Where Is Your Heart?

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." -Matthew 6:21
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, where thieves do not break in and steal." -Matthew 6:19-20
What does that mean? It means, that as Christians, we have a choice. We can either worry about the next thing we want, or "need" all the time, and keep building up our "treasures" here on Earth; or we can start building up treasures in Heaven, and put more focus on that.
Storing up treasures on Earth is just a way of saying that all we are worried about is money. It becomes an idol to us, a master to us. All we want to do is spend money, make money, buy things, and we become a slave to the things we want and the money we make.
While money is essential to living these days (house, food, clothing, etc.) it doesn't have to be so materialistic. Enough is enough. Why can't we, as humans, be happy and feel blessed with what we have, instead of worrying about what others have got. Because we're humans, and that's our nature? There's got to be another way, 'cause it breaks my heart to see people (including myself, at times) living this way.
Storing up treasures in Heaven is a different concept. It means doing things for others, and for Christ. You don't think that the Almighty sees and knows everything? Yet, He gave us free will so we could make our own choices. He wants us to choose Him. Choose to show other people Him, tell other people about Him (remember, actions speak louder than words). By following Christ's example, and helping others, taking care of others when they need it,  doesn't matter if it's big or small, and showing others acts of kindness, compassion, and love, we can store up treasures in Heaven, by doing it out of selflessness.
Imagine the treasures that Heaven has. Look at what Earth has, then imagine how much greater, how much more amazing Heaven will be than Earth.
"No one can serve two masters. Either you hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to one, and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." -Matthew 6:24

Where you store up your treasure, there your heart will also be. Do you want your heart to be in God, or in money, and things of this world?
Where is your heart?

My Favorite Verses

Now, I love reading the Bible, and don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that any part is more important than the other. I just have some verses that are forever ingrained in my memory, and highlighted and reread over and over in my bible, and these are some.

• Genesis 1:1 - "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."
• Deuteronomy 6:4&5 - "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."
• Deuteronomy 31:6 - "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you."
• Joshua 1:5, 7, & 9 - "No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous... Be very strong and courageous... Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
• Ruth 1:16 - "Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God."
• Psalm 18:1-3 - "I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies."
• Psalm 23 - "The Lord is my shepard, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name's sake. Even though I walk through the vallet of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You annoit my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
• Psalm 32:7 - "You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance."
• Psalm 37:4 - "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."
• Psalm 118:24 -"This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it."
• Psalm 119:11 - "I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you."
• Psalm 119:34-36 - "Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart. Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. Turn my heart toward your statues, and not toward selfish gain."
• Psalm 119:105 - "Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."
• Psalms 139:13&14 - "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."
• Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."
• Proverbs 15:1 - "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh answer stirs up anger."
• Proverbs 15:8 - "The Lord detests the sacrafice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases Him."
• Proverbs 31:10-31 <3
• Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 "A Time for Everything"
• Song of Songs 2:2 - "Like a lily among the thorns, is my darling among the young women." <3
• Song of Songs 4:7 - "You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you."
• Isaiah 40:29-31 - He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
• Jeremiah 29:11 - "'For I know the plans I have for you', declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.'"
• Micah 6:8 - "He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To seek justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."
• Matthew 7:1-3 - "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye, and ignore the plank in your own eye?"
• Matthew 7:7 - "Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you."
• Matthew 22:37-39 - "Jesus replied, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
• John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."
• John 14:6 - "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me."
• Romans 1:29 - "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."
• Romans 3:23 - "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."
• 1 Corinthians 13:4-8  "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." <3
• 2 Corinthians 5:8 - "We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord."
• 2 Corinthians 12:8&10 - "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness... For when I am weak, then I am strong."
• Galatians 5:22-23 - "But the fruit of the spirit it love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."
• Ephesians 4:29 - "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
• Phillipians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
• 2 Timothy 2:11-13  - "If we died with Him, we will also live with Him; If we endure, we will also reign with Him. If we disown Him, He will disown us; if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for he cannot disown Himself."
• Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we cannot see."
• James 2:17 - "Also, faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."
• 1 Peter 1:7-9 - "These trials have come so that the proven genuiness of your faith -of greater worth than gold, which perishes though refined by fire - may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are recieving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

(:
These are just some of the ones highlighted, underlined, marked by, and written next to in my bible. I love many more, but these are some of my favorites. <3

"Where are you, men of courage?"

http://youtu.be/pkM-gDcmJeM
We were made to be courageous, and we're taking back the fight.
We were made to be courageous, and it starts with us tonight.
The only way we'll ever stand, is on our knees with lifted hands.
Lord, make us courageous.
The part of that song that gets me first is the question "Where are you, men of courage?" When we look at today's society, do we see men leading their families and communities with hearts full of God, or full of themselves? It takes courage to stand up and do something different than everyone else. But, as Christians, we are called to do JUST that. And as men, you are to listen to and follow God, and then lead us. That's how God made you.
Deuteronomy 31:6 says, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you, He will never leave you or forsake you."
Men of courage, it is time. Take. Your. Stand. Take back the fight.Don't you hear God's voice whispering that in your ear?
"The only way we'll ever stand is on our knees with lifted hands." When we turn to Him, and draw our courage from His strength and His word, it helps us stand up and make the changes that need to be made. The changes that need to be made in each of us, starting from the inside out. First our hearts, and that will overflow into our thoughts, words, actions, until others see and feel the change.
Men, you are to lead. Not by "watching from the sidelines", but by being the "warriors on the frontlines", working to change the world starting from your heart, to your home, to your church, and spreading it from there.
Don't let fear keep you from your generation being the one that finally breaks through to the people. Don't let fear keep you and your family from having a better quality of life in God. Isaiah 41:3 says, "For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, 'Do not fear, I will help you.'" Grab ahold of His hand tight, allow Him to lead you, and don't let go.
Micah 6:8 is featured in this song, and has a strong message that I have always loved.
It says, "He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To seek justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." Think seriously about what each of those things mean for a minute, just a minute. Seek justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with the Lord. You can do that. We believe in you. Granted, it's not the easiest road. You may be ostricized, criticized, rejected, rebuffed, and so forth at first. But you can't give up, you can't give in. This can't just be a temporary change because this ISN'T something that needs a temporary fix. There's got to be a difference. It's got to be a life change.
So, where are you men of courage? Where are the men that God has called for His purpose? Take back the fight.
Don't let the devil win over the minds and hearts of the people that we should be reaching out to for Christ. Don't let the devil get a foothold in your family, in your home. (Future or present, young and old men alike!)
You were called to do so much more than just stand back and allow the devil to run this world amuck.
Where are you, men of courage? I can't wait for the day when the men of courage stand and say, "We're right here, Lord, and we're not going anywhere. Where do you want us, what would you have us do?"

Men of courage - 1 Corinthians 16:13 : "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong."

We were meant to be courageous; Lord, make us courageous. Praying that earnestly over and over recently. Lord, make us courageous.

(If you haven't seen the movie Courageous, I more than strongly recommend it. If you want to learn more about being a man of courage, check out this website, and see below the resolution they made in the movie, and that men have been taking all over the country ever since, and there's always a book where you can learn more about how to be that kind of man... A bible.
http://www.menofcourageonline.com/
"I do solemnly resolve before God to take full responsibility for myself, my wife, and my children. I WILL love them, protect them, serve them, and teach them the Word of God as the spiritual leader of my home. I WILL be faithful to my wife, to love and honor her, and be willing to lay down my life for her as Jesus Christ did for me. I WILL bless my children and teach them to love God with all of their hearts, all of their minds, and all of their strength. I WILL train them to honor authority and live responsibly. I WILL confront evil, pursue justice, and love mercy. I WILL pray for others and treat them with kindness, respect, and compassion. I WILL work diligently to provide for the needs of my family. I WILL forgive those who have wronged me and reconcile with those I have wronged. I WILL learn from my mistakes, repent of my sins, and walk with integrity as a man answerable to God. I WILL seek to honor God, be faithful to His church, obey His Word, and do His will. I WILL courageously work with the strength God provides to fulfill this resolution for the rest of my life and for His glory."

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. —Joshua 24:15.)

We were meant to be courageous; Lord, make us courageous.