Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Money has a powerful and influential pull on the hearts and minds of people. In many cities, money - or the love of money (1 Timothy 6:10) is a great stronghold over the lives of people.
People who love money are driven in life by money and the desire for more of it.
In Luke chapter 12, Jesus gives considerable time to communicate on matters related to money. He shares the parable of the rich fool, who is so wealthy that he invests much wealth into creating new, state of the art barns to hold all of his wealth. He then falls into the trap of being deceived by his wealth and what he has amassed over life. He thinks to himself, it’s now time to take it easy and enjoy what he has. But little does he know that he spent his entire life amassing money and there is now no life left to enjoy it!
The Bible says that it's foolish to lay aside great wealth for yourself, and yet, not be rich toward God - who is the true source of life!
Now, God is not against wealth. Some of the world’s richest men have been God’s greatest servants.
Jesus continues to talk about provision. He says. “Look at how God has provided for nature, like birds and the fields. How much more are we worth to God than these?” In other words, don’t worry, trust God to meet your needs.
He then concludes with one of the most profound statements in the Bible –
“For where your treasure is there your heart is also”.
Most people read this incorrectly – they read ‘where your heart is there will your treasure be also’… meaning, what we are passionate about, committed to and what ‘tugs away’ at our heart is where we will send our money. But no! It’s the other way around. Wherever we put our money, our heart follows!
Money doesn’t follow the heart, the heart follows money.
That’s why it’s SO important to bring our tithe into the House of God. For our heart then follows it. Bringing our tithe into the House of God gives back to God what belongs to Him (i.e. the tithe); it resources Jesus' church and the preaching of the gospel of grace.
But it also causes us to become rich towards God.
Giving expands your heart. Your heart is what enables or disables you in life (Proverbs 4:23) The bigger the heart the more you can receive from God. As your heart becomes rich towards God, you will see the unlimited wealth of His Kingdom abounding in your life. (Ephesians 3:20)