Storing Up Treasure in Heaven Through Generosity and Faith

Devotional

Day 1: Storing Up Treasure in Heaven

Jesus teaches that true treasure is not found in earthly wealth, but in what is stored up in heaven through generosity and kingdom-minded living. Earthly riches are fleeting and vulnerable, but when you invest in God’s kingdom—through your finances, your time, and your talents—you are building a spiritual account that lasts for eternity. The heart always follows what you treasure most, so if your heart is set on God’s purposes, your resources will naturally flow toward building His kingdom. God is not impressed by the size of your bank account, but by the generosity and obedience you show in using what He has given you to bless others and advance His mission. [19:28]

Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV)
“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.”

Reflection: What is one way you can intentionally shift your focus from building earthly wealth to investing in God’s kingdom this week?

Day 2: Miracles Happen When We Place What’s in Our Hand into God’s Hand

When you offer what you have—no matter how small it seems—into God’s hands, He can multiply it beyond your imagination to meet needs and bless many. The story of the five loaves and two fish reminds us that what is ordinary in our hands becomes extraordinary in God’s. If you hold tightly to your resources, their impact is limited, but when you release them to God, He can use them to perform miracles and provide for others in ways you could never accomplish alone. The key is to trust God enough to let go and allow Him to work through your generosity. [30:37]

Matthew 14:13-21 (ESV)
Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Reflection: What is one resource, skill, or possession you are holding onto that you sense God is asking you to place in His hands for His purposes?

Day 3: Recognizing That Everything Belongs to God

Everything you have—your finances, your abilities, your very life—ultimately belongs to God, who is the true owner of all things. The earth and everything in it, including all people, are His, and He entrusts resources to you not just for your benefit, but so you can be a conduit of blessing to others. When you recognize that your possessions are not truly your own, it becomes easier to release them for God’s use, knowing that He is the source and sustainer of all you have. This perspective shifts your heart from ownership to stewardship, inviting you to partner with God in His work. [34:05]

Psalm 24:1 (ESV)
The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.

Reflection: How does viewing your resources as God’s property, rather than your own, change the way you approach generosity and giving?

Day 4: Faith to Trust God for What Only He Can Provide

Generosity is not just about giving what you already have; it’s also about having faith that God can provide what you do not yet possess, so you can be a greater blessing to others. God holds treasures in heaven and desires to release them through your hands when you trust Him and step out in faith. Sometimes, God will prompt you to make a commitment or pledge that is beyond your current means, inviting you to believe that He will supply what is needed in His timing. This kind of faith-filled generosity opens the door for God to do the miraculous, both in your life and in the lives of those you serve. [42:13]

Deuteronomy 28:12 (ESV)
The Lord will open to you his good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands. And you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.

Reflection: Is there an area where God is prompting you to trust Him for provision beyond what you currently have? What step of faith can you take today in response?

Day 5: The Heart of Generosity: Partnering with God to Bless Others

God’s heart is to meet the needs of people and advance His kingdom, and He chooses to do this by passing His resources through your hands. When you align your heart with God’s compassion and purpose, you become a partner in His work—feeding the hungry, supporting ministries, and bringing hope to communities. True generosity is not just about giving, but about joining God in His mission, trusting Him to use your offering to make an eternal impact. As you bring what you have and trust God for what only He can provide, you participate in miracles that change lives and store up treasure in heaven. [43:09]

2 Corinthians 9:10-11 (ESV)
He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

Reflection: Who is one person or ministry you can intentionally bless this week as a way of partnering with God’s heart for generosity?

Sermon Summary

Today, we gathered as a church family to focus on what it truly means to be Kingdom Builders—people who live with open hands, ready to invest in God’s purposes both locally and globally. Our journey began with a reminder that generosity is at the very heart of God’s kingdom. Through Kingdom Builders, we have the privilege of giving above and beyond our tithe, fueling the spread of the gospel and meeting needs we may never see with our own eyes.

We often know how to manage our earthly finances—saving, budgeting, investing for retirement—but Jesus calls us to a higher wisdom: storing up treasure in heaven. Earthly wealth is fleeting, but what we invest in God’s kingdom has eternal value. Jesus’ words in Matthew 6 challenge us to examine where our treasure truly lies, because our hearts will always follow our investments. God isn’t impressed by the size of our bank accounts or our ability to pass on wealth to the next generation. What matters to Him is how we use what He’s entrusted to us to build His kingdom.

To make this practical, I boiled it down to two questions: What’s in your hand, and what’s in God’s hand? Everything we have—our finances, talents, resources—are blessings from God, placed in our hands for a purpose. Yet, we often overlook or underestimate what God has already given us. Like the boy with five loaves and two fish, what seems small in our hands can become miraculous when surrendered to Jesus. The miracle only happens when we move what’s in our hand into God’s hand.

But generosity isn’t just about what we currently possess. It’s also about faith—believing that God can release what He holds in His hand through us. God owns everything: the earth, its resources, and every person. Sometimes, He asks us to trust Him for provision that isn’t yet in our possession, to make pledges or commitments that require faith in His ability to provide. When we do, we become conduits of His compassion and provision to a world in need.

Today, I invited each of us to listen for God’s voice: What is He asking you to place in His hands? What step of faith is He calling you to take, trusting that He will supply what only He can? As we respond, we participate in the miracle of building God’s kingdom, storing up treasure in heaven, and seeing lives transformed for eternity.

Key Takeaways

1. Surrender What’s in Your Hand Everything we possess—finances, talents, resources—are blessings from God, not just for our benefit but to be used for His purposes. When we hold tightly to what’s in our hand, its impact is limited. But when we surrender it to God, even the smallest offering can be multiplied for miraculous kingdom impact. The act of releasing what we have is an act of trust and worship, opening the door for God to do more than we could imagine. [23:28]
2. Faith Extends Beyond Our Current Resources True generosity isn’t limited to what we already have; it’s rooted in faith that God can provide what we lack. Sometimes God calls us to make commitments or pledges that stretch us, requiring us to trust Him for provision that isn’t yet visible. This kind of faith honors God, acknowledging that He is the ultimate source and owner of all things, and it positions us to witness His supernatural provision. [36:22]
3. God’s Kingdom Is Built Through Our Obedience God chooses to advance His kingdom by moving His resources through willing hearts and hands. Our obedience—whether in giving, serving, or stepping out in faith—becomes the channel for God’s compassion and provision to reach others. When we align our hearts with God’s priorities, we become partners in His redemptive work, storing up treasure in heaven that will outlast anything we build on earth. [42:13]
4. The Heart Follows the Treasure Where we invest our resources reveals the true desires of our hearts. If our hearts are set on God’s kingdom, our giving will reflect that priority. Conversely, if our treasure is tied up in ourselves, our hearts will drift from God’s purposes. Generosity is both a thermometer and a thermostat for our spiritual lives—it reveals our affections and shapes them as we invest in what matters most to God. [32:23]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[10:41] - Introduction and Series Overview
[11:52] - The Heart of Kingdom Builders
[12:19] - Two Buckets: Tithe and Generosity
[13:05] - The Miracle Offering Challenge
[15:14] - Lessons from Childhood and Money
[18:33] - Earthly Wealth vs. Heavenly Treasure
[19:28] - Jesus’ Teaching on Treasure
[21:05] - God’s Perspective on Wealth
[23:05] - Two Key Questions for Generosity
[23:28] - What’s in Your Hand?
[26:49] - The Feeding of the 5,000
[32:23] - The Heart and Our Treasure
[34:05] - What’s in God’s Hand?
[36:22] - Faith and God’s Provision
[40:07] - A Personal Testimony of Provision
[42:13] - God’s Resources Flow Through Us
[43:50] - Responding in Faith and Obedience
[45:23] - Invitation to Give and Pray
[47:54] - Closing Prayer and Blessing

Bible Study Guide

**Bible Study Discussion Guide: Kingdom Builders – Living with Open Hands**

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### Bible Reading

**Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV)**
> “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.”

**Matthew 14:13-21 (ESV)**
> (The Feeding of the Five Thousand – summarized in the sermon)

**Psalm 24:1 (ESV)**
> “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.”

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### Observation Questions

According to Matthew 6:19-21, what does Jesus say about the difference between earthly treasure and heavenly treasure?
In the story of the feeding of the 5,000 (Matthew 14:13-21), what did the disciples have in their hands, and what happened when they gave it to Jesus? [30:37]
What does Psalm 24:1 say about who owns everything in the world?
In the sermon, what two key questions did the pastor say we should ask ourselves when it comes to generosity? [23:05]

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### Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus connects our hearts to where our treasure is? What does this reveal about our priorities and desires? (Matthew 6:21)
The pastor said that what we have in our hands is a blessing from God, but its impact is limited if we hold onto it tightly. Why might it be hard for people to let go and trust God with what they have? [24:06]
In the feeding of the 5,000, the miracle only happened when the small offering was surrendered to Jesus. What does this teach us about the potential of what we consider “small” or “insignificant” in our lives? [31:01]
The sermon mentioned that true generosity sometimes means trusting God for provision that isn’t yet in our possession. How does this kind of faith challenge our normal way of thinking about giving and resources? [36:22]

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### Application Questions

The pastor asked, “What’s in your hand?”—meaning, what resources, talents, or finances has God already given you? Take a moment to list or name some things in your life that you might be overlooking as blessings from God. How could you use one of these for God’s purposes this month? [23:28]
Think about a time when you felt like what you had to offer was too small to make a difference. How might God want to use even your “five loaves and two fish” if you surrender them to Him? [31:01]
The sermon challenged us to consider not just what we have, but also what God might want to provide through us if we step out in faith. Is there something you sense God asking you to trust Him for, even though you don’t see how it’s possible right now? What would it look like to take a step of faith in that area? [36:22]
Where do you see your heart following your treasure? For example, do you find yourself more invested in things you spend money or time on? How might shifting your investments toward God’s kingdom change your heart and priorities? [32:23]
The pastor shared a story about making a pledge that was bigger than what he had, and then God provided in an unexpected way. Have you ever experienced God providing for you or someone you know in a surprising way? How did that impact your faith? [40:07]
The sermon said, “God’s kingdom is built through our obedience.” What is one act of obedience—big or small—that you feel prompted to take after hearing this message? [42:13]
Generosity is described as both a thermometer and a thermostat for our spiritual lives. In what ways do you think your current giving or serving habits reflect your heart for God’s kingdom? Is there a next step you want to take? [32:23]

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Sermon Clips

We live in a world driven by money, but what we don't know how to do very well is we don't know how to store up treasure in heaven. And this is what Jesus focused on. We know how to deal with money on earth, but do you know how to store up treasure in heaven? And today, that's what I want to talk to you about. How do you store up treasure in heaven? [00:18:47] (21 seconds) #StoreTreasureInHeaven

Jesus is not impressed with how much money you or me have saved up in the bank. He's not sitting in heaven nudging the Father going, Hey, Dad, check this out. Hey, God, check this out. I just want you to know, that guy down there, man, that guy stored up a lot of money in his bank account. Angels, come over here. Check this out. Look at him. He's going to open up his bank account. It's going to be amazing. Nobody's in heaven doing this. [00:19:57] (27 seconds) #HeavenValuesNotWealth

Because everybody in heaven knows this, that one day you die and none of it matters. You go, Oh, well, it's going to get past the next generation. Great. That is a blessing. There's nothing wrong with that. I love it. I'm trying to do the very same thing, and I have no problem with you doing that as well. But God's not impressed with both of those. He's not impressed with how much earthly wealth you've gained. [00:20:25] (22 seconds) #EarthlyWealthIsTemporary

Here's what God is applauding. Who stores up the most treasure in heaven? Because, see, that's the bank account God cares about. Because a bank account in heaven is totally different than a bank account on earth. The bank account in heaven deals with what you've done with your life that has built the kingdom of God in such a way that it adds value to a spiritual account that sits in heaven with your name on it. [00:21:02] (26 seconds) #KingdomBankAccount

I want all of your spiritual bank accounts to be in the positive. I want all of you to be storing up treasure in heaven because one day when you stand before the Lord, he's not going to open up your first national bank account or your pinnacle bank account or whatever bank you use. He's not going to open that up and judge you on that. He's going to open up the ledger of his spiritual bank account and he's going to look at your life and he's going to go, oh, wow, look at this. Look what you've done. And there's going to be incredible celebration in heaven because of the treasure that you've stored up in heaven. [00:22:09] (34 seconds) #PositiveSpiritualBalance

If the five loaves of bread and the two fish stay in the hands of the boy or they stay in the hands of the disciples, nothing amazing happens. But when it was brought to Jesus, incredible things began to happen. Bring it to me. See, once it was in the hands of Jesus, then miraculous things could start taking place. So when we put our offering, we put what we have in our hand into God's hand, then that's when miracles start taking place. [00:30:40] (29 seconds) #MiraclesThroughGodsHand

``What's the desire of your heart? Is the desire of your heart today to be a part of building God's kingdom? Because if it is, then what's in your hand has to move into God's hand. Because if it stays in your hand, it can't build the kingdom. It only builds the kingdom when it gets put back into God's hands. [00:33:21] (19 seconds) #KingdomBuildingFaith

Faith kicks in and it goes, I only have this amount, which is like a couple pieces of bread and two fish. God, I don't know how this is going to feed all these thousands of people. It makes no sense to me. But I'll give it to you. But then I'm going to trust you because I bring it to you. I'm going to trust that you're going to do something, not just with what I brought to your hand, but you're going to pour out treasure from heaven and you're going to release a miracle that's going to be greater than what I could ever be a part of. That is where faith comes in. [00:36:24] (29 seconds) #GodsResourcesThroughUs

How does God meet practical needs like hunger on planet Earth? How does God meet, like, disasters on planet Earth where people suffer through hurricanes? How does God meet those things? He has resources that are in his hands, and he puts them through your hands, and then we give them, and then food shows up. And then new housing shows up. And then resources show up. And then medical clinics show up. Because why? We have a compassionate God who holds things in his hands that he wants to pass through your hands to be a blessing towards others. [00:41:50] (29 seconds) #FaithPartnersInKingdom

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