Treasure Hunt
As Christians, we often ask ourselves, “What’s going on in our world?” The answer is in where the world places its treasures. What is it that you value most? What is the basis of your value system? What’s your definition of success? Popular preachers preach about the “prosperity gospel” and material blessings of the “more abundant life.” However, the Apostle Paul, when he was in the midst of trials and tribulations said, “none of these things move me.” After being shipwrecked and beaten on the island of Malta, he said “we had a prosperous journey.” This is the essence of the true “prosperity gospel.” The prosperity is that “thy strength is made perfect in my weakness, thy grace is sufficient for me.” According to Mark 8:36, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
According to Matthew 6:19-21, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
Verse 19 has an unusual construction in the Greek text. The word “treasure” is used both as a verb and a noun. It literally reads, “Treasure not treasures upon earth…instead, treasure treasures in heaven…for where your treasure is there will your heart be also.
What is it that you value? Where is your heart? Will your heart be destroyed with the things of earth that you love, or will your value system treasure treasures in heaven? Treasures in heaven have an eternal weight of glory.
2 Corinthians 4:7 says, “But we have this treasure (the spirit of God in Christ in us) in earthen vessels (our natural body and soul nature,) that the excellency of the power (of the Holy Spirit) may be of God and not of us.”
The power of the spirit reconciles us back to God so that we can have the peace of God which passes worldly understanding. The power of the spirit reminds us that in my flesh dwelleth no good thing….but that there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit.
The adversary has turned the hearts and minds of our nation away from the truth of the Word of God. Americans values different things today than in years gone by, when America identified itself as a Christian nation… as one nation under God. Today, so-called Christianity has been watered down with the doctrines of this world. According to Colossians 2:8, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 says, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
Only two things from this earthly life will last: our eternal spirit of life in Christ and the lives of those who have been born again of God’s holy spirit by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. The material things of this world will come to naught. They are here today and gone tomorrow…they will take wings and fly away.
Hebrews 12:25 and following says, “See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
26. Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear (awe, respect, reverence and love.) 29. For our God is a consuming fire.”
The treasures of this world are the things that can be shaken. That which is shaken loose shall be burned. That which cannot be shaken are treasures in heaven.
Men of this world want to see the mighty works of God, but they don’t understand the holiness of God. Holiness means to be set apart for the purpose that God intended. Those who are ready to turn from the treasures of earth and instead treasure treasures in heaven, are those whom God will save according to the truth of His word of salvation.
It’s not the wrath of God that calls men to salvation. Rather, the goodness and love of God woos men to turn away from the things of this world and unto the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the one who loved me and gave himself for me. The mercy, grace and love of God calls men to repentance. This is the good news of the gospel of grace that God has committed to us. As ambassadors for Christ, we pray you in Christ’s stead be ye reconciled to God. This is our mission and our co-mission. In other words, Give ’em heaven!
May we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace, Your brother in Christ, Michael