Matthew 6:19–21 – Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
In Matthew chapter six verses 19-34 the Lord Jesus helps us to recognize the importance of where we are keeping our hearts. Our physical heart is beating in our chest to distribute the nutrient-rich blood that keeps us alive. It stays in place always, continuously doing the work it is intended for. Our very life flows from our hearts, so its no surprise that our true desires, longings, and loyalties beat with it in a perpetual cycle of needing acceptable levels of fulfillment. How we measure the cup from which we receive blessing or cursing is sometimes based entirely upon our perceptions in whatever state of mind we may find ourselves presently. A flower may not seem as beautiful when growing next to several piles of manure. A person may fear to take delicious honey dripping from a tree because of the bees around it. The tainted ground around something beautiful or useful can often deter any approach towards the blessing it can give. Rightly so in some cases! Who wants to step in feces or get stung by bees?
Satan (your enemy) is a master of illusion and can project tainted images to manipulate perceptions around the real Truth of God. His delusions are often the reverse of living a Godly life in Christ Jesus. He can only project images that look real and feel real but in the end turn out to be worthless lies propped up by human emotion and circumstance. His tactic is to trick the minds of people into thinking that approaching God in a right relationship will get them hurt or make them stink to everyone who disbelieves the Gospel (Good News). In the grand illusion, Christianity is as dangerous and unrewarding, tedious and risky, unpopular and socially awkward as touching a beehive or stepping in crap. Satan would never present worldly desires as anything less than the right and acceptable choice for success. He will attempt to taint Godly living or make it seem foolishness to those who do not understand the benefit or reward. Riches and power display to the godless as the ultimate fulfillment of every understandable desire of the heart in this world. When the spirits of worldly people escape from the body, they briefly inhabited, and the dark cloud lifts from their eyes, they will see that all worldly gain is ash all over them and in their mouths the taste of gall and bitterness.
I believe that when one dies, not having accepted the Gift of God, the darkness that kept them chained will lift from their eyes and they will see that what they thought was an oasis all along was nothing more than a dry graveyard with dead men walking. Satan and his demons will be visible, or at least heard, bitterly scoffing over that one’s foolish choice to fall prey to the scam. Call out to God to fill your eyes with Light!
Matthew 6:22–23 – The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
Oh, how the light of God can lift the darkness away from your understanding and bring you to a place of trust in Him alone. Can you not see that the Father knows what you need before you ask Him (Matthew 6:8)? Having faith in God means that you can rest assured in Him. You can be confident that whatever dangerous or contrary illusions taint the ground around the right way you are walking in Christ will dissolve in the Light of His blessed Truth. Jesus, our Savior, requested of the Father that He would sanctify (or “set apart”) in Truth those who would believe in Him as the only begotten Son of God (John 17:17). He alone is our strength against the unseen spiritual forces working against us. We are empowered as children of God to be clean before Him who loves us and gave Himself for us. Step through whatever illusion is keeping you from moving forward towards the most wonderful and beautiful Life of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
