Trusting God: Priorities, Treasures, and Spiritual Vision

Devotional

Day 1: Seek First the Kingdom of God

God calls us to prioritize His kingdom and righteousness above all our needs and desires. When we focus on seeking His rule and reign in our lives, He promises to provide for our every need. This is not a call to ignore our needs, but to trust that our Heavenly Father knows them and will take care of us as we submit to His authority. The pursuit of God’s kingdom is a pursuit of His presence, His will, and His ways, trusting that everything else will fall into place as we align our hearts with Him. [07:40]

Matthew 6:32-33 (ESV)
"For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are tempted to seek your own interests or security before seeking God’s kingdom? How can you intentionally put God first in that area today?

Day 2: Where Your Treasure Is, There Your Heart Will Be

The things we value most reveal the true condition of our hearts. If we store up treasures on earth—whether money, possessions, or status—our hearts will be tied to temporary things that can be lost or destroyed. But if we invest in heavenly treasures, our hearts will be anchored in what is eternal and unshakeable. God invites us to examine what we truly treasure and to shift our focus from earthly gain to kingdom purpose, becoming stewards rather than owners of all He has entrusted to us. [16:22]

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 “treasure” you are holding onto tightly? How can you offer it to God and trust Him with it today?

Day 3: The Eye is the Lamp of the Body

The health of our spiritual vision determines the direction and quality of our lives. If our eyes—our perspective and focus—are healthy and fixed on God, our whole being will be full of light, clarity, and purpose. But if our eyes are clouded by sin, wounds, or worldly desires, we become spiritually blind, stumbling in darkness and unable to discern God’s will. Jesus wants to heal our vision so we can see rightly, walk in the light, and store up treasures that last. [26:07]

Matthew 6:22-23 (ESV)
"The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!"

Reflection: Are there any areas in your life where your perspective has been clouded by past wounds or sin? Ask God to bring healing and clarity to your spiritual vision today.

Day 4: You Cannot Serve Two Masters

We are faced with a choice: to serve God or to serve money and worldly interests. Divided loyalty leads to anxiety, instability, and misplaced trust. When our peace and joy rise and fall with our circumstances or bank account, it reveals where our trust truly lies. God calls us to wholehearted devotion, trusting Him as our provider and master, so that we can live with open hands and hearts, free from the grip of anxiety and the illusion of control. [48:14]

Matthew 6:24 (ESV)
"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."

Reflection: In what ways do you find yourself torn between trusting God and relying on your own resources? What step can you take today to shift your trust more fully to God?

Day 5: Real Grace Trains Us to Renounce Ungodliness

God’s grace is not a license to continue in sin, but the power to live a transformed, self-controlled, and godly life. True grace teaches us to say no to worldly passions and to walk by the Spirit, producing fruit that reflects Christ’s character. When we surrender daily and allow the Spirit to lead us, we are empowered to break free from cycles of sin and to mature in faith, even when we stumble. God’s desire is to heal our brokenness, mature us, and fill us with His light so we can walk in freedom and truth. [38:30]

Titus 2:11-12 (ESV)
"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age."

Reflection: Is there a habit or pattern in your life that you have justified rather than surrendered to God’s transforming grace? What would it look like to let God’s grace train you in that area today?

Sermon Summary

In Matthew 6, Jesus calls us to a radical reorientation of our priorities and our trust. We all have needs—food, shelter, provision—and it’s natural to bring these before God in prayer. Yet, Jesus challenges us to see that our need is not our real problem. The deeper issue is where we place our trust and what we treasure most. God already knows our needs intimately; He is not distant or unaware. The real question is whether we are seeking first His kingdom and righteousness, or if we are anxiously striving after the things the world values.

Jesus warns us not to heap up treasures on earth, where everything is temporary and vulnerable. Instead, He invites us to store up treasures in heaven, to value what God values. This is not just about money, but about our hearts, our motives, and our willingness to be stewards rather than owners of all we have—our resources, our callings, our relationships. When we cling tightly to what we have, we reveal a lack of trust in God’s provision and a blindness to His kingdom.

The health of our spiritual “eye”—our perspective—determines whether our whole life is filled with light or darkness. If our vision is clouded by sin, wounds, or misplaced values, we will stumble, storing up the wrong treasures and calling evil good. Jesus calls us to radical honesty and maturity, to allow Him to heal our blindness so we can see and pursue what truly matters.

We cannot serve two masters. If our peace and joy rise and fall with our bank account or circumstances, we are trusting in mammon, not God. Jesus urges us to seek first the kingdom—to pursue His rule, His priorities, His righteousness above all else. When we do, He promises that all our needs will be met. This doesn’t mean a pain-free life, but it does mean a life anchored in the unshakeable goodness and faithfulness of God, who redeems even our pain for His glory.

Ultimately, the call is to examine where our treasure is and whether our spiritual eyes are healthy. Are we living by the Spirit, producing the fruit of love, joy, peace, and self-control? Or are we still clinging to the world’s values, justifying our blindness, and missing the freedom Christ has already purchased for us? God’s desire is to heal us, mature us, and set us free to live as children of light, fully trusting in Him.

Key Takeaways

1. God Knows Your Needs, But Wants Your Trust God is intimately aware of every need you have, even before you ask. The real issue is not whether He will provide, but whether you will trust Him enough to seek His kingdom first. Anxiety often reveals misplaced trust, and Jesus invites us to rest in the Father’s knowledge and care rather than striving for self-sufficiency. [05:12]
2. Where You Store Your Treasure Reveals Your Heart Jesus teaches that the location of your treasure—what you value and pursue—shows where your heart truly is. If you are storing up earthly things, your heart will be tethered to what is temporary and fragile. True security and fulfillment come from investing in the things of God’s kingdom, which cannot be lost or destroyed. [16:22]
3. The Health of Your Spiritual Vision Determines Your Path The “eye” is the lamp of the body; if your perspective is healthy and healed, your whole life will be full of light. But if your vision is clouded by sin, wounds, or worldly values, you will stumble in darkness, often calling evil good. Allowing Christ to heal your spiritual blindness is essential for discerning God’s will and living in the light. [26:07]
4. Grace Trains Us to Renounce Sin, Not Excuse It Real grace is not a license to keep sinning, but the power to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions. The Spirit of God enables us to crucify the flesh daily and live self-controlled, upright lives. Maturity means refusing to justify ongoing sin and instead allowing grace to transform our desires and actions. [38:30]
5. You Cannot Serve Two Masters—Trust in God Alone It is impossible to serve both God and mammon; your peace and joy will always betray where your trust lies. If your emotional state rises and falls with your circumstances or bank account, it’s a sign that your trust is misplaced. True freedom and provision come when you surrender ownership, become a steward, and seek first the kingdom, trusting God to add all you need. [48:14]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:10] - Reading Matthew 6:32-33
[02:30] - Our Needs and God’s Knowledge
[03:35] - Treasures on Earth vs. Treasures in Heaven
[07:13] - Context: The Sermon on the Mount
[08:11] - Motives in Good Works and Prayer
[10:16] - Stewardship: We Are Not Owners
[12:50] - What Is Treasure? Where Is Your Storehouse?
[16:22] - Earthly vs. Heavenly Value Systems
[18:54] - The Storehouse of the Heart
[21:23] - The Eye as the Lamp of the Body
[26:07] - Spiritual Blindness and Its Consequences
[32:46] - Grace, Sin, and Spiritual Maturity
[38:30] - Living by the Spirit, Not the Flesh
[45:45] - You Cannot Serve God and Mammon
[48:14] - Trust, Anxiety, and True Provision
[52:36] - Seeking First the Kingdom
[54:53] - Pain, Redemption, and God’s Goodness
[57:41] - The Fruit of the Spirit: Examining Your Eye
[60:21] - Healing, Freedom, and Maturity in Christ
[63:11] - Final Questions: Where’s Your Treasure? How’s Your Eye?

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 6:19-34 — (Primary text: treasures, trust, anxiety, seeking the Kingdom)
- Galatians 5:16-26
(Fruit of the Spirit vs. works of the flesh)
- Titus 2:11-12
(Grace trains us to renounce ungodliness and live self-controlled lives)

Observation Questions

In Matthew 6:19-21, what does Jesus say about where we store our treasure, and what does that reveal about our hearts?
According to Matthew 6:22-23, what is the significance of the “eye” being healthy or unhealthy?
In the sermon, what examples did the pastor give of “earthly treasures” and “heavenly treasures”? ([16:22])
In Galatians 5:19-23, what are the differences between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit?

Interpretation Questions

Why does Jesus connect anxiety about our needs with the issue of trust and what we value most? ([48:14])
What does it mean to be a “steward” rather than an “owner” of our resources, relationships, and callings? How does this change our perspective? ([10:16])
The sermon says, “If your peace and joy rise and fall with your bank account or circumstances, you are trusting in mammon, not God.” What does this reveal about the true object of our trust? ([48:14])
How does the health of our “spiritual eye” affect our ability to discern God’s will and live in the light? ([26:07])

Application Questions

The pastor said, “God knows your need, but wants your trust.” When you face a need, do you tend to trust God or become anxious? What is one practical way you can shift your focus from anxiety to trust this week? ([05:12])
Where are you currently “storing up” your treasure? Is there something you value or pursue that might be more about earthly security than God’s Kingdom? What would it look like to invest more in heavenly treasures? ([16:22])
The sermon challenged us to examine the health of our “spiritual eye.” Are there wounds, sins, or misplaced values clouding your perspective? What step could you take to invite Jesus to heal your spiritual vision? ([26:07])
The pastor said, “Real grace is not a license to keep sinning, but the power to say no to ungodliness.” Is there an area where you’ve been excusing ongoing sin or immaturity? How can you allow God’s grace to train and transform you? ([38:30])
Think about your emotional response to financial ups and downs or life’s circumstances. Does your peace depend on these things? What would it look like to surrender ownership and become a steward, trusting God to provide? ([48:14])
The fruit of the Spirit is evidence of a healthy spiritual life. Which aspect of the fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) do you sense God inviting you to grow in right now? What is one specific action you can take this week to cultivate it? ([57:41])
The sermon ended with two questions: “Where’s your treasure? How’s your eye?” Take a moment to honestly answer these for yourself. What is one area where you want to invite God to bring healing, maturity, or freedom? ([01:03:11])

Sermon Clips

God can do whatever with what's in your hand. But if I'm holding on to it as a steward, like an owner, when God tries to take it and do something with it, I might have a problem because I'm not open -handed. [00:11:26] (26 seconds) Edit Clip

When you come to Christ, when you truly experience God's grace, it teaches you to stop sinning. It teaches you to stop valuing what the world values, to stop storing up earthly pleasures and treasures, heaping up for yourself that what you think is going to fulfill you, but will end up killing you. And to store up for yourself the treasure of heaven. [00:33:25] (35 seconds) Edit Clip

If your grace that you have in your life from god is a gushy feeling you got at a service that makes you think you can do whatever you want and get grace and just have have your cake and eat it too you've missed the point real grace trains you to renounce ungodliness real grace trains you to live a self -controlled life. [00:38:48] (23 seconds) Edit Clip

How do we stop sinning? We die to our flesh and let the spirit live in us. And Romans 8 tells us that if you are living according to the spirit, your spirit is alive because of Christ, but your flesh is dying because of sin. But the same power that raised Christ from the dead is giving life to your mortal body. [00:39:49] (22 seconds) Edit Clip

How do you know if you're trusting in money more than you're trusting in god if your joy and your peace goes up and down with your bank account oh can i can i just say that you cannot serve god and serve money. [00:48:17] (25 seconds) Edit Clip

Because when you seek out submission to the one who gave it all for you, he will not hold back anything from you. He'll care for you. He'll make sure you're fed. He'll make sure you have clothing. Oh, sure. You'll walk through some pain. Your heart will break. Why? Why will your heart break? We live in a fallen world. [00:54:03] (39 seconds) Edit Clip

If you stumble and miss the mark, his grace is there for you. It's the willful continuance of sin when you've met the grace of God and the sacrifice of Jesus that makes you a liar. [00:34:01] (15 seconds) Edit Clip

You've been wondering God will I ever get free the answer is he already paid for your freedom what you need is to be healed so you stop justifying your victim mentality that keeps you in the cycle this happened to me this wasn't fair listen I have been there I've been that guy so tonight would you bow your heads with me I hope that the overwhelming truth that you hear tonight is there's a God who loves you paid the price to deliver you from the wages of sin and to set you free hard truth is designed for maturing and tonight God wants to mature us he wants to heal us. [01:02:13] (69 seconds) Edit Clip

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