Why Spend Time Alone With GodSample

Storing the Treasure of Your Heart In Heaven

In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus teaches us an important spiritual principle we need to know to give God the entirety of our hearts. Scripture says:

"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."

You are the child of a loving God who is desperately jealous for the entirety of your heart. Matthew 6:19-21 illustrates a truth that spans beyond this world and into the fullness of eternity. You and I have an opportunity in this life either to give our hearts to God and receive an eternal reward or to give our hearts to the world, which will only lead to destruction. We can either surrender all that we are and have to our heavenly Father's perfect, pleasing plans or seek fulfillment, pleasure, status, and wealth in that which belongs to the world alone.

The best way to ensure our lives are fully surrendered and available to the Father is to spend the first moments of our day alone with him. To make the most of this life, we must set aside time to assess our thoughts, actions, and emotions. We must make time to take an honest look at our lives and discover whether we are truly living for God or the world. And in response to a daily assessment, we must consistently engage in the process of confession so that our lives may be empowered by the forgiveness and love of the Father.

God longs for your life here on earth to impact eternity. He is a Father with perfect plans to bless you in ways you cannot imagine. But God cannot bless that which is not best. He cannot reward you for doing that which is destructive. Choose to center your life around meeting with God so that you might store up a wealth of eternal treasure. Open your heart to the Holy Spirit every morning that he may reveal anything that’s keeping you from experiencing the fullness of life Jesus died to give you. Surrender your life to the God who has greater things in store for you than you can ask or imagine. And experience the peace and joy that comes from allowing God to have the entirety of your life to bless and fill with his glorious nearness.

Prayer

1. Meditate on the truth of God’s word. Allow Scripture to fill you with a desire to surrender your life fully to God’s plans and love.

“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.” Matthew 6:19-21

2. In what ways are you laying up treasure on earth? Where are you seeking fulfillment and provision from the world rather than God? What parts of your life are not God’s best for you?

3. Confess any sin in your life to God and take time to receive his forgiveness. God hates sin because it robs us of the fullness of life he longs to give. Once we confess our sins to him, he truly forgives us. Don’t dwell on your sin, but rather on the goodness and grace of God.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9