said in Matthew 6:23, “But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.” Most of the things that the Lord says depend on our response or our actions. Jesus didn’t say we would just receive all these things, no, He said if we would seek His Kingdom first and His righteousness then we would receive all these things. If we say we love the Lord and want to be with Him in Heaven, don’t you think our lives should show it here? You might look at the world as a testing ground so we and the Lord can really see what our priorities are. Are we so worldly minded that we are no heavenly good, only we can answer that.
If we love the things of the world, we will experience God’s wrath. I don’t think this means that we shouldn’t love the people of the world because the second commandment says, “To love your neighbor as yourself.” I think it means if we are more focused on the things of the world and it’s theology than we are of the Lord and the things of the Kingdom.
There was a man that followed Paul in the New Testament called Demas, the Bible doesn’t say a lot about him but in 2 Timothy 4:10 it says this, “For Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica, Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.” Why Demas deserted Paul we don’t know for sure. Maybe it was because of the pressure he was experiencing serving God or maybe persecution, the Bible doesn’t tell us, but whatever it was it caused him to desert and go back into the world.
Think about these verses in Mark 8:35–37 Jesus speaking, “For whosoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whosoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s shall save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his own soul? For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Think about these verses, don’t just skip over them, we may find ourselves in this situation someday having to make this choice, laying down our lives for the Lord or denying the Lord to save our lives. I hope if it ever comes to this choice we will make the right one.
It seems that Christians get pulled in one direction and then the other. There is temptation everywhere you turn so we need to keep our feet on the narrow path that leads to God’s kingdom. Our eyes and mind need to be focused on the Lord seeking Him and His kingdom above all other things or interests. We need to be filled and walking in His Spirit every day. We need to be prayed up with the whole armor of God in place leaning not on our own understanding but in all our ways acknowledging Him that He would guide our steps. Then we will be victorious in the faith, praise God! Then we will never have to worry about loving the things of this world and turning God‘s hostility towards us. God will be pleased with us and someday we may hear those words, “well done my good and faithful servant enter into your rest,” praise the Lord! God bless and have a great day.
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