“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.”
Matthew 6:19-21
I don’t know about you but I love January. Let’s be honest though, the weather’s awful, next Christmas is a long way off, we’re all back to work or school after a lovely break — you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s a pretty bleak month. So, what exactly is so good about January I hear you cry! Well, for me it’s one thing: 21 days of prayer and fasting.
I love seeing our church family come together as one and cry out to the Father in prayer and worship, setting the tone for the year. This year, the Father has been speaking to me out of Matthew 6 and especially about storing up treasures in heaven.
I’ve been really challenged about the values of my heart and the fact that, while prayer is a big priority in January, if I’m honest the other 11 months look very different. You see, the Father and the treasures of heaven, in the form of prayer, are very much my focus in January and He’s been challenging me to focus on those things throughout the year and not just for this 21-day period.
What might this look like for us to seek the Father all year round with the fervour we have for 21 days in January?
CONSISTENCY
A good friend of mine who is a personal trainer always says, ‘Consistency is key’ and he applies this to his spiritual life as much as to the physical. Look at your busiest week and ask what’s the minimum amount of time you could spend with the Father in prayer, reading the Word or just soaking in His presence? Then, make that your goal for every week. When we consistently hit our goals it’s encouraging and we are more likely to carry on. If we set unrealistic targets on the other hand it’s easy to get discouraged and, if you’re anything like me, the person you find it hardest to have grace for is yourself!
USE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO YOU
There are lots of books on prayer which you may find useful. “How To Pray: A Simple Guide for Normal People” by Pete Greig is a great place to start. My favourite resource though? Our very own Devoted booklet which can focus your heart on the treasures of heaven that are there waiting for us to seek them out.
DRAW NEAR TO PEOPLE WHO PRAY
If there’s a prayer meeting, make it a priority. Before the start of every Sunday meeting, there is a group of people who gather to pray. Join them, whichever location you call home! We also gather regularly as a whole church to pray with our weekly Wednesday Morning Prayer Zoom and our monthly Revival Prayer meeting. Join us as we cry out to the Father with the desires of our heart. Being around powerful intercessors as they pray stirs my heart and focuses my attention on the heavenly realms, I’m sure you’ll find the same. To see all of our Prayer opportunities available, go to kingsarms.org/prayer
So, finally where are you storing up treasure? Your health? Career? Relationships? Hobbies? None of these things are bad by themselves, but they shouldn’t distract us from where the real eternal treasure lies and I don’t want the Father to only be front and centre for January.
Brothers and sisters, let’s all check our hearts and ask ourselves: Where am I storing up my treasures? If it’s with earthly things, how can I refocus my gaze onto the things of heaven?
Much love,
Tim Brown and the eFocus team