Where is Your Heart?
God does not show partiality (Gal. 2:6). Those who obey Him are as the apple of His eye (Psalm 17:8). The people or nations who do not obey Him mean less than nothing to Him (Isa 40:17). In the past, God blotted out everyone in the world, but spared Noah, who was a righteous man and had a heart for God, and his family. Those blotted out would not repent and live to please their Maker. He has blotted out scores of nations from the face of this earth because they were wicked and would not repent and change.
Man’s downfall through the ages is that he has not taken the Lord seriously. As a result, many have perished in the past. What God has always desired of man is that he would repent (Luke 13:3, 5). The Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities that surrounded them not only for their sins, but also for an example to mankind of what will happen to all who continue to sin (2 Peter 2:6).
God is slow to anger, compassionate, gracious, and abounding in loving-kindness and truth. But many times mankind has pushed God to the limit.
How do we repent and make ourselves pleasing in God’s sight? To begin with, we know that it pleases God when we study His word daily. When we study His word, we are approved of God (2 Tim. 2:15). It pleases God when we continually practice charity toward others (Acts 9:36). There are many ways to supply the needs of others—being kind, cheering up someone, giving clothing, money, shelter, or anything to someone in need (Matt. 25:33-40). We are careful to serve and include the lame, the blind, the elderly or the poor, who cannot possibly pay us back (Luke 14:13-14). We are then fulfilling Scriptures that the righteous are to fulfill.
God’s word says, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matt. 6:21). This word treasure comes from the Greek word thesauros meaning; something very much valued or valuables. So where we put our money, our time, our vested interest – our heart is revealed also. We are placing a value on whatever we support or put ourselves into. Take a moment to think about what you put your heart in.
When people donate to a church it becomes part of their heart. They support it and feel a bond, so they are behind it. What if that church is not preaching the truth from God’s word (Matt. 7:15-24; Mark 7:7-9)? What are you actually supporting then? Think of this when it comes to any other organization you may donate to or support. On the surface many things can look good. Think about if you were to vote for someone. You are putting your heart into that candidate or person – you value them highly enough to cast a ballot in your name and vote for them, whether you actually give them money or not, you are supporting them. You have given your stamp of approval and are now associated with what they stand for. You feel an obligation to support or defend what they say or believe, simply because you voted for them - because you have put your heart there (Rom. 16:18). It is a very slippery slope when you become entangled with the world (2 Pet. 2:20). Think about the ramifications of what you may find yourself entangled in. We must be careful not to become enslaved to the world, by attaching our heart to things, or people, of the world. This would surely be dividing our treasure unwisely (Matt. 12:35; Luke 6:45, 12:21; James 5:3). In Colossians 2:3, it refers to the same treasure as wisdom and knowledge (from God). Therefore, let us wisely consider, with the knowledge God has given us, what we give ourselves to or who we stand with. As Matthew 6:24 says: ‘No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (the god of riches – Satan – ruler of this world). The Amplified Bible expounds on mammom even further: [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].
God does not want us to store up treasure on earth but wants us to instead store up treasures in heaven which is our good deeds of righteousness, done for repentance, for the glory of God (Matt. 6:19-20; Acts 26:20). When we look to the Bible we see several examples of those who trusted in their treasures connected to earth and were destroyed (Job 20:26; Jer. 48:7; 49:4; 50:37).
Who does God want us to support? Let’s look to the Scriptures and see. God wants you to honor Him by setting aside a portion of your weekly earnings (treasure) for Him (Prov. 3:9; Eph. 4:28). Then He wants you to learn how to do good for others with His money (1 Tim 6:17-19; 2 Cor. 9:6-11; Luke 6:38). He wants you to give money to the needy, loan money without charging interest, and He wants you to do so expecting nothing in return (Matt. 6:2-4; Luke 6:34-35, 38). He tells us to support those who teach the truth of God’s Ways in His name, so that you too may be a fellow worker for the Lord. Therefore, if you are supporting the work of God and those who do it, you have become part of that work as a fellow worker (3 John 7-8). This is another way to draw closer to God because you are putting your treasure and therefore your heart behind His work (Mal. 3:8-10). This has a way of strengthening your commitment and relationship to God (Matt 12:30; John 4:35-36; Matt. 9:36-38; Rom. 10:13-15; Matt. 22:21). These are all wise uses of the treasure God has given you (Acts 20:35; Phil. 4:15-19). God wants you to continually give so He can continually bless you and continually increase your income so you can continually increase your giving (2 Cor. 9:10; 2 Cor. 8:7-8). God does good even to ungrateful men (Luke 6:35).
When it comes to using your God’s money, remember that when you give directly to the needy, 100 percent is going to the source and you are being a good steward of God’s money. This is one of the best ways you can make the most of your money set aside for God. Before you support any worthy cause, you should investigate it and know for sure that it is indeed a worthy cause. Always check on what percentage is going to that worthy cause and ask for the proof. Many ads for ‘worthy causes’ can be very deceptive, and only pennies on the dollar actually go to serve the need they are soliciting for.
God wants you to learn righteousness by engaging in it daily, for He knows if you don’t, you won’t learn righteousness (Titus 3:8).
God also wants us to be a good example in all respects. It is pleasing to God when we say only what is good and right, keeping our conversations pure. Whoever speaks is to do so as though they were the actual words of God (1 Peter 4:11). He hates those who swear and use profanity, and we are His enemies if we use His name for a swear word or a curse (Ex. 20:7; Psalm 139:20). He hates those whose mouths speak foolishly or coarsely, whose mouths are not courteous and kind at all times. The mouth of a fool speaks foolishness (Prov. 1:7, 3:35, 9:6, 10:8, 23, 12:23; Psalm 107:17). A foul mouth indicates a foul heart, but those who speak what is right, are a constant praise to God as well as men. Proverbs 6:16-19 tells us He also hates haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who declares lies, and one who spreads strife.
What the Lord desires in a man is kindness—kindness in words and in deeds, deeds being first and foremost (1 John 3:18). The Lord wants righteousness and justice from us (Ezek. 33:16). He wants us to be just in all our dealings with mankind, to pay our debts on time, keep our word, owe no money to any man, as much as possible, and be at peace with all men as much as possible. He does not want you to go into debt and lose your peace of mind. He wants you to save your money and pay cash for what you buy as much as you possibly can. The world wants you to go into debt. They say you must, if you want good credit. God says you should not go into debt because it encourages coveting, lust and greed (Rom. 13:8). It will take your peace and you will be unhappy. Instead, be content with what you have. Be content at all times (1 Tim. 6:8). Make your requests known to God and He will bring them to pass (Phil. 4:6). God knows if you obey Him, you will have to depend on Him for everything. This is what He wants you to learn to do. He wants you to learn to depend on Him.
Soon, God is going to punish the nations for their sins. He will accomplish this by causing nation to war with nation and kingdom with kingdom (Matt. 24:7). This will bring in great tribulation such as has not occurred from the beginning of the world, nor will it ever be that bad again (Matt. 24:21).
A time of distress such as has never occurred since there was a nation will soon occur (Dan. 12:1). This will come upon the whole world as a snare when least expected. For when they say, “Peace, peace,” watch out, because here comes the war (1 Thess. 5:3-4, 9-10). At the time God chooses everyone who has been written in the Lord’s book of remembrance will be rescued. Only those who showed God respect (feared God) daily by practicing the principles outlined in God’s word will be considered for escape (Mal. 3:16-17). Only those who prayed continually that they would be considered worthy to escape all these things will be considered (Luke 21:34-36).
Make no mistake about it, these Scriptures will be fulfilled just as surely as all Bible prophesies in the past were fulfilled.
If you keep God’s word with perseverance now, and practice the principles you know in your heart are true, God may keep you from the hour of testing which is surely coming upon the whole world. God will soon test all the people of the world to see if they will repent by continually doing good (Rev. 3:10). When war comes, then people repent. God knows only those with an honest and good heart will build godly character (fruit) for Him now (Luke 8:15). The others will wait for the war to come. We are told to continue to practice righteousness and stay humble or teachable. Perhaps we will be hidden by the Lord in the day of His wrath against the nations and their peoples (Zeph. 2:3). There is no guarantee because we are untrustworthy, but God is trustworthy.
God encourages those who begin to live for Him when He says, “Tell the righteous all will go well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their own actions” (Is. 3:10). God wants from us so little compared to what He will do for us in return for our daily obedience. Only a fool would ignore His words. Show God where your heart is, by continually honoring Him in all you think, do and say, living a life that is pleasing to Him in all respects. Then, if you endure to the end, God willing, He will declare you to be His very special treasure (Mal. 3:16-17 AMP).
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