Watching Your Treasure Pile Up
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:19-21
As I was studying this week, an incredible thought came to mind. When Christians leave inheritances to God and His church in their will, when they get to Heaven, they can actually see their treasures being laid up as their investments yield fruit in church ministry of seeing people saved—back on earth! It is an incredible thought!
One widow lady loved her church and though she lived very modestly, she left a large amount to her church. Her entire estate provided her church will over $100,000. With this money the church was able to put a much-needed roof on their building. All because this lady planned ahead to lay up treasure in Heaven.
I believe that every Christian should include Jesus in his/her will. It makes good spiritual sense to leave financial investments behind in spiritual endeavors. After we die and go to Heaven, the interest of the financial investment will reap spiritual dividends in Heaven. This is a similar thought that Paul said to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:17-19: Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. “Communicating” is the word for “sharing.” When a person invests in spiritual things today, he is laying up blessings in Heaven for the time he will enjoy his eternal life.
Have you heard the statement, “You can’t take it with you, but you can send it on ahead!”? Good thought. The idea is that we should give our finances away to good causes while on earth today and when we arrive in Heaven the spiritual investments will be evident there. But it is an incomplete idea.
Not only can we “send it on ahead,” we can also “keep it coming!” How? By leaving an inheritance to God given to the local church. Think of this: An inheritance is given to a church and the church builds a new building. Every person who becomes a Christian while inside that new building is what Paul called” fruit added to your account.” Wow. Every person who hears the Gospel because you gave – yields an eternal reward for you in Heaven.
In Philippians 4:17 Paul was commending the giving he received from the Philippian believers and says: “Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.” They made financial investments in ministry that yielded a heavenly return. Are you making any earthly investments today that will gain “spiritual interest” in Heaven?
Of course, we are not saved and cannot buy salvation by giving money. Salvation was bought with the price of the blood of Jesus. We are saved by grace through faith. However, the Lord does allow us to partner with Him in ministry and He will use the money we give to see that tracts and Bibles are printed, buildings are built for ministry, pastoral staff and missionaries are cared for, and churches reach into their Jerusalem, Judah, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the world.
When I get to Heaven, I plan to see my “Heavenly Treasure” gain interest and grow. I believe that I will see eternal investments adding up – after I get there- because my wife and I have provided for that in our will. To be very candid, 25% of whatever we have financially when we die will go to church ministry. I am sharing this only as a practical example, not for boasting. The widow lady I mentioned earlier gave 100% to God through her local church.
Will you leave a percentage of what finances you have to God’s work – the day you leave this earth? Or will what you leave behind go to frivolous things, unappreciative relatives, or even worthy causes that pale in comparison (worth) to the Gospel? Talk to a Christian financial adviser, or your pastor today about how and where to designate your giving. We do not know when we will die. But we can know where our investments will go – ahead of time.
Plan to watch your treasure pile up!
