WHERE IS YOUR TREASURY?Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).

Dearly Beloved,
WHERE IS YOUR TREASURY?
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and
rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for
yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy,
and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure
is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21 NIV).
The recent happenings in the world are confirming the biblical
injunctions about financial and material possessions. To invest in the
capital market used to be a good advice for people until the recent
economic meltdown when the values of many shares in the stock market
dropped drastically. Landed properties have been more valuable and
dependable investment because they do not depreciate but appreciate in
value. However, happenings like Hurricane Katrina in the United
States, the recent tsunami in some Asia countries and the not-too-long
earthquake in Japan that rendered many people homeless and destroyed
many landed properties are making people to think twice now also
before investing in landed properties. Many people have been greatly
disappointed by turns of events. Some (if not most) people are now
thinking of the best way to invest or save their resources for future
purposes.
The Bible clearly teaches in many places that one should not put one’s
trust in worldly possessions, but rather to be rich towards God (see
Job 31:24; Psalm 39:6; 62:10; Proverbs 11:14; 16:16; 23:5;
Ecclesiastes 2:26; 5:10-14; Luke 12:21; 18:24; 1 Timothy 6:8-10, 17;
Hebrews 13:5; James 5:1-3; 1 John 2:15-16). The above quoted passage
(Matthew 6:19-21) is succinct about what one’s attitude towards
worldly possessions should be and where one should keep them. Here,
Jesus Christ was making it clear that a right attitude toward wealth
is a mark of true spirituality. If one has the true righteousness of
Christ in one’s lives, then one will have a proper attitude toward
material wealth. This does not mean that Jesus was magnifying poverty
or criticizing the rightful acquisition of wealth. It is not wrong for
one to possess worldly possessions, but it is wrong for these things
to possess one. One should not make them one’s utmost priority nor
depend on them for future security and supply in time to come. The
reason is that they are liable to loss and decay as that passage puts
it and as it has been proven from recent happenings. Storing up for
oneself treasures in heaven means making God the utmost priority and
using one’s resources for His cause and the benefits of humanity. Only
resources used for God, other people and oneself in edifying and
beneficial ways are saved for eternal dividends.
Where is your treasury? Where do you put your trust: in worldly
possessions or God? What is your attitude towards worldly possessions?
Do you see them as things that are temporal? Store up your resources
in God and you will never regret you did.
In His service,
Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).
NB
This message is dedicated to people in Japan that were displaced by
the recent earthquake. If you can, send financial and material support
to these people. God bless you!