How Much Do You Own in That Direction?

Matthew 6:19-21
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Dr. George W. Truett was a great preacher who pastored First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas for 47 years. He pastor 47 years at this church and afterward Dr. W. A. Criswell pastored another 50 years or so. Only two senior pastors for a century. WOW!

Dr. Truett was once entertained in the home of one of the wealthiest oilmen in Texas. After dinner, the man took Truett up yo the rooftop patio of his home. Pointing to the field of oil derricks, he said, “Dr. Truett, that is all mine. I came into this country twenty-five years ago penniless, and now I own everything as far as you can see in that direction.”

He then turned in the opposite direction, and pointing toward waving fields of grain, he said, “It’s all mine. i own everything as far as you can see in that direction.”

He next tourney toward the east, pointing to a large herd of cattle… and then to the west, pointing to a great virgin forest that extended to the horizon… and each time he waved his hands and said, “It’s all mine.For twenty - five years i have worked hard and seed, and today I own everything you can see in any direction from my house.” The man paused at that moment, expecting words of admiration and praise from this preacher. Instead Dr. Truett laid his hand lovingly on his shoulder, pointed upward, and asked, “ And my friend, how much do you own in that direction?”


Good question for both the rich and the poor.

Jesus spoke in parable form concerning our falling into trap of seeking of things.

Luke 12:13-34
13 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.
14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?
15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?
25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Notice verse 20, “But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” The Lord calls the person who seeks after earthly things more than eternal things- A FOOL!
There are at least 6 reasons why Jesus considered this man a fool.

I. HE WAS CONCERNED ONLY WITH EARTHLY THINGS!
 
 A.  Earthly Things Can Lead Us Into A TRAP.
One can get to the place where no longer does a person possess things but things possess us! They begin to control our time, thoughts, emotions our entire lives.

B. Earthly Things Can Lead Us To In Them TRUST.

The fact is that earthly things can be lost at any moment, and the will never bring complete satisfaction in this life.

C. Earthly Things Are TEMPORAL.

2nd Corinthians 4:18 teaches us that things seen are temporal but things unseen are eternal. Everything we see with our earthly eyes will one day be finished, over, gone. We must live for the things we do not see. Today in America someone won a lottery worth 1.6 BILLION dollars. Truth is after that person dies that 1.6 billion dollars won’ be worth ONE DIME unless they choose to somehow connect it to eternal things.

II. HE CONSIDERED HIS EARTHLY GOODS HIS OWN.

Notice he he speaks with himself, he considers all his possessions as his own. We are not mature Christians when we consider all we have as ours. Everything we have belongs to the Lord- lock, stock and barrel. This man was a fool when he considered his earthly goods his own. He did not see his rightful place a stewart of God.

III. HE THOUGHT THINGS WOULD SATISFY HIS SOUL.

Verse 19 says, “ I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink and be merry. He thought things would satisfy his soul. If you have lived very long you have found that is not true!  If we get more money, a new car, more time off, more trips, more friends, bigger this better that, they will not completely satisfy. This world will never satisfy the heart of man, only CHRIST can !

IV. HE PLANNED FOR TIME NOT FOR ETERNITY!

Another reason Jesus calls this man a fool is he made many plans for this life and no plans for the life to come. The old adage, Eat, Drink and be Merry for tomorrow you die is one of the Devil’s lies. Because everyone will die in this world but as soon astray die here they will be alive elsewhere. No one ceases to exist, everyone will live somewhere for eternity. Bob Jones Sr. the great preacher of the last century said, “ The greatest thought that ever occurred to him was he was going to live somewhere forever.”

V. HE THOUGHT HIS SOUL WAS HIS OWN.

He addresses his soul as his own. Tis is the act of a FOOL! The biblical truth is we all belong to God by the right of creation. That does not me you are his or that you are going to heaven. Once you trust him you belong to Him by right of redemption and regeneration. It is never our soul and particularly after we have been purchased and cleansed by his blood. 1st Corinthians 6:19-20 teaches we are not our own.

VI. HE WAS NOT PREPARED TO DIE!

This is the most foolish thing a person can ever do.  Prepare for our  education,  careers, marriages, health, vacations, homes, retirements, and so many other things but not “ PREPARED TO MEET OUR GOD”.   And the only way to be prepared is to repent of our sinfulness and to receive Christ’s gracious payment for our sins on the cross! So many think they have plenty of time to make that decision yet the Bible teaches us that every time we put that decision off we harden our hearts more and more against the gospel. There will be people alive as I type this blog that in a minute or so that will leave this world in death. Someone will be tragically murdered, others will suddenly have a car accident, others will have massive stroke, many will suddenly have their lives end thinking they have plenty time to make to come to Christ! It is a most FOOLISH thing to not be prepared to die. Hell is full of people who thought they would have another opportunity to sense the Holy Spirit drawing them yet today their eternity has begun and their eternal destiny of separation from God will never end.

SEEK GOD FIRST AND THE THINGS YOU NEED (EARTHLY AND ETERNAL) WILL SEEK YOU!    
                                                                                             MATTHEW 6:33


Lets Pray : "Dear God, please give me the wisdom to keep my heart turned toward heaven and lay up treasures there rather than here on earth. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer Lord help me each day to live in such a way!