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“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in nor steal.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
(Matthew 6:20–21, NASB)
The central theme of this song is very clear: there are only two places where you can store treasure – on earth or in heaven – and the place where you store your treasure will determine the direction of your heart. The words of Jesus are not optional advice. They are a command and a diagnostic: they tell us what to do, and they reveal where we already are.
“Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail…” (Luke 12:33)
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)
Notice two things:
1. A command about treasure.
2. A reassurance about the Father.
Jesus is not trying to deprive us. He is trying to relocate our security. He is not asking us to lose; He is calling us to invest – but to invest in the only place where nothing can ever be lost.
These statements of Jesus come in two main contexts:
### a) Matthew 6 – In the Sermon on the Mount
In Matthew 6, Jesus is addressing His disciples in the presence of the crowds. He is drawing a sharp line between true righteousness and the external religion of the Pharisees. In this chapter, He deals with three pillars of Jewish piety:
1. Giving (Matthew 6:1–4)
2. Prayer (Matthew 6:5–15)
3. Fasting (Matthew 6:16–18)
Then He turns to money, possessions, and anxiety (Matthew 6:19–34). He contrasts:
So when He says, “store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,” He is not speaking in the abstract. He is addressing the practical outworking of righteousness in everyday life. The people listening lived in a subsistence economy. They knew very well what it meant to worry about food, clothing, and security.
### b) Luke 12 – In the Face of Greed and Fear
In Luke 12, Jesus has just given a warning:
“Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15)
He then tells the parable of the rich fool (Luke 12:16–21), who built bigger barns to store his grain and goods, said to his soul, “You have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry,” and died that very night. God’s verdict: “You fool! This very night your soul is required of you…”
Then Jesus turns to His disciples and speaks about worry, ravens, lilies, and the Father’s care. It is to these disciples – prone to anxiety, living under economic and political uncertainty – that He says:
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)
Immediately after this reassuring statement, He gives a radical instruction:
“Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out…” (Luke 12:33)
So the context is:
Jesus addresses both greed and fear. He replaces both with a superior reality: the Kingdom of God and treasures in heaven.
### a) “Treasure” – *thēsauros* (Matthew 6:20–21; Luke 12:33)
The Greek word translated “treasure” is θησαυρός (*thēsauros*). From this we get the English word “thesaurus” – a storehouse of words.
*Thēsauros* means:
So when Jesus says, “store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,” He is speaking of deliberate deposits into a secure storehouse. This is not about vague sentiment or spiritual poetry. It is about objective, real assets being transferred from one location (earth) to another (heaven).
Now, what is remarkable is that Jesus says, “for yourselves”.
“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven…” (Matthew 6:20)
God is not threatened when you lay up treasure. He is concerned that you lay it up in the right place. Earthly treasures are always vulnerable: moth, rust, thieves, inflation, corruption, death. Heavenly treasures are absolutely secure: “that will never fail” (Luke 12:33).
### b) “Heart” – *kardia* (Matthew 6:21)
The word for “heart” is καρδία (*kardia*), from which we derive “cardiac.” In Scripture, *kardia* does not mean just emotion. It is the center of the inner life, including:
Proverbs 4:23 says:
“Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.”
Your *kardia* is the decision center of your life. It governs your direction. And Jesus gives an unbreakable law:
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)
Notice the order:
In other words, your heart follows your investments. Whatever you consistently give your money, time, and effort to will pull your heart in that direction. This is a spiritual law, as sure as gravity.
This deepens our understanding of the lyrics:
“Store treasures in heaven—
your heart will follow there.”
If you want your heart to be in the things of God, you must place your treasure there. There is no other way.
Let us now move through the themes in the lyrics and relate them to the broader witness of Scripture.
### 4.1 “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven…”
This echoes Matthew 6:20. There is a deliberate contrast with verse 19:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth…”
“…but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven…”
The issue is not “having” but storing up, making accumulation on earth your goal and security. Earthly treasure is marked by three factors:
1. Decay – “moth” and “rust”
2. Insecurity – “thieves” can break in and steal
3. Temporality – all is lost at death (Luke 12:20–21)
Heavenly treasure is marked by the exact opposite:
1. No decay – “moth nor rust destroys”
2. Absolute security – no thief can reach it
3. Eternal continuity – it awaits you beyond death
Scripture gives several indications of what constitutes “treasure in heaven”:
Paul writes:
“Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,
storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future,
so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.” (1 Timothy 6:18–19)
That is exactly the language of Jesus in Matthew 6 and Luke 12. Treasure in heaven is real, and it is related to how we handle earthly resources in obedience to God.
### 4.2 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also… your heart will follow there.”
This line puts its finger on one of the most important spiritual principles in Scripture. It explains:
Colossians 3:1–2 puts it this way:
“Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”
How do you set your mind and heart on things above? By placing your treasure above. You cannot endlessly fund earthly vanity and expect your heart to burn for the Kingdom.
### 4.3 “Sell your possessions, give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Here the lyrics allude to Luke 12:33 and also the encounter of Jesus with the rich young ruler (Luke 18:18–23; Mark 10:17–22; Matthew 19:16–22). To that young man Jesus said:
“One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” (Luke 18:22)
Two things are linked:
1. Treasure in heaven – through radical generosity.
2. Following Jesus – total discipleship.
The rich young ruler wanted eternal life but would not transfer his treasure. Therefore he would not move his heart. He went away sad, “for he was extremely rich.” (Luke 18:23)
This shows us that treasure competes with discipleship. It is not that every believer must sell everything. In Luke 8:3, some wealthy women supported Jesus’ ministry out of their resources. In Acts 4, some sold property, others shared freely. The issue is not an economic system but the lordship of Christ over possessions.
The words “Sell your possessions, give to the poor” express a principle:
You must be willing to liquidate, reassign, and surrender earthly securities in obedience to Jesus, so that your heart is no longer chained to this age.
Proverbs 19:17 states:
“One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD,
And He will repay him for his good deed.”
To give to the poor for God’s sake is to lend to the Lord. That is a heavenly investment. Jesus declares that such giving is treasure in heaven.
### 4.4 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”
Here we have the motive and atmosphere of the Kingdom: not fear, but the Father’s pleasure.
Notice:
Romans 8:32 anchors this truth:
“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all,
how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”
If the Father has already given the greatest – His Son – it is inconsistent to believe that we must cling to lesser things for security. The kingdom is a gift, not a wage. It is given from the Father’s pleasure, not human merit.
This is crucial in spiritual warfare. The enemy uses fear of loss – of money, status, control – to keep believers tied to earthly treasure. Jesus answers this fear not with condemnation but with a revelation: the Father’s delight to give you the kingdom. Once that grips you, you are free to release possessions.
### 4.5 “Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail.”
The “purses” (*ballantia* in Greek) represent the capacity to hold value. Earthly purses wear out. Inflation erodes savings. Corruption steals pensions. Health can be lost overnight.
Jesus speaks of creating spiritual capacity that never wears out – eternal accounts that cannot be drained. How?
In Philippians 4:17–18, Paul thanks the Philippian believers for their financial support:
“Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.
But I have received everything in full… having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent,
a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.”
There is an account in heaven. Sacrificial giving in obedience to God is a deposit into that account. It is a “fragrant aroma” before God. This is what Jesus calls “a treasure in heaven that will never fail.”
### 4.6 “Lay up your treasures in heaven—where your heart will truly rest.”
Here we touch something deeper: rest. Many believers have restless hearts because they have based their security in things that cannot be secure. As long as your treasure is here, your heart must be anxious. Why?
You may quote, “The Lord is my shepherd,” but if your treasure is in stocks, property, or career, your inner system will still be restless. You are depending for peace on something that cannot give it.
Hebrews 4:9–10 says:
“So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.
For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.”
You cannot enter that rest while your heart is tethered to earthly treasure. Rest is the fruit of trust. Trust is demonstrated by where you place your treasure. When your treasure is in heaven, your heart can rest, because heaven cannot be shaken.
Hebrews 12:28:
“Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude…”
The unshakable kingdom and unlosable treasure are the only true ground of inner rest.
### Step 1 – Renounce the Lordship of Mammon
Jesus is very clear:
“No one can serve two masters… You cannot serve God and wealth [mammon].” (Matthew 6:24)
Before you can walk in heavenly treasure, you must make a deliberate, verbal renunciation of mammon’s claim over your life. This is spiritual warfare. Mammon is not just money; it is the spirit that demands your trust in money instead of God.
Practical action:
### Step 2 – Reorient Your Heart by Redirecting Your Treasure
Remember the law: your heart follows your treasure. Do not wait for your heart to “feel” more heavenly. Start moving your treasure, and your heart will follow.
Practical action:
1. Systematic Giving:
2. Intentional Generosity:
3. Strategic Investment in Eternity:
### Step 3 – Confront Fear with Revelation of the Father
Jesus links generosity with “Do not be afraid, little flock.” Fear must be answered with truth.
Practical action:
### Step 4 – Begin to Live as a Steward, Not an Owner
The New Testament presents us not as independent owners, but as stewards. “It is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy.” (1 Corinthians 4:2)
Practical action:
When you shift from owner to steward, it becomes much easier to release resources. You cannot lose what never belonged to you.
### Proclamation (Speak Aloud)
“I proclaim that Jesus Christ is my only Lord and Master.
I will not serve mammon.
I choose to store up for myself treasure in heaven,
where moth and rust cannot destroy,
and thieves cannot break in and steal.
My Father has been pleased to give me the kingdom.
He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for me,
will also freely give me all things I truly need.
Therefore I will not be afraid, though the world shakes.
I am a steward, not an owner.
All that I am and all that I have belongs to the Lord.
As I give to the poor, as I invest in the Gospel,
I am providing for myself purses that do not wear out,
a treasure in heaven that will never fail.
Where my treasure is, there my heart will be also.
I set my treasure in heaven, and my heart follows there.
My rest, my security, and my joy are in the unshakable kingdom of God.
In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”
### Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ,
I acknowledge Your words as final authority:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.”
By Your grace, I choose to obey.
I ask You to deliver me from the spirit of mammon, from fear of lack, and from the love of money.
I ask You, Holy Spirit, to search my heart and expose every false trust.
Show me where my treasure truly is, and give me courage to move it.
Father, I thank You that it has pleased You to give me the kingdom.
Write this truth deep in my heart, that I may live as a child of a generous Father,
not as an orphan in a world of scarcity.
Teach me to be a faithful steward of everything You entrust to me.
Lead me in practical steps of generosity, mercy, and obedience.
Let my giving be a fragrant offering, storing up true treasure in heaven.
Align my heart with heaven.
Let my greatest joy be in Your Kingdom,
my sure rest in Your unshakable promises,
and my lasting treasure in Your eternal presence.
I ask this in the Name of Jesus.
Amen.
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