Are You Building up Earthly or Heavenly Treasure?
by Jean Mulquin
“Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or – worse! – stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.”
“Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!”
“You can’t worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you’ll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can’t worship God and Money both.”
Matthew 6:19-24 (MSG)
The first thing that came to my mind, as I read the above scriptures, was how grateful I am that all of my kids are Christians. Now, I want to make sure that all 20 of my grandkids and 8 great grandchildren are going to be in heaven with me too. I can’t imagine going through eternity without one of them. I know some of them struggle, and some have been deeply wounded because of circumstances beyond their control. I pray for God to heal and redeem them, and let it be like in Acts 16:31 “that all their household was saved”!
People ask me if we can pray for or “soak” people in groups. I always tell them that I do it all the time! I would get nothing else done with as many family members as I have to pray for if I did so individually. I know that God understands, hears, and answers the cries of my heart for my family, friends, and ministry.
The next thing that comes to mind is that I want my eyes (which represent the windows to my soul) to be wide-open so that light and life can come in and heal me! I believe we are all born with so much generational sin and trauma that if we could see our soul the way we can see our physical bodies, we would look like Jesus did after he was lashed and beaten! That doesn’t even count the sin and trauma we go through as we walk through life! No wonder it takes time to get our wounded souls healed. I pray, “God, let me not have squinty eyes that look in greed and distrust. Let me be like Jesus!”
When it comes to the love of money, I believe I have passed that test. When John and I were first married, I paid all of the bills. One day God told me that He wanted John to pay the bills from then on. I prayed for quite some time on this because I was not working at the time, and John was driving truck. I knew John would say that I had the time and he didn’t (which was true). However, God did not relent. I realized that keeping control of the money gave me an upper hand in the relationship, and God did not like it. So, I finally told John that I was not paying another bill or keeping track of the finances, so if he did not want us to go bankrupt, he would have to find time to do the bills! Later, he told me that God forcing this issue was one of the best things that ever happened to our marriage! Since that time, I really have no issues with money. He does most of the shopping and our finances have flourished. (Of course, tithes and offerings are a big part of our prosperity too). Giving up that control has given me so much freedom!
Try to think of some times in your life that your love for money controlled your actions and write them down.
Now repent for those sins. Ask for the blood of Jesus to cover them. Then, ask Jesus to go into the midst of your soul with his dunamis power to heal the wounds put on your soul from those sins.
Did these sins affect anyone else? Do the steps above again for that person (or people)!
Share below about how this devotional has helped you.
What other take-aways did you get from this devotional?
Have you been blessed by this ministry? If so, consider Partnering with us or making a One Time Gift! I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers!
Good stuff Jean! You answered one of my unasked questions—can we soak for others in “batches”. I figured as long as I’m going through my own soul healing I’d ask God to include the rather long list of people. I’m focusing only on me at this time, but if any of what I’m dealing with applies to members of our extended families and other close friends and others who are sick.
There are a couple of verses I started decreeing over a long list of people a few years back. And then I changed it to decreeing it over the entire world. I’ve thought about doing the same with soul healing. Haven’t done so yet. It wouldn’t take me any extra time. I guess I wanted someone else’s thoughts. Would love to know what you think. I think you think about your family while you’re soaking, right? So I’d maybe think about God being willing that none would perish?
Same exact story on bill-paying. Except it wasn’t God telling me. It was a “forced” switch. It has been so very good for both of us (and he agrees!).
Love of money. I’m so over that now, but oh man talk about idolatry from my teenage years to age 38ish. How I would love to re-do my whole life, only if I knew what I know now…or what I will know in 10 years!
Please pray for my tooth, I’ve got tiny holes in my molars and I’m sure God can heal me and give me a new enamel.