Today I will talk about one of my favorite scriptures, Matthew Chapter
6, verses19 to 34.
The mere thought of these verses thrills me.
First,
in 6:19,
it is written, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth."
"Do not lay up treasures." In other words, "Stop!" What do we have to stop doing?"
What? Can it mean that we should stop saving money for our latter
days or a rainy day, despite the uncertainty of the world we live in?
No doubt that’s what you think.
I don't save money.
I can hear you saying in your hearts, "That's exactly why I don't like people who have found faith."
I live each day cheerfully, energetically, unrestrainedly, singing Hymns.
How about
you?
Don't be so gloomy.
Don't grumble about the pain in your stomach.
Please accept the blessings of the Lord.
I'm not saying that it's bad to save money.
Nevertheless, if your heart, beset by worries, is obsessed by storing up earthly treasures and became
the main purpose of your life, then I tell you, "Stop!"
Unless our treasures are directly linked to Heaven, we are in trouble!
We can't sleep at night for worrying.
What shall
I do if I get sick or lose my job?
What
shall I do if this happens? What shall I do if that happens?
☆What is God's is God's, and there is nothing as painful as a Christian
life that we cannot give back to God.
What
is your treasure?
Where your treasure is, your heart is also.
We’ve come back again to the heart.
I can
hide the secrets of my heart from other people.
Wrong. Do you really think you can lock up your secrets in your heart?
You
are deluding yourself.
You must not despise God. You should not underestimate the Bible.
The
Bible says,
in Matthew 15:18,
that "those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart."
The Lord sees into our hearts. Amen.
The
Bible tells us clearly,
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Treasure
and heart are as one.
And
when your heart is beautiful, or, in other words, when your treasure is laid up
in heaven,
your eyes are bright and your body is radiant. The Bible says so.
☆We are children of light.
If the heart is unwavering, what the eyes see will be unwavering also.
This
means that everything is in focus.
In the
Book of Psalms we find the following words :
"My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast" (Psalm
57:7)
How are things today? Has your heart become steadfast?
Are
you at peace?
If the
heart is steadfast, we don’t have to look restlessly around.
Our
hearts are stable.
In Matthew 6:22, it is written,
"If therefore your eye is good." I learned that the word "good"
in its original language meant "single."
What
are you looking at now?
Are
you looking at one thing?
It is deeply linked with your heart.
Amen?!
Amen!
Shall we
read aloud from verse 25?
The
scriptures should permeate your heart.
Why?
Because that’s the answer to the problem you worry so much to cause sleepless
nights.
There
is no other book which gives you such a clear answer.
There
is nothing except for Christ!
And it
is also written in verse 31.
"Do not worry."
These
words are written twice between verses 19 and 34.
Verse 33, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness."
The
Bible teaches us that these are the things we should seek.
When I was young my teacher spoke to me in this way:
Being at peace in our lives is something which boils down to a question of faith!
I
think he spoke the truth.
Whatever
happens, we must have faith; we must believe.
Let's
stop, if we are told to stop!
Let's seek,
if we are told to seek!
Let’s
follow the word of God. Let's follow the word with absolute trust.
God sees to it that those who believe shall never be humiliated.
In
verse 34, it is written
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow."
It is
God Who worries about you.
By laying up treasures in Heaven, placing our hearts in Heaven,
and looking
up to the Lord with clear, focused eyes,
let us live as Christians seeking the Kingdom of God and the righteousness
of God before all else.
Let's live as a cheerful, bold Christian, joyfully praising the blessings
of God,
