Barnes’ Notes On The Bible
Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven – That is, have provision made for your eternal felicity. Do not exhaust your strength and spend your days in providing for the life here, but let your chief anxiety be to be prepared for eternity. Compare the notes at Isaiah 55:2. In heaven nothing corrupts nothing terminates no enemies plunder or destroy. To have treasure in heaven is to possess evidence that its purity and joys will be ours. It is to be heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, 1 Peter 1:4. The heart, or affections, will of course be fixed on the treasure. To regulate the heart, it is therefore important that the treasure, or object of attachment, should be right.
How Do We Treasure God
Part of ones heart being in the right place means treasuring the Alpha and Omega – the beginning and end. Part of the Christian faith is having a relationship with God. In the Garden of Eden, man walked with God, but after the Fall, humanity could no longer stand in His presence. Because of mans sinful nature, the relationship was broken. The sacrificial system helped atone on some level, but still did not make a way for all people to stand before God. Only the High Priest could come before God that way, and only once a year.
Because of Jesus death and resurrection, anyone can go directly to God in prayer, worship, and thanksgiving to have a personal relationship with Him, and those who do will spend eternity with Him. Start treasuring that relationship now. Seeking Him in prayer, spending time with Him and developing that relationship during this life is certainly a way of investing in treasures in Heaven, because the relationship with Him is the biggest treasure.
How Is Your Vision
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! .
Below are examples that pertain to our passage. Gathering up riches here on the earth blurs our vision. It causes us not to see the truth, the will of God, correctly. It distorts our vision, causing us to not see God as clearly as maybe we once did.
Example 1 The Story of Ananias and Sapphira . In this story, a man and his wife sold a possession, brought the money to the apostles, and laid it at their feet. This occurred a lot in the early church:
Nor was there anyone among them who lacked for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles feet and they distributed to each as anyone had need .
This next section, addressing the same issue but stating it differently, uses the illustration of the eye. When riches are the focus of our lives, our vision becomes distorted. When the things we can see outweigh the eternal things that are unseen, we have spiritual near-sightedness. The eye is the pathway through which light enters the body. It illuminates what is going on around us. It allows colors, scenery, and faces to come to light when we look at them. William Barclay states:
First Peter 1:6-9 states:
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Is This The Leader You Want To Follow
Until you consider that your heart has sociopathic tendencies. Think about it for a moment. What does your heart tell you?
Please dont answer. Your heart has likely said things today that you would not wish to repeat. I know mine has. My heart tells me that all of reality ought to serve my desires. My heart likes to think the best of me and worst of others unless those others happen to think well of me then they are wonderful people. But if they dont think well of me, or even if they just disagree with me, well then, something is wrong with them. And while my heart is pondering my virtues and others errors, it can suddenly find some immoral or horribly angry thought very attractive.
No, our hearts will not save us. We need to be saved from our hearts.
The follow your heart creed certainly isnt found in the Bible. The Bible actually thinks our hearts have a disease: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick who can understand it? . Jesus, the Great Physician, lists the grim symptoms of this disease: out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander . This is not leadership material.
No, our hearts will not save us. We need to be saved from our hearts.
As You Think So You Are
What’s On Your Mind? is an uncomplicated little book by Merlin Carothers which discusses in detail the very real battle of the thought-life. Anyone trying to overcome a persistent, habitual sin would benefit from reading it. Carothers writes:
“Inevitably, we have to face the reality that God has given us the responsibility of cleansing the thoughts of our hearts. The Holy Spirit and God’s Word are available to help us, but each person must decide for himself what he will think, and what he will imagine. Being created in God’s image requires that we be responsible for our thoughts.”
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Breaking Down The Key Parts Of Luke 1: 34
#1 For This connects the verse to the previous section that says to sell your possessions and give to the poor. Such a verse must be balanced with other verses that say to work to provide a living for oneself and ones family , and the simple logic that stewardship begins with care for your most basic possession, your own body.
#2 where your treasure is, What do you care about and what do you spend money on? That shows what is important to you.
#3 there your heart will be also. In this context, the heart is the mind and hope. If your heart, your mind, and hope are in heaven, there will be evidence in your spending.
This Is The Leader You Want To Follow
Our hearts were never designed to be followed, but to be led. Our hearts were never designed to be gods in whom we believe they were designed to believe in God.
If we make our hearts gods and ask them to lead us, they will lead us to narcissistic misery and ultimately damnation. They cannot save us, because whats wrong with our hearts is the heart of our problem. But if our hearts believe in God, as they are designed to, then God saves us and leads our hearts to exceeding joy .
Therefore, dont believe in your heart direct your heart to believe in God. Dont follow your heart follow Jesus. Note that Jesus did not say to his disciples, Let not your hearts be troubled, just believe in your hearts. He said, Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God believe also in me .
Dont follow your heart follow Jesus.
So, though your heart will try to shepherd you today, do not follow it. It is not a shepherd. It is a pompous sheep that, due to remaining sin, has some wolf-like qualities. Dont follow it, and be careful even listening to it. Remember, your heart only tells you what you want, not where you should go. So, only listen to it to note what its telling you about what you want, and then take your wants, both good and evil, to Jesus as requests and confessions.
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What Does Where Your Treasure Is Mean
When considering the great sermons of history, the Sermon on the Mounts influence can be felt in all of them. During that time in Israels history, some rabbis travelled, teaching a similar sermon, perhaps tailored slightly to their audience. Many scholars believe the Sermon on the Mount was Jesus most important and repeated series of teachings, as some of its themes and ideas are seen in an abridged version in the other Gospels.
It addresses many topics and includes the Beatitudes, the Lord’s prayer, how to treat others, and the consequences of not obeying God. In Matthew chapters five, six, and seven, Jesus spoke to a crowd that gathered around Him. In this sermon, He addresses valuing rewards on earth, or rewards in Heaven.
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 eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money .
Bible Commentary For Matthew : 21
Wesley’s Notes for Matthew 6:21
6:21 #Luke 11:34|.
People’s Bible Notes for Matthew 6:21
Mt 6:21 For. This introduces a reason for the preceding precepts. Where thy treasure is, there will your heart be. This states a universal truth. A man’s heart will be upon what he treasures most. If his treasure is in heaven, heaven will have his heart.
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A New Pure Heart: Salvation
The Bible repeatedly says that our hearts must be made pure. All our wickedness must be purged from our heart if we are to be allowed to stand before a completely Holy and Pure God. It was one sin alone that sent Adam and Eve from the presence of God. One sin alone is enough to warrant our eternal punishment in Hell because of how Holy our God is. Our Just Judge has sentenced us to an eternity in hell. Christ paid the penalty for our sin debt. It is through Gods grace alone by faith in Christ alone that we can repent of our sins and place our faith in Christ. He then cleanses us, and gives us a pure heart. One that loves Him and no longer loves the sin that held us captive.
10)Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
11)Romans 10:10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
12)Ezekiel 36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
13)Matthew 5:8 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
14) Ezekiel 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh.
15)Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Who Are You Serving
Now we come to a very powerful and pivotal point in the passage at hand. This verse, in fact, is the climax of the Sermon on the Mount. This passage asks the all-important question, Who are you serving? People often think they can have the best of both worlds both here on earth serving themselves with riches and living it up, and later down the road in the future, which would be heaven. In this passage, Jesus states: 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 . Jesus tells us here that we cannot serve two masters. We cannot serve money and God we cannot serve popularity and God we cannot serve ourselves and God we cannot serve our families and God. We can have only one master. Jesus is once again challenging us to look at the whole Sermon on the Mount, challenging us to repent, to change our minds about earthly treasures, about the things that we formerly served, and to serve Him only. You cannot do it no matter how hard you try. One or the other will lose out, and in most cases, it will be God. Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones tells this story:
James Boice comments: It is always the Lords calf that dies unless we are absolutely clear about our service to him and about the true nature or our possessions.199
Example 1 Paul .
Example 2 Take up your Cross and Follow Me .
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Treasure Has Lasting Value
Conventional treasure is valuable only as currencyor perhaps for display purposes. Once its been spent or enjoyed, it loses its luster. The wealth of Scripture, by contrast, lasts a lifetimewith no depreciation at all.
In the Bibles pages youll find everything you need to know about
Building a personal relationship with the Creator and Sustainer of the universe Making wise decisions in every area of your life Using your God-given gifts and abilities to their fullest extent Repairing broken relationships
The bounty of Gods Word will be as valuable to you when youre 100 as it was when you were 10!
For Reflection:With great wealth comes great responsibility. Do you know someone facing difficulties? Perhaps a friend going through a relationship crisis? Someone facing indecision with a major life decision? Maybe a relative is struggling with feelings of guilt, shame or worthlessness. You have a wealth of encouragement, inspiration and guidance in your possession. Find ways to share the treasure you have with others in your life.
Bible Verses About God And The Heart
But the Lord said to Samuel, Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
Examine me, O Lord, and try me Test my mind and my heart.
Yet, O Lord of hosts, You who test the righteous,Who see the mind and the heart Let me see Your vengeance on them For to You I have set forth my cause.
He who fashions the hearts of them all,He who understands all their works.
Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of mens hearts and then each mans praise will come to him from God.
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What Is The Heart In The Bible
We read a lot about the heart in the Bible, because in Biblical times it was thought that our decisions, feelings and thought processes came from the heart. The heart in the Bible was thought to be a sort of control center from which all of our decisions were made. So when we read about the heart in the Bible, it is about the place where you have your will, your attitude and intentions, and which is the source of your thoughts, actions and words.
This heart is the core of who you are as a person. Your heart is, essentially, you.
With your heart you choose between good and evil. Your conscience sends out a message of whether something is right or wrong, and your heart is what drives you to choose. The heart that is in connection with God is able to choose the good every time. The heart that opens itself to other, impure influences becomes blind and confused when it comes to discerning between good and evil. How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. Psalm 119:9.
Where Your Treasure Is There Your Heart Will Be Also
We all have treasures, but what impact can our treasure have on our lives and why is it so important that we are mindful of what becomes valuable to us?
Lets begin by looking at what treasure is.
Treasure can be money, physical assets or valuables. We can treasure a person, hobby, memory, sport, a place and many other things.
We can therefore say, your treasure is what is valuable to you. Think about what you can call valuable . That is your treasure. Now lets look at the heart. The heart is symbolic of love or affection. Your fondness for or liking towards someone/something.
So now lets put the two together: what you consider valuable is what will get your love and attention.
What was Jesus trying to say to us here? He was asking us to be mindful of the things we allow to become our treasure. Because you see, whatever it is that becomes valuable to us will not only have our affection but also our time, energy and attention.
Jesus also says we should lay up our treasures in Heaven. By this he is telling us that we should value what God values. That means spending adequate time doing the things that are important to Him. The first thought you get here is that you will miss out on a lot of fun things, but the truth is that if we give God our time, we get so much benefit out of it.
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