Matthew 6:19-21 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where
moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where
neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor
steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be
also.
Everyone has a treasure, but everyone’s treasure is not the same. Our greatest treasures should always be found in heaven, which is the realm of spirit. Too often, though, our hearts are set upon some material or earthly treasure instead of the Lord Himself. God told Abraham, “I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward” (Genesis 15:1). That is what He should be to us also.
What treasure could be greater than abiding in His presence? What could be more valuable than knowing Him? Yet I wonder how many of us are really hungering after the Lord to know Him, to walk with Him, and to really live in His presence? God does not want to be a vague being to us. He does not want to be separated from us in our thinking. Rather He wants us to be aware of His presence, to know that He is right here with us. He wants us to live in Him, and He wants to live in us.
Matthew 6:9-10 After this manner pray ye: Our Father which art in
heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name.
10 The Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is
in heaven.
Many of us need a change in our attitude concerning our relationship with the Lord. We must come to the place where we realize that God has a will, a purpose to be accomplished in the earth; He wants to establish His Kingdom. But He is not going to do it sovereignly, for He has chosen to use His people. He wants us to be His hands, His feet, and His voice in the earth. Everything God is going to accomplish, He intends to accomplish through His people. Therefore He tells us to pray this way: Thy Kingdom come! Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven!
How often have we heard a Christian’s testimony concluded with “Pray for me that I will hold out to the end”? The average Christian seems to be only concerned about going to heaven. We are forgetting that we are here for a purpose. God didn’t save us just so we could go to heaven. What He really wants us to do is establish His Kingdom right here on earth. The focus of our hearts and the proclamation of our lips should be “Thy Kingdom come! Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven!”
Are we
guilty of just quoting something we’ve memorized when we pray the Lord’s prayer?
or is it something that fills our hearts? Do we want His Kingdom established
above everything else? Are we driven by His Spirit to see His will done in the
earth, to see His Church glorified and to see the divine nature of God fill His
people? God wants to dwell in our midst, but our way of thinking and our whole
attitude toward serving the Lord needs to change.
Matthew 6:25,33 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your
life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink: nor for your body, what ye
shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
33 But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His
righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Why does the Lord have to tell us to not be concerned about what we are going to eat, what we are going to drink, or what we are going to be clothed with? Because that is usually where our focus is! That is what captivates the heart when our treasures are found on the earthly material realm. Jesus said that these are the things that the Gentiles seek. Trust your heavenly Father; He knows what you need. Many times our needs are not met because we do not really trust the Lord. When we really trust Him, we do not have to spend all our prayer time praying over our needs. When the trust is really there, one does not even take thought concerning his own life, what he is going to eat, drink, or wear. That does not become the issue. Rather, the issue is “Thy Kingdom come! Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven!”
Pray with me. “God, you want to establish Your Kingdom on earth so much that this is the one thing You want us to seek more than anything else? You really want us to seek first Your Kingdom and Your righteousness? Then Lord, I set my heart to do that, to be a seeker of Your Kingdom and Your righteousness!” There are many ministers today who are building their own kingdoms, endeavoring to make their own names great. But the Lord is looking for a people who will have one focus – making His Name great in the earth!
The Lord will not be honored by us just biding our time through this life and going to heaven when we die. That will not glorify Him. He is glorified when we become the channels for Him to function on earth (II Thessalonians 1:7-12). He wants His will brought forth on earth, and it is our responsibility to dedicate ourselves to His purpose.
Let’s determine to see our attitudes and ways of thinking about Christianity change completely. Let’s not be caught up in the things of this life, being concerned only about ourselves. Let’s turn our backs to the treasures on the earthly realm and set our hearts on those things above (Colossians 3:1-2). “O God, teach us the real priorities of life. Show us the things that are really valuable. Fill us with Your Spirit and reveal Your heart to us. Let Your Kingdom and Your will mean more to us than anything else. Place within our hearts a desire to be Your people, those who have been called for a purpose, that we might do Your will in the earth. Amen!”
Copyright © 1995 by Henry DuBose