Focus: Matthew 6:19-21 - KJV
19. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
1 Timothy 6:17-19
Elisha was a great prophet in Israel. Like his father in faith, Elijah, Elisha performed spectacular miracles in his time that he can be reckoned to have performed double the manner of miracles Elijah performed on earth, except perhaps the rapture episode of Elijah. This Elisha was sought from foreign lands for miracles. He was not particularly said to be very affluent but was so potent in the things that pertained to God in his age. He also had influence as he was reputed as the king’s father. However, when it came to acquiring wealth, Elisha would rather remain in his state that the name of God may be proclaimed all over than receive gifts or what ministers today call honoraria. Naaman came from Syria, an influential man, with gifts also from his king to seek Elisha for the healing of his leprosy. Even though Elisha pointed him to the healing strategy, he rejected the gifts he brought so that he may return to Syria with so profound a testimony about the God of Israel. That should be the way of genuine ministers of God. If he had received from Naaman, he would have received his wages already. But Elisha preferred to store treasure up for himself in heaven instead.
Today, the ministers of the gospel parade so much opulence that when we enquire how they acquire it, they claim it is from gifts and sales of the books they authored. Most of their givers got their money from sinful escapades but they could not be bothered. For all they care, it is God sending blessings their way. In fact, it became a common saying at a time that Christians should evangelize and bear fruit and that when they fished for souls, they may be pulling out the fish with their golden coin. It is absolutely good to fish for souls; but the motive of the golden coin is very unfortunate. When we do all things as unto the Lord, God Himself sees our sincerity and supports us by Himself aside from keeping our treasures safe in His store house in heaven, where nothing can tamper with it. Elisha had clear spiritual understanding that what Naaman brought had leprosy attached to it. Hence, when Gehazi surreptitiously collected from Naaman, he was receiving leprosy without him knowing. So many today have received gifts from murderers and thereby sharing in the cries from the innocent blood shed. We are to give freely, so let us so do.
The Lord will open our eyes to see the beauty of heaven where He dwells that we may be focused on making it there, in Jesus’ name. The eternal God will perfect all that concerns us so that we may never lose focus in the name of Jesus Christ. From this day henceforth, the grace not to collect like Gehazi, those things that will put us in trouble, we receive from the Most High, in Jesus’ name. The power to be contented and therefore be able to do all things as unto the Lord, we receive today, in Jesus’ name. We shall never end up losers in the journey of life, in Jesus’ name.
SOLUTION: Be contented. Let God be your focus and priority and not material gain.
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