Sometimes we tend to believe that the world revolves around America, but it isn’t really true.

America is the predominant place in the world that believes God owes us great wealth, and that it should be our rightful pursuit. How did it happen to become part of our thinking?

Perhaps it’s because it sounds so good and tells us what we want to hear—that we in America are God’s chosen people He refers to in the Bible, that the United States is the homeland He refers to in scripture, and that a special blessing of prosperity is our destiny. The truth is that the great homeland and people referred to as the chosen of God are both Israel. If anything, America would be the mission field, not the starting point.

The most bizarre part of all of this is that God really does want to bless us with treasure beyond our wildest imagination. But He doesn’t want us to enjoy those treasures for a brief moment here on earth—He wants us to have them forever in eternity. He tells us that in Matthew 6:19-21,

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

The last sentence in that paragraph explains a stark reality, an undeniable truth—where our treasure is, our hearts will also be. It is how we are designed—it cannot be denied. In fact, the end of verse 24 that follows the above excerpt states,

You cannot serve both God and money.

That doesn’t sound like God is planning to cover us with stuff as a way of blessing us. It is certainly clear that He doesn’t want us striving our way toward wealth for the purpose of surrounding ourselves with more things we can play with.

According to scripture, we are to work hard to make enough money to meet our own needs as well as help others. In Ephesians 4:28, we read,

Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

I don’t know if it’s possible to get much further away from the teaching that God is here to bless us with great health and tremendous wealth if we are devoted to Him and live good lives, than the great commission that tells us in no uncertain terms to get going and carry the Gospel to every tribe and every nation on earth. It’s not easy, but it’s true.

It comes down to focus—where are we looking, and upon what do our hopes and dreams lie? According to scripture, God’s true desire is to bless us by storing up our treasures in heaven that do not corrode or deteriorate in any way. These treasures will never end, giving us joy for eternity.

Or we can store up all kinds of stuff to enjoy here on earth and leave it when we die in 30 years, or 10 years, maybe 1 year, or perhaps before this weekend. One thing is for certain—it can only go with us if we send it ahead.

There is something we must remember—God has entrusted to us money, talents and abilities that we can use for His purposes to help the poor and needy, and carry the Gospel to the nations—or, we can spend it all on ourselves here and now, and then it’s gone.

We know what we’re supposed to do. What are we going to do with it?

Question: Has God been speaking to your heart about these truths as He has me? Please leave a comment. 

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