“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, NKJV). What crucial truths is Jesus speaking here?

Image © David Sorensen at Goodsalt.com

Who hasn’t read story after story of those who had amassed great wealth, only somehow to lose it? Our world is a very unstable place: wars, crime, violence, natural disasters, anything can come in a moment and take away all that we have worked for and, perhaps, even what we have honestly and faithfully earned. Then, too, in a moment, death comes, and so these things become useless to us anyway.

Of course, Scripture never tells us it’s wrong to be rich or to have amassed wealth; instead, in these verses Jesus warns us to keep it all in perspective.

What, though, does it mean to lay up treasure in heaven? It means making God and His cause first and foremost in your life, instead of making money first and foremost. Among other things, it means using what we have for the work of God, for the advancement of His kingdom, for working in behalf of others, and for being a blessing to others.

For instance, when God called Abram, He planned to use Abram and His family to bless all the families of the earth. God said to Abraham, who “was called the friend of God” (James 2:23, NKJV), “I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:2-3, , NJKV).

“So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham” (Galatians 3:9). We have the same challenge presented to us as was presented to him.

“Money has great value, because it can do great good. In the hands of God’s children it is food for the hungry, drink for the thirsty, and clothing for the naked. It is a defense for the oppressed, and a means of help to the sick. But money is of no more value than sand, only as it is put to use in providing for the necessities of life, in blessing others, and advancing the cause of Christ.” — Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 351.

<–Wednesday Friday–>

Amen!(11)

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Being part of God’s family, I welcome you to 2023.

Managing for the Master Till He Comes will show us that
God Is Working His Purpose Out – Hymn 225 in all we do and say. May we be encouraged by this hymn for this quarter and that 
In Our Work And In Our Play – Hymn 591 we will work until Jesus comes. Hence, a choice of theme hymns for this quarter.

 What a joy to be part of God’s family! Here at the beginning of 2023 we will commence our singing with 
Hymn 482 – Father, Lead Me Day By Day as we step forward into this new year asking our Father to help us do all things correctly. Our Father will guide and help us along the way as we manage all things to help others look forward to Jesus coming again very soon.

 The head of the family is our God, our Father, and with this in mind we can state clearly that we are 
Children Of The Heavenly Father – Hymn 101. At times we will need to request 
Father, Help Your People – Hymn 353 saying 
Father, I Stretch My Hands To Thee (I Do Believe) – Hymn 486. With the abundant help of our Father we can say 
Father, We Thank Thee – Hymn 566 because of the showers of gifts that are sung in 
Hymn 643 – Father, Who On Us Do Shower.

Monday reminds us that even with David’s abilities to acquire huge stores of special materials (as we may be able to do also), our prayer is 
We Give Thee But Thine Own – Hymn 670 and 
Hymn 694/695 – Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow.

The greatest resource God gave us, His family, was His love through Jesus: 
Hymn 78 – For God So Loved Us. Jesus gave us salvation, and for “those who were concerned about their food and clothing, Jesus offered comfort by saying,
“Seek Ye First The Kingdom” – Hymn 224. He then promised “the gift of the Holy Spirit to comfort”: 
Hymn 260 – Hover O’er Me, Holy Spirit, 
Hymn 268 – Holy Spirit, Light Divine, 
Hymn 589 – Holy Spirit, Gracious Guest and 
Hymn 680 – Holy Spirit, Hear Us.

 Matthew 7:21-27 (Wednesday) encourages us to build on the Rock: 
Hymn 531 – We’ll Build On The Rock as we keep His commandments and 
Trust and Obey – Hymn 590.

 Once again (Thursday) we find it is wise to 
Seek Ye First The Kingdom – Hymn 224.

 Today, and every day, we look forward to Jesus coming again. Oh, what a day that will be 
When We All Get To Heaven – Hymn 633 because 
That Glorious Day Is Coming – Hymn 209.

To learn unknown hymns, you will find the accompaniment music for each one at: https://sdahymnals.com/Hymnal/

Another great resource is for when there is a hymn you wish to sing but can’t find it in your hymnal. Go to https://www.sdahymnal.org/Search and in the search bar type a special word in that is in the hymn. I am sure you will be amazed at the help you will be given.

 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Amen!(0)

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We all enjoy the spiritual and temporal blessings and gifts that God gives us. How comforting to know, too, that we are “part of the family.”

Read Deuteronomy 6:5 and Matthew 22:37. What does this mean, and how do we do it?

How would you love God with “all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37, NKJV)? Interestingly enough, the Bible gives us the answer, and it’s not what most people expect, either.

Read Deuteronomy 10:12-13,  and 1 John 5:3. Biblically speaking, what is our proper response in our love relationship with our Father in heaven?

mage © Lars Justinen from GoodSalt.com

Keeping the law? Obeying the commandments? For many Christians, unfortunately, the idea of obeying the law (especially the fourth commandment) is legalism, and they claim that we are called, simply, to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves. However, God is clear: we reveal our love to God and to our neighbors by, yes, obeying His commandments.

“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments” (1 John 5:3, NKJV). We are used to looking at this verse as, well, we love God and, therefore, we keep His commandments. That’s fine. But perhaps we can also read it as “this is the love of God,” that is, we know and experience the love of God by keeping His commandments.

In Matthew 7:21-27, Jesus said that those who hear and do God’s words are likened to a wise builder who built his house upon the solid rock. Those who hear but don’t obey are likened to a foolish builder who built his house on the sand — with disastrous results. Both heard the word; one obeyed, one didn’t. The results made the difference between life and death.

<–Tuesday Thursday–>

Amen!(2)

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/wednesday-responsibilities-of-gods-family-members/

We’re beginning a new quarter of studies on Managing for the Master — Till He Comes. Lesson 1 is Part of God’s Family.

Amen!(0)

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God’s greatest gift to His children is Jesus Christ, who brings us the peace of forgiveness, grace for daily living and spiritual growth, and the hope of eternal life.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16, NKJV). “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12).

Salvation, then, is the foundational gift because, without this gift, what else could we get from God that in the long run would really matter? Whatever we might have here, one day we will be dead and gone and so will everyone who ever remembered us, and whatever good we did will be forgotten as well.

Image © Review & Herald Publishing from GoodSalt.com

First and foremost, then, we must always keep the gift of the gospel, that is, Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2), at the center of all our thoughts.

And yet, along with salvation, God gives us so much more. To those who were concerned about their food and clothing, Jesus offered comfort by saying, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33, NKJV).

Read Psalm 23:1, Psalm 37:25, and Philippians 4:19. What do these verses say about God’s provision for our daily needs?

Also, when Jesus talked to His disciples about going away, He promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to comfort them. “If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (John 14:15-17). “He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13).

Then the Spirit Himself gives amazing spiritual gifts to God’s children. (See 1 Corinthians 12:4-11)

In short, the God in whom “we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28), the God who “gives to all life, breath, and all things” (Acts 17:25, NKJV), has given us existence, the promise of salvation, material blessings, and spiritual gifts in order to be a blessing to others. Again, whatever material possessions that we have, whatever gifts or talents we have been blessed with, we are indebted in every way to the Giver in how we use those gifts.

<–Monday Wednesday–>

Amen!(0)

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