Matthew 6:19-21 (NKJV) “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.
A wise person is far sighted, and have eternity in perspective. The wise disciple is storing riches in heaven while the foolish is building their self-worth and serving mammon on earth. This disciple of Christ is living their life purposefully for the Lord. They have nothing to prove to man in order to earn their approval and acceptance. They don’t need earthly cheerleaders because their focus is on their ultimate cheerleader—God. They are waiting for Him to say the following affirmation when they finally meet the Lord face to face.
Matthew 25:21 (NKJV) His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
There is a big difference between someone who has built their identity on their self-worth and someone whose sole cheerleader is God during the storm in their lives. Having lost their job or in the midst of life’s transitions, the person who has based their identity on their self-worth will have their emotions all over the place as they feel rejected, insecure, and insignificant in the eyes of men. All of their cheerleaders have left them, and they will take a long time to get back onto their feet because there is plenty to process. In contrast, the person whose sole cheerleader is God is stable, having nothing to proof, is contented with life, and experiences peace and joy. They have the joy of the Lord as their strength, which comes from listening to the Word.
Their identity which is firmly established on the foundation of being a precious child of God will help him to stand up and keep walking. They will take refuge in God when they face the storm in their life, and seek His face regarding what to do in the next phase of life. Faith will arise within them when God speaks to them during their time of prayer of consecration. They will step out in faith to walk in God’s plan, and continue walking until they go to heaven. They have good relationships with their spouse and children even in the midst of their challenges. All these have to do with the kind of foundation that they have built in the good times. Therefore, be the wise person and build the right foundation, and walk in the new identity in Christ before the storm comes.
Sermon Series: He Came to Give You a New Identity (Part 2)
你的财富在哪里？
马太福音6:19-21 “不要为自己积攒财宝在地上， 地上有虫子咬， 能锈坏， 也有贼挖窟窿来偷； 只要积攒财宝在天上， 天上没有虫子咬， 不能锈坏， 也没有贼挖窟窿来偷。因为你的财宝在哪里， 你的心也在那里。”
智慧人有远见,并有永恒的视角。有智慧的门徒储存财富在天堂，而愚昧的人在世上为自己积累财富并事奉金钱。基督的门徒是有目的地为主而活。他不需要向人证明什么以获取他们的认可和接纳。他不需要这属世的啦啦队/支持者，因为他们专注于终极的啦啦队/支持者- 神。 当他们面对面地与主会面时，他们正在等待祂给予以下的肯定。
马太福音25:21 主人说： ‘好，你这又良善又忠心的仆人，你这不多的事上有忠心， 我要把许多事派你管理，可以进来享受你主人的快乐。
在人生的风暴中，把自己的身份建立在自我价值上的人和将神作为唯一的啦啦队/支持者的人之间存在着巨大的差异。当他们失去工作或处于人生过渡期时，那将他们的身份建立在自我价值上的人会因感到被拒绝、没有安全感和在人眼里无足轻重而感到无所适从。他们所有的啦啦队/支持者都离开了他们，他们需要很长时间才能重新站起来，因为有太多事情要消化处理。相比之下，将神当作唯一的啦啦队/支持者的人是稳定的，不需要证明什么，满足于生活，并经历平安和喜乐。他们以耶和华的喜乐为力量，就是从听道而来的。
他们的身份坚定地建立在成为神宝贵孩子的基础上，这帮助他站起来继续走下去。当他们面对生命中的大风暴时，他们可以投靠神及寻求神的面来决定人生的下一阶段该如何行。当神在他们做分别为圣的祷告时对他们说话，信心就会在他们里面兴起。他们将凭信心向前，走在神的计划中，并将继续前行，直到他们上天堂。即使在面临挑战的情况下，他们与配偶和子女的关系仍然很好。所有这些都与他们在顺境时所建立的根基有关。因此，做一个有智慧的人，建立正确的根基，在暴风雨来临之前行在基督里的新身份。
讲章系列：祂来给你一个新身份（第二部分）
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