Treasure Hunt – Part 1

This week, Michael writes that 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 a "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" because 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?” There are no u-haul trailers hitched to the funeral Hearst on the way to the cemetery.

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:

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 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 spiritually destroyed with the things of earth that you love, or will your value system treasure godly 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.” (emphasis mine)

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 our flesh dwells 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, the devil, 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, much of Christianity has been watered down with the secular humanist 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.” So, what is the real treasure? 

Let's continue Michael's "Treasure Hunt" message in the next post.

In Christ, Brian