Those who know the Gospel only store their Treasure in Heaven
1) Achan, who sold God’s Glory for a robe and a few shekels of Silver and Gold
| Esau, Isaac’s eldest son and grandson of Abraham, the Father of faith, sold his birthright for a bowl of lentil stew. The Bible states that Esau’s act was godless because he threw away God’s holy promise, and its blessings and privileges for a single meal (Hebrews 12:16). In fact, the Bible is full of histories of godless sinners rejecting God’s tremendous promises of opportunities and blessings. Achan, who was recorded in the book of Joshua, is a typical example of this kind of sinner. Through the battle of Jericho, Achan witnessed God’s judgment on the Cannanites by experiencing God’s glory and power that was revealed to the Israelites. However, out of his foolishness, Achan could not give up his desire for earthly things and stole the things that God had commanded to throw away. This tragically resulted in not only the Israelites defeat in Ai, but also the doom of Achan and his family before God’s judgment. |
》Scripture Prayer
(Joshua 7:19-26) Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD God of Israel and give praise to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” And Achan answered Joshua, “Truly I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this is what I did: when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.” So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was hidden in his tent with the silver underneath. And they took them out of the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the people of Israel. And they laid them down before the LORD. And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver and the cloak and the bar of gold, and his sons and daughters and his oxen and donkeys and sheep and his tent and all that he had. And they brought them up to the Valley of Achor. And Joshua said, “Why did you bring trouble on us? The LORD brings trouble on you today.” And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones. And they raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from his burning anger. Therefore, to this day the name of that place is called the Valley of Achor.
》Pray that the Word may become the Conclusion.
1. Amidst the first glorious victory of conquering Canaan and with the fate of the Israelites and his life on the line, Achan considered God’s warning less than a robe and a few shekels of silver and gold. Through Achan’s history, let us pray that the Spirit of Truth would reveal the nature of sin in us that causes us to exchange the incorruptible glory of God for the corrupted things of this world.
that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. (Hebrews 12:16)
2. Are there godless acts in my life that trade God’s name for a worthless gain? Were there moments when the Word of God became useless in the face of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and pride of life? Let us reflect, repent, and turn from disobeying the Word of God to fill our greed, and let pray that the evil of loving money over God may be purged.
“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. (Matthew 6:24)
2) Ananias and Sapphira, who sold the Glory of the Church for Reputation and Money
| After Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came, the apostles stood against the threat of the Jews and the mockery of the Gentiles and boldly proclaimed the Truth of the Cross and Jesus’s resurrection. The message spoken by the apostles gave birth to small group of holy people who received the gift of the Holy Spirit which became the church. As the early church met together in temple courts, they broke bread in their homes and praised God (Acts 2:46-47). And one thing that stood out about these people was that “no one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had (Acts 4:32).” But in the midst of the glory of the church being revealed, Ananias and Sapphira tried to imitate the glory of the church without abandoning their greed for wealth. Ultimately, they tried to deceive the Holy Spirit and by God’s judgment, they died for their sin of blaspheming the glory of the church. |
》Scripture Prayer
(Acts 5:1-11) But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.
》Pray that the Word may become the Conclusion.
1.The Bible tells us that in the early church, “no one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had (Acts 4:32).” At that time, those who were blessed sold their land or houses and shared with those who were in need so that no one was poor in the church (Acts 4:33-35). For example, Barnabas who sold his property and offered it to the apostles was an example of a common occurrence in the early church (Acts 4:36-37). On the other hand, the Cross of Jesus Christ, his death and resurrection was not sufficient enough for Ananias and Sapphira to offer up everything. And yet, they wanted to uphold the image of being a faithful member of the glorious church. What are we like? Do we fake a gospel centered life so that we can receive approval from men as well? If this is so, let us repent and turn as we pray.
Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. (Mark 10:29-30)
2. Let us pray for the church of this generation. Christ has been the head of the early church and is still the head of the church today. The essence of the church has not changed. To Christ the church is his body, his love worthy of giving up his life. And to the church, Christ is absolutely everything. Let us pray for the pitiful souls who have fallen into the formalities of Christian faith hypocritically living as if they have new life even when they have none.
Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. (Revelation 3:2-3)
3) Lay up Treasures in heaven
| Imagine you are walking with one eye looking through a microscope and the other eye looking through a telescope. Would you be able to walk? This represents a person who pursues not only eternal and heavenly worth but also transient and earthly worth as well. Lay your earthly burdens upon the Heavenly Father and do not worry. Focus on things above and store your treasures in Heaven. Then your body will be full of light. |
》Scripture Prayer
(Matthew 6:19-23) “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!
》Pray that the Word may become the Conclusion.
1. Just like the man who found a treasure in a field and joyfully sold all his possessions to purchase that field, believing in Jesus and receiving salvation brings unspeakable glorious joy according to the Bible. The gospel is worth selling everything just to attain it. Have you discovered the worth of the Gospel? This kind of person has his heart set upon heaven where Jesus is, and is storing up his treasures there. How about you, Christian?
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. (Matthew 13:44)
Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:8-9)
2. Jim Elliot, who was a missionary to Ecuador in South America said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” He said this before he offered his life to the Lord as a martyr. Let us pray that heaven would become a reality to more people throughout the world and that these witnesses would store treasures in heaven.
As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything. (2 Corinthians 6:9-10)
》 Urgent prayer requests around the world need your prayer!
