“An Eternal Investment!”

December 10, 2017

Mattew 6:19-20 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

 In one way or another, we hear much, in our world today, about making good investments for the future.  The definition of a wise investment is “to put valuable resources into something that will bring personal or financial gain in return. The popular tv show “Shark Tank,” well illustrates the principal of monetary investment.  Mark Cuban, along with other billionaires and millionaires, listen to entrepreneurs, as they attempt to convince them that investing money in their business would bring them more money in return.

In these verses in Matthew chapter six, we see that as always, God’s ways and man’s ways are very different.

The man of the world is always seeking to find ways of gaining more prosperity, power, prestige and pleasure, in his earthly life. God tells us, this is not His way.  The Lord wants His children to have far, far more than the wealthiest man in the world could even dream of, not only in this life, but throughout eternity.  He tells us, the only truly wise investment, is an ETERNAL INVESTMENT!

Can we look just a few examples in order to illustrate the huge difference?

Investing in the flourishing of their creativity.

 The man of the world is all about what he can invent to make his life more prosperous and pleasurable here on earth.  But again, God says different. He gave us great examples of those like the Apostle Paul, who gloried in the privilege of suffering for Christ, knowing the gain of glorifying God was far more blessed than anything this world had to offer him.

Philippians 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

Investing in the fate of their children.

             The world sacrifices to invest in the best possible formal education for their children, so they can “be successful.”  And even the few who actually succeed, what have they gained?

             Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

On the other hand, God tells us:

 Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

 What a priceless blessing it is for us to know that by the grace of God, rich or poor, in Christ, our children have an all-powerful heavenly Father who has promised to supply all their needs and give them an eternal home in heaven!

Investing in the future of their civilization.

 The man of the world is continually seeking ways to extend their own lives, as well as the life of the planet earth.

But what a blessing it is to know that this life is but a vapor and this world is not our home for we are looking for “a city!”

Hebrews 13:14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

Lord, help us to make wise Eternal Investments!

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