For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:34
What you value most is your treasure. Where you spend your time and your money is your treasure. Whatever dominates your conversation is what you treasure. What others know you for is a good indication of what your treasure is. Most Christians are quick to claim that God is their first priority. Yet often their actions reveal that their treasure is not God but things of this world. Some Christians find it difficult to discuss their relationship with God, but they can chatter easily about their family, friends, or hobbies. Some find it impossible to rise early in order to spend time with God, but they willingly get up at dawn to pursue a hobby. Some find it difficult to give an offering to God but readily spend lavishly on recreation. Some boldly approach strangers to sell a product, yet they are painfully timid in telling others about their Savior. Some give hundreds of hours to serve in volunteer organizations but feel they have no time available to serve God. If you are unsure of where your treasure is, examine where you spend your available time and money. Reflect on what it is you most enjoy thinking about and discussing. Ask your friends to tell you what they think is most important to you. Ask your children to list the things most valuable to you. It may surprise you to know what others consider to be your treasure. - Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day
What dominates your easiest of conversations? What are the most fluent at when it comes to your hearts desires?
Are you more bothered by what others say or do concerning God than you are about family, friends or the things of this world that interest you?
When someone says something intentionally derogatory about the Bible, about Jesus, or about God, does that bother you at all?
Do the sins that the word of God say should be abominable not phase you in the least?
Do the things that God’s Word says are sins not bother you to do?
Sin should bother us in all its ways. A single sin would have been enough to hang Jesus on that cross. All the sins of all human creation are what put Him there. His love for mankind and obedience to His Father held Him there.
Can you gladly spout facts and figures a plenty about celebrities, movies, television shows, sports figures, your hobbies, family and friends, yet struggle to make time to talk about what great things God has done for you?
Be honest, get real, is it an embarrassment to you to talk about your Savior?
He is our treasure. Not any of those other things. He is the one we live for. Not any of those things.
As I grow older I am learning some harsh lessons from Ecclesiastes. Vanity of Vanities all is vanity, striving after the wind. There's nothing new under the sun. That the fear (respect) of the Lord must be of higher responsibility than the wants and desires of my eyes, ears, mouth and stomach. That indeed if I want to gain anything in this life I must give it up. My life that is.
I am always going to be in a position to disappoint people. To disappoint my family and friends, coworkers, employers. If I do so by obedience to myself then that's a sin on me. If I do so in obedience to my Savior then that's on them.
In a small bit of earthly wisdom, and it's probably in Proverbs somewhere, pick your battles wisely. It does say to sit down and consider if your small army has what it takes to take on a larger one. If not, really consider asking for terms of peace before the battle begins.
What defines you? Are you more easily offended by family and friends about worldly things or by where they are in Christ?
Are you easily offended by, and cover it up with excuses, someone who offends your 'team's but not when they offended your Savior, your God?
Hate to break it to you but if you fly off the handle in zeal for a team or anything or anyone else but not showing anything when someone is speaking lies about God, you just showed yourself and the world who your god is.
If your work is all important then you will sew seeds of that in your marriage if you are, in loss of relationships with your spouse and if you have them your children.
If you have enshrined a passing family members things they left behind you are showing others who you have worshiped.
If your focus isn't on your relationship with Christ then your life isn't going to amount to much when, if indeed you are really saved, you see your treasure room in Heaven and find it practically empty.
Your health is important but it shouldn't be of a higher priority than obedience to Christ. Huh? Some are obsessed with it and have more zeal about it, than they do about telling others about what Jesus has done in their lives.
Remember Satan WILL use whatever we let him in order to distract us from worship and obedience to Christ Jesus.
He will distract us using everything at his disposal.
Everything from perceived love to hurt feelings over things that do not matter in light of Scripture.
Our relationship with Christ means that we will indeed face trials and tribulations, as promised by God's Word.
"Your word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you."
Not statistical data.
Not emotional weight.
Not anything this world has to offer or say about how to live life.
Look at what you value. If anything is higher than what you have in Christ, you have a problem. If anyone is higher than your relationship with Christ, you have a problem.
If you would rather offend God than those who you interact with, you have a problem.
If living for the pleasures of this world is what turns you on, you have a problem.
It's time, now, to take stock of just what is your treasure.
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