Did you know that you can save up treasure in Heaven?

Jesus said in Matthew 6:19-21 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”

So, whats that mean? Well, do you have a piggy bank in your room? Maybe you’re putting money in it to save for something you want to buy like a new video game, doll, or lego set, you may not spend money on other things, like a candy bar or a soda because you want to save all your money for that new toy! Many people work only to buy more and more things, but when we die we won’t be able to take any of our things with us to Heaven.

Now, having “Stuff” isn’t a bad thing, but God wants us to be more interested in things that will last FOREVER! So you may wonder, “What will last forever?”

Our friendship with Jesus and friendships that we make here on Earth will be things that last forever. Just think, if you have a friend here on Earth and you tell them about Jesus and how He wants to save them from their sin too, and you help them to know Jesus, then you and they will be friends forever in Heaven!

Maybe you can play hide and seek, or build sand castles together on a beach, or even go exploring with them on some other planet! The more friends you take with you to Heaven, the more exciting it will be for all of you when you get there!

Besides the friends we will take with us, we can lay up treasure in heaven by doing other things like giving out tracts that tell people about Jesus or giving money to help send Bibles or missionaries to other countries so they can tell people about Jesus.  We can help older people we know with chores that may be too hard for them to do any more like taking out the trash, carrying in grocery bags, or mowing the yard.  You can put on a play about a Bible story for your family, or buy a Christmas gift for another kid whose parents can’t afford to get them anything this year . . .  you get the idea.

Jesus really just wants us to help each other and tell others how to get to Heaven, and by doing this He says He will reward us when we get to Heaven. He doesn’t really say what He will give us, but we can only imagine how wonderful a gift would be that God made special, just for us!

Now that you’ve heard about Heaven,
Jesus, and what He’s done for us so we can get there,
I hope you will trust Jesus with your life.

Remember all you have to do is believe and trust Him, talk to Him,
and try your best to do what you know is right so you can make Him proud.

Did you know that Christian missionaries brought the gospel message to the Fiji Islands almost two centuries ago? A few years back a European count visited the islands. He had heard of its beautiful girls, wild dances and pristine beaches. But when he got there he was sorely disappointed. The Fijians were modestly dressed and not partying like he had hoped.

The man complained to the tribal chief. He said that they never should have listened to the missionaries-that their message was outdated and boring. The chief looked at the count. He said, “Do you see that rock over there? Before the missionaries came, we would take people like you and cut off their heads on that rock. Then we boiled them, and ate them. So, you’d better thank the missionaries that they came and that we believed their message of the love of God. Because if it wasn’t for them, we’d have chopped your head off right now and you’d be boiling for dinner tonight.” What a great response!

In Matthew chapter 28, Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” The life of the people around you may not seem as barbaric as that of 200 years ago in the Pacific. But they are still living in darkness. We have the message of light. We have the message of Jesus Christ. It is our duty, and our privilege, to let them know that there’s a Savior who can liberate us from everything that enslaves us.

Moses left the children of Israel a legacy of faithfulness. He was obedient to God’s call on His life to free the Hebrew slaves and lead them to the Promised Land. Deuteronomy 34:12 says, “For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.” That’s a legacy!

In some ways, Moses reminds me of my dad. My dad received Christ at the age of 24 as a result of a missionary named Mr. Rogers. Only nine years later, my dad died. But what a legacy he left in those few, yet powerful, years! Mr. Rogers and my dad started local churches in nine towns outside of Buenos Aires, Argentina. He also built a chapel in each of those towns. In addition they held street and tent meetings – sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. My dad lived a life that left me, and those he touched, a legacy of faithfulness and evangelism. He shared the Good News up until the day he died.

We can all live a life that counts if we surrender to God’s call for us. God has glorious ministry opportunities in store for you and for me. He wants us to lead people into a relationship with Himself, setting souls free from sin and death. So, what kind of legacy will you leave behind? Will people remember you as one who evangelized?

When I was a young boy growing up in Argentina, I met a fabulous woman missionary named Theda Krieger. Theda was a single woman who directly and indirectly taught me and my 5 sisters how to win scores of people to Jesus Christ.

Through the years, it is said she and another missionary partner planted over 120 churches in Argentina. 120! They did this by connecting with children in neighborhoods and putting on Vacation Bible Schools. Through the children, they would get to know the parents.

Eventually, whole families were converted and began to attend church. Even though Theda, an American from South Dakota, is now in her 90s, she’s still serving the Lord in my home country.

Whenever I think about missionaries, it brings me back to the basic evangelism question: Why do we do what we do? We need to know the answer, so that our motivation is in line with what the Bible teaches.

Second Corinthians 5:12 says, “Christ’s love compels us because we are convinced that one died for all.” We share the Good News because we know and love God through Jesus Christ, that’s why. It is so thrilling that we want everybody to know Him!

Theda Krieger’s love for Christ gives her the motivation to share the Good News. May Christ’s love also compel you and me to be faithful in reaching your world, wherever that may be, till our dying day. Are you committed?