Where is your Treasure?

This morning in Bible study I was reading an inspiring puritan prayer and I gasped at the reality of the words written,

"All Thy promises in Christ Jesus are yea and amen, and all shall be fulfilled. Thou hast spoken them, and they shall be done, commanded, and they shall come to pass. Yet I have often doubted them, have lived at times as if there were no God." 

It's impossible this person could have known me or my thoughts; however, they felt the same thing I have felt and what many of us feel today. We pray, go to church, attend a small group bible study, and read our bibles (hopefully more than just on occasion - but often times it happens that way) but yet many of us (especially me) are guilty of living at times as if there is no God, as if He His Word isn't real at all. 

Do the areas of our life give evidence that we belong to Him? Areas such as how we spend our money, raising our children to love and fear the Lord (taking them to church is not enough), how we dress, and what we value as most important in our lives is a great way to assess if we are truly walking with Him. Jesus said in Matthew 6:21, "For wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be."

Yikes! What a charge. Yes, I am guilty. Guilty of not spending enough times in His Word, guilty of seeking worldly pleasures over the wanting to be closer to Christ Himself, guilty of thinking about my own comfort instead of focusing my heart on serving the needs of my family and others first, and how God would have me use my talents for Him. The hard truth in all this is that when we do these things, the Bible tells us that we are guilty of committing spiritual adultery, James 4:4 says, 

"You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God." (The original language used here is describing something so grotesque that it would be inappropriate for children to even hear!) Ouch. 

It's important not only to confess to the Lord where we have wronged Him but also to repent and turn our back on those very hidden sins He made known to us. I am happy to say that I have repented and have asked God to help me in areas of my life that do not line up with His Word. 

The Lord Jesus WANTS to grow us in holiness, we must allow Him full reign of our lives otherwise we are in sharp danger of becoming the people who Jesus said He will say to on that day,

"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers" (Matthew 7:22-23).

Lord, please forgive us for living as though You were not our King, forgive us for being friends with this world and many times giving more loyalty to the things of this world more than we are loyal to You. Give us a heart that hungers and thirsts after You. Grant us wisdom and discernment to turn away from anything that hinders us from growing in our faith in You. 

Amen. 

How is your walk with the Lord going? I'd love to hear from you. Remember we were not made to walk this journey alone. :-)

Please send questions, comments, or prayer requests to joyofoursalvation@gmail.com, I'd love to pray for you.