Jesus said, “for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” I fear that we, as highly blessed believers in America, have such a disconnect from first century Christianity. And I think it’s largely because we are richer than we can even conceptualize; certainly, far richer than the majority in our world. Such earthly riches often blind us to seeing heavenly treasures; and, if we’re not careful, can render us ineffective as the servants of Christ.
Our Lord taught that we must deny ourselves and take up our cross in order to follow Him. This is both practical and spiritual in its application. Practical, in that sometimes it will mean we have to literally forsake earthly treasure and influence; spiritual, in that much of the time we must be willing to die to our most base and selfish desires. One cannot count his earthly life dear unto himself and expect to be able to serve Christ, too. Either we serve God, or we serve mammon, there is no in between.