Cross Eyed

Verse of the Day – Matthew 6:24
No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Daily Scripture Reading – Matthew 25

Devotional Thoughts
It is often the simplest principles we find in the Scripture that are the most helpful to us in living the Christian life from day to day. These are things that should truly be obvious but we seem to miss them. Whether it is our being busy, our days being so positively full, our being overwhelmed by the stress that surrounds us, or our lack of faith, we seem very prone to miss the simple truths that God has for us.

One of those truths is the principle of stewardship. If we could only learn and if we would only remember that we are nothing more and nothing less than stewards. It is not a matter of stewards over what. We are just stewards. Nothing really belongs to us, but everything we “have” and everything we are is given as a trust – given to us to use as good stewards.

In these verses from Matthew 6 we have seen principles dealing with things from wealth to worry, and in the middle of it all we have seen the importance of having a good eye, an eye that is focused on Christ and on things eternal. As the title of today’s devotional notes, we really should be focused upon Christ and His life and work, His sinless life, His substitutionary atoning death on the cross, and His resurrection. Above all of that too there is the matter of His Lordship.

And as we move through these verses we find in the middle that the real lesson here is not about things, it is about us. And it is about Lordship and Mastery. We are stewards of the grace of God. We are stewards of all that He gives us. And we must give an account to Him for the way in which we handle His provisions.

As I mention the term Lordship we need to understand that Jesus is Lord. We do not make Him Lord. Who do we think that we are, as if we could appoint Him to a position of sovereign ownership and control? He IS Lord. The question then is only a matter of stewardship. Are we obedient stewards, or rebellious stewards? He IS Lord. Do we obey Him?

The term Lord means Master. One who is in control. The authority belongs to the Master. The servant, the steward, the slave would never think to dictate to the Master or offer criticism to the Lord. No. Remembering their place they would simply bow to the Master and hope to be able to do His will for His pleasure.

Interestingly then we come to a verse that tells us, “No one can serve two masters.” It is another simple principle. We can only serve one master at a time. We will be loyal to that master, and if another master vies for control, for loyalty, or for authority, then we will either love one and hate the other, or we will be loyal to one and forsake the other. There cannot be two masters!

As a side note, it is interesting then that the Church has One Lord, and in modeling His rule He has established that in the home their is one head – the husband. Not two in charge. One. One Lord. One Master. We cannot serve more than one at a time, plainly and simply. And in this context the choices are God or mammon. Mammon is a term for the things of this world, often used to denote money. Did you get that? It is impossible to serve God and anything else, especially the temporary things of this fallen world.

Why is that? Psalm 123:2 tells us:

Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, until He has mercy on us.

We look to our Master. So where are we looking? As we have talked about the eyes, are we looking to others? To self? To sin? Or are we cross eyed? And now we see another simple truth. As we look to see who we serve, we must look at how we think, talk, and live. How do we make decisions? Does the way we live really say that Jesus is our Master and we are His obedient steward? Or are we ruled by the things of this world?

There are those who serve themselves. They think that they are their own lord. As it is put, some believe that they are the master of their own destiny. But then we must look back at previous lessons, where we have learned that we are never in charge. We are never the lord. We are not our own masters. Think about this. Jesus is Lord and so we either serve Him or we rebel against His rule. If we rebel, are we really in charge? Are we? Of course not. We are either slaves of righteousness or we are slaves of sin.

Who or what is in control? Who is the one master we serve? Are we controlled by our lust? By other people? Or by the Holy Spirit? We are learning that either the Spirit is in control, or sin is in control. One truth we must understand is that we are never in control! Self is never in charge, for we are living as a slave of unrighteousness and sin, or we are living as a slave of righteousness and of Christ.

As we live this life of stewardship, are we being good stewards? Are we loyal and loving and faithful to our Master, the Lord Jesus? Are we cross eyed? Because it is only as we fix our eyes firmly upon Him that we can run a good race, finish the course, and find the faith to overcome daily those things that would push us off course.

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. – Heb 12:1-2

We do only have One Master. As faithful stewards then, are we serving Him?

Links for Further Study
(links to study each daily topic in more detail if you have the desire and the time)

The Sunday School Teacher – A Steward by Charles Spurgeon
Seeing the Authority of Jesus by John Stevenson

Bible Reading For Further Study
Psalm 5:3; 63:2; 119:37; 145:15
Matthew 10:24; Colossians 3:22; 1 Peter 2:18

Recommended Songs for Worship
We Give Thee but Thine Own
Son of God, Eternal Savior

Just Me and My Shadow

Verse of the Day – Psalm 39:6
Surely every man walks about like a shadow; surely they busy themselves in vain; he heaps up riches, and does not know who will gather them.

Daily Scripture Reading – Psalm 39

Devotional Thoughts
Remember that our context this week has been Matthew 6 and the Sermon on the Mount. As we have looked at Matt 6:22-23 we have seen how Jesus in teaching about wealth and worry has introduced the contrast of good eyes and bad eyes, of light and darkness. Our application has been to examine our eyes, to see what we look at both physically and in our “mind’s eye” as we imagine and think.

In the teaching we have covered we have seen that the light is always there. The question is whether or not we are seeing it and letting it shine. Good eyes, physically and spiritually, are used to discern, to understand, and to learn. Good eyes let the light in so that our bodies and indeed our lives are full of light. Bad eyes keep the light hidden, obscured, and literally out of sight. The body and our lives then are full of darkness.

In looking back at our immediate context and the discussion about laying up treasures in heaven we are learning that often we are looking at the wrong things because we want the wrong things. Instead of being eternally minded and seeing things from God’s perspective we find that we are driven by our own desire, being consumed with lust and never satisfied. How true is this today? How many of us run ourselves ragged just to make another dollar or two? How many sacrifice the things that are truly important for the sake of temporal comfort, luxury, or indulgence?

Jesus asked what profit it was for a man to gain the whole world and yet lose his soul. There is an honest comparison between the light and the darkness. The light, having the right perspective, knowing and loving Jesus, and walking in the light as He is in the light are things that we should desire and by which we should be motivated. The darkness on the other hand is that ever discontented pursuit of self.

Psalm 39 sheds a little more light on the topic. In this chapter we find David confronting the realities of the frailty of life, the cost and consequence of sin, and the truth about forgiveness. He shines light on the hideous nature of sin. He loathes sin. He wants to flee sin and to be delivered from sin. He knows he is a mere man and that one day he will give an account for the things he has looked upon – the things he has desired and pursued to the neglect of the Word and Ways of God.

In the middle of the chapter we find verse 6, “Surely every man walks about like a shadow; surely they busy themselves in vain; he heaps up riches, and does not know who will gather them.” He has already declared that all life at its best is a vapor, here one minute and gone the next. And yet in the face of this frailty we see men rushing about to collect and consume, to fill storehouses and hoard riches. As if these earthly treasures could give us eternal life.

They busy themselves in vain. Vanity. It is a useless endeavor. It is a task that will have no good reward. And there will never be fulfillment. For men who are consumed with the desire for more, who love the world and the things in the world, who willingly sell their souls and are possessed by their possessions – these men walk around like a shadow.

In this pursuit, in this rat race, we find men and women who indeed are walking around like shadows. For all they are and all they do and all they have, all that is really there is a shadow where their lives are deflecting the light.

The light shines on them as it does on every man. But they are blind. They cannot see the light. They cannot feel the light. They only manage to block the light out so that all that is left is a shadow. An image that signifies only the absence of the light. They cast great darkness all around them.

Have you ever watched two people talking in the distance and you cannot hear them but you see in the course of the conversation that one says something to anger or hurt the other and the reaction is a shadow that falls over their face? A disappointment. A let down.

If we close our eyes to the light and walk in darkness then not only do we hurt those around us, but we also cast a shadow over everything around us. Who wants to live like that? And yet every time we put the pursuit of self before the praise of God, we walk around like a shadow. Every time we chase desire to the neglect of the church we isolate ourselves and set ourselves up for certain failure.

Are the riches of this world worth our soul? If so, in the end, for all the riches and wealth and fame, all that we will have is our shadow…….a reminder of all the times we obscured the light. Interesting then, is it not, that the place of final torment for the lost is a place full of utter darkness.

Today, have you seen the Light of the World? Do you know Jesus? Is He all that you desire? If so, let your light shine! Stay out of the shadows and walk in the light.

Links for Further Study
(links to study each daily topic in more detail if you have the desire and the time)

An Exhortation to Serve the Lord by Edward Griffin
Faith and Sight by John Owen

Bible Reading For Further Study
Psalm 17:8; 23:4; 36:7; 57:1; 91:1
Matthew 4:16; Luke 1:79; James 1:17

Recommended Songs for Worship
The Rock that is Higher than I
Jesus, Lover of My Soul

Who Turned Out the Lights?

Verse of the Day – Matthew 6:22-23
The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

Daily Scripture Reading – 1 John 1

Devotional Thoughts
We have all heard the idea that in each person is a divine spark, an internal inherent goodness. I believe that while people know (but fail to understand) that we are made in the image of God, they often want to believe that at heart we are all basically good. You know, those to whom everyone is a “good ol’ boy”. Beside, we have been taught by movies and books that there is no such thing as a bad boy.

But are we good? Really deep down in our human nature, are we good?

In our text this week we have seen that the eye is the lamp of the body. If the eye is good we are full of light, we see, we perceive correctly and can respond and act accordingly. But if our eye is bad then we cannot get the light in – we are left full of darkness. And now, this last phrase tells us:

If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

In other words, if our eyes are bad and we are only full of darkness, then how bad is the situation, really? Think about it – especially if we look at darkness all the time. If all we fill ourselves with is darkness then how bad a situation is it in our hearts and minds? All the light, all that supposed spark of divine light and human goodness that is there in each of us is really just vast and utter darkness!

In the physical realm it is like saying that if we lose our eyesight through disease or damage, then what light do we have? What can we see? It is only darkness, and a great darkness at that – darkness that cannot be corrected outside of healing. Spiritually speaking, what we put in our minds and hearts will affect our “sight.” Those things we dwell on, think about, and look at – the imaginations of our hearts – these things can either enlighten us (Psalm 19:8) or they can lead us further and further into darkness and moral decay.

But, some would still insist that there is a little light in all of us. How delusional! The only spark that all of us have is found in the fires of our tongues! (James 3:5).

This darkness is not a lack of light, mind you. The light is there. In fact, the Bible tells us that the light shines on every man (John 1:9). But if our eyes are bad, if our heart depraved, if our spirits bound in sin, then we will not, we cannot see that light. It is as if someone turned out all the lights.

So who did turn out the lights? Remember, this is a trick question. The light never goes out. God began His creation by saying, “Let there be light.” And there has always ever since been light. Further evidence is seen in the truth that Jesus is the light of the world and He never changes. His Word is a lamp and light (Ps 119:105). And even we His people are told that we are the light of the world and should let our light so shine before men. We were darkness but now we are light (Matt 5:16; Eph 5:8). The light is always on.

So no one turned the lights out. But we are all still born in darkness. Our nature depraved (Rom 3:23), our minds darkened (Eph 4:17), our hearts desperately wicked (Jer 17:9). We are from conception sinners (Ps 51:5). Our eyes are bad due to sin and the fall (Rom 5:12). And we are not in the dark, we are darkness (Eph 5:8).

We know then from the testimony of Scripture that men are not basically good, that there is no divine spark, and that instead we are depraved, dead in sin, and full of darkness – until our eyes are opened by the Holy Spirit and we see for the first time the Light of the World (John 8:12).

And there is the message of hope – there is the light! God can and does open our eyes to the light of His Son! By grace, according to His good pleasure, not because of anything He sees in us, He gives us freely of salvation, adopting us as sons and daughters so that we might now walk in the light (Eph 2:8-9).

Since this is true, since we are so dependent upon Him for light and for life, let us spend a moment today meditating on 1 John 1. This our Scripture reading for the day will remind us how great and awesome our God is and how we are in such need of His grace, and His light, day to day.

1 John 1

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. 5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

Links for Further Study
(links to study each daily topic in more detail if you have the desire and the time)

Obstacles in Coming to Christ by AW Pink
A True Map of Man’s Miserable Estate by Nature by Christopher Love

Bible Reading For Further Study
Psalm 19:8; James 3:5; John 1:9; Ps 119:105; Matt 5:16; Eph 5:8
Rom 3:23; Eph 4:17; Jer 17:9; Ps 51:5; Rom 5:12; John 8:12

Recommended Songs for Worship
Lighten the Darkness
The Light of the World is Jesus

Getting an Eye Full

Verse of the Day – Matthew 6:22-23
The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

Daily Scripture Reading – Ecclesiastes 1

Devotional Thoughts
Ecclesiastes 1:8 tells us, “The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor the ear filled with hearing.” Likewise the Bible tells us that there are just certain things that are never satisfied. Proverbs 30:16 says, “The grave, The barren womb, The earth that is not satisfied with water— And the fire never says, ‘Enough!’” This is a natural discontentment.

On the one hand we have the verses in Ecclesiastes and Proverbs that are clear, “So the eyes of man are never satisfied” (Prov. 27:20). But on the other we are told in the Scriptures that godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Tim. 6:6). So what do we do when we just cannot be content? And might we be so bold as to say that not all discontentment is sinful?

We see that these verses that refer to the eyes speak about lust, desire, and a hunger for more. While hungering for righteousness is good, hungering for self fulfillment is not. So the question that helps us see the right from the wrong is a question about what it is that we are discontent about.

If we are discontent about our walk with God and the weakness of our faith, then that is good. It keeps us from being apathetic and lukewarm. But if we are discontent about things, about material provisions, about comfort, or about the things we think we deserve, then our focus is not on developing our relationship with God for His glory and our benefit. The focus has shifted and we are consumed with a desire for more, just to have more. As if having more of whatever it is we desire will satisfy us.

But if we are talking about the temporal, about the things of this world, the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life, then those things will never say “Enough!” They always want more.

So what do we want?

It is much like the question asked yesterday about how we can tell what our true priorities are – where are we spending the most of our time, money, and energy? What do we desire? What drives us? What is it that we want more and more of in our lives?

In our verses from Matthew 6 we are told that if our eyes are good then we will be full of light, but if they are bad then we will be full of darkness. It is true, on one level that if the eye is good then the light is let in, so to speak. And if our eyes are bad, then no light gets in and we are only full of darkness. But in another sense, in a deeper sense, what we learn is that the things we look at and dwell on, those things in our mind’s eye that we focus upon, those things reveal the truth about whether we have a good eye or a bad eye.

If our eye is good, if we are thinking on and dwelling on and meditating on good things, of things which are “true, just, noble, praiseworthy” and the like, then we will be full of light. But if our eye is bad, then we will be filling ourselves only with darkness, with an absence of light.

One way to examine our eyes is to see what it is that we look at. What do we focus our attention on? Where are our eyes? Do we think that it is okay to look as long as we do not touch? Or do we think that an intentional glance will not harm us as long as we let the thought pass from our mind after we play with it but for a moment?

You see, this tells us whether or not we are filling ourselves with light or with darkness. Where are our eyes? In a very practical way we must realize that often we let our eyes wander. We look for things to entice and excite! Instead we should be guarding our eyes and our gaze.

How harmful can a glance be?

As harmful as if a man went out and committed adultery, being unfaithful to his wife and to His Lord (Matt 5:8). But wait, you might say, there is nothing wrong with noticing beauty is there? But what are we looking for when we gaze? When we think? When we imagine?

This is practical for men and for women, because while men are visually oriented, it is also true that women can be misled by what they see as well? Was not the quality of the fruit that the serpent pointed out to Eve the fact that it was pleasant to the eyes, it was in every way imaginable desirable? And so as men and women we must do as Job did.

I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman? – Job 31:1

We must make a covenant with our eyes, lest we fill ourselves up only with darkness. We must look on things that fill us with light, things that edify. In short, we must keep our eyes upon Jesus, watching lest our eyes be turned away and we be distracted by the discontentment that is all around us.

There are movements both secular and within the “church” that appeal to our sense of discontentment. We though must learn to discern, to shun these things that drive us to desire what the world has to offer. Our treasure is to be laid up in heaven. Our eyes are to be on Jesus.

Often when we do something wrong there are those around us who will gladly give us an earful. Today we need to think about getting an eye full. What are the things that we are filling ourselves up with as we cast a glance or halt a gaze? And what do the things we look at tell us about the truth – are we full of light or darkness?

The key today is to look at the Word of God, for it, better than anything on this earth, always enlightens the eyes (Psalm 19:8).

Links for Further Study
(links to study each daily topic in more detail if you have the desire and the time)

Directions Against Sinful Desires and Discontent by Richard Baxter
The Divine Light by Jonathan Edwards

Bible Reading For Further Study
Psalm 119:37, 148; 123:1-2; 141:8
Proverbs 23:26; 26:12; 27:20; 28:22; 30:17

Recommended Songs for Worship
Look, Ye Saints! The Sight is Glorious
Am I a Soldier of the Cross?

The Eyes Have It

Verse of the Day – Matthew 6:22-23
The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

Daily Scripture Reading – Matthew 20

Devotional Thoughts
In this text from the Sermon on the Mount Jesus has been giving instructions about our attitudes and relationships with wealth. His teaching stands in stark contrast to the so-called health and wealth gospel we have become so familiar with these days. Jesus is clear, the things of this earth do not really matter! Our true treasure, the things we really value should be things that are eternal, things that we have laid up in heaven.

We seem to spend so much time in the pursuit of material things and comfort. Truly what we often live in the midst of all the wealth and luxury around us having so much and yet wanting so much more. It is never enough. The lessons of stewardship are so vital for the church today. Where are our hearts? Where do we spend our time and money? Where are our energies expended? Are we pursuing pleasure? Self fulfillment? Or are we sacrificially serving the church and the world around us?

Interestingly, as Jesus tells us about wealth and treasures and priorities, we see in Matt 6:19-21 that we are indeed to lay up treasures in heaven and we are told how to know where our heart really is. If we move down through the text to Matt 6:24, we find His statement that no man can serve two masters – we cannot serve God and money, or material wealth. I plan to address verse 24 later this week, but before that I want to seek to understand why in the middle of this talk about wealth and stewardship we find verses 22-23. There Jesus tells us:

The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

Why talk about our eyes in the middle of talking about wealth, stewardship, and worry? Let us see what He says and His meaning will become plain in the context.

He says that the eye is the lamp of the body. The way we perceive the world around us through sight depends upon our eyes. If our eyes are good then we will be able to see. If they are bad, damaged, or weak then we will not be able to see.

Often the Bible speaks about our eyes to denote discernment or understanding. In Genesis we find the original temptation to sin offered to Eve included this phrase, “God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Satan tempted her. He appealed to the lust of her eyes in fact, telling her that the fruit was pleasant to look at. He appealed to the lust of the flesh by telling her it was good for food. And he appealed to the pride of life by telling her that if she would only eat the fruit she would be able to see things as God sees them. Her eyes would be open and she would know the difference between good and evil.

The temptation here is not so much seeing the difference between good and evil. Adam and Eve had been instructed in what was right and what was wrong. They had not experienced sin yet, and so experientially speaking they did not know the difference. But they did know right from wrong. No, the temptation here was the temptation that had lead to the very first sin, when Satan decided that he wanted to be just like God (Isaiah 14:14). For this pride he sinned and fell. So too did Adam and Eve, as they fell for the lie and decided that they wanted their eyes to be opened – to be like God in their perspective.

The sad reality is that sin leads to the eye being shut to the truth. Adam and Eve fell into darkness and depravity. Now their eyes were bad. They could not see as God sees. They lost the right perspective. They died spiritually and wrecked all of creation and their descendents with their sin.

So we see that if our eyes are good we can see, we have a right perspective, we can discern the truth and obey the truth. If our eyes are bad though we are in darkness. We cannot find our way around. We are lost. So in the context, our eyes serve to tell us how we have set our priorities and whether or not we are laying up for ourselves treasure in heaven instead of on the earth.

As we move through these verses the next few days we will see what makes the difference between good eyes and bad. And we will see if there is a way to examine our eyes, to know that we have the right perspective and are relating correctly to the Word and to wealth. We will also see what we can do to correct our vision if we find it deficient in matters of truth and right living.

Until then, remember today that Jesus tells us that the way we look at the world around us is important. How do we view wealth? How do we view others? How do we view ourselves? Our priorities tell us much about the way we see things. Where are you spending your time, money, and energy? Do you need an eye exam?

Links for Further Study
(links to study each daily topic in more detail if you have the desire and the time)

Losing the Will to Discern by John MacArthur
Light for Them that Sit in Darkness by John Bunyan

Bible Reading For Further Study
Psalm 13:3; 19:8; 25:15; 26:3; 101:3; 119:18
Proverbs 3:7, 21; 4:25; 7:2; 22:9; 23:5

Recommended Songs for Worship
Light of Light, Enlighten Me
Light of the Lonely Pilgrims Heart

Where is Your Heart?

Verse of the Day – Matthew 6:21
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Daily Scripture Reading – 1 Corinthians 13

Devotional Thoughts
Matthew 6:21 – For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Although a rather short verse, this verse is indeed a challenge to us. Jesus has been teaching us about our treasure – what and where to treasure. He has told us not to treasure for ourselves, but to treasure the eternal. Things we do and say everyday that have eternal ramifications for us and for those around us. Now the final challenge along these lines is to examine our treasure!

You see, Jesus tells us that what we treasure shows us where our heart is! In other words, whatever we value and really care about will tell us about the condition of our heart. We may claim to value God and the Word and the Church, but is that really what we treasure? How can we be sure? Look to our heart! We must examine our hearts. After all of this, Jesus has taught us not only how important heart attitudes and motives are, but He has begun to show us how we can give ourselves a spiritual checkup.

How can we check our hearts? Obviously this isn’t talking about our physical beating heart – the organ that pumps blood through our body. This heart, as we all know, is the “seat of our emotions,” or the center of our being. It is “at the heart” of who we really are. And what we believe deep down in our hearts is what determines how we behave, speak, live, and respond to others. What we believe will come out for all to see!

The best example I have ever heard for this is from Dr. Larry Gilliam, my mentor. He says that if we were to go on a trip out into the woods and suddenly we hear a noise in the bushes coming toward us – and if we BELIEVE that it is a bear coming to eat us then we will run just as fast as if there actually was a bear after us. We will act on what we believe.

So in regards to what Jesus has just said, where our treasure is there is our heart, what do we really treasure? From this day forward we must be totally honest with ourselves. Jesus tells us to treasure things above, things of eternal value. We must not be consumed with the here and now. What do we really treasure? Look at our lives for a moment. Do we love the Word? Do we love attending church? Do we love ministering to others? Do we love meeting needs? Do we love speaking the truth in love to comfort or confront? Do we love praising God and praying? Do we love seeing Jesus fill us with the fruit of the Spirit? Do we love God?

Now, to answer these questions – answer this one question – “How do I live?”. That one question provides the answer we need about what we treasure! Do I live like I really treasure the things listed above? Or do I live to please self and lay up for myself treasures on earth? Do I live a life of obedience? Do I desire to be right with God and others? Is my time consumed with thoughts of God and ways to please Him and show my love for Him?

And now there is one final test. We can fool ourselves and others when it comes to outward actions. Look at the Pharisees. We are able to lie and be hypocrites! And we can get pretty good at deceiving even ourselves about our true spiritual state and the things we value. But the one test we can’t fake is the test of what comes out of our mouths! What do we say when we hit our thumb with a hammer? If we truly value God and His standards then we don’t even think the wrong things!!! Because the things that are in our hearts, Jesus tells us, will come out of our mouth in what we say!

Think about it – what do we talk about? What do we dwell on? What do we joke about? What do we tell others about themselves or our co- workers? What do we say when we are all alone and no one can hear us? Really? Read these verses and then decide what we value, “Not what goes in to the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man. But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart.” (Matt. 15:11, 18) “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Prov. 23:7) “He who loves purity of heart has grace on his lips.” (Prov. 22:11)

So, as challenging as these verses are, answer honestly, “What do the things we say, think, and do tell us about what we truly value?”. Have we laid up for ourselves treasures in heaven – is that where our heart is? Or do we need NEW hearts? Christ has given us a new heart if we have been regenerated by the Spirit abd believed on Him and repented of our sin, so if we still don’t treasure what we should then we need to confess our sin and repent of a hardened heart and from this day forward be obedient!

Bible Reading For Further Study
Prov. 6:21; 7:3; 12:25; 15:13; 16:23
Jeremiah 17:9-10
Psalm 51:10; 24:4-5
Ezekiel 36:26-27

Answer the question posed in Prov. 20:9

Recommended Songs for Worship
O Happy Day!
We’ll Understand It Better By and By

Heavenly Treasures

Verse of the Day – Matthew 6:20
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Daily Scripture Reading – 1 Corinthians 10

Devotional Thoughts
Matthew 6:20 – But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Jesus balances His thought of verse 19 now by taking a positive approach to laying up treasures. He has already taught us that we are not to lay up treasures on earth for ourselves. Now He tells us to lay up treasures in heaven. The treasures He speaks of here are not temporal or material. These are things that cannot be rusted or destroyed.

We need to learn how we can invest in heavenly things. What exactly does He mean by laying up treasures in heaven? The things that we place high priority on are the things we treasure. These things are to be things that we can lay up in heaven. The term for heaven here refers to the “seat of order for all things eternal.” In other words, we are to value things that we can keep at the headquarters of God’s Kingdom. That is the seat of order – the throne of God! He orders all things eternal. He is our sovereign LORD. He is the One who redeems and keeps us.

He is to be our priority! His glory. Jesus should matter to us more than anything else on this earth. We must value Him and our relationship with the Father through Him. We must spend time in fellowship and prayer with Him. He must be our all in all. And as we walk with Him the things we value and the fruit our lives produce will be stored up for us in His kingdom!

In His kingdom there are no thieves. There are no moths to eat up or rust to destroy. Our fruit, our inheritance is perfectly safe. And one day when we put off this corruptible body we will put on an incorruptible body and then we will able to enjoy the fruit of our labor, produced by Christ through us and for us. Of course the true joy will come in us having rewards to throw back at His feet in adoration and thanksgiving for the sacrifice He made for us.

Instead of investing all we have here and now for ourselves, we must strive to lay up those things which are eternal and will benefit us as we praise Him for all He has accomplished with and through us! And we must learn that the things we treasure, if truly of eternal value, will last forever! What we have here and now will one day pass away. Think about that – won’t it be sad if everything we truly value and love is burned up and dissolved with the rest of Creation at the judgment? After all, there are only two things on this earth that will last forever – people and the Word!

So what treasures can we lay up in heaven? What fruit can we see produced in our lives? Some would say that winning souls to Christ is bearing fruit. But the Bible doesn’t say that witnessing and leading people to Christ is a fruit. It says that is our command! We must bring people to Jesus! So then, what does the Bible tell us about fruit?

Fruit more often than not is an attitude or motive! It is a decision of the regenerate will to be obedient to God. Fruit is not people – fruit is spiritual progress. When we grow in Him, when we are obedient, when we love, and have joy – that is to bear fruit. Scripture tells us in Galatians 5:22-23 that fruit that the Spirit produces in us consists of :

1. Unconditional love for all – not lust or selfish desire

2. Unquenchable joy – not happiness – happiness is always based on happenings and circumstances can change – true joy is greater than happiness and it sustains us even in times of grief

3. Uncomprehendable peace – not living a stress free life, but being at peace with God and others (even our enemies)

4. Uncompromising patience, or longsuffering – bearing up under the good and bad that can happen to us from day to day

5. Unusual kindness – kindness even in the face of persecution

6. Uncommon goodness – being good and holy because He is holy

7. Unquestioning faithfulness – because He is faithful even if we aren’t

8. Unique gentleness – the ability to be known for our gentle , peaceful spirit

9. Uncharacteristic self control – or the self under the control of the Holy Spirit

These are the things the Bible calls fruit. And notice, it is not fruits, plural, but fruit, singular. Just like an orange with many sections, our lives have many facets – all must be in balance and under His control in order for us to lead healthy spiritual lives! This fruit, when produced in our lives, will have eternal effects on us and others and that is laying up treasure in heaven, to do things and say things that are eternal in scope. Things that can change someone’s life forever. If we can affect forever, how much more can we effect the here and now? Today – lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven – do things that will last forever!

Bible Reading For Further Study
Look for this fruit in your life :
Self-control – Ezekiel 34:27
Gentleness – Psalm 18:35-36
Faithfulness – Isaiah 11:5; Lamentations 3:23
Goodness – Psalm 23:6; Prov. 2:20
Kindness – Prov. 19:22
Longsuffering – Psalm 37:34; 130:5
Peace – Psalm 119:165; Prov. 16:7
Joy – Psalm 51:12-13
Love – Psalm 31:23-24

OVERALL THEME FOR TODAY – ISAIAH 55:12

Recommended Songs for Worship
Jesus is All the World to Me
Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy