Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Becoming Like Christ – Day 226 – Luke 12:15-21 – Be Rich Toward God – Growing As Disciples
Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”‘ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:15-21 (NIV)
Treasure In Heaven
What would it mean for you to be rich? What sort of riches would you like to be yours? What riches are worthy of your pursuit? How will you invest your life so that true riches will be yours? Those are all very good questions. These questions all need an answer. Why is that? If you leave these questions unconsidered and unanswered you will misspend your life. Those who do not think carefully about these questions and do not adequately answer them will greedily and foolishly pursue all that the world has to offer. They will live for comfort. They will pursue pleasure. They will be driven to acquire worldly wealth and material possessions. Money and material possessions will be their scorecard in a game they cannot win. Does living that kind of life seem wise to you? No, not at all. Why is that? I know that I brought nothing into this world. I know I will not be taking any money and material possessions out of this world. No worldly treasures will come with me into the next life. This world is not my true home. Earthly possessions are not mine. I am just passing through this very short life. That is all true.
I noticed you did not say that you would not be taking anything out of this life. You said that no worldly treasures will come with you into the next life. That’s true. What haven’t you said? What will you take out of this life? I will take the fruit I bear for you out of this life. As I bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name, I will be storing up treasure in heaven with you. That is why someone could be very poor in this life and very rich in the next life with you. The opposite is also true, someone could be very rich in this life and very poor in the next one. Only those who go and do your will, will be storing up treasures in heaven with you. They may be poor in this world but will be rich in heaven with you. That is what I want. That is my desire. I will go and do your will. I will live my life with and for you. Living the life you have called me to live is worthy of my best effort and all out pursuit. Yes, it is. Store up treasure in heaven with me. Yes Lord, I will. That will be very good.
Lord, I do not want my life to be about greedily pursuing worldly possessions. I want to store up treasure in heaven rather than here on earth. Help me to bear abundant fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. Help me to know and do your will. Amen
Key Question… How are you asking God to guide the activities of your life so that you will be able to be fruitful for Him?
Living It Out… Store up treasures in heaven by going and doing what the Lord asks of you in this life.
Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will help you to store up treasures in heaven by being fruitful for Him in this life.
Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are storing up treasures in heaven by being fruitful for God.
Prayer To Bless Others… May you store up treasure in heaven with God by going and doing His will.
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