Building Up Your Heavenly Bank Account – How to Store Treasures in Heaven
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus offered a profound invitation: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” These words challenge us to rethink what we value, what we pursue, and where we place our hope. Earthly treasures fade—subject to rust, theft, and the passage of time. But heavenly treasures are eternal, seen and remembered by God, even when no one else notices.
So what does it look like to live for heavenly treasure?
How do you do that exactly?
Scripture gives us a beautiful roadmap through the life and teachings of Jesus. This guide explores eight biblical ways to store up treasures in heaven—not as a checklist, but as a lifestyle shaped by faith, love, and the Kingdom of God.
“For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.” Matthew 16:27 (NIV)
8 Ways to Store Up Treasures in Heaven
1) Give Generously and Anonymously
“But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” — Matthew 6:3–4 (NIV)
2) Connect with God with sincerity, not for show
“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” — Matthew 6:6 (NIV)
“But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” — Matthew 6:17–18 (NIV)
3) Put Trust in God, Be Rich in Good Deeds, and be Generous
“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.
In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” – 1 Timothy 6:17–19 (NIV)
4) Love Sacrificially
“But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.
Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.” — Luke 6:35 (NIV)
5) Suffer for Christ with Joy
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, becausegreat is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” — Matthew 5:11–12 (NIV)
“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.” – Hebrews 10:35 (NIV)
6) Be Kind
“And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” – Matthew 10:42 (NIV)
7) Work with All Your Heart
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,
since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” – Colossians 3:23–24 (NIV)
8) Make Disciples
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” — Matthew 28:19–20 (NIV)
9) Finish the Race
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day— and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
— 2 Timothy 4:7–8 (NIV)
Should You Desire the Rewards?
Jesus Himself answers this not by condemning the desire for reward, but by reframing it. He consistently encouraged His followers to live with eternity in mind and promised rewards not as bribes, but as affirmations of God’s justice and love. In Matthew 6, Jesus repeatedly says, “Your Father… will reward you”—not to manipulate us, but to remind us that our faithfulness is seen and valued by God.
The key difference lies in the heart’s motivation. When we obey God, give generously, love sacrificially, or suffer faithfully, our goal is not to manipulate God for personal gain. Rather, we are responding to His grace and promises with lives that reflect trust in His goodness. The reward becomes not the reason we serve, but the fruit of a faithful life.
C.S. Lewis put it well when he said, “We must not be troubled by unbelievers when they say that this promise of reward makes the Christian life a mercenary affair… The proper rewards are not simply tacked on to the activity for which they are given, but are the activity itself in consummation.”
In other words, heavenly reward isn’t about earning God’s favor—it’s about walking in relationship with Him, loving what He loves, and finding joy in pleasing Him. And in His kindness, God delights in rewarding His children, not because we’ve earned it, but because He is generous, just, and loving.
So no, it’s not wrong to desire the reward Jesus spoke of. In fact, to long for what He promises is a sign of faith. But our ultimate aim is not the reward itself—it’s to live in such a way that brings joy to our Father in heaven. The reward is just the echo of His “well done.”