This week, Michael writes
that Matthew 5 and 6 records Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount." The
theme of the Sermon on the Mount is that treasure not material treasures upon
earth, but instead spiritual treasures in heaven. Treasures on this earth will
corrode and pass away, but the eternal spiritual treasures in heaven will last
into eternity. The question is, What do you value most? Earthly
wisdom says to hoard earthly treasures because they have a short shelf
life. Everything we own wears out and loses its value. However, God
commands us to treasure treasures in heaven that will last forever. According
to 2 Corinthians 4:18, the things that are seen are temporal, but the unseen
things of the Spirit are eternal. Therefore, treasure treasures in heaven
for where your treasure is there will your heart be also. Men and women will
follow their hearts into eternity. The treasures of this earth are “dust
to dust and ashes to ashes”. That which is of this earth will be shaken
and burned. However, treasuring treasures of the Spirit of life in Christ
in us will last forever.
The greatest treasure is
acquired by the power of prayer. Prayer is where the Christian life is
lived. English Christian evangelist and author Leonard Ravenhill said, we
should learn to pray in "concentration camps." For thou wilt keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee. It's far
easier to rest without an answer until we learn to believe God according to the
power of prayer. Prayer is to believe God for the scriptures say, "whatsoever you ask in prayer, believing you
shall receive."
Humanistic worldly wisdom
teaches us to believe and act on things of the world that we don't understand.
We routinely use our electronic devices to send and receive information without
understanding the intricacies of e-mail and data communications. Likewise, God
doesn't ask us to understand how prayer works. He simply requires that we act
on prayer by believing andacting according to His Word.
Acts 6:24 says “No man
can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or
else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and
mammon.” You can't serve both the material things of this world and
the spiritual things of life in Christ. You are servants to whom you
obey.
The beatitudes, beginning in
Matthew 5:3, give the requirements
for those blessed of God. These “blessed” attitudes are cultivated by
maintaining communication with God in prayer. Prayer connects our heart with
God's heart. Prayer is aligning our heart with our Father's
heart. Prayer is "delighting ourselves in the Lord." When
our delight is His delight, then he will give us the desires of our heart.
Let's continue Michael's message on "True Treasures" in the next post.
In Christ, Brian
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