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treasure in heaven

Luke 12:33 "Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth." Jesus tells us to sell our possessions and give the proceeds to the poor, emphasizing the priority of heavenly treasure over earthly wealth. This verse instructs followers to provide “bags which wax not old,” symbolizing spiritual investments that are secure from theft, decay, and loss, unlike material assets. Key Interpretations Heavenly Security : The “treasure in the heavens” represents eternal rewards and spiritual riches that cannot be corrupted by moth or stolen by thieves. This contrasts the fragility of earthly wealth with the permanence of divine provision. (Note: the parallel teaching in Matthew 6:19–20 also mentions rust; Luke focuses on moth and thieves.) Generosity and Trust : The command calls for radical generosity and detachment from materialism, urging believers to trust God ...
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heart issue

Luke 12:31&32 "31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. 32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." We were reading from the prophet Malachi, who wrote on behalf of God. These are great verses in which God calls His people to restored fellowship. In these unique verses, God explicitly invites His people to “prove Me now herewith,” challenging their faith by promising that if they obey, He will open the windows of heaven and pour out such abundant blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. This is a key verse supporting the concept of tithing (giving 10%) to the local church. Some people are uncomfortable talking about tithing and will bring up that everything belongs to God, as if that makes better sense. This does connect to the larger point we see throughout the Holy Scriptures: it is about our hearts and minds. Today’s verses from the Gospel of Luke bring u...
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10%

Malachi 3:10 "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." These words were written thousands of years ago by the prophet Malachi on behalf of God. In the surrounding verses we see the unchanging nature of God. He was also candid about the people’s slow, generational erosion of covenant obedience, to the point that they had abandoned the entire framework of divine instruction. Still, God calls His people to restored fellowship. The people’s response is not sincere. Their tone is one of blatant indifference. They are outwardly religious: they show up, they sacrifice, they observe the calendar, yet their hearts have drifted so far that they cannot perceive their distance. God also charges them with breaking their covenant obligations by withholding what was owed: t...
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robbing God

Malachi 3:8&9 "8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed Me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed Thee? In tithes and offerings. 9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed Me, even this whole nation." We are studying “Dedicate yourself to the tithe and beyond.” We can get touchy about our wealth, or lack thereof, even though these words were written thousands of years ago by the prophet Malachi. So far, we have read about the unchanging nature of God. While God’s chosen people have not been loyal, He has remained faithful to His covenant. God is also candid about their slow, generational erosion of covenant obedience, to the point that they have abandoned the entire framework of divine instruction. Still, God offers the invitation: “Return to Me, and I will return to you.” He asks His people for restored fellowship. In the record from Malachi, the people’s response is not sincere. Their tone is one of blatant indifference. They consider themselves already in right stan...
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returns

Malachi 3:7 "Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from Mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto Me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?" We are studying the acrostic GRACED. We are on the “D,” “Dedicate yourself to the tithe and beyond.” This can be a challenging subject. We get wrapped up in our wealth or lack thereof. For some perspective, we turn to the last book of the Old Testament. The prophet Malachi was writing to God’s chosen people thousands of years ago. His words can sound as if he is writing to you and me today. Yesterday’s verse is one of the clearest Old Testament declarations of divine immutability, the unchanging nature of God. While God’s chosen people have not been loyal, God has remained faithful to His covenant. Verse 7 identifies where the failure actually lies. The Charge: “From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them.” The or...
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God does not change

Malachi 3:6 "For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." We are studying the acrostic GRACED : G o to God in prayer daily. R ead God’s Word daily. A ttend worship regularly. C onnect in a study group. E ngage in service. D edicate yourself to the tithe and beyond. Last week we focused on “Engage in service.” We learned that Christ is personally present in the suffering of His people, and that how we respond to the vulnerable is, in the most literal sense, how we respond to Him. The point is not to do good works to earn salvation. God’s plan for your salvation was “prepared from the foundation of the world.” Rather, genuine faith necessarily produces compassion, and the absence of such compassion is evidence of a heart that does not belong to Christ. The works are the fruit, not the root. Today we begin studying “Dedicate yourself to the tithe and beyond.” This can be a challenging subject. We get wrapped up in our wealth or lack thereof. For...
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for Jesus

Matthew 25:40 "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me." Today’s verse is the climax of the entire parable and the most widely quoted line in the passage. It resolves the mystery the sheep raised: their ordinary acts of mercy were, unbeknownst to them, acts done to Christ Himself. "Truly I tell you" the solemn oath formula Jesus uses for His most weighty declarations. This is not a metaphor or a suggestion; it is a direct identification. "Whatever you did" the scope is total. It is not a checklist of qualifying acts; any genuine mercy shown to the vulnerable counts. "One of the least of these my brothers and sisters" this is the crux of the interpretive debate. The two main readings: 1. Narrow / exclusive: "my brothers" = fellow believers, especially persecuted or suffering Christians (itinerant missionaries, marty...
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