Pursuing Treasure

I wish I could be perfect. But I am not. But I want to be. That's the reason Jesus hasn't given up on me.

I don't ever want to be a fence sitter. I would rather burn hot with passion for Jesus or cold due to negligence. In both conditions I am open to the Lord for encouragement and correction. However, if I just get by, think I am okay when I am actually messed up, I am a fence sitter, unteachable,  not correctable, and right in my own understanding. Jesus can't do a thing with that and he said he would spit me out.

Knowing this, I always want to be open to the direction of the Spirit, without excuse, when I study the Word. I can't decide that it is impossible to live what Jesus taught. I can't close my mind to it and say "I am only human". I can't decide that these are simply ideals. Jesus taught these things because they are the heart of the Father and so need to become my heart, through the transformation of the Spirit in me.

There are some basic things in our understanding that we are either missing, ignoring or neglecting. Here's a simple one:

“Stop collecting treasures for your own benefit on earth, where moth and rust eat them and where thieves break in and steal them. Instead, collect treasures for yourselves in heaven, where moth and rust don’t eat them and where thieves don’t break in and steal them." (Matthew 6:19-20)

Simple in instruction but majorly difficult in application in our current age. Don't gloss over this. Think about it for a minute. It is important because Jesus concluded this instruction with this truth:

"Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (v. 21)

We were designed to be a passionate people for the things of God. When we aren't, we become dull and distracted. There are plenty of things fighting for our attention. But everything here is temporary. They have no eternal value so we should not invest time and emotions into them. We enjoy them while we have them but when they are gone we don't mourn their loss.

It is more important for us to put our energy into people. We need to learn to love, not those who love us, but the difficult people, the ugly people, the self-centered people. We need to find passion to show kindness in the face of hate and patience in the tidal wave of disobedience. We have the challenge of being a living testimony to the goodness and glory of Yahweh. This means we never allow ourselves to be overcome by the things of this earth and instead allow the eternal things to shine through, like joy, peace, patience, kindness, love.

We can't use the excuse that we aren't perfect, just forgiven. This gives us a license to allow our flesh to reign instead of the Spirit. Our every waking moment should be filled with a desire to live for Jesus and not ourselves. Can you imagine what our lives would look like if we cherished the things of the Kingdom more than the useless temporary treasures of this earth? That is what we are suppose to be growing toward.

So seriously, what are your treasures? Don't be vague. Don't sit on the fence. Don't think you are okay. Make a list of everything that is important to you. Be honest. Then decide if you are following the directives of our King. If not, confess it and express your desire. Be open to change and invite the Spirit to change your perspective.

Sometimes The Best Answer Is The Simplest

The Word of God is a wonderful mystery that is revealed through the revelation of Jesus Christ. Jesus is key. Without the key the Bible appears to be a bunch of babble with archaic rules. With Jesus it becomes a testament to Yahweh's love for us and a thing that enters and changes us. Some days it appears like a mystery we will never grasp and other days it comes across like baby food, obvious and impossible to misunderstand.

Here is an example of one verse, eleven words, whose truth is plain but the application of which provokes great change:

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Luke 12:34)

I think you would attest to the truth of these words. They only make sense in the direct logic they convey. Simple. Straightforward. Easy to understand. Not much room to argue against it. The challenge is not found in the understanding of it but in the application.

Whatever you consider to be important will take priority in your life. You can tell your wife a million times that you love her but if she always comes last in your list of priorities, your true heart is revealed. If you tell your daughter she is important to you but every time she wants to talk you are too busy, your true heart is revealed. If you tell Jesus you love him, attend church but can't find any time for him the rest of the week, your true heart is revealed.

There is no getting around the truth of this statement.

If your car is your treasure, then your car will be getting your attention, time and money. If your xbox is your treasure, then your games will be getting your attention, time and money. You may try to find a girlfriend who likes gaming just as much as you but that's so you can spend time with your true love without feeling guilty. You can give Jesus all the excuses you want but you and I both know that you weren't that busy this week. The problem was that you were caught in the time trap of social media because that is where your heart is.

This is a significant issue that needs to be addressed because so many of us claim love for Jesus but our actions belie the true condition of our heart. Let me remind you again that our part of the covenant with Jesus is to love Yahweh with our entire being, to be consumed by him with even greater passion than when we are sometimes consumed by things of this world:

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. (Matthew 22:37)(Deuteronomy 6:5)

The point is, our treasure is suppose to be Jesus, not our car, xbox or even our girlfriend. His love is the priority, or at least should be. Take a lot around with me. Take a look at our fellow Christians. No judgement here, only observation. We may say with our lips we love him but our feet, hands and wallet tell us that our love has found a different treasure.

Take a quick inventory with me:

1. What one thing takes the greater portion of your time?
2. What one thing do you spend the most time thinking about?
3. What one thing do you spend the most money on?
4. What one thing consumes the greater portion of your energy?

Now, after answering these, where is your heart? What is your treasure? Could this be why Jesus seems so distant? Could this be why the Scriptures feel so cold? Could this be why nothing seems to be going right? Could this be why you seem so confused?

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

May the Lord be gracious, to open our eyes, to receive our confession and to restore our hearts to him. Purify us Lord. Make us as one with you. May there be power in the Church for the winning of the lost.