TREASURE: Keeping our eyes on the right things!

"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field."

Matthew 13:44

Compare for a moment the difference between a mountain hiker and a pearl diver. The hiker is, for the most part, indifferent to the ground under his feet; whereas the pearl diver earnestly examines the ground under him.

That which can be easily obtained is appreciated little by those who obtain it. However, for those up to the task, the joy of obtaining that which requires effort is heightened by the promise of its possible possession.

It is part of the plan of God that His people undergo discipline by requiring they search for His hidden things in order that He may reveal still greater treasures.

Christianity, Illustrations,
Religion, Treasure

PERSEVERANCE: Washing Your Car to Success

"But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance."

Luke 8:15

It was a strange place to have a motivational poster … the Men’s Room at a car wash; then again who’s surprised at anything these days. The message read: “PERSEVERANCE … never give up for that is the place the tide will turn.”

The message is clear: “Keep on trying, you can make it, don’t quit. Persevere in reaching for the things the world offers, they are available to any who will try hard enough.” And you can do this while you’re having your car washed.

On the other hand, God also calls us to persevere; we’re to do this after we have received His free washing. But Jesus has said the tide will not turn unless you are born-again; unless you come to Him as a little child.

Christianity, Illustrations,
Perseverance, Religion

Materialism

The Paradox [Haggai 1:3-7, 9; other topics = Contradiction, Glory (God’s), Sanctification]

Have we not built taller buildings, but developed shorter tempers ; built wider roads, only to gain narrower views; purchased more, but possess little; spent more, and enjoy it less.

We’ve bigger houses, smaller families, and more conveniences, but less time to enjoy them; acquired degrees, with less wisdom; procured more knowledge, but abandoned common sense; groomed many experts, yet we’ve more problems; developed better pharmaceuticals, resulting in manifold health-phobias.

We’ve increased our possessions, but lowered values. We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life; we’ve added years to life, but not life to years. We love too little and hate too much. We’ve been to the moon, but not to our neighbors. We’ve conquered outer space, but not inner space; we clean the air, but pollute the soul; we’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice; we’ve higher incomes, but lower morals; we’re long on quantity, but short on quality.

These are times of tall men, with short character; Mt. Everest profits, and Dead Sea relations. We now have two parent incomes, giving us single parent children; elegant houses, but pathetic homes. This is a time when man has much in his catalogue, but nothing in his distribution center.
A paradox is a contradiction which retains its truthfulness. Relativism has brought the world to the brink of global government yet with an “emperor has no clothes” mentality.

We go ahead and buy what looks or sounds good even though we suspect in advance it’s a facade.

We receive God’s abundant blessings, yet discover we are poor managers of them; we credit ourselves for the gain, and then receive God’s chastisement doing so.


The Wise Woman’s Stone [Matthew 6:19-21 other topics - Perspective, Treasure]

A wise woman, while traveling in the mountains, found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she encountered a hungry traveler. The woman opened her bag to share what food she had but the hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked if he could have it. She gave it to him without hesitation.

The traveler left rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. A few days later, however, he returned the stone to the woman. ”I’ve been thinking,” he said. “I know how valuable this stone is, but I must give it back in the hope you will give me something even more precious. Give me what you have inside of you that enabled you to give me this stone.”

It’s not your possessions in this world that others need; rather it’s what you possess on the inside that they need.

[Author Unknown]

Treasure

The Big Rocks! [Haggai 1:6; other topics – Priorities, Idols, Lusts, Greed, World]

To make a point, a time-management expert gave his highly placed students a pop quiz. Taking a big wide-mouthed jar, he positioned it on the table in front of him. He then took several fist-sized stones and carefully positioned them in the jar until they reached the top. He then asked, "Is the jar full?"

Everyone looked at each other then, shrugging their combined shoulders, said, "Yes!" "Really?" He asked, as he pulled a bag of pea gravel from under the table. Taking the jar he cautiously poured gravel into the open mouth of the jar, regularly shaking it to get the gravel to settle. Again he queried, "Is it full?"

A voice from the back of the room whispered, "Probably not!" "Good," the expert said. This time he pulled out a child’s sand bucket and carefully poured sand into the open mouth of the jar, again shaking it to get the sand to settle. "Is it full?" He challenged.

"No!" A combined class voice responded. "Good," he said as he took the water pitcher from the table and filled the jar to the brim. "Is it full?" He inquired.

"It sure looks like it," replied several members of the group. "Not good," the teacher chided, as he took a sugar bowl from the table and scooped spoon after spoonful of the white crystals into the saturated sand mixture.

When the surface became clogged with sandy sugar, he gently shook the jar until it dissolved. He repeated this until the sugar bowl was empty. "What’s the point?" He prompted.

One zealous young executive blurted out, "No matter how full the schedule, there’s always room for more, if you try!"

"No!" The speaker shot out. "No! This object lesson teaches us two things: 1.) if we don’t put the big rocks in first, we’ll never get them in at all; and 2.) once the big rocks are in, an orderly introduction of everything else accomplishes more than a random introduction."

What are the big rocks of your life? God? Family? Ministry? Charity? Others? Dreams? Country? Education? Health? Or are your big rocks of your life the things of this world? The lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, the boastful pride of life?

If you sweat the small stuff you’ll fill your jar too fast, and with low priority things. Where your heart is there your treasure will be also. Where’s your heart?