2007-08-24
Good Morning God's Treasures,
God really does treasure those who go against the temptations and evil of this world to endure as true believers in Jesus Christ. He knows this isn't always easy to do. In the last few weeks, we've been examining the issue of mammon. Originally intended to mean simply "material wealth, that which is entrusted to others" –a passive expression, its usage was changed by our worldly society to mean "that in which trust is placed"-a active expression. MT 6: 19-34, a part of Christ's Sermon on the Mount, deals with placing our riches in heaven (19-21), the light in the body (22-23), a discussion on God and possessions (24-34). Two places really pop out here: MT 6: 24, which tells us "You can't serve two masters, God and mammon," and MT 6: 33-34, "Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what He requires of you, and He will provide you with all these other things. So do not worry about tomorrow; it will have enough worries of its own. There is no need to add to the troubles each day brings."
We have been given clear direction on how God wants us to obey these commands. Time is a limited commodity in our lives, and our wise Lord knows that we must be trained to use this resource wisely and within His will for us to gain eternal life. RO 12: 1, "So then, my brothers, because of God's great mercy to us I appeal to you, Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His service and pleasing to Him. This is the true worship that you should offer." When we are occupied serving God in a way pleasing to Him, there are many blessings the come to us and other people who are benefiting from our service to God. For us, it comes against worrying about acquisition of material wealth and gives us "the peace that passes all human understanding" [PHIL 4: 7]. Remember the LK 17: 21b tells us "The Kingdom of God is now," Christ's own answer to the Pharisees asking when it would come. His clear meaning is that the Kingdom of God begins in the hearts of true believers. Because time and energy are limited resources, we are forced to prioritize what we do with them. It's something like a triage team in a trauma center after patients arrive injured in a big explosion. Each patient is examined, and medical care is given to those who need it most badly first. Our amazing God has made it clear that people are given the talent to serve in areas chosen by Him as needed. RO 12: 4-6a, "We have many parts in the one Body, and all these parts have different functions. In the same way, though we are many, we are one Body in union with Christ, and we are all joined to each other as different parts of one Body. So we are to use our different gifts in accordance with the grace that God has given us..." Some of these gifts are: youth leadership, missions, writing about the word of God, music, prayer, teaching, leading retreats, hospitality, worship, church leadership, and spiritual leadership, for example.
MT 6: 19-34 is a treasure trove of wonderful truths. It leads us to focus on the riches of heaven, those intangible phenomena that can benefit generations beyond our physical lives, while at the same time transcending the grave. If we are serving God as He would have us do, we are not wasting a drop of the blood that Christ shed for us on the cross. We are like the youth leader whose wise direction and godly example changes a rebellious young person into someone who can live a life of righteousness. One who can "Be holy, because I am holy" [LV 11: 44-45; LV 19: 2; 1 PET 1:16]. We can leave our physical lives behind in God's time with having increased His territory and impacted for good on earth. That godly person isn't spending his life worrying about acquiring material wealth, fame, power, or any of the other worldly things that mean nothing in God's eternal Kingdom. This godly person is not trying to ride the slippery slope of trying to make both God and mammon his masters, as Christ warns us not to do in MT 6: 24. I love the example of the birds in MT 6: 26-27, "Look at he birds flying around: they do not plant seeds, gather a harvest and put it in barns, yet your Father in heaven takes care of them! Aren't you worth much more than birds? Worrying won't add another day to your life." This writer is sorely convicted here. I have been a worrier who came from a family of worriers. God is telling me I must have the courage to be the one to change that, and I can tell you it's not easy breaking this old, well-worn habit. For years, I would say, "Well, I'm Jewish. Just look at the grumbling, complaining, and worrying my own ancestors did from the accounts in the Torah. It's built into the genes!" This is nothing more than an excuse for not obeying my Lord Yeshua [Jesus]. That's the bottom line, and our God is laying the truth out for all of us to see. This is not the first place to find this truth. It is found in the OT too. PS 145: 8-9, "You are merciful, Lord! You are kind and patient and always loving. You are good to everyone, and You take care of all Your creation." The Psalmist knew in his heart that God's grace is sufficient, and he wanted us to know that too.
It's hard for us to wrap it around our heads that God knows every detail of our lives and cares about them. Omniscience means He knows the content of our hearts, despite our thoughts to the contrary or efforts to hide it. MT 6: 32b, "...Your Father in heaven knows that you need these things [clothes, food, drink, and all basic needs]." PS 37: 23-24, "The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord. He delights is every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will not fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand." PHIL 4 :19, "And with all His abundant wealth through Christ Jesus, my God will supply all your needs." How much clearer can it be?
PRAYER: Dearest Father, we bow our heads before You, convicted of our worrying and lack of strong faith in Your promises. You make it clear to us, even in the limitations of our human perspective, that we need You to live the righteous life of peaceful, strong, and abiding trust in You. Faithful obedience comes at a cost to us, this You know. And yet we must endure that cost to gain eternal life with You. Nothing is more important to us, except helping others to come to the same goal. Paul aptly expressed this truth in PHIL 3: 8b-11. "...I reckon everything as complete loss for the sake of what is so much more valuable, the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have thrown everything away; I consider it all as mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ, and be completely united with Him. I no longer have the righteousness of my own, the kind that is gained by obeying the Law. I now have the righteousness that is given through faith in Christ, the righteousness that comes from God and is based on faith. All I want is to know Christ and to experience the power of His resurrection, to share in His sufferings and become like Him in His death, in the hope that I myself will be raised from death to life." Your word has told us point blank that You are a Promise-keeper. PS 138: 8, "You will do everything You have promised; Lord, Your love is eternal. Complete the work that You have begun." This plea is our plea to You. You are the only Source of goodness for this earthly life, and in utter humility and confession of past worrying, we place our trust in You. In Jesus Christ's mighty name, we pray. Amen.
Next week, I am led to continue discussing God's provision in our lives, as it relates to MT 6: 19-34-a crucial portion of Christ's Sermon on the Mount. In the meanwhile, we must meditate upon His most important provision of all-Christ's death on the cross for our salvation. I mentioned above the cost of discipleship. Imagine the cost that the Father, our Abba, paid in the sacrifice of His only begotten Son for us, even while we were His enemies [JN 3: 16; RO 3: 24-25; RO 5: 9-11]. IS 53: 5 [KJV], "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed." Those words, which my former rabbis withheld from me, are of a truth that pierces right through to our hearts. We can't take only the parts of the word of God that comfort us as truth; we must believe every bit of it. HE 4: 12, "The word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where the soul and spirit meet, to where the joints and marrow come together. It judges the desires and thoughts of man's heart." That does not mean that we must wander around in a morose frame of mind because we are sinners. What it does mean is the our Father loves us enough that both He and the Son have made our redemption, bringing us back to the Father's side in His own perfect time for a eternal life of sweet fellowship with Him and with each other, their primary priority [JN 6: 39-40; EPH 1: 4-5]. Let me end with PS 32: 1, "O, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight!" Yes, Dear Ones, all who are true believers really are God's treasures.
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn