Where is Your Heart?

Matthew‬ ‭6:19-21‬ - 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. ‭

Our study in Revelation touched on Revelation 18. Babylon, as noted in the Bible, refers to the world in general. It refers to societies, cultures, world views, politics and the things man has chosen to believe are important. 

* The worldly trust in wealth and self while the godly trust in the riches of Christ

* The joy found in God is greater than all the world's treasure

* The worldly reap justice while the godly reap everything eternal

- BSF, Revelation, Lesson 23 lecture.

We idolize musicians, sports and sports figures, women/men, television, our iPads and iPhones. We can idolize our spouse, our children, our homes, cars. We idolize clothing, jewelry, actors, food/drink, hobbies. We can idolize our jobs, achievements and status. With work and politics, we can idolize (and abuse) power, ladder-climbing. We can idolize money. Basically, we can idolize just about anything. 

Where is your heart? Does your heart consider the things of heaven? At all? Ever? Do you consider there's a God in heaven who desires you know Him? Do you know that He sent His only Son to die for your sins so that you may go to heaven some day? That He is to be a very important Person in your life? That without Him heaven will not exist? That "you can't take whatever is an idol with you"? The example of the Titanic was brought up in the lecture. Everything was just gone. Riches, lives, no doubt even many souls. Gone. Wealth couldn't even save those with affluence. 

If we choose to lay up for ourselves the treasures of the world, there is no place in heaven for us. With God there is no middle of the road. Our hearts are devoted to Him or the treasures on earth...Babylon. There is only one important truth in life...Jesus saves. 

Some day, as noted in Revelation 18:9-20, God will bring judgment on the worldly entities which have dragged societies away from the worthy treasures of heaven. Kings, merchants and shipmasters of the world will see it happen. Kings will lose their power, merchants their money and shipmasters the ability to trade. All the major elements of society will be destroyed. They will cry, Alas! Their treasures will not be making it to heaven and those hearts will not either. God is holding back this judgment for a time...He's giving additional opportunities to seek Him and live.

It's a narrow road believers travel. In the grand scheme of things, only a few will enter the kingdom of God, those whose hearts were on the things above. 

It's not wrong to be wealthy. It's not necessary to live meagerly. It's important to know what's truly important above all things. We are not to be consumed by worldly treasures. We are to be content with what we have. And, no!, that does not mean we all be on a level playing field! God has allowed rich and poor in this world. His concern is with one's soul rather than what one owns. One more point from our lecture this morning: materialism has nothing to do with wealth but all to do with attitude. Where your heart is, that's where the treasure is.

The Bible tells us to seek God first and things will be added to that. But it has to start with Him. Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, and the strength of salvation; the fear of the LORD is His treasure. (‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭33:6‬) (Reverent fear) He blesses and provides for those who seek 
Him above all other things. He's the treasure. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. (Psalm ‭19:9-10‬)

Where is your heart? 

‭‭1Timothy‬ ‭6:17-19‬ ‭- Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.