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Investing in a Heavenly Kingdom
by A. J. Wilson

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. "The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!  "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” Matthew 6:19-24

This is a portion of the great “Sermon on the Mount” taught by Jesus.  It is recorded by Matthew (the tax collector); however it is not in Luke’s account.  I believe Matthew’s ears must have perked up when Jesus began talking about “treasures” and “money.”  A lot of us maintain a deep focus when it comes to money also.  Mammon is a reference to the “money god;” who is subscribed to by many Americans.  Let us take a look at the topic of “investments.”

We have daily newspapers, cable networks, websites, and personal brokers & analysts established to deliver up-to-the-minute results of the stock and exchange markets; with all the resources you ever wanted available so you can keep a watch on the “market” and how it affects your worldly investments.  No doubt if you invest a large amount, you will keep a close eye on it; perhaps even become preoccupied with its changes.  It is no different with investing in properties either.  There’s always a little improvement here, or a renovation there which will increase the value of your investment.  This preoccupation/ greed is likely a derivative of our instincts of stewardship.  Yet before you know what happens, your mind will constantly be looking for ways to make a little more out of your money; and God will be left out.

The saying, “eyes on the prize” comes to mind for me.  When we set our sights on something we want badly, it often becomes like we have blinders on, having no time or interest in anything else.  Jesus/God knew that our hearts would become anxious over our “treasures”/investments.  So he invites us to invest our treasures with him.  Such great rewards we receive when another soul is added to his kingdom, or a sleeping saint is awakened to service again.  What would happen if we gave our offerings, with the intention of reaping spiritual rewards for God’s kingdom? Would we draw closer and more interested in working for the Lord’s kingdom?

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