1. God's Treasures
I was talking with my daughter last week and she told me that they were planning to have Vacation Bible School this week at their church, Plainview Baptist Church in McLeansville, NC, and their theme is "God's Treasures". She bought all kinds of little treasures for the children and also little treasure boxes for the kids to paint. I was finishing up the book of Jeremiah and I noticed several verses that mentioned treasures and my mind went to II Corinthians 4:7. Many times treasures shine, such as gold and silver and precious stones. God has given us the Light of His treasure, His Son, Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul explains that "we have this treasure in earthen vessels" so that the light of the gospel will shine with the glory of God, and not of ourselves. Let's take a look at "Treasures".
"5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
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." II Corinthians 4:5-7.
2. Treasure With Greater Value Than Gold And Jewels
As we begin our look at treasures in the Bible, let's look at the king who had the most treasures of his time. King Solomon asked the Lord for wisdom, and God not only gave him wisdom, but also gave him great riches. I Kings 10:23 tells us, "So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom." In the book of Proverbs he tells us his greatest treasure.
"13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her." (Proverbs 3:13-15)
Here is an example of the treasures of King Solomon.
"14 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold,
15 Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffick of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country.
16 And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one target.
17 And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold;...
18 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold.
19 The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays.
20 And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom.
21 And all king Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.
22 For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.
23 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.
24 And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart." (portions of I Kings 10:14-24)
3. Treasures In Pint Jars
When I realized that 2021 would be my seventh year of planting our garden, I decided to let the land rest a year, as God instructed the Israelites. I told all my friends why I didn't plant last year. I prayed and asked the Lord to bless my decision, and He really did. Michael and I worked hard to till up the ground in May. We planted the seed, and I spent hours several days each week, using a hoe to remove the weeds. For the young tender plants, I sat on the ground and inched my way down the rows pulling the weeds. We watered the garden twice, and God provided rain during the rest of summer. Grayson, who was three, told us to put up a scarecrow to keep out the squirrels. With the help of the grandchildren we have two scarecrows, a little boy and a little girl. I have not seen the first squirrel or other animal in the garden. I have shared and canned more vegetables this year than any year before. When I took the pints of tomato sauce out of the pressure canner last week, I held one up and said, "I have treasure in pint jars." I was reading in Jeremiah and the men said that they had "treasures in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey." Well, my treasures were in the garden, but now they are in little pint jars, lined up on two shelves. "But ten men were found among them that said unto Ishmael, Slay us not: for we have treasures in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey. So he forbare, and slew them not among their brethren." (Jeremiah 41:8)
4. Guarding Our Treasures
I wanted to share pictures of the scarecrows which my grandchildren helped me make for the garden. We enjoyed making them, and I believe that they helped guard the treasures in my garden, because I never saw a sign that any of the vegetables were taken or eaten by deer, squirrels, or rabbits, which I had trouble with in the past. In The Sermon On The Mount, Jesus warned against laying up treasures on earth, "earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:" He tells us to lay up treasures in heaven. Laying up treasures in heaven could be the things we do for God's glory. These treasures could include the rewards that are mentioned in the Bible for our Christian walk. Also, treasures could be those we have witnessed to, that got saved. When our children were small and people asked me why we had five children, I told them that my children were the only thing on earth that I could take to heaven with me. Are you laying up treasures in heaven?
"19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)
5. The Treasures Of The Snow
Our days are still in the 90's, and the nights are not much cooler. To cool our train of thought, let's jump forward six months and talk about snow. After Job's conversations with his four friends, God finally answers Job, with several questions that open Job's eyes. In Job 38:22 God asked Job, "Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail," I remember a big snow when I was a child. My younger sister and I walked in snow that was up to our knees. When I look back on that happy time, I think we were probaby 3 and 4 years old. So, the snow would not have had to be very deep, since our knees were so close to the ground. It is still a happy memory. Maybe a treasure of snow could be happy memories of playing in the snow, building a snow man, sledding, or family time with hot chocolate. Another treasure of the snow is how pure and clean everything looks under a new blanket of snow. Snow covers the dirt and grime. It is so pretty to see before tracks are made that mess it up. This leads us to the third point. King David pleaded with the Lord after he made a mess in his life, "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." (Psalm 51:7) And in Isaiah 1:18, the Lord pleads with mankind, "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." The blood of Jesus can wash us from our sin and make us white as snow. My sister lives at the beach and her granddaughter had never seen snow. I went to visit and brought her back with me last winter when they were predicting snow. She had so much fun experiencing snow for the first time. I know that as we get older it is harder to get out in the snow. But, when winter comes again, and the Lord sends us some snow, let's look around and see if we can enter into the treasures of the snow.
6. What Do I Treasure The Most?
I asked myself this question when I was thinking about what to write about today... "What do I treasure the most?" I don't have gold and silver or expensive jewelry. I don't drive a fancy car or live in a mansion. It didn't take me long to decide that my greatest treasure is, The Bible. Here are a few reasons why the Bible is a treasure to me. Some people treasure books that are first editions or books with valuable information. My Bible goes back to the beginning, before creation, and you can't go any farther back than that. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1) The Word of God never changes, and is the highest Authority. "For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven." (Psalm 119:89) God's Word will last forever. "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever." (Isaiah 40:8) Something else that makes something a treasure is who wrote it, or who made it. "The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it." (Psalm 68:11) The Bible is the inspired Word of God and tells us of God's love, how to be saved, and how to live after we are saved. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" (II Timothy 3:16) God's Word is the living Word! "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (John 1:14) This verse also tells us that God's Word is true; it is not false, or a copy. Another similarity to God's Word, and treasure, is that treasure is often hidden, and we can also hide God's Word. "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." (Psalm 119:11) The Word contains many wonderful things. "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." (Psalm 119:18) I close with the riches of this great treasure! "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." (Colossians 3:16)
7. Sweet Treasures
I told my daughter that I would help with refreshments for their Vacation Bible School. Since the theme is, "God's Treasure", I decided to make treasure cupcakes. I baked the cupcakes and after they were cooled, I cut a hole in the upper center, and removed the cone shaped piece. I poured a teaspoon and a half of different colored sprinkles in the hole and after cutting most of the pointed end off the cone, I replaced it and frosted the cupcake. In the end, each one looked just like a regular cupcake, but when the kids eat them they will be surprised by a sweet treasure inside. Thinking about these sweet treasures made me think about some sweet friendships that I have. One of the things we treasure about our close friends is their kindness and sweetness. It is so enjoyable to talk with someone whose words are sweet and uplifting. "Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones." (Proverbs 16:24) There are more things in the Bible that are described as sweet, and we can treasure them also. The first mention of the word, "sweet" in the Bible was after the flood when Noah offered an offering to the Lord. "And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done." (Genesis 8:21) I believe that God finds our worship and service to Him to be sweet. And we find His Word sweet. "How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" (Psalm 119:103) In the book of Ecclesiastes where King Solomon finds much of life to be vanity, he does say that light is sweet. "Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:" (Ecclesiastes 11:7) We often enjoy a sweet melody. "Take an harp, go about the city, ... make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered." (Isaiah 23:16) And at the end of the day, our sleep can be sweet. "When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet." (Proverbs 3:24) All of these things can be sweet treasures God has given us to enjoy.
8. Treasured Memories
I went to the funeral Thursday of a dear Christian friend. He was faithful and served the Lord, and he will be remembered in our church. We treasure the memories of those we love, especially when they are no longer with us. The disciples shared their memories of Dorcas with Peter.
"36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.
37 And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.
38 And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.
39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.
40 But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up." (Acts 9:35-40)
On Friday, we made new memories. It was Grayson's fourth birthday and he wanted a dinosaur party. He wanted to wear a dinosaur costume and chase the other kids. And that is just what he did. We laughed and made wonderful memories that will be treasured. I want to remind you to make memories. How much time are we spending with our phones and ipads, instead of spending it with people we love? One day we will miss those we love, and all we will have left are the memories.
9. Robbing God's Treasures
Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon stole the gold and silver treasures out of the Temple of Jerusalem. When his son was king, he made a great feast and they drank from the golden treasures, until he saw the hand writing on the wall.
"1 Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.
2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.
3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.
4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
6 Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another." (Daniel 5:1-6)
Daniel interpreted the writing, and that night King Belshazzar was killed.
"25 And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.
27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
28 PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians." (Daniel 5:25-28)
We should never rob God.
"8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." (Malachi 3:8-10)
10. Consecrated Treasures In The Wrong Hands
When Joshua went to war with Jericho, God commanded the people not to take anything for themselves of the spoil. "But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD. So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city." (Joshua 6:19-20) The silver and gold, and brass and iron were consecrated unto the Lord and were to be put in the treasury of the Lord. In the next battle, when Israel fell before their enemies against the little city of Ai, God told Joshua that there was sin in in the camp. "Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff." Achan had taken silver and gold, which was consecrated to the Lord, and it was accursed to him. We saw yesterday that we are not to rob God. When we take something for ourselves, that is consecrated to God, then it can destroy our lives. Achan and all his belongings and family were stoned. One more thing that I want to mention is that 36 men lost their lives in the battle against Ai. The sin of Achan not only affected his family, but it also cost these men their lives. What we do has a bigger effect on those around us than we may realize.
"19 And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.
20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it." (Joshua 7:19-21)
11. Treasure Your Senses
If we have something that we treasure, we value it highly and take care of it. What I want to talk about today is something that we don't think of as a treasure, but it is something that we should value, not take for granted, and take care of. God made us and gave us our senses. My sense of smell is really good and I could even tell when the copperhead was in the garden a few years ago because I could smell it. I am thankful that I didn't lose my sense of smell and taste when I had Covid. I was talking to someone who lost her sense of taste with Covid and she still has not gotten it back. I asked her if it made her eat less, because she couldn't taste it, or if she ate more, trying to taste something. She said that she ate more, and had gained a lot of weight since she had Covid. I read that the average weight gain after Covid is 29 pounds. I am really glad that I didn't lose my sense of taste! My eyesight is not perfect, but the glasses I wear help with that. The one that I have a problem with is my hearing. When I was young my Dad often cut wood and I helped him load it onto the truck. We didn't think about protecting our ears back then. My ears would ring for days after working close to the chain saw. Now, with my age, I have a constant ringing in my ears. Some days it is hard for me to hear what people are telling me because the noise in my head is so loud. If it keeps getting worse I will need to do something about it. Several verses in the Bible tell us, "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." (Matthew 11:15) Now that we have copies of the Bible and the internet, even those who can't hear can have access to God's Word. We should treasure all of our senses, and especially our hearing. Do you remember the Bible story that tells when Jacob cheated Esau out of his blessing?
"1 And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I.
2 And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death:
3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;
4 And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.
5 And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it." (Genesis 27:1-5)
Isaac was old and could not see. Rebekah gave Jacob some of Esau's clothes so that he smelled like his brother. She put goat skins on his hands and neck so that he felt like Esau. She made stew out of two kids of the goats, and Isaac could not tell the difference in the taste. "And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: so he blessed him." (Genesis 27:22-23) All of Isaac's senses failed him except for his hearing. Treasure your senses. Take care of them. Listen to what the Lord has to say to you and don't let your hearing fail you from knowing God's Word.
12. Treasures Unseen
Singing has always been a part of my worship. From time to time I like to share the lyrics to Hymns and Spiritual songs that I have sung or heard during my lifetime. Ann Ballard wrote, "Treasures Unseen" in 1978.
Treasures Unseen
"My home may not look like a castle
And my clothes may be lacking in style
And if you come sit at my table
A meager supply you might find.
Chorus
But oh, it's not what you see
That makes me a king, makes me a king
To me, I've everything, all that I need,
All that I need, treasures unseen.
God made a world filled with beauty
Things we enjoy every day
But the secret to heaven's possession
Is to love Him and serve Him each day."
"19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)
13. When He Cometh
I want to share another song with you about treasures. "When He Cometh" was written in 1856 by William Cushing. Our scripture is found in Malachi 3:16 & 17. "Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him." It is hard to imagine how the Lord looks down from heaven and loves us so much that He hears us, and remembers us, and calls us His jewels.
When He Cometh
1 When He cometh, when He cometh
To make up His jewels,
All His jewels, precious jewels,
His loved and His own:
Refrain:
Like the stars of the morning,
His bright crown adorning,
They shall shine in their beauty,
Bright gems for His crown.
2 He will gather, He will gather
The gems for His kingdom;
All the pure ones, all the bright ones,
His loved and His own. [Refrain]
3 Little children, little children,
Who love their Redeemer,
Are the jewels, precious jewels,
His loved and His own. [Refrain]
14. Heaven, Can You Imagine?
There is a song that I like and the chorus begins, "Heaven, can you imagine? It's beauty can't be described." It is hard for us to describe a place we have never seen, but John was taken in the spirit to see the treasures above, and he describes the glorious beauty in Revelation 21. If you don't know, beyond any doubt, that you have a home in heaven, please pray and ask the Lord to save you today! We have all sinned, and the only way we can go to heaven is to believe that Jesus died to pay for our sins. Believe in Jesus and trust Him to save you. You don't want to miss going to heaven.
"10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.
18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there." (Revelation 21:10-25)
15. Treasure Your Time
I had a really busy day Friday. I worked outside with some fall garden work, and worked inside cleaning bathrooms. I canned my very last jars of pickles for the year. (Since I pulled up the vines to plant turnips and mixed greens.) And I went to Mom's and took her some banana pudding I made, and helped her with something she needed done. It was a very busy day, but I felt that all my time was well spent. Unlike some days... when I am getting ready for bed and I wonder, "What did I do today???" One reason Friday was better was because I did my Bible reading first thing. My days always go better when I spend time with the Lord in the mornings. I am closing our theme on, "Treasures", with something we should treasure, our time. When you got up this morning you may have had your whole day planned out, hour by hour. Or you may be savoring some of the last summer days by relaxing and enjoying a little weekend fun. Whatever the case, we all have 24 hours, over and over, until God says our time is up. We don't know when that will be. We should treasure our time because we don't know how much time we have left. The Bible tells us that our life is like a vapor.
"13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that." (James 4:13-15)
We should treasure our time with our loved ones. My Dad died in his sleep 20 years ago. I miss him and I treasure the time I can spend with Mom. We have five children and it was a joy bringing them up, but now they all have families of their own and I miss the time we all spent together. Treasure your time. If you have never found the time to ask Jesus to save you, please do it now. This may be the only time you will get the chance. "(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)" (II Corinthians 6:2)
Treasure In Earthen Vessels
