======================================================================== LAY NOT UP TREASURES ON EARTH by Joshua Daniel ======================================================================== Summary: The sermon emphasizes the importance of prioritizing spiritual wealth over earthly wealth and cultivating a heart of compassion for others. Duration: 30:39 Topics: "Eternal Riches", "Faithfulness Of God" Scripture References: Exodus 3:14, Proverbs 29:18, Matthew 6:19-24, Philippians 3:10, Colossians 3:2, 1 Timothy 6:10, Hebrews 11:1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DESCRIPTION ------------------------------------------------------------------------ This sermon emphasizes the importance of storing treasures in heaven rather than on earth, highlighting the faithfulness of God in providing for those who trust in Him. It discusses the challenges faced by missionaries and the need for unwavering faith amidst financial uncertainties. The message encourages a focus on eternal riches and serving God wholeheartedly, drawing inspiration from historical figures like William Carey and William Wilberforce who dedicated their lives to advancing the kingdom of God despite opposition and challenges. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENT ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Now, what did Jesus say, Matthew 6, 19th verse? Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, Where moth and rust doth corrupt, And where thieves break through and steal. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth. I've seen my father do that. That is, he did not lay up any treasures for himself or for his children. And I was happy he did it. He taught us faith, looking to the Lord. You know, folks, there were times when we could hardly pay a small rent for our dwelling. On one occasion, actually, three months passed. And my poor father, he was never a man to default on payments. And he prayed, Lord, keep the rent collector away. I don't have the money to pay him rent. So, just at the right time, God sent the money so that the rent collector was paid. We are very meticulous in our payments. And that at a time when everybody is cutting short and withdrawing. When I hear of good missionaries, godly men being withdrawn from the fields, I feel very sad. When I heard of China, inland missions, bookstores in Australia, they said they are shutting their bookstores. India, that's Hudson Taylor's mission. I felt terrible. I said, what? At a time when the world needs the word of God, are we going to amend and pull back? You see, folks, where there is no vision, people perish. Nowadays, we have a further challenge. You know, folks, cities are not willing to approve building plans unless we show parking area. And how to show parking area in downtown places? That makes the building far more expensive. But we are having to do that today. Because the city courts are not willing to be amended or city officials. They are very strict in the setback and the room for the cars. So, we are having to give underground parking areas also today. Now, somehow Christians lack understanding. The world is going ahead. And you can see how people are just satisfied with the local mind. Go into all the world and the promise of God is, a little one shall be a thousand and a small one a strong nation. See, if you and I, what did I have? I had nothing. And I never asked anybody for a penny. But I see avarice and greed are increasing. The more people earn, the less they want to give. Last night's song, which was very meaningful, sung by the children. Now, that is what the Lord Jesus is speaking about. Twenty-first verse. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. You can imagine with mounting bills. If you would ask me, how does the fellowship manage to cover all these bills each month? Meticulously. Well, who is the giver? The Lord. Who is the provider? The Lord. Our faith should never be shrinking. They say the next two, three months are going to be critical for the dollar. It may plunge. All right. Let the dollar plunge to the depths of the Atlantic. God will never leave us. Faith. You know, without faith it's impossible to please God. And where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. You know, in the continent, in Germany, for instance, I discovered, as I started preaching as a young fellow, that property was very expensive, unlike what you can get here. And now the missionary spirit was hemmed in. I could see the peoples with their ambition to build a place and to have a place. All right. It may be a good thing to have a place, especially when rents are so high. That seems like the practical thing to do. But I said, oh, these young fellows are sight-tracked. Instead of building the kingdom of God, they are busy figuring out how they are going to build great big houses for themselves. No, that temptation never came to me, to build a big building for myself. No, I am content with little rooms, and I am a stranger and a pilgrim. You know, as soon as a fellowship loses that pilgrim spirit, it's dead, it's gone, it's finished. You know, folks, and we come from a background where property is everything. You see, for social status in the East, oh, you want to be known as a big person? You need to have a lot of property. Well, here the Lord Jesus is talking about property in heaven, our riches in heaven. See, the riches of faith. Now, I want that riches. I want to give that riches to those around me. The riches of faith. You know, I cast all my burdens on the Lord, and that's where these burdens ought to be deposited. Can I bear all the burdens? No, of course not. See, Moses said to God, they are going to ask me, who sent you? I am, that I am. I am has sent me. Now, the incumbent in the White House can't say I am. In two more years, he has to lay down the office. I mean, a little more than that. Any earthly power has a termination. But our Savior is the great I am. You see, to know him, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection. St. Paul writes those words, being a prisoner in Rome, at the end of his life, that I may know him, like a little child looking at Mount Everest, and say, hey, how high can I climb? The peak is far away, that I may know him. Oh, my dear friends, what a privilege in the days of your youth, when you feel there's nobody who cares. We do live in a selfish world. You know, in the middle of the night, my heart begins to pray, and sleep flies away. And of course, there are so many whose burdens are so great, that I have to cry for them. Yes, my friends, but to whom do I go? To the great I am, the all- sufficient Savior. See, why did the Lord Jesus Christ have to teach us, right at the start of his ministry, these important truths? Once you begin to neglect them, you're fit just awash. You're a washout. You know, youth is the time when you have great desires, but fulfilling those goals needs perseverance. Can you imagine a cobbler, a poverty- stricken British cobbler? You don't even know what a cobbler means. Cobbler is a repairer of shoes, and he would put before him, as he teaches or repairs old shoes, Greek and Hebrew scriptures, and study. And then he became aware of the vast areas in Asia that were without the gospel. And William Carey, which was his name, eventually overcame so many hindrances. You know, at that time, they had a very strong Calvinistic mind. Well, so when he presented the need for missionaries and for the gospel to go out to India, the chairman of the meeting said, Sit down, young man. When God intends to save the heathen, he can do it without you and me. Sit down, young man. But did he sit down? Yeah. He bided his time, but the vision he did not leave. And then the British government was against it. You see, the mighty British government, they didn't want missionaries going around and disturbing the people and their culture as they deemed it. But you know, friends, the effect of the work that was done by William Carey, it influenced Britain. It influenced Wilberforce, a member of the British Parliament. And Wilberforce would never have his breakfast without the latest list read out to him of that barbaric custom which required a Hindu widow to dance around and eventually fall into the flames which were consuming their husbands' bodies. And Wilberforce in London would not have his breakfast. You see, my dear friends, what the gospel does. And Wilberforce was one of the close friends of Pitt, the prime minister. And he brought the emancipation of the slaves at a time when the commerce of this world and the wealth of the nations, America, England, and so on, was dependent on slave labor. Would you be able to fight against commercial interest? So his attempts in Parliament to bring this awareness were just pushed out. His bills were nowhere. But just think of all the chained reactions. One cobbler with a heavenly vision making a list of all the widows that were being burnt by the cruel custom of Sati impacting the Parliament in London. And this great William Wilberforce who had set his heart on freeing the slaves, stirring them to further action until the moral evil behind the savage way in which the slaves were treated from one port in East Africa 90,000 slaves were cleared as cargo to be carried out to the slave markets. And this 90,000 represented a group which was so much larger. They represented 20% of the whole group. But the whole group that had been driven like cattle to the slave ships, slavers, well, they had died on the way. You and I would never know these figures except for Christian compassion. And you see, what does money matter? But money has been the big driver of all these abominations. Now folks, so we are told here no man can serve two masters, 24. For either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. You cannot. That's an impossibility. Now all our bills have to be paid meticulously. Hardworkingness is rewarded by God. You know, when I start working, the midnight hour is passed. One o'clock and my mind goes into high gear, you know. And I love to write, to dictate. And yet I'm not able to finish the third volume of my life, which has all the developments. God must give me grace. But I don't want to take a penny out of this literature ministry. As you well know, I have never taken a penny out of the writing and whatever. I will not serve mammon. I've set my heart to serve my Lord. Let's pray. Loving Father, dwelling upon history, we find these great men of God, men with a single motivation, single eye who set their hearts on your glory and not their own at a time when selfishness abounds around us. Oh, please give us the mind of Christ. Gather for yourselves riches in heaven where moth and rust do not corrupt, nor thieves break in or steal. Yes, Father, we don't want to be paupers in eternity. We want to be people who can tell you, Lord, I did my very best to glorify you. Father, at a time when self rules supreme, where money dictates practically every move, the location where we are and the companies and only want to keep the shareholders happy. Oh, at such a time, let not your work suffer or eternal souls be lost. Give to us that passion, that compassion, which was in Jesus. Please, Lord, give us of that compassion. Hear our prayer. In Jesus' holy name, amen. ======================================================================== Video: https://sermonindex2.b-cdn.net/3uAENgrMYrE.mp4 Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/joshua-daniel/lay-not-up-treasures-on-earth/ ========================================================================