First, you have to think of it as treasure
If you don’t, it’s not worth your time
Your effort
Your endeavors
Jesus talked of the kingdom of heaven being like treasure
But if your eyes have not seen the treasure, there is no sense in finding it
How does The Kingdom become something we will treasure?
How does it become important to us so that we will search for the true riches of God?
The rich man chose his riches
One day he saw the emptiness of what he had chosen
We only hope it was before he died so he had a chance to follow Jesus,
to share his heavenly treasure here on earth
Judas chose 30 pieces of silver
Solomon was aware of the treasure of wisdom for he asked for it above all
The psalms and proverbs are filled
with silver and gold likened unto the purifying of the Lord,
the comparisons of earthly treasures to heavenly ones
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. Acts 3:6
So we go back to how do we learn to fully appreciate heavenly treasure?
Is it spending time in the word of God?
Is it hours of prayer?
Listening to sermons?
Listening for the still, small voice?
Obeying God?
What is it?
Even the answer is like hidden treasure we must find,
though all of those ways can be helpful,
they are not how we find the true riches of God
Thou hast lost they first love so because thou are lukewarm
and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth
Jesus encouraged them to buy from Him gold tried in the fire
that they may be rich
They obviously had not appreciated the treasure in heaven
Not sure what they were spending their time on, but it wasn’t the Lord
The gospel is hidden
It is not easy to find
Though it is out in the open
and most people can give you a simple run down of what the gospel means,
unless Jesus reveals to you His word,
who He is,
you will never see it
Jesus asked Peter, whom do you say that I am?
Peter said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God
There is no right answer to how do we learn to value Heavenly Treasure
Each person must work out their own salvation with fear and trembling
In other words, we all must meet Jesus and give our lives to Him here,
while we are on earth,
in order for our lives to count, in order to find the true riches of Christ
Each person must come to the decision to choose Christ, or not
to choose life or death,
to follow Him and live for Him
or to seek after earthly riches: money, possessions, love of man, fame, etc.
The call and timing is different for each of us
If you ignore the call He has on your life, if you push it aside,
you may become numb to it
If you had it, you know
If you refused it, you know
The Bible says the calling and gifts of God are irrevocable
It also says if you harden your hearts, you will not hear God
It’s all up to you
Nobody can explain the call to you, that is between you and God
The gift of salvation and walking with Him is an invitation for all
Even those who believe in predestination cannot know who will come
and who will not
That is why He told us to preach the gospel to every creature
The answer is in your hands
The answer is different for each of us because the call is individually for you
I implore you to seek the answer for your life as treasure
and let Him show you,
bit by bit as you can handle it,
let Him show you what He has for your life
“I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly”
Scriptural References:
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. Matthew 6:19-21
Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord. Jeremiah 9:23&24
And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. Luke 18:18-23
Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.
Matthew 27:3-5
And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king: Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like. 2 Chronicles 1:11&12
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 2 Corinthians 4:7
And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the Lord is his treasure. Isaiah 33:6
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Matthew 13:44
So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Luke 12:21
Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
Proverbs 8:10
The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts. Proverbs 17:3
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Revelation 3:15-19
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 2 Corinthians 2:9&10
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Philippians 2:12
For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Romans 11:29
While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. Hebrews 3:15
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10