In reality, I didn’t really care if I bagged
anything or not; I just enjoyed being out in the great outdoors. Now my
shooting skills had vastly improved in the military; carrying an M60 machine
gun, firing 7.62 mm rounds, made it less challenging for me to dial in my
target with belts of ammo strapped across my chest. I was an expert shot with a
.38 caliber, but anything larger than that I was terrible. It was easier using
an M79 40mm grenade launcher with a kill zone of over 10 yards. I was "prepared
and ready" for war at 19, but I wasn’t prepared for eternity. It was for me a
twist of irony that many young men were drafted and forced to serve in Vietnam;
I, on the other hand, volunteered to go, trained for it in Special Forces, and
never made it overseas! To this very day, I thank God that He spared me from
experiencing actual combat and the horrors of war, and I gave up on hunting.
I was in the doctor’s office the other
day; it seems as if I have been going quite frequently of late, getting older
can be an ugly thing! While waiting on the doctor to come into my room, I saw a
collection of antique miniature cars in a glass case; most of these replicas of
vintage automobiles were dated before my time with one slightly edging into my
generation. There was a brass placard that said, “In memory of...” For some odd
reason, this reminded me of the aim of my faith.
If those miniature replicas in that
display case actually represented the kind of cars this name on the placard
possessed, he had to have been independently wealthy. Now why these model cars
were being showcased in the doctor’s office I am unsure. To tell you the truth
I forgot to ask the doc when he came in; we had gotten down to medical business
post-haste the moment he walked through the door.
Beverly was with me, and we both were
wondering why this collection was on display in one of the examination rooms. Was
this man a generous and thankful patient at one time, a friend of the doctor’s family?
This man had obviously invested a great deal of money toward his passion. This
should not be considered a strange thing. Most people have hobbies and collect
all kinds of things. Some achieve notoriety because of their hobby. I don’t
want to come across as if I am judging or being too harsh on this man who had
passed away, but whether he was a Christian or not, the first thing I told
Beverly as soon as I saw the placard, “I don’t want to be remembered by some
personal collection. There’s no eternal glory in it.” I was thinking about spiritually
aiming too low in life.
A hundred years from now, barring the return of the Lord, that
collection will probably have already been given away or sold. Maybe the cars will be sold over the
internet or given to someone’s kids; who knows. Depressing? It sure is if
your life consists of accumulations. So much
self-esteem is wrapped around things these days which is not surprising either
since we live in a material-driven culture. Jesus warned us in Lk 12:15,
“Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not
consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."
During His Sermon on the Mount discourse He talked about the
true location of the heart,
Mat 6:19, NLT Don't store up treasures here on earth, where
moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.
Mat 6:20, NLT Store your treasures in
heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and
steal.
Mat 6:21, NLT Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
Depending upon the
context, treasures (Gk, thēsaurós, G2344)
can refer to money or other things we treasure (Mt 6:19, 21), or it can refer
to an actual place of safekeeping (cf. Mt 6:20;13:52).
Notice the
certainty of Jesus’ words of something or someone getting at our treasures: moths, rust, or thieves. Should
we decide to deposit our treasures in some storehouse on earth, we will lose
them one way or another one day; it’s just a matter of when not if. I suppose
death is the biggest thief of all. We are separated from our loved ones and
possessions, leaving it all behind to someone else. Jesus is reminding
us that the only longevity or security of our financial assets or valuables
on earth are those placed in the treasury of heaven. Since we can't literally put them in there, it has more to do with what we do with our money and other valuables. Do we use them for the Lord or for ourselves? Those things done in the will of God go into the treasury, not the trash.
We get that, but the problem is we
cannot make any withdrawals from the bank of heaven, only deposits, and prayer
takes too long and is uncertain. With our money kept at the ready or invested in
earthly things, we at least have a certain measure of “control” over our
financial portfolio; so why would we shift from having a “hands-on” feel to a
financial plan to where our treasures on earth have more of an upward purpose?
This is where Jesus gets right to the heart of the matter as He usually does,
“Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” (Mt 6:21, NLT).
God wants our
treasure to be Him (Mk 12:30)! If that is a reality in our lives then wherever God is there our hearts will be... Today, we think it is wise to diversify our
portfolio, not putting all of our eggs in one basket. Though there is wisdom in that strategy, spiritually it is unwise; we need to put all of our eggs in God. He in turn will bless our diversification of funds. Jesus knows the heart better than any man (Jn 2:24, 25; Jer 17:10), Jesus could declare,
“Show me the location of your treasures, and I will show you where your heart
is.” Are we like David, a man or woman after God's own heart? O, Yahweh, may we be where you are at all times!
Wasn’t it Jesus
that said that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Lk 6:45).
All you have to do is listen to someone speak long enough, and he or she will
reveal what’s really important to him or her, what dominates their mental
landscape. This treasure may or may not be money. You heard the old adage; one
man’s trash is another man’s treasure, but wherever it’s located, there is the heart of that
person. Is it a heart for the everlasting God or a heart for the neverlasting things that are outside of His will?
Is there really anything
wrong with having money, education, and the trappings of worldly success? No, if
it is God's will for you, which will always be according to the teaching of
Scripture; there is absolutely nothing wrong with being financially comfortable
or loaded and having a degree or degrees, but it would be a mistake to believe it is God’s will for all believers,
“Name it and claim it.” To be clear it is not
God’s will for every believer to be rich (cf. Php 4:11, 12, 13, 19; Psa 37:25) or highly educated.
Listen to what Solomon, the wealthiest and wisest man in the Bible, had to say about being
wealthy,
Better is a
little with the fear of the LORD, than great treasure with trouble” (Prov
15:16).
Solomon, under the
guidance of the Holy Spirit, spoke from his intellectual and experiential point
of view. Read the book of Ecclesiastes from the vantage point of a man having
it all while living a life apart from God, "under the sun" living as Solomon described it (cf. Lk 9:25). So how do we keep our
desires from becoming worldly? How can I discern between a spiritual desire and
an earthly one? Let me give you a couple of practical questions before hearing
from the Apostle Paul.
- Are there any thoughts of God in the thing pursued?
- Are we too impulsive to be patient and wait on God for an answer?
- Does my desire conflict with the teaching of Scripture? Often God has already given us an answer in His Word. Ignorance of the Bible can cause us so many problems and heartaches that can last a lifetime.
- Do the things of desire conflict with the teaching of Scripture? Does it align with a biblical worldview?
- Is the desire desired more important than the will of God? Think about Eve’s decision.
- Are you able to say no to the desire and walk cleanly away from it? In a culture of entitlement and instant gratification, this can be quite a challenge. So often our exposure to the elements of the world in the daily routine of living can wear our resolve down if we don’t spiritually protect ourselves by submitting and committing to the authority of the Word in all matters of faith and practice. And this worldly weather will not stop this side of eternity!
I think it will
help us by looking briefly at something Paul said to the Colossians about living with
a vertical orientation as we tread through the mud, muck, and mire of this
world.
Col 3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which
are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
Col 3:2 Set your
mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
Col 3:1 If (could be translated “since,” a first
class conditional statement assumed as true) then you were raised with Christ (this is a picture of water baptism,
buried with Christ [going under the water] and the resurrection, raised with Christ, [coming out from
under the water in baptism]. There is no redemptive value in being submersed in
water; it is only symbolic (a picture of what took place spiritually) and a
statement or public profession to the world of personal faith in Christ for salvation).
Seek (keep on seeking, seriously
striving) those things which are above
(cf. Mt 6:20), where Christ is, sitting
at the right hand of God.
Col 3:2 Set (keep on setting, concentrating) your mind (thinking) on
things above (Eph 1:3; Col 2:3; Col 2:9, 10, everything necessary for
salvation, sanctification, and glorification is found in Christ, Col 1:19), not
on things on the earth (literally, things upon the earth). Those things Paul had in mind are sinful
behaviors: immorality, impurity, lust, and so forth, not the physical things
(Col 3:5). “Set your mind” is also found in Php 3:19 where the focus of “the
enemies of Christ [the lost]” (Php 3:18) is not on “things above” but on things
below, “earthly things,” which includes focusing on sinful behavior and creature
comforts in total disregard for “the things above.”
This behavior of
the lost is totally expected and normal for the unsaved; so we should not be
surprised or in shock by what the lost do; they do what comes naturally. They do
lost-like things by sinning against God and others (cf. 1 Cor 2:14; 2 Cor 4:4).
However, this behavior is not normal for those who have been buried and raised
together with Christ “since you were raised with Christ” (cf. Rom 8:5). Paul is
not saying that the pursuit of certain physical things is wrong for they are
from God and can be used for God. It’s when they are used for purely selfish
reasons that certain desires become wrong in the life of a believer; the
physical things of life must never become before or treated as more important
than the eternal things (cf. Mt 6:33), like living in a state of spiritual
oblivion as the natural man who does not know Christ (1 Cor 2:14; Jude 1:19).
It’s a matter of priority, putting Him first and allowing other people or
things to play second fiddle (cf. Col 1:18).
We need to
concentrate our thinking on the things above which is the impetus or impulse to
continue to strive for those things above. Thought always precedes behavior;
behavior is not a mindless act; for every act has a thought behind it. Even acts characterized as “mindless” are fueled by thoughts. It is not what a person says but thinks that
really counts (Prov 23:7); eventually, the true intent of the heart is revealed
by words (Lk 6:45) or deeds (Mt 7:20).
If we are not
setting and seeking on things above will be aiming in the wrong direction and
miss our faith targets (cf. Rom 15:5). This seeking and setting are not
optional by the way. (You) seek those things which are above, and (you) set
your minds on things above are in the imperative mood; these are commanded. Since
these verbs are in the present tense, it is something done continuously
becoming a lifestyle that is vertical in orientation. So when we aim low (a
nice way of putting something ugly) on things of the earth, we are in
disobedience.
Disobedience is a willful
drifting from the clear teaching of Scripture, going horizontal rather than
vertical, an “under the sun” mentality, as Solomon would say (Eccl 2:11). The
thinking and seeking are out of proper preference to the Scripture. Below are
some verses that are indicative of a person’s life whose desires are aimed
higher than the things of this world, hitting all the faith targets provided by
God.
Psa 40:8 I delight to do
Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart."
Psa 119:16 I will delight myself in Your statutes; I
will not forget Your word.
Prov 8:11 For wisdom is
better than rubies, And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with
her.
Psa 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but You? And there
is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
Psa 73:26 My flesh and my heart fail; but God is
the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
These verses make our faith pale; doesn’t
it? It does mine. One of my all-time favorite verses of Scripture is found in
Psa 37:4, “Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires
of your heart.” Do we really believe that? Do we truly want our memory of us
reduced to a plaque on some glass display case, or a street, a building, or a monument?
These will all fade in time as well as the memory of us. When the old earth is
replaced with a new one, all traces of man’s history will be erased (Isa 65:17; 2 Pet 3:10; Rev 21:1), and the only record
of the old earth as far as we know is what was written in the Word for the Word of God is eternal (Mt 24:35). In light of that, rather than going for the
plaque as a legacy or the perpetuation of our name, we need to concern ourselves with investing as much as we can into heaven's purposes.
This is why I believe Solomon concluded that life lived under the sun, a life lived apart from
God, is truly vanity of vanities, futility to the brim, vexation of spirit; because
it will all disappear one day, everything and everyone who was not vested in
heaven (Rev 21:1). There will be no memory, no memorial, without any trace of the former world for all eternity…. The
only treasures we can take to heaven are those things done in the will of God
in the here and now. It’s a sobering thought. How is your aim, high or low? Is
it on things above or on things below? Is it all about you or all about Him? These
are good questions to ask ourselves.
We will never become expert marksmen (victorious in living)
for God if we don’t aim our faith higher. Our sights need to be fixed on heavenly targets or on keeping
heaven in the crosshairs. Let me say this in another way to avoid losing what it
means to aim high with all the figurative language in play.
Aiming high is when the
will of God is targeted in all
things.
The faith targets from above, like loving God with all our heart
or loving our neighbors as ourselves, will never conflict with the teaching of the Scriptures and neither should the targets of our own choosing. The prize is
secure and eternal if we do; we got His word on it! Everything else will burn
up one day; we got His word on that, too! If we should die before the rapture,
here is a wonderful epitaph I hope would be said of us,
“In loving memory of [your name] who
lived life to the fullest in the will of God.”
Yeah, that will be forgotten, too, one day (Eccl 2:16; 9:5) but not in
glory! Oh, I forgot to tell you about what happened after hitting my best friend with a wild pitch two times in little league! He never got mad at me or beat me up after the game. The first time it was a wild delivery, and I hit him in the left side of his rib cage, accidentally of course.
The second time the pad on the mound broke free as I pushed off, hitting Chester once again in the same general vicinity. I pleaded my case with the officials but to no avail; I was thrown out of the game for unsportsmanlike conduct. After the game, I went directly to Chester and apologized. Chester could have taken it personally and sought me out; I am glad he didn't because he was stronger than me. I wanted to apologize because I cared about him. We shook hands after the game, and he said to me, "It's no big deal." I let out a sigh of relief because I dodged a bullet? I never hit another batter that season due to a wild pitch or a loose pitcher's mound.
If we are aiming high by our faith in the daily walk, we will be right on target of God's will until we make it home one day, and that's a legacy worth leaving; something that counts for eternity. There's glory all in that for Him and blessings for us. I miss Chester; he was killed along with his brother Roger a couple of years later by a drunk driver. <><
If we are aiming high by our faith in the daily walk, we will be right on target of God's will until we make it home one day, and that's a legacy worth leaving; something that counts for eternity. There's glory all in that for Him and blessings for us. I miss Chester; he was killed along with his brother Roger a couple of years later by a drunk driver. <><
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