Thursday, May 10, 2012

"What's in your Purse?"


Luke 12:38b "Sell your possessions and give to those in need.  This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes.  Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it."  

Click to show "Louis Vuitton" result 4It use to be that the treasures went into the purse, but with designer purses today, which are the new jewelry for women...the purse themselves have become the treasure.  But there is a purse that is more valuable than your Coach, Gucci, Prada and Luis Vuitton.  It's a purse designed by God and it's stored in heaven...but what's valuable isn't the purse itself...it's what's inside, this purse, that counts.  

Recently, my husband and I went to Los Angeles to tour a mission out there that ministers to those living in skid row.  We met with the woman who has been serving the LORD at this mission since 1944.  I love that she is elderly and still serving...I notice in Scripture that Jesus, the apostles, Moses, Abraham....they all served God until they died.  She said, "the LORD gave her calling at the age of 13...it was to feed the poor, heal the hurting and love the unloved."  

What's inside your purse today...I mean your heavenly purse?  

I wonder today what's in my purse in heaven.  Now, at times we are going to try and put things into our heavenly purse...that don't belong there.  Because the works we did where done with the wrong heart attitude.   We might do them to draw attention to ourselves...to receive the praise of men or just make ourselves feel good...but all of our works will be tested by God...and if they fail the test...they will be removed by fire.  

Corinthians 3:13-15  "...each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work.  If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward.  If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire."

The amount of the work isn't going to be evaluated (though that is important in regards to being obedient to what God has called us too).  Paul says the work will be tested to see what sort it is.  The LORD is concerned in why we do what we do.

Also, notice that the fire does not purify the worker, it tests their workmanship.  It's the finished work of Jesus on the cross that purifies the believer.  

Paul also referred to this testing in 2 Corinthians 5:10 that when our work is tested before the LORD, we will be rewarded according to what remans  "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. When our work is tested before the Lord, we will be rewarded according to what remains."

It's sobering to think that we could think we are serving God, but are actually doing it in an unworthy manner and in the end find that we had done nothing for the LORD.  Some will be saved, but with a wasted life.

Though I started talking about our purse in heaven...we need to finish with our heart down here on earth...for that is what will determine if we are storing treasures or fodder for the fire.

Luke 1:34 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Father, don't allow me to fool myself.  Would you examine my heart and reveal to me any areas that need to be changed.  Help me to walk in humility before You and serve You with the right motives.  When I'm tempted to serve to be notice...stop me.  When I'm tempted to serve just because I think it's expected of me...stop me.  When I'm tempted to serve to feel relevant...stop me.  Search my heart and reveal it to me so that I might repent and be right before You.  In Jesus name, amen.   

Blessings on your day,
Sharon

1 comment:

  1. Really good article...i liked it very much...keep posting...
    Estetik

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