Treasures in Heaven

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:21

In India, monkeys are considered sacred. Most people refuse to kill them, so as you might guess, in certain parts of India monkeys are running loose all over the place. That presents a problem for the farmers who grow crops that monkeys happen to like—crops like bananas.

So, years ago, a certain farmer came up with an ingenious way to capture monkeys without killing them. The farmer drills a hole into a coconut and places a banana inside it. Then he ties the other end of the coconut to a tree. Before long a monkey will come by, smell the banana, and reach into the coconut for an easy meal. But with his fist clenched around the banana, he can’t fit it back through the hole of the coconut. And even when the farmer walks up to the monkey to grab him, the monkey refuses to let go of it.

Silly monkey! At any moment he could be free by simply letting go of the banana. But he is imprisoned by his own greed. You and I are a lot like monkeys aren’t we? We like to hold on to our stuff, and we don’t like to let go of it, even when it imprisons us. If you’re a monkey lover, you’d probably love to somehow get that dumb Indian monkey to understand that if he’d just let go of the banana, he could be free. Unfortunately, you don’t speak monkey. But Jesus does speak human. And in the Sermon on the Mount, His words can get us dumb humans to understand that we’re only hurting ourselves when we cling to the stuff inside our coconuts. Jesus lovingly urges us to let it go.

In Matthew 6:19, Jesus tells His followers, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.” Jesus is reminding us that all the stuff we own is temporary. And because it’s temporary, its ability to bring us pleasure is temporary. As theologian William Barclay put it: “All purely physical pleasures have a way of wearing out. At each successive enjoyment of them the thrill becomes less thrilling. It requires more of them to produce the same effect. They are like a drug which loses its initial potency and which becomes increasingly less effective. A man is a foolish man who finds his pleasures in things which are bound to offer diminishing returns.”

So, storing up treasures on earth is a really bad idea. And in verse 20, Jesus tells us where we should store up treasures: “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” But what does it mean to store up treasures in heaven? Well, it doesn’t just mean to do good stuff here on earth for God so that God will do good stuff for you one day in heaven. And it doesn’t just mean to use your stuff here on earth for God so that He’ll give you better stuff in heaven.

What does it mean to store up treasures in heaven? It means to invest everything you have—your time, talents and treasures—in God’s kingdom work. (I like to call them the three T’s.) Many Christians throw something into the offering box and think that’s good enough for God. Others are scared to give God a whole 10% tithe, so they offer God some of their time and talent instead. But Jesus calls us to give all three T’s to invest everything we have in God’s kingdom work. Our cars are to be available for kingdom work. Our homes are to be available for kingdom work. Our clothes and our food and our toys are to be available for kingdom work. Even our weekends are to be available for God’s kingdom work.

In verse 21, Jesus says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be with you.” In other words, our money goes where our heart goes. We spend our money on what we care most about and prioritize. There’s nothing wrong with owning nice things—as long as those nice things don’t own US. There are umpteen different things that you could do with your time and your talents. Where you choose to use your three T’s reveals where your heart is. Honestly, Jesus doesn’t need your money. He doesn’t need your talents. And He doesn’t need your time. But He wants it … because He wants your heart. Jesus asks each of us in verses 19-21, “Where is your treasure?”

So, in a nutshell, Jesus is saying: “If your eyes are focused on material things, and your thoughts are focused on material things, and your heart finds its joy and purpose in material things—then money is your god. And if money is your god, you’re just like a monkey whose hand is stuck in a coconut. As you selfishly cling to the stuff of this world, you’ll end up losing everything that really matters. Only what you release to God and use for His kingdom work will last.”

You’ve got a clear choice. Serve God or serve money? Jesus asks, “Who are you serving?”

I hope and pray that God will always find us on duty—investing our time, talents and treasures in God’s kingdom work. Loving people. Serving those in need. And the greatest work of all—leading people into a saving relationship with Christ.

Dane Davis is the Pastor of Impact Christian Church. Please join us for our in-person worship service Sundays at 9 a.m. at 17746 George Blvd. in Victorville. Or, join us online at 10 a.m. on the Impact Christian Church YouTube channel or Facebook page. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.

What Will Your Money Say on Judgment Day?

“The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” - 1 Timothy 6:10

Have you ever heard the expression, “Money talks”? Its roots go back over 2,400 years ago to the Greek playwright and poet Euripedes. He spoke of the power money has to influence and sway people. Money can talk people into changing their opinions. And money can convince people to do things that they wouldn’t otherwise do. Think about criminal defense attorneys. Think about abortionists. Think about politicians. Make no mistake about it: Money talks.

 In James 5:1-4, God’s word shines the spotlight on a future day when our money is going to be talking louder than ever before. And what it says about you and me will echo throughout all eternity. James starts right off by warning wealthy landowners of his day: “Listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you” (James 5:1).

Now, first of all, remember: 1 Timothy 6:10 teaches that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” Contrary to popular belief, the Bible doesn’t say that money is evil. Riches are not evil.  Riches are neutral. They can be used for good, or they can be used for evil. What the Bible teaches us is that the LOVE of money is evil. As a wise man once said, “It is good to have money in your hand as long as you don’t have money in your heart.”

But as these rich guys in James’ time lived for the almighty dollar, they committed four sins that would result in God’s judgment:

Sin #1: They hoarded their wealth (v. 3). Yes, hoarding is a sin. Here on earth we are managers, not owners, of the stuff that’s in our possession. It all belongs to God. And the real owner of all our stuff commands us to hold it with a very loose grip. He commands us to use what we have in our possession for the good of others and the glory of God. If we keep accumulating stuff and hold tightly to all our stuff, our hearts will be all wrapped up in that stuff. And that’s idol worship. Our hearts are supposed to be all wrapped up in God. Further, hoarding deprives others of their needs. The rich landowners James was condemning were hoarding food that could have fed the poor, clothing that could have clothed the poor, and gold that could have been used to care for the poor.

Sin #2: They defrauded their workers (v. 4). The rich landowners had ripped off their poor workers. They promised to pay them a certain wage, but after the workers did their work, the landowners didn’t pay them. God gives us this command in Romans 13:8: “Let no debt remain outstanding except the continuing debt to love one another.” This verse doesn’t just apply to borrowers who need to pay back a loan. It also applies to employers who need to pay their employees and suppliers what they owe them. So, if you’ve borrowed money from someone, pay him back. If you’ve borrowed a tool from someone, give it back. And when you make a commitment to pay people for their services, pay them what you owe them.

Sin #3: They lived lives of selfish excess while people around them starved (v. 5). It’s clear from verse 5 that the rich people James condemned were hedonists who lived “in luxury self-indulgence.” They lived for not just for pleasure, but for extravagant pleasure. And all the while, they turned a blind eye to those around them who would have been blessed with even the scraps from their table. It’s not a sin to be rich and to have nice things. But it IS a sin to have more than you need while turning a blind eye to your neighbor who God has called you to help

Sin #4: They had condemned and ruined the lives of innocent men (v. 6). The rich landowners, in most cases, had not pulled the trigger that ended someone’s life. The word translated as “condemned” is a legal term. James is indicating that the landowners had a nasty habit of dragging innocent people into court and doing whatever it took, no matter how crooked it was, to see them condemned and out of the picture.

Never forget: One day our lives on earth will end. We will stand before Almighty God and be judged for the lives that we lived. James asks us to look ahead—because for some of us, there will be Hell to pay if we don’t start making some big changes in our lives right now. In 1 Cor. 3:10-15, Paul teaches us that on Judgment Day, our life’s work will be fed through the flames of testing. If our work has been shallow and self-serving, it will be like wood, hay or straw in the fire: It will be burned up. But if our work has been done for the good of others and for the glory of Jesus Christ, it will be like gold or silver or precious stones. It will pass through the flames of testing—no problem. And it will be transformed into precious eternal treasure in heaven.

I would make the case that on Judgment Day, your money and possessions will also be fed through the flames of testing, resulting in heavenly reward …or lack thereof. And as your material stuff is fed through the flames, I believe it will speak. Your money will talk. Your car and your house will talk. Your electronic devices, your tools and toys and investments will ALL talk. And when they talk, what will they say about you?

Will they say that you selfishly hoarded them, and therefore deserve to be punished? Or will they say that you should be blessed with an eternal reward because you used them for the good of others and the glory of God? When your stuff lets the cat out of the bag, what will it say about you?

Dane Davis is the Pastor of Impact Christian Church. Please join us for our live outdoor worship service tomorrow at 9 a.m. at 17746 George Blvd. in Victorville. Or, join us online at 10 a.m. on our YouTube channel (Impact Christian Church) or on Facebook.

 

Why Was Jesus Tempted?

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”

- Luke 4:8

In June 2011, a man found a bag of money with a Chase Bank logo on it at a Walgreen’s drugstore in Chicago. When he peeked inside, he discovered the bag contained $17,000 in cash and checks. What would you have done? Well, this man gave in to temptation and took the bag. But it was a 45-minute drive back to his suburban home, and in that time, he became convicted that he was doing the wrong thing. The fact that he might get caught probably also weighed into his decision. At any rate, he turned the money in.

But when he turned it in at a Chase Bank, he was a little concerned about how he’d explain those 45 minutes. So, he lied and said he found it at the local mall. The story made the news, and he was hailed around the world as a hero. But the authorities weren’t so sure. The police and FBI investigated the incident and discovered the truth. As a result, the man was fined $500 for filing a false police report, and he went from hero to zero in one news cycle.

Well, Jesus was tempted too. And before we assume that any temptation would be a slam-dunk for the Son of God, the Book of Luke reminds us that Jesus was also the son of Adam. Luke spends the last half of chapter 3 tracing Jesus’ family tree to the first man ever created: Adam. He wanted us to know that as the Son of God, Jesus was 100 percent God. But as the son of Adam, Jesus was also 100 percent man. Jesus could get hungry like Adam got hungry. He could get tired and discouraged, just as Adam could get tired and discouraged. And Jesus could be tempted, just as Adam was tempted.

In Luke 4:1, we’re told that after his baptism Jesus was “full of the Holy Spirit,” and that he was “led by the Holy Spirit into the desert.” He fasted in the Judean desert for 40 days and 40 nights. At the end of 40 days, Satan knew full well that Jesus was hungry—REALLY hungry. So he tried to persuade Jesus to turn one of the limestone rocks around him into a loaf of bread. But the Father had something much more important than bread for Jesus to feast on, and Jesus knew that. So in response, Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3: “It is written, man does not live on bread alone.” One temptation down, two to go.

In the following verses Satan tempted Jesus two more times, and each temptation was strategically chosen by Satan to capitalize on one of Jesus’ weaknesses (as if he had any). The second temptation—offering Jesus authority over all the kingdoms of the world—was intended to get Jesus to compromise his integrity in order to avoid the pain and suffering of the cross. And Satan’s third temptation—for Jesus to throw himself from the temple to be rescued by angels—was designed to get Jesus to upstage God, making himself the center of attention instead of God the Father. In both cases, Jesus overcame the temptation by unleashing the sword of the Spirit: the word of God.

Over the years many Christians have wondered why Jesus was tempted. Perhaps it was because Jesus wanted a showdown or because Satan thought that he could best Jesus. Maybe. But I tend to think Jesus suffered through that temptation for you and me. He allowed himself to be tempted because he knew that you and I would be tempted. And his victory over his three temptations provides a picture-perfect “how-to” guide for how we can do the same.

The truth is, as long as you and I are still living here on earth, we’re going to be tempted. Sometimes the devil is the one tempting us. Sometimes people around us are tempting us. Sometimes our old sinful nature tempts us. We have these three great enemies that constantly fight against our souls. And we are told in God’s word to resist temptation. It’s not a sin to be tempted. It’s only a sin to give in to that temptation. So, how do we resist temptation? We do it the same way Jesus did. First of all, we pray. Second, we lean on the Holy Spirit.

Third—and this one is a biggy—we stand firm on God’s word. Did you notice Jesus’ response to Satan? They’re the first words quoted from Jesus in the Bible after his baptism: “It is written.” These words mark the beginning of his ministry on earth. Do you think, perhaps, there’s a message for us in there? I think so. As long as we are living here on earth, Satan will nip at our heels just as he nipped at Jesus’ heels. But just like Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we can prayerfully use the word of God to crush Satan’s head.

When we lift God’s word in prayer, it is our strongest weapon against temptation. Jesus responded to every one of Satan’s temptation with the powerful, unchanging word of God. Back in 2011, if the man at Walgreen’s had followed these three steps—if he had prayed, leaned on the Holy Spirit and stood firm on God’s word—it would have saved him a lot of embarrassment and heartache. It also would have saved him 500 bucks. I can’t guarantee you that following these three steps will save you money, but following them will save you a lot of heartache, and God will be very, very pleased with you.

Dane Davis is the Lead Pastor of First Christian Church in Victorville. For more information,

visit www.YourVictorvilleChurch.com  and join us for church Sundays at 10 a.m.

The Dangers of Greed

“For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.”

- 1 Timothy 6:7

Jesus had gotten pretty popular, to say the least. In verse 1 of Luke 12, we’re told that there were so many thousands of people listening to Jesus that they “were trampling one another.” And the crowd has been packed in like sardines for a while when a man spoke to Jesus in verse 13: “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

Notice that he didn’t ask Jesus a question – he simply blurted out an order. Jesus’ answer was simple and curt: “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” (v. 14). And with that, Jesus was all done addressing their dispute. Why? Chances are Jesus didn’t get involved with these two brothers, at least in part, because there was no point. As Bible scholar Warren Wiersbe explains, “He knew that no answer he gave would solve the real problem, which was covetousness in the hearts of the two brothers…. As long as both men were greedy, no settlement would be satisfactory. Their greatest need was to have their hearts changed.”

So, Jesus followed his rebuke with a warning, which appears to have been meant both for the two brothers and for the rest of the crowd: “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (v. 15). Jesus looked at these two greedy brothers, and he could perceive what most of the crowd could not. Their greed was consuming them and placing them on the slippery slope to Hell—an eternity separated from God.

Here’s a quick definition of greed: an unquenchable thirst for getting more and more of something we think we need in order to be truly satisfied. May people are greedy for money. Many others are greedy for things that money can buy. Still others are greedy for position or power. Regardless of what someone’s greed is targeting, greed is toxic. It can destroy our life here on earth and can even send negative ripples into eternity. I’d like to share with you four dangers of greed that God’s Word reveals.

1) Greed subtly replaces God on the throne of our lives with something else. Sadly, without even realizing it, when we become consumed by greed for money and material possessions, we gradually replace God on the throne of our hearts. Our hearts no longer beat for God; they beat for stuff. Our hearts no longer stay focused on God; they stay focused on stuff. Our hearts’ number-one goal is no longer to bring glory and honor to God, but to bring more money into our bank accounts and more stuff into our homes.

2) Greed is a root of all kinds of evil. As Paul warns us in 1Timothy 9-10, “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” The road to wealth is paved with many traps. There are many temptations that, if we give in, will lead us to do foolish and harmful things. Money, and even wealth, can be a wonderful tool when we submit it to the lordship of Christ and place it in God’s hands to do God’s work. But money makes a terrible God.

3) Greed takes our focus off others and puts it on ourselves. We are called to humbly consider others better than ourselves. We are called to love our neighbors. But in the rat race of trying to get richer and richer, our greed takes our focus off others and puts it on ourselves. When money stops being a godly tool and starts becoming the object of our affections, it’s gotta go.

4) Greed here on earth will leave you flat broke in heaven. According to 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, one day every believer and follower of Jesus Christ will stand before God, and our entire lives will be passed through a fire. That fire will test the quality of everything we did here on earth. The only things in our lives that will pass through the flames and come out on the other side are the things we did for Jesus Christ. If you trust in Christ, you will make it to heaven. But will you have something to show for your life here on earth? If we allow greed to take root in our lives, not only will we not be able to take our earthly riches with us, we won’t have any riches awaiting us in heaven.

As Christians, we should view our money and earthly possessions as a gift from God intended to meet our basic needs. We should use them as a tool to love God and people. If we use what we’ve been given wisely, we can look forward to our ultimate reward in eternity, when we hear those six most beautiful words in the universe: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Dane Davis is the Pastor of First Christian Church in Victorville, California. For more information, visit www.YourVictorvilleChurch.com  and join us for worship Sundays at 10 a.m.

Too Rich to Make It to Heaven?

“‘Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God…. With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.’” 
- Mark 10:24-25, 27

Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem when it happened, and Matthew, Mark and Luke all document the account. A man ran up to Jesus, fell on his knees in front of him and asked him: “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” In other words, the man wanted to know what he must do in order to make it to heaven someday. Matthew tells us that the man was young. Luke tells us that the man was a ruler, and all three gospel writers tell us that the man was rich--very rich.

So, the rich young ruler wanted Jesus to tell him what he must do to make it to heaven. Did he need to make ten pilgrimages to Jerusalem? Did he need to give alms to twenty beggars? Did he need to have perfect attendance at synagogue? Certainly there were a few hoops that he needed to jump through, something specific he could do to secure his ticket to heaven. So, how did Jesus answer this young tycoon’s question?

Surprisingly, Jesus didn’t at first. Jesus started by responding to the man’s question with a question of his own: “Why do you call me good? No one is good—except God alone.” First and foremost, Jesus wanted the rich young ruler to understand that nobody on this planet is truly “good.” God alone is “good.” Next, Jesus pointed the man to the Ten Commandments, specifically commandments five through ten: Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud (a paraphrase of the tenth commandment “Do not covet”), and honor your father and mother.

The young man must have been grinning from ear to ear as he responded, “Teacher, all these I have kept since I was a boy.” Jesus had just told him what he already knew: He was very good at following rules and obeying laws, and if law-keeping could possibly get anyone to heaven, it would get him there. But then Jesus burst the rich young ruler’s bubble as he turned to him and lovingly said, “One thing you lack. Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Mark tells us in Mark 10:23, “At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.”

As the rich young man walked away Jesus spoke these infamous words: “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” The twelve disciples couldn’t believe their ears. They knew without a doubt that it is impossible to squeeze a camel through the eye of a needle. So, in shock, they asked Jesus, “Who then can be saved?”

With this simple statement the disciples were expressing a popular belief in their day, the belief that everything in life comes easier for the rich, including salvation. The disciples (just like most of us today) were convinced that life was much easier for the rich. For example, it was easier for the rich to put food on the table, to pay the bills, to cover medical expenses, to find friends, and to receive justice in a court of law. And in their minds it seemed clear that if all of these other things in life came easier for the rich, so too did salvation. After all, the rich could afford to give extra large tithes. The rich could afford to sacrifice as many animals as necessary to atone for sin. The rich could afford to bribe rabbis or priests or whoever else they needed to bribe in order to receive a “Fast Pass” to heaven.

But in a few quick seconds Jesus blew that faulty theology out of the water. Jesus revealed this truth: When it comes to heaven, it is impossible for a rich man to get there. Why? Because neither the rich man nor the poor man are truly “good.” Both the rich man and the poor man are sinners who stand guilty before a holy God, and God’s justice requires that they be punished. Therefore, there are no hoops that any person (rich or poor) can jump through in order to make it to heaven. Working our own way to heaven is “impossible.” Earning heaven is “impossible.” Jumping through enough hoops to make it to heaven is “impossible.”

But not with God. With God all things are possible. Jesus provides a way for both the rich and the poor to make it to heaven: by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Ultimately, this is the truth that the rich young ruler refused to accept. He was prepared to do whatever it took to secure his own salvation as long as it didn’t require him to rely upon someone else. He was willing to kneel before Jesus, but he refused to relinquish control of his life to Jesus. He walked by sight and refused to walk by faith. So, he made his choice. On that day he had to choose one God to serve: Jesus or his money.  Sadly, he chose his money.  And he went away in despair having turned his back on the only one in the universe who could secure his place in heaven: Jesus. I hope and pray that you won’t do the same.

Dane Davis is the Lead Pastor of First Christian Church in Victorville. To hear Pastor Dane’s messages or for more information about the church, visit www.fccvv.com. Services can be viewed on the church's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/fccvictorville.