Kingdom Alignment Part 7

At Keys Vineyard Church, we are presenting a series called ‘Kingdom Alignment,’ which we post here on Online Bible Institute.

Last week in our Kingdom Alignment series we asked the question, “What do you truly hunger for?” We discovered that fasting has a way of revealing what is really ruling our hearts. When we temporarily give up something we enjoy, we often discover what we have been relying on for comfort, security, or satisfaction instead of God. This week, Jesus asks us a different but closely related question: “What do I truly value?”

Matthew 6:19–21 (NIV)
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Every one of us has treasures. Treasure is simply whatever we consider most valuable. It is what captures our attention, our time, our energy, and our resources. It may be money, but it can also be our careers, our reputation, our comfort, our family, our hobbies, our achievements, or even our dreams for the future. None of these things are necessarily wrong. The question is whether they have become the center around which our lives revolve.

Jesus gives us a profound spiritual principle: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” That may surprise us because we often assume our spending and our priorities simply reflect what is already in our hearts. Jesus says it works the other way around. Our hearts gradually become attached to whatever we consistently invest in. Our investments shape our affections.

That is why Jesus reminds us that earthly treasures are temporary. Everything in this world has an expiration date. Possessions wear out. Technology becomes outdated. Investments rise and fall. Homes need repairs. Even our bodies grow older. These things may be blessings from God, but they were never designed to carry the weight of our ultimate hope.

Instead, Jesus invites us to invest in treasures that can never be lost. Every act of love, every expression of generosity, every moment spent serving others, every step of obedience, every word of forgiveness, every opportunity to share the gospel, and every choice to become more like Christ has eternal significance. These are investments that will never decay because they are part of God’s eternal kingdom.

This weekend at Keys Vineyard Church, we will discuss all this and more, so be sure to join us in person or online.

Steve Lawes is a pastor at Keys Vineyard Church and also the founder of the Online Bible Institute Network.