We must live in the reality that we can’t take anything out of this world. It is but logical. I Tim 6:7 is a statement of fact: “We brought nothing into the world and we cannot take anything out of the world.” Job’s declaration is more graphic: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

It is with this reality that we must hold earthly things lightly. We must not be beholden to material things. We must not put all our strength and energy to acquire something that we will leave behind later on; or to something that will not give lasting benefit. And yet, it is also a fact that to ignore the attraction and comfort that material things give is not easy in this materialistic society. Consumerism and advertising intensify this desire for material ease. Once again we can look at the Bible to remind us that “Our life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15)

While we cannot bring treasures to heaven, yet God in His graciousness provides a way where we can still bring treasures to heaven. Using our earthly blessings to serve the Lord and expand His kingdom is a way of storing riches in heaven. If we use our gifts (talents, education, skills) to serve the Lord, we are generating heavenly treasures out of those gifts. If we use our money to help others, we are in a way putting that money in our heavenly bank account. If we open our homes as venue for meetings and godly ministries, we are sending a piece of our house in heaven. And so, we must be ready to maximize the use of our earthly resources for the Lord’s cause, because by doing so, they can all be turned to heavenly treasures.

Wealth is bad in the wrong hands, when the purpose of the possessor is to take pleasure and increase the possession even more. But wealth used to enlarge the work of the Lord will generate big dividends in the form of heavenly treasures.