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Treasures


One night when I was waiting for Jarrod to get home, I was searching on Amazon for a free book to download and couldn't find anything that suited my fancy. I realized that instead of wasting my time on yet another fictional novel that I should spend more of my free time with my Father.

 I went to our room and dusted off my "real" Bible (there's just something more reverent about turning the pages of a Bible than looking at an electronic screen for me) and turned straight to Proverbs - my favorite book. Every time I read a couple chapters of Proverbs, I feel a lot more connected to Him. Even though I've read Proverbs probably a hundred times, it feels brand new and genius every time.

 I ran across Proverbs 11:4 and it dawned on me the true meaning of it. (When Jarrod came home and I was discussing this with him, he lovingly laughed at me saying, "you realize it didn't "dawn" on you, right? God has revealed new wisdom to you." ....So true, by the way). It says, "Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death." (This doesn't mean that the righteous don't ever die on earth, they do. It means they live lives full of meaning and purpose and are granted eternal life with the King in Heaven.)

 After I read Proberbs 11:4, God brought to my mind Matthew 6:19-21 - "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up yourselves treasures in Heaven.... For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  Then in Matthew 6:24 - "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."

 By storing up treasures here on earth - focusing all our time, energy, efforts, talents on making and saving more money and things, our hearts are servants to the wrong god. All our earthly goods will be "worthless on the day of wrath." In receiving Christ's sacrifice and serving Him, we are given eternal life and all the riches in Heaven.

 When God changed my heart about teaching and I joined Jarrod in the ministry, he shifted my desires to storing riches up in Heaven instead of on earth. On doing anything God asked me to do to glorify His name. To sacrifice some earthly goods in order to have eternal riches and love. To place my hope, joy, and dreams in Him and all that He has to offer.

 Jarrod and I make half the amount we used to when I was working and we have been surprised with the provision of all our needs. I've grown from obsessing over things I couldn't have and wanted so badly to being blessed with things I never knew I wanted.

 Trusting God with all our hearts and serving Him has been the greatest investment we've ever made. I strongly recommend buying stock in Him.
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