Finding Treasures Within - a message about the upcoming year

Where do you find treasures? I am a person who likes to go to auctions and garage sales to look for treasures. On occasion, those treasures will be something I’ve been looking for and other times the treasures will be found in something that is being sold for “next to nothing” and I know it is worth something more. I will go to these venues and look through boxes simply looking for the treasure within. There are probably many of you who are sharing in this search to find those treasures and then there are those of you who are like my wife that want to leave as soon as they don’t see anything worthwhile.

Over the Christmas holiday, I was at my in-law’s house and my father-in-law liked to watch “Storage Wars” on A&E channel. The basic principle of this show is that people will go to abandoned storage units and bid on all the contents in the unit. The storage units are of different size, so there will be different amounts of content in each unit. Also, the participants will have five minutes to look at the unit, without going in or touching any of the content, before the bidding starts.

The bidding ranges from three to four figure prices. Once the person wins the bid, then they will come back and go through the storage unit. Within this time they are looking for any and all things that they can sell which will bring about a profit.

In some storage units there will be obvious “treasures” in furniture and other large items that cannot be confined to a box. Whereas other times people will not be able to see some of the treasures that are in the boxes and they will have to take their chances. Some units will have junk and others will have some great treasures within.

One of the keys to the show is to be bold enough to look within because just looking on the surface is not going to give you the look they need. They must be able to step past the opening and go through all the seen and unseen content that is located within the storage unit. Some are brave enough and some are not. Some will not have the money to compete with others who are bidding on the same unit. Unfortunately, some who may feel the unit is not worth much will “bid up” the unit just to make others pay more.

As we enter into 2013 what treasures are you going to be able to find? At the time of the publication, we do not know what 2013 will hold. As we have not entered into the year it is totally unknown what it will bring for us, individually. We may not know what 2013 will hold but we may also not know what we can bring to 2013. Part of the reason we do not know what we can bring to 2013 is that we have not looked within ourselves to find the treasures.

For some, it is because you have become set in what you have done in life and cannot see the potential that is still within. When you stay where you are, you are guaranteed to not go anywhere. Though that may come across humorously logical, there is much truth to it. If you want to make a difference in someone’s life, you must be involved in someone’s life. If you stay out of their business then you are definitely not going to make any difference in that person’s life.

There have been times in my life that I thought I was quite comfortable where I had come. However, a time came when I wanted to look for what God will bring about each day. I look forward to how I might be able to make a difference or be used by God in each day and with each interaction I have with people. This makes me look forward to so many more things in life. I dread less things and look forward more of what life brings me.

I want to challenge you to stand back as you enter into 2013 and look within yourself to find the treasures that you may not see on the outside. What is it about you that can bring something great to your family, your job, or your community? Don’t let the year slip by without looking for the treasures!

What is the Kingdom of Heaven Like? - A message that examines the "Kingdom of Heaven" through multiple vantage points

How would you describe "momentarily?" The other day, after completing my order at a fast food restaurant the employee told me our food would be out momentarily." Because I knew the employee I joked and said that "momentarily" was a subjective term. It could be anything from 2 minutes to 20 minutes. If we were speaking from God's perspective, "momentarily" could be hundreds of years. So how would you describe it?

Let's now go with an object to describe. How would you describe an anvil? Imagine you are describing this object to someone who had never viewed one before. How would you describe all the various parts of the anvil. If the person were a sketch artist, who knew nothing about an anvil, would you be able to describe it well enough that the artist could sketch it?

Sunday, we looked at several parables where Jesus uses these parables to help describe the "Kingdom of heaven." Similarly to describing the anvil, each description may take a different approach, but it is still an anvil. Jesus uses different approaches to describe what the Kingdom of Heaven is like. In each one, it is still the "kingdom" just approaches from different angles. Here are some applications to choose from to use this week...

• What's in Your Garden? ~ The weeds in the parable looked similar to the plant. Plus, the weeds grow "close" to the plant. Pulling up the weeds would damage or kill the plant. Additionally, the weeds are not advantageous to the growth of the plant. Look around your life...are there weeds that you need to be aware of? If pulled (removed) on impulse, they would damage you. Maybe they need to be carefully taken away from your life.
• Grey Poupon? ~ Do you see things that you are doing as insignificant? Are you laboring over things that do not seem to make any difference? Are you being there for people who are not recognizing your efforts? The mustard seed can become quite large, when it becomes a plant. However it starts out as something really small. Keep going, even if you feel insignificant. Your life matters - you matter! Who knows what will come from what you are putting in.
• Holy Bloating ~ (This may be a stretch) When you are a Christian, we are given the Holy Spirit as a "gift" to take us through life. We are said to be "filled" with the Spirit. As you have this work within you, it will grow and make a difference. Similarly, the yeast works in the dough. May we appreciate and look forward to the work of the Spirit that is within us! As it swells great things are happening!
• Stumbled Upon ~ It is kind of fun to find-by-accident something you had not seen in a long time. Maybe something you thought you lost but now found. Those that didn't expect to find their faith, but stumble upon it, can appreciate the value and greatness that it brings to your life. Sometimes we do not realize what we have because we haven't stumbled upon it, yet.
• Finding Pearl ~ To look all over for something and then find it is a great feeling. It may not be something you lost, but another example is going shopping for an item and finding "just the right one." You searched and you found. You value and treasure this item. The Kingdom of Heaven is that "just the right one" type of item that brings a great significance into your life. If you have it...appreciate it!
• Dragging...the Net ~ The Kingdom will have a lot of the good and the bad involved in it. As we live in the Kingdom, we must be aware that there is a sense of the "race" to the prize is an individual one. As we try to take others with us, everyone must choose for themselves. With that, you will have fish around you, when the net is drug in, that will be good and some that will be bad. We must examine our own self, as well. Which fish are we?

The actual Kingdom of Heaven is the same. But the way it is explained is different. Similarly, you would have various amounts of descriptions for it. I cannot fathom all the depths and breadths of the Kingdom of Heaven. It will always remain a mystery. After studying these descriptions, I still see a great mysteriousness to what is involved.

I loved digging deeper and I loved wanting to dig even more!

Now it's your turn...which description (parable) is the one you like the most and why?

Bank of Heaven

Where do you do your banking? Bank of America, Western State Bank, People's National Bank, Farmer's and Merchant's Bank, First National Bank are just a few of hundreds of banks that are out there, especially when it comes to a "local" bank. How secure are these banks? They may have the latest lines of defense to cause them to be secure, but for every security plan out there a thief is trying to break through it. This could make you not feel that secure.

With all the breaches in security that could come about on any given day, it is a great relief to know that there is still one place that is the most secure...heaven. What you "deposit" there cannot be taken. When you place your belief in the promises of God, those cannot be broken into.

I feel pretty secure in my home, but it would only take one time for someone to break in for me to be very nervous about the possibility of a second time (or even a third time). After having our car broken into once and my church office on another occasion, I have been through the feeling of "lack of security" and it isn't enjoyable.

It has been said that we can lose "things" but we'll always have it as a memory. That is a much more secure place, however, there is a more secure place - heaven - and that is what we talked about this week in our lesson. Here are some applications to choose from to use this week...

• Learn From the Past ~ Have you ever had something "broken into" or "stolen?" Maybe it wasn't just your locker, car, or house. Maybe it was in a relationship. Could have been a romantic relationship that you though was secure. But come to find out the other person did something to rock that relationship. Maybe they did something behind your back or took away your trust. Maybe it was a biological relationship that you thought was secure. Your parents got a divorce. You were the victim of abuse (physical, sexual, or psychological). All of these things are areas that will cause you to think your security is not that secure. Hopefully, they will cause you to look to heaven and not to anything on earth for security.
• Prioritize Your Treasure ~ If you haven't seen a show called "Hoarders," you ought to some time. I've never watched a whole episode. People on there have so much stuff around their house it isn't even funny. When you have to turn sideways to go down your hall or move stuff around in your room just to go to bed then you have definite problems. Not to mention the ones with bug or mice issues. One of the main issues is that they prioritize EVERYTHING. The principle here is not so much on the "things" but where the "things" line up accord to God. Make sure He is above everything!
• Stay Focused ~ When I was playing baseball, specifically as a pitcher, the key is to not "aim" but rather "throw to the glove." Where your eyes are headed your body will follow. Symbolically when you are looking at something you like, you will pursue it - whether it is being pursued with your legs or your attention.

As you think about where you're going to "bank" the great suggestion is to use the "bank" of heaven for the greatest security!