"Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be." Luke 12:33-34 NLT

What are the desires of your heart? What things are of the greatest importance to you? If you're not sure, then do a quick inventory of what you spend the most time thinking about and the most amount of money on.

Is it the Kingdom of God? Jesus had just finished telling the crowd: "And don't be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don't worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need."

Sometimes I wonder if we remember that God already knows our needs. I wonder if we give any thought at all to his kingdom, let alone make it the desire of our hearts. It seems that we are all swept away in a world of materialism and pleasure, forgetting that we are just passing through. This world is not our home.

If the Kingdom of God was truly the greatest desire of our hearts, would we spend as much time dwelling on the petty stuff or worrying about our needs? Or would we spend our money more frugally, and give to those who are in greater need than we are?

When we make the Kingdom of God the priority of our lives, Jesus says that our Heavenly Father will give us treasures in heaven where they will never be lost or destroyed. It's time to reprioritize.

"Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. Jesus called the disciples to him and said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.'" Mark 12:41-44 NLT

Tax time has me thinking about money. I'm humbled by how God has provided for me over and over again. Everything I have proves his mercy. Yet, I wonder if he's pleased with my money management. I've tried to be frugal with my spending. I've set money aside in Savings. But... Have I given enough?

I sigh as I confess that there's nothing like the thrill of shopping. If I gave more, there would be less to spend.

But do I need all the stuff I buy? How much money do I need in Savings? Really? Hard questions... But I wonder if what we want is to have Enough, or to have More Than Enough. It goes back to the security issue, as well as the excess of our culture. Because it really doesn't take much money to keep a modest shelter over our heads, reasonable quantities of healthy food on our plates, and a simple wardrobe in our closets. The rest is surplus.

We can all make excuses for not giving more. I mean, I'm a single mother struggling to get by on a very small income. But when I think of the poor widow who gave all she had (not 10 percent), my excuses sound lame.

I feel led to do something new: I'm praying for opportunities to give to meet genuine needs (above my tithe). I'm wary of wolves in sheep's clothing, but I'm confident God will guide me where to invest in his kingdom.

"And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world--from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven." Matthew 24:30-31

Jesus is coming back. There's no question about that. The big question is when?

The first time Jesus came, the only ones who read the scriptures and understood that the time had come were the most unlikely: the magi from the East. The religious leaders who taught the prophecies were sure that a mere carpenter's son, born in a stable, couldn't possibly be the Messiah. And who can blame them?

There are those who feel that the second coming is in the not so distant future. But then people have believed this for centuries. Every generation believes they will see it, but only one will be right. Could it be us?

Jesus goes on to explain in Matthew 24 that only the Father knows when this event will occur, and that there is a very good reason for this nondisclosure: "So you, too, must keep watch! For you don't know what day your Lord is coming. Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected."

What if Jesus' return was imminent? How would that inform how you lived today? If you knew that he was coming soon, how would it change your perspective on your life, your work, and your wealth? Let's live like Jesus is coming soon. The clock is counting down.

"Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God's inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek." Hebrews 6:18-20 NLT

As we celebrate the atoning death of Jesus and his miraculous resurrection, the emphasis is often on the long-term benefit of our salvation with little thought to the implications for the present. With Jesus' sacrifice, he purchased our eternity with God. We are no longer condemned as sinners! This is something to celebrate!

But there were changes that went into effect immediately upon Christ's death. It was established in Leviticus 16 that once a year the High Priest would enter into the Holy of Holies and make atonement for the people through the sacrificing of bulls and goats. When Jesus died, he achieved this once and for all, and the curtain in the temple that separated the Holy of Holies was torn in two, from top to bottom. As if the hand of God had reached down and opened the door for us to enter into his presence.

We often take it for granted that we have immediate access to the throne of God through prayer. Wherever we are--whoever we are--we can communicate directly with the Creator of the Universe. We do not need to rely on a priest to annually make us right with God. Jesus hears both our confessions and our cries for help.

When we feel adrift in the chaos of life, we have this hope as "a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls." We are never alone. Jesus hears our prayers.