October 23, 2002

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven.
Matthew 5:19-21

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

David Livingston (1813-1873) was a Scottish missionary, doctor and explorer who helped open the heart of Africa to missions. His travels covered one-third of the continent, from the Cape to near the Equator, and from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean.

The body of David Livingston was buried in Great Britain where he was born, but his heart was buried in the Africa he loved. At the foot of a tall tree in a small African village the natives dug a hole and placed in it the heart of this man who they loved and respected.

In Matthew 15:8-9 Jesus said that some of the people before him were like those Isaiah spoke of,

"These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me." What the Lord wants more than anything is the heart of people. If He doesn't have your heart He doesn't want anything else. We must be like Paul talked about in 2 Corinthians 6:11. He said he had, " spoken openly" to them, with a wide open heart. We must open our heart to God. The things that will restrict us, is our own affections. (V.12)

We know what Jesus said in Matt 6:21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

If your heart were to be buried in the place you loved most during life, where would it be?