Matthew 6:19-23

Rachel Workman:
19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. I can't possibly read these verses without thinking that I am a little guilty. Where your treasure is there are the desires of your heart. That's an understatement really. I have plenty of treasures I could let go of.

22 “Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. 23 But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! I think the key here is to keep our eyes on what is good. Our eyes being our heart and mind. Don't allow your heart or mind to covet evil thoughts and desires. Then your whole body becomes sick and dark.

____________________________________________________________________________________

John Burnett:  ¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; ²¹ for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  People chasing the dollar will be disappointed.  Having the most toys will only make you a target and the things we buy here on earth will only ruin.  Treasures in heaven will last forever, it only makes sense to store up those things.

²² “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is ^[a]clear, your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eye is ^[b]bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

____________________________________________________________________________________

Allen Michaels:  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.

Storing up treasures in heaven is not limited to tithing but is accomplished by all acts of obedience to God. There is a sense in which giving our money to God’s work is like investing in heaven. But our intention should be to seek the fulfillment of God’s purposes in all we do, not merely what we do with our money.

²² “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! Spiritual vision is our capacity to see clearly what God wants us to do and to see the world from his point of view. But this spiritual insight can be easily clouded. Self-serving desires, interests, and goals block that vision. Serving God is the best way to restore it. A “good” eye is one that is fixed on God.