"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."
There are two types of slavery prevalent in the world today: Slavery that is forced and slavery that is chosen. Forced slavery or "modern-day" slavery is commonly recognized in our culture as human trafficking, but it encompasses much more. Modern-day slavery can be found in forced labor, bonded labor, child labor, domestic servitude, forced marriage or sex trafficking, and affects an estimated 21 million people worldwide according to researchers. To ignore this epidemic is simply foolish and irresponsible, as people are enslaved against their will and subjected to atrocities we cannot begin to fathom. However, as we consider Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6:24, we must understand that forced labor is not the context of this particular message. As always, Jesus addresses the heart of man and focuses His attention on the epidemic of voluntary slavery that is chosen, not forced. James reminds us, "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death" (James 1:14-15). This truth is imperative to remember because the root of our enslavement begins with fleshly desires. We convince ourselves that ______ will satisfy our desires and strive to appease our insatiable hunger for personal fulfillment in a myriad of ways, because that is the essence of "the grass is always greener on the other side" ideology, and we fall victim to its lies more often than we care to admit.
James goes on to ask, "What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions" (James 4:1-3). As Christians, we cannot continue to ignore the fact that we are our own worst enemy in the fight against temptation. What we struggle with most is our discontentment with the Lord's provision, which manifests itself in our inability to find peace and/or joy in all things. Therefore, we must remind ourselves, "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire" (2 Peter 1:3-4). God has granted us everything we need to be content. Many people like to interchange happiness or prosperity with contentment, but the Lord guarantees no such thing in His Word for life lived here on earth. Pastors who teach prosperity doctrine (and ironically are some of the most popular pastors of the biggest churches in the world today) do as much a disservice to the church of Jesus Christ as atheists who vehemently oppose Biblical doctrine altogether, and that is why we must be on guard to recognize their heresy like a wolf in sheep's clothing, or suffer the consequences of buying into their "health and wealth" or "name it and claim it" ideology.
God's Word warns, "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths" (2 Timothy 4:3-4). When we consider how easily we are led astray by our own desires and cravings, it easy to understand why Jesus admonishes our servitude. We are simply too easily swayed by the lure of post-modernistic thinking in our world today. Similar to modernism which seeks truth through man's reason as opposed to the Bible, post-modernism seeks to redefine truth altogether—truth is not absolute but relative, and man is encouraged to invent whatever truth appeases his desire and inclinations. Post-modernism can be found in practically any form or facet in our culture. Look no further than how sexually-driven American culture has increasingly become over the last 60 years, and how lust, promiscuity and various forms of sexual perversion have infiltrated our homes, schools, communities, work-places and entertainment. No longer are we resistant to perversion, for the political arena of activists lobbying for sexuality equality and legal protection is tearing down the walls of Christianity and tempting Christians to justify and endorse such acts as acceptable in the eyes of God (shockingly, with great success!) Therefore, when Jesus affirms that a choice must be made as to whom we pledge our heart's allegiance, we cannot ignore our responsibility to choose whom we will serve and live out our decision accordingly. "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’" (Matthew 7:21-23).
The notion that Matthew 6:24 is simply a teaching on money which needs to be hammered into the minds of every Bible-believing Christian is simply irresponsible and misleading as well. Does Jesus use money as an illustration to prove a point? Yes. Is money a potential idol that can feed fleshly desires? Absolutely. However, money is not inherently evil in and of itself. "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs" (1 Timothy 6:10). Paul admonishes that it doesn't even matter whether we have money or not. Simply desiring it in our hearts for the false security it provides is enough to sway our devotion away from God because of idolatry. However, does that truth even strike a cord within us? Keep in mind, our culture has turned the word "idol" into a positive connotation. Look at the athletes and entertainers our children and youth idolize, and how accepting we are endorsing their "idolizing" under the justification that those who are most successful in this world are the ideal role models for our children. Have we truly lost our spiritual compass? What messages are we providing free and uninterrupted access to infiltrate our homes through music, television, smartphones, Internet, social media, etc.? Perhaps more convicting, what role have we personally played in modeling that behavior for our children? Keep in mind, none of us are perfect, but we must start owning up to the garbage we are feasting on for ourselves and feeding to the next generation, if we expect change to occur in the world around us.
In the end, it is a love or hate decision, not a love/hate dilemma. Far too often, we refer to our sin in the context of love/hate. In other words, we love the momentary satisfaction we receive from the object of our desires, but we do not hate it enough to put an end to it. So if a man struggles with lust, greed, power or position, and does not put discipline and boundaries in place to prevent and prohibit him from returning to his sinful desire, he will return to his object of servitude and tighten the shackles of slavery he bound himself to in the first place. Where we must connect the dots is looking back to the beginning of Jesus' sermon on the mount when He said, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted" (Matthew 5:4). While commonly used as a word of encouragement to those who mourn the loss of a loved one, the true context of Matthew 5:4 is to exhort those who grieve over their sin. Therefore, when we love or hate our sin as opposed to love/hate, we draw a clear line of distinction that is intentional and discerning. And because we know our tendencies, we are able to practically institute methods of spiritual amputation which put a stop to the entry points temptation exploits when we're vulnerable. For we must not just turn away from sin waiting for the storm to pass, but shift our attention off selfish desire and onto Christ, because He alone can provide the peace and joy we seek at the core of our being. "The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires" (Romans 13:12-14).
Sunday, January 15, 2017
Sunday, January 8, 2017
Matthew 6:22-23 (Devotion)
"The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!"
In a culture fueled by visual stimulation through countless media outlets and forums, Matthew 6:22-23 is indeed an enormous pill to swallow. It is a tremendous platform to identify how the church of Jesus Christ is suffering mightily at gaining self-control over lust of the eyes. Countless men and women struggle to find contentment in their marriage, employment, home, family, personal appearance, net worth, purpose in life, physical health, spiritual well-being, etc., and the eyes play a significant role in this battle. "For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world" (1 John 2:16). Far too often, we fail to realize how the majority of temptations we face first begin through our eyes. Look no further than our children as proof that what a child first sees is then repeated and emulated. In theory, if the behavior they see is healthy, we need to reinforce it with affirmation and encourage repetition. However, if we feel the behavior is inappropriate, we must admonish and correct it before it becomes habitual. That is why Scripture affirms, "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6), yet many of us can look back upon the history of our lives and see where proper training fell short or was simply non-existent. Seeds of deception and false security took root at an early age, and we have since struggled mightily to gain some semblance of self-control through the years.
Considering the most popular personal temptations we face, how often do we turn away from that which we know leads only to sin? First, we must recognize our weaknesses. If we cannot pinpoint who or what our temptation is, when and where it occurs, how it manifests itself, and why we fall victim to failure, we will never gain self-control over our sin. Second, we must recognize the source of temptation in our lives. Often times, we look outside ourselves with the intent to point our fingers at something or someone external who is the cause of our shortcomings. To admit we are our own worst enemy forces us to acknowledge we are not perfect, but sons and daughters of Adam born into sin. That is why Scripture declares, "Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God,' for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death" (James 1:13-15). Admission is always the first step we must take if we desire healing and restoration from the bondage of sin in our lives, because it recognizes who the source of failure is. However, admission is only effective when we desire heart change and freedom. Similar to the faith/works metaphor, we cannot be content to admit we are sinners with no intent to change our behavior. For if we confess our sin but immediately return to it, are we not fooling ourselves by thinking we are changed simply because we admitted we have a problem?
Confession is a critical factor in the process of change and restoration. Once we admit we have a problem, we can take the next step by confessing our sin to God and those we have directly sinned against. But is that truly enough? For instance, if a man admits he is an adulterer and confesses his sin to God and his wife, does that mean he is changed? It depends completely on what happens next. If he continues to cheat on his wife, then we must recognize that true heart change never occurred to begin with—he simply went through the motions to appease his judge and jury to either minimize or completely escape the consequence of his actions. Keep in mind that confession is only one step in the process of repentance and not an all-encompassing end in and of itself. The proof is in the fruit. "Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water" (James 3:12). In other words, whichever seed is planted in our hearts—sin or righteousness—will take root, grow, and bear a specific and identifiable fruit. We can attempt to manipulate the external appearance of the fruit to deceive others, but our hypocrisy will be revealed the moment our core is exposed. For example, if true heart change was identified only as an apple but the fruit we produced was an orange, there would be undeniable proof that change did not occur. The proof is found at the heart level, for Scripture declares, "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? 'I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds'" (Jeremiah 17:7-10).
The beauty of Jesus identifying the eye as the lamp of the body is to emphasize that choices can be made. We have free will to choose what we allow our eyes and hearts to dwell upon. That does not ignore we have a sin nature planted in us at birth, but it does allow us to gain victory over sin before temptation takes root and fills us with darkness. Jesus earlier proclaimed in His sermon on the mount, "If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell" (Matthew 5:29-30). Therefore, if our eye, our hand, or whatever else causes us sin, we must be ready and willing to amputate in order to save ourselves from destruction altogether. The challenge comes in justifying healthy portions of our behavior to offset unhealthy ones. A man who struggles with attaining success and status at his place of employment can justify his workaholic behavior because he has to provide for his family; or a youth who struggles with addiction to pornography can justify keeping his computer because he needs it for school; or a woman who struggles with gossip can justify her behavior because she is the prayer coordinator at church. Jesus said, "Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!" (Matthew 18:7). Therefore, it is imperative we take ownership over the condition of our heart's darkness and allow the light of the Spirit to illuminate our way of escape unto righteousness, as opposed to allowing darkness to shine forth from our hearts to corrupt and pollute others.
What we must embrace is honesty, for a man or woman who is not willing to be brutally honest will continue to live in deception. If we struggle identifying our heart's condition, perhaps we should consider the following scenarios in order to understand and gauge how easily our eyes are compromised when we allow opportunities for darkness to take root.
In a culture fueled by visual stimulation through countless media outlets and forums, Matthew 6:22-23 is indeed an enormous pill to swallow. It is a tremendous platform to identify how the church of Jesus Christ is suffering mightily at gaining self-control over lust of the eyes. Countless men and women struggle to find contentment in their marriage, employment, home, family, personal appearance, net worth, purpose in life, physical health, spiritual well-being, etc., and the eyes play a significant role in this battle. "For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world" (1 John 2:16). Far too often, we fail to realize how the majority of temptations we face first begin through our eyes. Look no further than our children as proof that what a child first sees is then repeated and emulated. In theory, if the behavior they see is healthy, we need to reinforce it with affirmation and encourage repetition. However, if we feel the behavior is inappropriate, we must admonish and correct it before it becomes habitual. That is why Scripture affirms, "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6), yet many of us can look back upon the history of our lives and see where proper training fell short or was simply non-existent. Seeds of deception and false security took root at an early age, and we have since struggled mightily to gain some semblance of self-control through the years.
Considering the most popular personal temptations we face, how often do we turn away from that which we know leads only to sin? First, we must recognize our weaknesses. If we cannot pinpoint who or what our temptation is, when and where it occurs, how it manifests itself, and why we fall victim to failure, we will never gain self-control over our sin. Second, we must recognize the source of temptation in our lives. Often times, we look outside ourselves with the intent to point our fingers at something or someone external who is the cause of our shortcomings. To admit we are our own worst enemy forces us to acknowledge we are not perfect, but sons and daughters of Adam born into sin. That is why Scripture declares, "Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God,' for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death" (James 1:13-15). Admission is always the first step we must take if we desire healing and restoration from the bondage of sin in our lives, because it recognizes who the source of failure is. However, admission is only effective when we desire heart change and freedom. Similar to the faith/works metaphor, we cannot be content to admit we are sinners with no intent to change our behavior. For if we confess our sin but immediately return to it, are we not fooling ourselves by thinking we are changed simply because we admitted we have a problem?
Confession is a critical factor in the process of change and restoration. Once we admit we have a problem, we can take the next step by confessing our sin to God and those we have directly sinned against. But is that truly enough? For instance, if a man admits he is an adulterer and confesses his sin to God and his wife, does that mean he is changed? It depends completely on what happens next. If he continues to cheat on his wife, then we must recognize that true heart change never occurred to begin with—he simply went through the motions to appease his judge and jury to either minimize or completely escape the consequence of his actions. Keep in mind that confession is only one step in the process of repentance and not an all-encompassing end in and of itself. The proof is in the fruit. "Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water" (James 3:12). In other words, whichever seed is planted in our hearts—sin or righteousness—will take root, grow, and bear a specific and identifiable fruit. We can attempt to manipulate the external appearance of the fruit to deceive others, but our hypocrisy will be revealed the moment our core is exposed. For example, if true heart change was identified only as an apple but the fruit we produced was an orange, there would be undeniable proof that change did not occur. The proof is found at the heart level, for Scripture declares, "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? 'I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds'" (Jeremiah 17:7-10).
The beauty of Jesus identifying the eye as the lamp of the body is to emphasize that choices can be made. We have free will to choose what we allow our eyes and hearts to dwell upon. That does not ignore we have a sin nature planted in us at birth, but it does allow us to gain victory over sin before temptation takes root and fills us with darkness. Jesus earlier proclaimed in His sermon on the mount, "If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell" (Matthew 5:29-30). Therefore, if our eye, our hand, or whatever else causes us sin, we must be ready and willing to amputate in order to save ourselves from destruction altogether. The challenge comes in justifying healthy portions of our behavior to offset unhealthy ones. A man who struggles with attaining success and status at his place of employment can justify his workaholic behavior because he has to provide for his family; or a youth who struggles with addiction to pornography can justify keeping his computer because he needs it for school; or a woman who struggles with gossip can justify her behavior because she is the prayer coordinator at church. Jesus said, "Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!" (Matthew 18:7). Therefore, it is imperative we take ownership over the condition of our heart's darkness and allow the light of the Spirit to illuminate our way of escape unto righteousness, as opposed to allowing darkness to shine forth from our hearts to corrupt and pollute others.
What we must embrace is honesty, for a man or woman who is not willing to be brutally honest will continue to live in deception. If we struggle identifying our heart's condition, perhaps we should consider the following scenarios in order to understand and gauge how easily our eyes are compromised when we allow opportunities for darkness to take root.
- A man watches a football or basketball game and the camera zooms in on the cheerleaders or dance team for 10-15 seconds.
- A woman goes out to dinner with her quiet and disengaged husband and is easily distracted by the sight of other couples engaging in conversation.
- A youth attends a party and witnesses his friends drinking alcohol and encouraging him to indulge despite being underage.
- A couple sits down and watches a movie laced with perverse language, nudity, sex, violence, etc.
- A woman flips through a beauty or clothing magazine and compares herself to models who portray a certain image she desires.
- A man disengages at the end of a long day to play video games rather than spend quality time with his family.
In each scenario, we see how temptation is woven into the reality of life where choices we make can easily lead to darker paths. They key is paying particular attention to what we expose our eyes to and how we avoid tempestuous situations altogether, or respond unto righteousness when avoiding the situation is not an option. For just as Job said, "I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin? What would be my portion from God above and my heritage from the Almighty on high?" (Job 31:1-2), we must also decide to hold firm to our confession of faith and application of God's Word regardless of circumstance. Job could easily have thrown in the towel when all he treasured in this world was stripped from him, but he chose to obey the Lord and decide not to allow eternal influences (calamity, irrational feelings or poor counsel) to sway his judgment. Giving account to the Lord on judgment day was more important than momentary satisfaction by giving in to fleshly desires to escape or blame-shift. What we must learn from Job's example is that stress, anxiety, fatigue, disappointment, frustration, etc., all have the power to alter our vision when temptation is given more consideration and dishonorable habits and vices provide a momentary escape from reality in an attempt to ease or dull the pain. For being "comfortable" or "happy" is not our purpose in life—being content in the Lord's will and provision for our lives is! Therefore, we must maintain proper perspective and understand that if we allow our eyes to become lazy and unguarded, our body will be corrupted and darkness will have free reign to compromise all that Jesus shed His blood to destroy. "Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it" (1 Corinthians 10:12-13).
Sunday, January 1, 2017
Matthew 6:19-21 (Devotion)
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
The greatest treasures we can ever find are those which have infinite and unequivocal value. The Bible speaks of many, highlighting their importance in the life of a Christ-follower. Treasures such as faith, hope and love echo sentiments Paul shares in his letter to the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 13:13). Integrity, character and sound speech are highly encouraged in Paul's letter to Titus (Titus 2:7). Moreover, Paul esteems the fruit of the spirit to the Galatians, which holds immense value in the church of Jesus Christ to this day. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23). In many cases, treasures abound to those who seek them with determined focus and unwavering humility, but pride can easily interfere and distract our attention if we allow ourselves to become frustrated or impatient. Therefore, it is imperative we distinguish which treasures we should focus our attention upon and why the heart is the most critical factor in determining our future. Jesus clearly taught, "Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander" (Matthew 15:17-19). As a result, we must be ever mindful to not only guard our tongues, but focus our attention on the root issue which feeds our fleshly behavior.
If there was ever a summary verse that depicts the battle between good and evil, heaven and the world, it would be Matthew 6:19-21. The reference to "treasures on earth" speaks to the intoxication of worldly pleasures, while "treasures in heaven" points to spiritual blessings which have infinite, eternal value. How then are we to reconcile when worldly treasures such as money aid the pursuit of Christianity in the world? There are countless churches and ministries who depend upon the financial support of faithful stewards, but are more dependent on the condition of man's heart far more than we realize. The key to understanding this distinction lies not in the treasures themselves, but in man's attitude at the heart level. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains it this way: "Our Lord is concerned here not so much about our possessions as with our attitude towards our possessions. It is not what a man may have, but what he thinks of his wealth, what his attitude is towards it. There is nothing wrong in having wealth in and of itself; what can be very wrong is a man's relationship to his wealth. And the same thing is equally true about everything that money can buy." Similarly, Jesus taught, "There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him" (Mark 7:15). In other words, if we are serious about gaining control of our lives and living for Christ the way we should, we cannot blame the things of this world for our problems. Yes, circumstances (both fairly and unfairly) create cause-and-effect scenarios every day of our lives, but they do not define us. How we react or respond to a given situation is an opportunity to gauge our spiritual temperature and determine what adjustments we need to make.
Love of money is not our only earthly treasure to guard against. Love of status, position, praise, honor, etc., all have the ability to sway our allegiance away from God and onto temporary satisfactions. It is imperative we highlight the distinction between temporary and permanent. Treasures that are temporary are subject to deterioration and destruction, just as Jesus highlights in His examples of moths and rust. Eventually, they will expire in one form or fashion. What we must realize is that permanent treasures differ from permanence altogether. For example, a man who lives for himself, abuses and takes advantage of others, and sows seeds of dissension, animosity and hatred will certainly receive a permanent "reward" (i.e. judgment) for his actions. That is not to be misconstrued as treasure though. Permanent treasures exist to glorify God, not self, and build upon the foundation of salvation Jesus paid for by His blood. Therefore, when we invest our time by volunteering to serve at a shelter or visit widows and elderly, we lay up treasures in heaven. When we mentor youth in our communities through educational programs or participate in foster care or adoption, we lay up treasures in heaven. When we love our spouses by providing honesty, trust, stability, spiritual leadership and wise stewardship, we lay up treasures in heaven. When we teach and admonish our children with Godly discipline and discernment, and sacrifice personal hobbies in lieu of quality time with them, we lay up treasures in heaven. Bottom-line, when we utilize the gifts, talents and resources God has blessed us with to impact the world in the name of Jesus Christ, we lay up treasures in heaven.
The idea of deterioration due to moth or rust is not the only reality we must guard against. Jesus warns us to lay up treasures in heaven where thieves are unable to steal. It is fairly easy to think of instances where physical possessions fall victim to theft or destruction, but what of our emotional, relational or even spiritual well being? Are we naive to believe theft only comes in physical form? Regarding spiritual warfare we face daily, Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly" (John 10:10). In actuality, Satan cares nothing for the treasures of this world. His focus is utilizing worldly pleasures to enslave us according to our fleshly passions and quiet the Spirit's conviction. That is why a young woman who sacrifices her virginity under the false security of a man's love is crushed when he ends the relationship; or a man who lives for his job is lost when a promotion passes him by or downsizing results in unexpected unemployment; or a youth seeking acceptance is willing to cast aside his/her morals and values in order to fit in culturally. Once Satan establishes a stronghold within our hearts, it is impossible for us break free apart from the Holy Spirit's power. That is why God's Word reminds us, "For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds" (2 Corinthians 10:3-4). The minute we realize who our enemy truly is, we can begin to guard our hearts from theft and destruction and lay up treasures in heaven.
Scripture compels us with this absolute promise: "If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you" (Romans 8:11). Knowing this is true, how can we who identify ourselves as Christians allow anyone or any circumstance to steal our joy? We have assurance that "the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one" (2 Thessalonians 3:3). Therefore, if we sow seeds of righteousness and in turn, lay up treasures in heaven, our hearts will not be so easily overcome by the enemy. Our countenance and character will not be compromised nor our faith, trust and hope in the God of our salvation be broken. For opportunities abound to lay up treasures on earth despite the Spirit's conviction, because the pull of temptation is overwhelming at times. When we are worn down by stress and fatigue, falling back on our vices (immoral/wicked behavior) is appealing, comfortable, and momentarily satisfying, even when we know it's wrong! But as quickly as the climactic "rush" wears off, the realization we have sinned and essentially placed our bets on the things of this world comes flooding in like a tidal wave of conviction. In those moments, we must remember who we are IN CHRIST. The Bible affirms, "You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men" (1 Corinthians 7:23). Therefore, we cannot allow ourselves to adopt false ideology which assumes God is okay with us choosing enslavement to sin over the freedom He freely offers by grace through faith. "For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God" (Deuteronomy 4:24), and we are required to choose whether we will serve Him by laying up treasures in heaven, or serve our flesh by laying up treasures on earth.
The greatest treasures we can ever find are those which have infinite and unequivocal value. The Bible speaks of many, highlighting their importance in the life of a Christ-follower. Treasures such as faith, hope and love echo sentiments Paul shares in his letter to the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 13:13). Integrity, character and sound speech are highly encouraged in Paul's letter to Titus (Titus 2:7). Moreover, Paul esteems the fruit of the spirit to the Galatians, which holds immense value in the church of Jesus Christ to this day. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23). In many cases, treasures abound to those who seek them with determined focus and unwavering humility, but pride can easily interfere and distract our attention if we allow ourselves to become frustrated or impatient. Therefore, it is imperative we distinguish which treasures we should focus our attention upon and why the heart is the most critical factor in determining our future. Jesus clearly taught, "Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander" (Matthew 15:17-19). As a result, we must be ever mindful to not only guard our tongues, but focus our attention on the root issue which feeds our fleshly behavior.
If there was ever a summary verse that depicts the battle between good and evil, heaven and the world, it would be Matthew 6:19-21. The reference to "treasures on earth" speaks to the intoxication of worldly pleasures, while "treasures in heaven" points to spiritual blessings which have infinite, eternal value. How then are we to reconcile when worldly treasures such as money aid the pursuit of Christianity in the world? There are countless churches and ministries who depend upon the financial support of faithful stewards, but are more dependent on the condition of man's heart far more than we realize. The key to understanding this distinction lies not in the treasures themselves, but in man's attitude at the heart level. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains it this way: "Our Lord is concerned here not so much about our possessions as with our attitude towards our possessions. It is not what a man may have, but what he thinks of his wealth, what his attitude is towards it. There is nothing wrong in having wealth in and of itself; what can be very wrong is a man's relationship to his wealth. And the same thing is equally true about everything that money can buy." Similarly, Jesus taught, "There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him" (Mark 7:15). In other words, if we are serious about gaining control of our lives and living for Christ the way we should, we cannot blame the things of this world for our problems. Yes, circumstances (both fairly and unfairly) create cause-and-effect scenarios every day of our lives, but they do not define us. How we react or respond to a given situation is an opportunity to gauge our spiritual temperature and determine what adjustments we need to make.
Love of money is not our only earthly treasure to guard against. Love of status, position, praise, honor, etc., all have the ability to sway our allegiance away from God and onto temporary satisfactions. It is imperative we highlight the distinction between temporary and permanent. Treasures that are temporary are subject to deterioration and destruction, just as Jesus highlights in His examples of moths and rust. Eventually, they will expire in one form or fashion. What we must realize is that permanent treasures differ from permanence altogether. For example, a man who lives for himself, abuses and takes advantage of others, and sows seeds of dissension, animosity and hatred will certainly receive a permanent "reward" (i.e. judgment) for his actions. That is not to be misconstrued as treasure though. Permanent treasures exist to glorify God, not self, and build upon the foundation of salvation Jesus paid for by His blood. Therefore, when we invest our time by volunteering to serve at a shelter or visit widows and elderly, we lay up treasures in heaven. When we mentor youth in our communities through educational programs or participate in foster care or adoption, we lay up treasures in heaven. When we love our spouses by providing honesty, trust, stability, spiritual leadership and wise stewardship, we lay up treasures in heaven. When we teach and admonish our children with Godly discipline and discernment, and sacrifice personal hobbies in lieu of quality time with them, we lay up treasures in heaven. Bottom-line, when we utilize the gifts, talents and resources God has blessed us with to impact the world in the name of Jesus Christ, we lay up treasures in heaven.
The idea of deterioration due to moth or rust is not the only reality we must guard against. Jesus warns us to lay up treasures in heaven where thieves are unable to steal. It is fairly easy to think of instances where physical possessions fall victim to theft or destruction, but what of our emotional, relational or even spiritual well being? Are we naive to believe theft only comes in physical form? Regarding spiritual warfare we face daily, Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly" (John 10:10). In actuality, Satan cares nothing for the treasures of this world. His focus is utilizing worldly pleasures to enslave us according to our fleshly passions and quiet the Spirit's conviction. That is why a young woman who sacrifices her virginity under the false security of a man's love is crushed when he ends the relationship; or a man who lives for his job is lost when a promotion passes him by or downsizing results in unexpected unemployment; or a youth seeking acceptance is willing to cast aside his/her morals and values in order to fit in culturally. Once Satan establishes a stronghold within our hearts, it is impossible for us break free apart from the Holy Spirit's power. That is why God's Word reminds us, "For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds" (2 Corinthians 10:3-4). The minute we realize who our enemy truly is, we can begin to guard our hearts from theft and destruction and lay up treasures in heaven.
Scripture compels us with this absolute promise: "If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you" (Romans 8:11). Knowing this is true, how can we who identify ourselves as Christians allow anyone or any circumstance to steal our joy? We have assurance that "the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one" (2 Thessalonians 3:3). Therefore, if we sow seeds of righteousness and in turn, lay up treasures in heaven, our hearts will not be so easily overcome by the enemy. Our countenance and character will not be compromised nor our faith, trust and hope in the God of our salvation be broken. For opportunities abound to lay up treasures on earth despite the Spirit's conviction, because the pull of temptation is overwhelming at times. When we are worn down by stress and fatigue, falling back on our vices (immoral/wicked behavior) is appealing, comfortable, and momentarily satisfying, even when we know it's wrong! But as quickly as the climactic "rush" wears off, the realization we have sinned and essentially placed our bets on the things of this world comes flooding in like a tidal wave of conviction. In those moments, we must remember who we are IN CHRIST. The Bible affirms, "You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men" (1 Corinthians 7:23). Therefore, we cannot allow ourselves to adopt false ideology which assumes God is okay with us choosing enslavement to sin over the freedom He freely offers by grace through faith. "For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God" (Deuteronomy 4:24), and we are required to choose whether we will serve Him by laying up treasures in heaven, or serve our flesh by laying up treasures on earth.
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