Where your treasure is?

[Brother Mark]

Jesus said this and it is an interesting verse.

Matt 6:20-21
20 "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
NASU

My question is this... Why did Jesus say "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Instead of "where your heart is, there will your treasure be also"? For instance, which comes first, is it your heart that desires something and makes it a treasure, or is something a treasure that your heart latches onto?

I guess the real question is, if your heart treasures something earthly, how do you change it so that it treasures something heavenly?

Thanks,

Mark

[episkopos]

Our future treasure only becomes reality when we forsake all our earthly treasures. So even our treasures can be "converted".

We are to forsake our families and even our own lives. We are promised a hundred fold and eternal life IF we can do so. So we have a net loss in this life....but for a future gain. IF we are looking for treasure now AFTER we have forsaken all for the kingdom, then we will be sad at heart. But if we have faith in the reality of the kingdom and all we have invested in it...then our hearts will be glad.

[Old man]

Why did Jesus say "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Instead of "where your heart is, there will your treasure be also"? For instance, which comes first, is it your heart that desires something and makes it a treasure, or is something a treasure that your heart latches onto?

I guess the real question is, if your heart treasures something earthly, how do you change it so that it treasures something heavenly?

Your treasure is always what is most important to you. do you try to "find" time for Christ or do you "make" time for Him. How important He is to you will determine that answer. We always try to find time for things we want but we make time for what is important. Jesus' comment was making them make a choice as to what they will choose to be most important, the things of this life or Him. Yes we still have to live in this world for the time being but He is what is supposed to be preeminent.

[Brother Mark]

Your treasure is always what is most important to you. do you try to "find" time for Christ or do you "make" time for Him. How important He is to you will determine that answer. We always try to find time for things we want but we make time for what is important. Jesus' comment was making them make a choice as to what they will choose to be most important, the things of this life or Him. Yes we still have to live in this world for the time being but He is what is supposed to be preeminent.

I agree that it is about what is most important to you. How do you get your heart to value something it doesn't? How do you move your heart to treasure heaven over earth?

[quiet dove]

Jesus said this and it is an interesting verse.

Matt 6:20-21
20 "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
NASU

My question is this... Why did Jesus say "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Instead of "where your heart is, there will your treasure be also"? For instance, which comes first, is it your heart that desires something and makes it a treasure, or is something a treasure that your heart latches onto?

I guess the real question is, if your heart treasures something earthly, how do you change it so that it treasures something heavenly?

Thanks,

Mark

I think he said it that way because our heart is basically our desires, at least within the context of what He is saying. In other words, whatever my desire is for...is basically what is in my heart. Whatever I desire is what ever I will set my sights on, and our desires are what are in our heart
(I know, I have no idea if that even came out right or makes any sense... )

But, I think the way to change our desires, first takes a conscious decision to desire to do so. We have God given free will, and freewill requires the ability to choose. When we become believers and in Christ Jesus, God does not strip our free will and thus our ability to choose away from us...so the first step in having our desires submitted to the will of God, seems to me would be to choose that that is what we want, or desire. We must desire to desire...

But as Paul makes clear, easier said than done
Rom 7:15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.

And that choosing may not necessarily be something we do out of desire, but because we know that it is what God wants. In other words, I may not necessarily desire to be or do as God wants...but I still know God wants, so I pray, help me desire what You want, what is according to Your will.

And just personally speaking...I think that the only way to reach the place of our treasure...our desires, and thus our heart, being submitted to God is a matter of our daily learning to "overcome" our flesh. It is not something we sit down one day and say tomorrow my desire, my heart, will be ...and my treasure will be....

I mean, we can choose to give all up for God today....and tomorrow realize we missed something. Not because we didn't care, or didn't want to give up that something, but because the last person on the planet we really want to see the truth about would be ourselves. And the only way to truly see ourselves honestly, is day by day, desiring to do so, and through prayer ...honest prayer....Jesus taking His light into our dark places. And that will only happen as fast as we are able, or as fast as we are willing to "see".

But we are promised, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you...So choose to seek, and seek...choose to knock...and knock....choose to desire...and God will know and He will shine His light where any darkness still abides and you will see your desires change.

I have come to realize that my desires are nothing...but they still torment me, even when I don't want them to...And I am not talking about desires that are "sin" per say. But...considering that I want my desires completely according to God's will and serving Him...even desires that are not necessarily sinful need to be flushed from my mind...and my mind and heart's desires only on Christ.

I guess depending on the person, I can't speak for everyone...but God will strip you of all things if that is what it takes. I have learned that all my 'ideas' and 'plans', or my 'want to do' list, is nothing. I have prayed about it all, God knows what my little "want to do" list is...and now that I have laid those things before Him ....He said keep studying My word and seeking Me.......But nothing about my "I want to do" list....

And to refuse Him, or ignore, only leads to a miserable day...and I can't say He is forcing me, or has taken my ability to choose away from me because I am the one who chose to desire to desire that He would be my treasure....and God answers prayer..so I am indeed getting what I prayed for.....and that is involving more than I really thought out before hand. However, not regrettable at all and well worth the struggles....I mean, personally, I am only struggling because I am such an idiot..

But God knows us better than we know ourselves, especially when it comes to arriving at the place He knows we need to arrive at, and He will get us there, but it most likely will not be the route we had in mind...

One thing is for sure, Jesus grip is tight, He never lets go of us...even when we are all wiggly and squirmy

[Dani H]

I think the human heart is always searching for a source of validation and affirmation. We can't be our own source. We are always yearning to look for an outside source to derive these two things from: Other people that look up to us or that love us, a career that makes us feel important, earthly possessions that make us feel like we achieved something, a cause we can devote ourselves to.

Jesus is just saying that earthly sources are a poor source of validation and affirmation because they're temporary and corruptible and subject to change. You can't build on them because they don't last forever. Like they say "you can't take it with you." We came naked and with nothing, and we'll leave naked and with nothing.

Many ancient belief systems had to do with entombing people with earthly treasures, believing that these treasures would be available to these people in the afterlife. Jesus is calling horsehockey on that, basically. Earthly things are earthly things are earthly things and stay that way. All earthly things are subject to death and decay, eventually.

Let your Source be God. When you derive validation and affirmation from Him, and you detach yourself from earthly sources in exchange for that eternal Source, then your heart will be unshaken by earthly events which are always subject to change.

It's a protective mechanism. How many people get tossed for a loop when their earthly source of validation/affirmation changes? Dies? Is destroyed? Is no more? How many despair?

Let God be your Source, and you will never despair of anything, nor lack anything, regardless of what happens. If God is your Treasure, you're all set. For good. You may have come naked and with nothing, and you may leave naked, but you will have something eternal, in reality, to be united with. If you believe God is eternal and if you believe that His reach extends beyond death, then why bother looking to earthly things for anything? Waste of time, yes? Thank God for His provisions while here, but don't become emotionally attached to them because they're temporary. Anchor yourself in the True Source and you will always have the right perspective in life, no matter what happens.

I do believe that the human heart is a follower, not a leader. And Jesus is calling it, for what it is.

[Old man]

How do you get your heart to value something it doesn't? How do you move your heart to treasure heaven over earth?

Originally Posted by quiet dove
But, I think the way to change our desires, first takes a conscious decision to desire to do so.

Quiet dove is correct, but I would say the next step would be to begin praying that the Holy Spirit would begin to reveal to you who Christ really is and to make Him be all to you.

When I started doing this He began taking things from me that I held dear and also to begin show me those things that I had placed as more important than Him. I didn’t think so at the time but as soon as He began touching those areas I began to see how I had deceived myself into thinking that He was my priority when the truth was, my job was, my kids were, my wife was, etc. In each of these areas He began to touch them to show me how important they were to me until I gave them up to trust Him and see in Him and Him alone will I ever find all I need.

During those times (which have not ended yet) I have experience what is the height and depth and length and breadth of His great love for me. I know what it is because I have experience it. I have seen His glory and experienced His presence in such a way that has changed me forever. I’ve been a Christian for over 30 years yet this has happened only in the last 4 to 5 years. The greatest experience came when I decided to confess my sins to Him. I can barely even think about that experience without weeping profusely.

Oh how wonderful is His mercy and grace. Oh how awesome and magnificent and wondrous is He who sits upon the throne. I really don’t believe most of His children really understand how tremendously He cherishes them. If they did, He would indeed be all that there is for us. … I better stop for now I think I’m about to short out my keyboard.

[Protective Angel]

Jesus said this and it is an interesting verse.

Matt 6:20-21
20 "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
NASU

My question is this... Why did Jesus say "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Instead of "where your heart is, there will your treasure be also"? For instance, which comes first, is it your heart that desires something and makes it a treasure, or is something a treasure that your heart latches onto?

I guess the real question is, if your heart treasures something earthly, how do you change it so that it treasures something heavenly?

Thanks,

Mark

2 Corinthians 4
6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.

13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;

14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.


1 Thessalonians 2
19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

20 For ye are our glory and joy.


Colossians 2
18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.