Laying up Treasures in Heaven

(9) Roc Corbett - Laying up Treasures in Heaven - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3wfXHrVXcQ

Transcript:
(00:00) Brethren last Sabbath uh Mr porteous spoke on a very important topic his title was wait I say on the Lord and I think for me one of the main points that he made is that it was a matter of the heart that our connection with God in times of trouble uh would be a connection of our heart uh we really appreciate that there was a an approach from the times of distress and trouble we're in and and as we're close to God it just draw us there in a in a way that just opens our heart to him and and I really appreciated that message also the sermon
(00:40) at this morning on this afternoon I keep saying morning because I heard it twice already this afternoon spoke of being a matter of the heart in our love for God and for one another and choosing that this sermon today is also a matter of the Hearts from a different perspective I wanted to be able to bring something to you that would be very encouraging I hope it will be for all of you there are three times during his ministry on Earth that Jesus taught about laying up for ourselves treasure in heaven and this was part of
(01:19) The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 6 where he gave a very clear instruction for us to follow and we'll get to that in a little while but just want to just set the stage here a little bit about how Jesus Christ approached this topic of laying up for ourselves treasure in heaven later in Matthew 19 he spoke uh about a rich young man and gave some practical applications of how we can lay up treasure in heaven so we have one approach very direct it's like a great outline for the topic in Matthew 6 and
(01:57) we have practical application few chapters later and then in Luke 12 he gave a parable about laying up treasure that we should be rich toward God he says and why that matters so much to him there's a lot for us all to learn here and each of these lessons Christ taught that it is a matter of the heart that's part of what he said each time he brought this up and so I wanted to look at it from that point of view today but Jesus taught spiritual principles that can help us learn what the treasures are that we can lay up in heaven and how
(02:39) that can be done there's a lesson here that can be learned and followed by people of all ages I'm so glad that uh the pre-teens have come back in and now are seated with us here in the room because I want to speak first to the young ones among us about l laying up treasure in your life in heaven but I also want to speak to those who are grown up to the adults of whatever age from Teen to grandparents and so there's a vast part of uh our human life that uh can be very helpful if we understand this principles that
(03:23) Jesus Christ is teaching but there's another part of life as well and some of us know people who are in a different time of life older and frail and so how do they lay up treasure in heaven I want to speak of it from three different times of our life today and just just see what we can find out and I hope it's very encouraging to you uh it's meant to be I've really enjoyed the the time I've had to study this and in the process I've learned things and seen different perspective than I had before but as we come to worship together today I'd
(04:07) really like to take a different approach and give this sermon these three distinct Parts first I'd like to speak to our very young members here the pre-teens the ones who were in the uh Sabbath School just a little while ago really glad for you to be able to take part in that and then we'll go on from there to those those who are older and see what is there for all of us but first to you who are our young ones we're so glad you're here we're so glad that you have parents who teach you about God's way and grandparents here as
(04:46) well but a short message for you from those of you who are may be three years old maybe up to 12 the pre-teens and perhaps the parents here and your grandparents too can help the children focus uh maybe take some notes for them that you can share with them and remind them out talk about with them later on like it shows in Deuteronomy chapter 6 but you're old enough to have good conversations I really appreciate when uh the young ones come in and they'll come up someone gave me a present today a nice little wooden stick that had been
(05:28) colored a beautiful color to come up and say hello and happy Sabbath and give a hug and just the young ones reaching out to those who are older and it encourages all of us but it shows that you are able to connect with people much older and talk about really good things together you're old enough to have these kinds of conversations and to enjoy life you see the smiles on your faces when you come and you're with your friends with your parents and you see your grandparents come come in the door the eager to learn and do new things
(06:04) that's a very special time of life and I hope it's a treasure to you to be in that kind of Life Time right now time when you can be happy and energetic and without too many responsibilities just a few because we all need something to learn and to grow but you don't have too many responsibilities later that will come on you're in that time of life called childhood and it's such a special time it's mentioned in the scripture and we're going to read a couple verses about that today but it's a time when you're meant to be able to play to have
(06:45) fun to explore have time with your dad and your mom and your friends your grandparents and so I want to ask you a question think about it each one of you who are young what is something that is a treasure to you think about those things that you have or want and what is a treasure to you and maybe after Services come and share some of those things with me I I'd like to hear what's uh what important to you at this time of your life but what is something that you really like and you want and when you have it it's yours
(07:30) it's your treasure think about that and maybe talk to each other and your parents and say this is what is something important to me but did you know your young ones did you know that God wants you to have real treasure treasure that is kept safe for you that no one can take away from you something very very special so let's read a few Bible verses and see what we can learn together you might ask your parents if they'll write these down for you uh and then you could talk about them later but in Matthew chapter 6 this
(08:10) is when Jesus was speaking to thousands of people on a mountain and it's called The Sermon on the Mount and he said something really special here in Matthew 6 and verse 20 and he said but lay up for yourselves Treasures in Heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal to lay up for yourself he wants us to have treasure and he says that we should lay it up it's such a good thing that he's teaching us here but what kind of treasure do you think Jesus was talking about here especially to young people
(08:56) how would you read that what would it mean to you is it something that you can see this treasure that he says lay up in heaven is something that you can hold in your hand and and put in your box at home and it's there and protected or is it something that God sees in in you the way you are I want you to hear these words and maybe read them later with your parents you can open the Bible and say look it says it right here in Proverbs 20 and verse 11 it says even a child is known by his deeds by whether what he does is pure
(09:43) and right and so God knows you if you're five or seven or 12 God knows you by what you do and to him it's very very important he says a child is known so I brought that verse out because God wants the young ones to know that these things are for them too they're for you there's another translation of the Bible another way of putting it and it says even children are known by the way they act and so in a sense it's not what we own and what we can hold but how we act that's a treasure to God and he wants you to have that kind of treasure
(10:32) and to keep it in it would be laid up it says in heaven for you preserved for you the treasure that God sees in children is not what you have but how you are the matter of your heart it's called character we could ask these questions and maybe you could think about your answer are you mean or are you friendly see if we can talk about it like this then the young ones can begin to say well I'm not mean I I am friendly what are some good things that you do here's uh some questions you might think about and by the way as I'm
(11:15) talking to the young ones those of us who are older might be answering these same questions do you tell your family that you love them like when you wake up in the morning or during the day or something good happens do you say Mom I really love you or do you say Dad thank you so much for that I really appreciate I love you Dad where does that kind of treasure come from see it's coming from inside you it's coming from your heart it's coming from what God is helping you to learn and to help you to grow there's an
(11:59) example example in the Bible a special one I'd like to just read about and I'll just mention the verse your parents can write it down you can read it later it'll be a good thing to talk about but Paul the Apostle was talking to a young man who he had been mentoring to serve and he said to this in first 2 Timothy 1 and verse 5 he said when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and I am persuaded is in you also you see Paul knew his Timothy's grandmother and his
(12:46) mother and how they were and teaching this young boy as he grew up from childhood he says God also gives you that kind of treasure you say what are my treasures my grandmother who teaches me this way my mother my father my uncles my friends who teach me this way that's a treasure and Paul was showing that it was such an important part of Timothy's life as he grew up and then God gives you the Treasure of the parents and grandparents who are faithful to him one amazing thing about the treasures that God gives us is that
(13:34) can be shared it almost has to be in order to be a real treasure how can you make sure though that it's kept safe in heaven Jesus said lay up for yourself something that you own preserve for you but it's not in your room it's in heaven lay up for your elves treasure in heaven there was another time when Paul was talking to Timothy and he said in 2 Timothy 3 verse 14 and 15 he said but you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of so this is an important thing for children to remember that it's not just what you
(14:21) learn now but you keep doing it because your parents your grandparents are teaching you these wonderful things about God and it's such a treasure to have it says knowing from whom you have learned them and that from childhood you have known the holy scriptures so today you were at Sabbath school again a beautiful time to come and learn from the holy scriptures you have wonderful teachers and things that you can talk about and share with each other and it's so important that you who are young are learning these things now
(15:04) because it will make your life better as you grow older and as you get to be a fully grown person and eventually as old as some of us if you want to have this kind of treasure you have to first receive it comes from your parents and grandparents it comes from God to you it comes from when you sit down at home and you open the Bible and you go there it is something really good for me to learn and to do so ask your parents about these things ask them to read Bible stories to you if you know how to read do it yourself maybe one of the Psalms or one
(15:50) of the stories I just want paraphrase some things that we see for children and of course parents will pick up on this right away cuz you know children don't have as many responsibilities but this turns into a responsibility for the parents to make sure you have these Treasures in Proverbs 6 a few verses here beginning at verse 20 he says my son keep your father's command and do not forsake the law of your mother you know in the first message we heard about those first two Commandments to love God with all of our
(16:29) heart and mind and strength and to love our neighbor as ourself to keep the Commandments and so that's such an important part of developing this treasure making it so that it's part of your character is how you act even a child is known by his deeds and by what he does and so it goes on from there for a few verses uh just to bind them continually upon your heart heart so those things become a matter of our heart and that's where the treasure is when we obey our parents we are showing God that we love him and we love our parents as
(17:14) well and he says this again in the New Testament in Ephesians chapter 6 this is a a verse written to you who are children and you think in all the Bible is this just for old people? No it says right here in Ephesians chap 6 and verse 1 through3 children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right what a great treasure that is to have some Bible verses written just for you it says honor your father and your mother which is the first commandment with promise that promise is a treasure that promise is something that God says that it may be
(17:58) well with with you you may live long on the earth to have a wonderful life based on God's blessing for you so this is one of the best ways that God gives us treasure that last a long long time we obey our parents and then if we're adults we obey the Lord and He blesses us so youngsters those of you I've been talking to if you want to keep to lay up this kind of treasure in heaven so that is always yours belongs to you and no one can take it from you here's what he says obey your parents sometimes that's hard because we
(18:47) want to do something else but if we do it it works every time pray with your parents praying is one of the ways we can l lay up this treasure in heaven because we're talking to God who is there in heaven and maybe ask your parents and maybe they will ask you again and again I hope they already do they probably do pray with your parents maybe before you go to bed at night at every meal listen to Bible stories and ask will you read this one to me tonight here another way you can lay up that Treasure help someone do something
(19:30) good like someone gave me a little wooden uh piece of art today which I really appreciate it bright into my day singing in the children's choir a lot of you do that remember when you stood here before us and a couple of the mothers were helping and people were playing the music and you were singing you know what you were doing you were helping all of us worship God praising him on the Sabbath day you were helping us to have The Treasure of hearing Young Voices expressing praise to God serving in that way is a treasure
(20:14) that you lay up in heaven you can no one can take that from you because you've already done it it's already been preserved there by God in his memory and ours learning in Sabbath School in saying I love you being kind be happy okay that was a message for those young ones we all love but what about the older ones because Jesus wants not just the children to lay up treasure in heaven but all of us he wants grownup people to do this too and that would now include high school students we got our team who are here and the grown-ups the young
(21:03) adults those who are more mature in our age but still capable we have the responsibilities and the accountability that we have something on us that isn't yet as much on The Young Ones accountability we are responsible in many many ways for so much more in our life than the children that God has given us so let's change the focus and the depth the message as we turn our attention to this Jesus taught some profoundly important lessons about laying up treasure in heaven in the sermon on the mountain I want to read this to you
(21:49) Matthew chapter 6 there's some very important things here this is so much more than a children's story or a less for young people it includes them but it goes so much deeper brethren for all of us as well Matthew 6 verse 19 is where we'll begin we'll spend a little bit of time here I'd like to look a little further into this as we come to these points it will help them to advance our understanding our understanding not just of what's here but of additional passages of scripture that relate to it in Matthew 6 and: 19 it starts out this
(22:33) way do not okay that kind of gets our attention do not lay up for yourself Treasures on Earth I just love how direct Jesus was when he was giving this this instruction he's giving it to this group of thousands of people there are but he's also now preserved it for us so we read it and it says do not lay up for yourselves Treasures on Earth he begins by just being so direct with this it's worth paying attention to because he tells us why and intuitively we would know this but often people forget he says don't lay up for yourselves
(23:26) Treasures on Earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal you know the treasures on Earth are temporary they are not Eternal and this word lay up is in in the Greek It Means A treasury don't put in a treasury or in a storehouse a place for safekeeping uh to keep something in store don't put the things that are so valuable to you in that kind of place on Earth can you think I ask this from the heart can you think of reasons why Jesus started out this way don't do this yeah we can can't we we've seen
(24:18) experience and experience these things too just think of the big fires down in California in the last few weeks and people l made up Treasure of many sorts and whole communities are burned to the ground and it's gone all their priz possessions and art and and and furniture and antiques and family albums and money A lot of times and all this stuff is gone never to be come back it's gone Christ said don't do that that's not where our heart should be but look in verse 20 Matthew 6 and ver 20 but lay up for yourselves Treasures in Heaven where
(25:11) neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal this is such an important spiritual instruction for us all so very very important essential to the calling that God has given to us and the way that Jesus Christ Christ teaches us about that to lay up for ourselves Treasures in Heaven Jesus speaks of treasures that we can lay up is such an important part Brethren of our calling how do we lay up Treasures in Heaven when what are those Treasures they're not on Earth there must be something
(25:59) spiritual for us for this to happen is Treasures that endure and that no one can take from us that last forever we'll get to some of these things we look a little further in verse 21 here in Matthew 6 it says for where your treasure is there your heart will be also truly a matter of the heart now last week we heard about the matter of the heart when we're in times of distress in these scriptures we're reading today it's times when we're laying up Treasure of one kind or another and so it's kind of a different
(26:39) approach but the heart is such an important thing that God wants us to have this kind of heart this why Christ wants us to lay up for ourselves Treasures in Heaven I want to get to this a little bit more but I want you to notice these verses lay up up for yourself treasure in heaven with your name on it preserved in heaven as though it's in a safekeeping that no one else can take it's yours and it's in heaven preserve therefore for you if our heart is on physical Treasures nothing permanent will be produced but if our heart is on
(27:32) Treasures that can be laid up in heaven there's an eternal reward becomes a matter of our hearts and our treasure should be made evident by love and service to God and to his people follows up perfectly on the first message we heard this afternoon our time the things we do for one another things we do for God being dedicated to God's work here in the local congregation and Beyond brethen we started with lessons for children but let's consider this now a little bit more maturely let's advance in the life cycle of a human being now
(28:18) to that of a young man and see where we can learn some additional lessons in Matthew 19 verse 16 I'm just taking it through the courses of a lifetime here Matthew 19 and: 16 he [Music] says Now Behold one came and said to him good teacher what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life and in a sense that was a a person's way of asking how can I have treasure in heaven what can I do that will last forever how can I do that what shall I do notice his question was pretty accurate what shall I do what good thing
(29:16) that I may have eternal life and there's some deep you questions here that Christ dealt with verse 17 he said to him why do you call me good no one is good but one he brought the focus back where it needed to be and that is God but if you want to enter into life if you want Eternal treasure keep the Commandments that's pretty direct simple concise answer keep the Commandments now I know some will say but if we keep the Commandments we're not going to earn salvation and Christ isn't saying that he says it's kind of a starting place
(30:01) though keep the Commandments if we love God we keep his Commandments these are important things for us to see and he said to him which ones and you know the story here Jesus said You shall not murder he goes through about five of these Commandments that he gave to Moses written down by Moses they were actually given long before Moses was was alive you should not commit adultery you shall not steal you should not bear false witness honor your father and your mother you shall love your neighbor as yourself there's
(30:36) that second great commandment right there as well to love your neighbor as yourself and the young man and I pointed out here because this is now a man who has grown to adulthood and uh is confident of himself and so he's he's asking an important question the young man said to him all the things I have kept from my youth from my youth you catch that he'd grown up living this way knowing these things and living this way he probably made some mistakes that uh most of us would along our way too he says what do I still lack there was this one big
(31:21) thing and Christ hadn't mentioned that 10th commandment he brings it up in the obtuse way here and he said to him if you want to be perfect go sell what you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven this young man who had kept these Commandments in his own mind as well as he could and Christ told him to do something else to help other people serve you know his just said love your neighbor as yourself he's showing them here some of how that is done love your neighbor as yourself he says if you do these things you will
(32:09) have treasure in heaven and come follow me he's pretty Direct in his ex explanation of what it would take for this young man this is a major Point brethren that is backed up by many passages of scripture if we want to enter into eternal life keep the Commandments a requirement it's just it's God will give his Spirit to those who obey him and just hold your place here but I want you to turn to this verse in revelation 22 you see how important it is about keeping the Commandments revelation 22 verse 12-4 Christ says here at the end of the
(33:10) Bible he says and behold I am coming quickly and my reward is with me they weren't earning eternal life by keeping the Commandment his reward would be based on their Works look at this to give every man everyone according to his work We Lay Up treasure in Heaven by doing things for other people by doing things for God by living his way by having this kind of character and Christ says he will reward everyone according to his work verse 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega the beginning and the end the first and the last blessed are those who do his
(33:56) Commandments the end of the Bible is still there to do his Commandments that they may have the right to the tree of life it may enter through the gates into the city this is a major point that Christ was making here and it it's established by other scriptures we have those blessings in this life and the life to come from keeping the Commandments of God and treasure can be laid up in heaven by the fruit of our life in obedience to God and the young man said all these things I've done for my youth what do I still
(34:37) lack stop coveting the things that you have sell your things and help the poor and he says you will have treasure in heaven and come follow me but the young man heard that saying and went way sorrowful for he had great possessions see he still puts something else between him and God he didn't want to help other people by selling his things and giving to them maybe he had inherited his wealth he was it says a young man but he had good abilities and he tried to do what was right but notice and some in my freshman
(35:29) Bible class in ambassador college in 1969 this is a note I wrote in my book notice what an awesome opportunity Jesus was offering to this young man come and follow me he said he might have been the one who replaced Judas if he had followed Jesus Christ. someone was chosen; this young man was offered a place in the discipleship of Jesus Christ come and follow me Jesus taught about treasure in heaven Eternal treasure he said doing these kind of things to help people you will make it so we have treasure in heaven you do this brethren
(36:29) you do it already and it's something we should keep doing keeping his Commandments living by his word being generous help those in Need by so doing we lay up that treasure in heaven we follow him follow his example and commit Our Lives to him in our heart there's more to that lesson that he shared with his disciples the young man went away sorrowful the rich man was gone but this is recorded for us to heed as well in verse 23 then Jesus said to his disciples assuredly I say to you there is hard for a rich man to enter the
(37:12) Kingdom of Heaven notice he still on the riches the treasure where is the treasure where is our heart and again I say to you it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God was talking about riches and treasure and wanting us to lay up treasure in heaven and giving us a very practical way of doing that helping other people and when his disciples heard it they were greatly astonished and said who then can be saved this is not a simple lesson it takes a lot of time and God's
(37:58) spirit for this lesson to be learned and here you are having learned it continuing to learn it more deeply from childhood many of us who are old now and some who are young are learning this lesson but Jesus looked at them with men it is impossible but With God all things are possible with God you can lay up treasure in heaven every one of us it's a lesson for us by following Christ with God's help we can enter the kingdom we can have what that young man was asking for so Jesus picks up this theme again in Luke 12 and a couple of passages that
(38:47) build on these Concepts the time of life is of a more mature man already successful in his career and maybe are there are lessons here for for some of us as well in Luke 12 verse 16- 21 and then he spoke a parable to them saying the ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully so this was a man a farmer very successful his ground was Bountiful in his production and he thought within himself saying what what shall I do since I have no room no room to store my crops it was a very successful farming operation here
(39:35) and not a bad problem to have it's just a bad approach that the man had and so we can read this story about him he was inwardly focused as we see in verse 19 he and I will say to my soul soul you have many Goods laid up for many years they weren't laid up in heaven though who were they his goods were laid up in Barns they decided he would tear down his barns build new and bigger ones and have more room to store more stuff but God said to him in verse 20 you foolish man this night your soul will be required of you then whose will those
(40:21) things be which you have provided anything physical will just be gone when we are no longer here not ours anymore whose will they be verse 21 so is he who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God that's where we need to be rich rich toward God in service to him because barns full of treasure don't amount to much in the end a principle consistently found in the scripture here later in this same chapter verse 32 to 34 he says to not fear Little Flock for it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom this
(41:15) look at the encouragement we have here it is our father's good pleasure to give us the kingdom that treasure that we're laying up in heaven be given to us he says sell what you have and give alms provide yourselves some money bags which do not grow old he's talking to his disciples who would be following him in his ministry here a treasure in the heavens that does not fail where no Thief approaches nor fall moth destroys for where your treasure is there your heart will be also see how Christ comes back to this again he's
(42:02) saying God wants our hearts he wants us to be open to him Heart to Heart nothing in between us that would just deter us from following him nothing our hearts are set on more than loving God with all of our heart and mind and soul you are such powerful things if we listen to his words for where your treasure is where your heart will be what is he talking about our time our talent that He gives to us our energy our attitude our service the way we live our life our prayers to him it's a matter of the heart Jesus said remember as he started
(42:56) do not lay up treasure on Earth lay up treasure in Heavens it goes deeper it goes so much deeper when we are old and frail life changes some of you have family some of you have had family who are no longer with us some of you understand that when people become old and frail and now even their ability to remember even their ability to carry on a conversation without asking the same question over and over and over their ability to comprehend the physical things around them that's where I want to spend the rest of
(43:59) the message and I think it's an important part brethren in 1 Timothy chapter 6 1 Timothy 6: 6-8 but godliness with contentment is great gain you know that's an important part of this subject that we could expand on right there it says for we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out this is getting to the point of why we don't lay up treasure on Earth because eventually that doesn't matter I know a man and a woman who are very close to me and Nancy I won't say their names now because this may be recorded and put out
(44:55) but you know them there are times in life when it becomes obvious that all that we have and all that we've accumulated will just not be very important at all anymore we can't carry it out for Satan having food and clothing with these we shall be content but those who Des desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition so he's saying for our life we look for something greater than the physical blessings where we can't carry anything
(45:45) out with us when we go just a reference to 2 Corinthians 4 verse 7 says but we have this treasure in Earth and vessels vessels that are not permanent vessels that will not last he says that the Excellence of the power may be of God and not of us Brethren here's where I'm going with the rest of this message remember what Christ said lay up treasure in heaven where moth and rust do not corrupt where thieves do not break into steal steel it's permanent and it's yours what about men and women faithful Christians who have lived decades in this
(46:36) life laying up treasure in heaven and then they come to that frailness of time when physically and mentally they're not capable anymore of being the vibrant and healthy person they were before from the time of their young age through all of their adult life and now at the end what about them Brethren I want to tell you a story of something that God showed me this last week and I was so blessed and privileged I want to talk about a man's prayer and how treasure was laid up in heaven so this man I know in Ellensburg was missing his wife who had
(47:36) been taken a few days before to the hospital and they were so close 71 years of marriage 60 some years in the church and together all those years but now they were apart is this showing on the screen here okay good I want you to see this picture you know in the Scriptures it there are often examples of people's prayer this is not an example of that but this gets as close to it as I could bring to you today Dad no the man and his wife had been separated for a few days and they missed each other we were able to bring them back
(48:38) together and for a person who is so weak physically that she couldn't sit up and a man so mentally deficient at the moment that he couldn't remember the things you just told him they came together and it was like the fog lifted you can see the smiles on their faces you can see the love that's there those two great Commandments come to mind to love God and to love one another you see this and I know some some of you have experienced these things and I just remind it because I want to show the glory of God how he makes it so this treasure We
(49:36) Lay Up in Heaven is not lost is still there so what I want to talk about is not this but a couple three days later when this man was still missing his wife who has now been moved to a rehab center there is still a part and we were visiting often sometimes you go as a son son-in-law sometimes you go as a minister and I asked him what would you want to talk about he wanted to talk about his wife and he did for a little while and then he kind of faded off the TV was on something he wanted to watch but after a while that was no longer there it's just
(50:28) like he's just down and I just said would you like to pray if IID had my phone out I would have recorded this and but I think it's probably better I didn't this old man who was so frail and feeble and not able to carry a good conversation start started praying and his entire Focus was about his wife and about God's love for her and her love for God and His realization that she would be in this Kingdom it was so beautiful and so precise and so focused for several minutes it was like and I know it was God's spirit transcending the the
(51:27) feebleness of the body and the Frailty of the mind because his Spirit doesn't Decay and it's there and this man was able to pray a very beautiful fervent prayer respecting of God's blessing for his wife and her future and his and theirs together this was just a remarkable moment it was for me Brethren not only that he was at that same moment laying up more treasure in heaven but it was already there and he was drawing on it and understanding fully what he was saying it was it was beautiful something deep down inside
(52:23) written on his heart written in his mind with God's spirit to bring it back enabling him to lay up an additional amount of treasure in heaven Brethren that's how we lay up treasure too we come before God before his throne of grace in the heaven of heavens and we lay up prayers we see this three times in the Book of Revelation about those prayers of the Saints and the incense at the altar of God and it's real and it can happen for a child who bows their head say father in Heavens I want to get to know you through all of our lifetime to the
(53:19) time when we might pray for someone we love so the sermon last Sabbath focused on Psalm 27 as a matter of the heart I just want to read verse 8 for you says when you said seek my face my heart said to you your face Lord I will seek and that's how treasure is laid up for all of us Brethren from the very young to those who are old and frail there's something so much more valuable than any other kind of treasure that God our Father and Jesus Christ wants to us to set our hearts and lay up to lay up for yourselves treasure in
(54:20) heaven there's one more passage I want to read that kind of puts all of this together and it's in 1 Peter 1 verse 3-5 here in 1 Peter 1:3 says blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who according to His abundant Mercy has begotten us again to a living hope that Living Hope is a treasure in heaven in the New Testament hope always relates to some future good a living hope eternal life is Our Hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance Incorruptible this is that treasure in
(55:09) heaven that will be given back to us that we lay up now and it will come back to us when Jesus Christ brings it to inheritance Incorruptible that refers to how indestructible it is of the substance of The Inheritance even old people can pray fervent prayers nothing can make it so that the person is unable to spiritually connect with their father and it's uncorruptible and undefiled it refers to the grace and the beauty of that inheritance and does not fade away now for many people they might see some old people in
(56:04) a nursing home or a rehab center and I think it's all faded away but for Christians for people with God's spirit it does not fade away even if it's deep down inside they're still his sons and daughters notice this verse 5 now let's continue with verse four it's undefiled does Not Fade Away reserved in heaven for you it doesn't say for us for you the treasure you lay up in heaven is your treasure it's like you put money into a bank in an account that you own and it's preserved and it's there for you is so much stronger than that
(57:08) actually God preserves this for each one of us individually verse five who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time goes on and explains it kind of puts it together for us in this you greatly Rejoice though now for a little while if need be you have been grieved by various trials so I wanted to take the course of Life young this center part of our life the old age that the genuine-ness of your faith being much more precious than gold that perishes the faith is the treasure
(57:58) your faith though it is tested by fire may be found to praise and honor and Glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ whom now having not seen you love though now you do not see him that believing you know it's there you know it's yours believing you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of Glory receiving the end of your faith the salvation of of your souls Brethren lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven