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“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. (Mat 6:19-21 NKJ)

 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,  (1Pe 1:3-4 NKJ)

 I remember a chorus that we used to sing in church many years ago, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, for and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.”  The more we mature as Christians, the greater our desire should be for the things of God, in fact, the material possessions of the world should pale into insignificance in comparison.  So why are some Christians more concerned with a heavenly mansion (a poor translation for a Greek word that translates space/room for everyone) and streets of gold, than the desire to be in God’s presence? The Devil knows, however, if he can just get us to turn our heads away from the Lord and onto that new car, bigger house, a better job, and more money, he knows that the heart will follow.  So to justify our actions, we’ve developed a theology of prosperity.  If I give 10% God will give me a return on my investment.  If I pray for that bigger car, better house, more money, God will supply all my WANTS according to his riches in glory—somehow I don’t think so. The focus of the Lord’s Prayer was that ‘Our Father’ will supply all you have need of.  The blessing he bestows on us come from our obedience and his love. The world, on the other hand, will just tempt you with unobtainable wants.

 When I was a child, Vauxhall Motors brought out a vehicle called a Cresta.  It was flashy, covered in chrome and impressive.  If you bought one of these cars, you soon found out that your investment was nothing more than a rust bucket.  Cars can rust, houses can go into recession, and 401K’s can vanish overnight, but God is always sure and true.

 This world has nothing to offer us; we’re only here for one season, we want to set our hearts on the things above where we will be spending eternity.