Being a Treasure Hunter -Episode 24

Tune in as Gigi shares an insightful discovery she made while visiting Montana.  Discovering what it means to be in the Treasure State and the value and importance of understanding our hearts’ desires. We were designed to be treasure hunters but, it comes with a dire warning- not all treasure is good and chasing the wrong kind has dire consequences.  

 Resources Mentioned:

 Scripture: 

Matthew 6:19-21

Luke 18:18-30

Psalm 37:4

1 John 2:15-17

 Suggested Worship- “Set a Fire” by Will Reagan/United Pursuit; “Blessed Assurance” by CityAlight; “Christ our Treasure” by Sovereign Grace Music

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Transcript

 Aloha Ladies. Welcome Back. 

Today, I'm off the island visiting family in Montana.   So, if the recording quality on this podcast isn't the greatest, I hope you will bear with me and forgive any distractions.   I’m excited about today's message because it's been a work in progress, something God has been pressing on my heart for weeks, and now I'm seeing how He has used this time away from home to really get my attention and confirm His message. 

So, what's the message? “Be careful what you treasure.”   

Now, to understand this message- we’ve got to delve into what treasure really is.   

Is it a good thing? A bad thing?   And what should we do about it? 

Worldly treasure versus heavenly treasure. 

This whole train of thought actually began over 5 years ago.   When we sold our home in North Carolina- the amount of "stuff" or “treasure” we had accumulated over 20+ years was overwhelming, and I'm embarrassed to say a large portion of what we owned ended up in the landfill.   We couldn't even give it all away!    After moving to Hawaii, I was determined to be more mindful of accumulating "things."   I’ve done well, but I'm seeing old habits slowly creeping back in. The mindset of What does it hurt to have nice things? The family heirlooms? The trinkets? 

Well, let me share a few things that God has been using to get my attention and re-evaluate once again.  

Storms. Death and Theft. 

First, in 2022, a sweet young friend from church was in a terrible predicament. She went to visit a friend in Texas, found herself in the emergency room, and was quickly diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor. She had been living here on the Big Island with her 80-something-year-old mother. Under the circumstances, she decided she needed to stay in Texas to receive better medical care and she desperately needed someone to go through all her possessions! My husband and I, along with my "Go To Gal" friend, accepted the call for help and spent days on Facetime with her, going through her things as we segregated her belongings into categories:  rubbish, donation, to sell, or ship to her in Texas. I wish I could tell you our hard work and prayers paid off.   But alias, our friend, passed away shortly after her stuff arrived in Texas but before she could even open the first box.   In fact, her family forfeited all of her belongings as they simply didn’t want to have to deal with them in Texas. Her heart desires to receive and keep these items, the time and hard work invested in purging and packing the items-   ALL FOR NOTHING!   Neither she nor her family received any return for that investment! 

Then recently, I watched my "Go To Gal" suffer a similar tragedy. This time, while she was in Las Vegas dealing with her mother’s estate and literally spending weeks going through her mother’s stuff and seeing the majority of everything her mother collected in her lifetime go through that same sorting process and even with five siblings, most her mother’s earthy treasures were either given away or trashed. Meanwhile, my friend’s home on the Big Island gets broken into, and her valuables are stolen. One tragedy to another- all dealing with the common theme of “earthly treasure.”  

In all of this, I see the mistaken belief that our "treasures" have real lasting value. What's that saying-  "One man's trash is another man's treasure?” 

What if all of man’s treasure really is trash?   

The stuff- the treasure that we collect and fill our lives with- thinking it brings happiness, contentment, and value. What if it really is just all rubbish?   A trick from Satan in the form of distraction and imprisonment? 

Before leaving for Montana, a hurricane was forecasted to impact the Hawaiian Islands, and I felt this compulsion to update our home inventory. It took me two days to go through and video our "stuff," and I came away with a newfound appreciation of the Scripture found in Matthew 6:19-21: 

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."    

Here we see Jesus telling us- “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth! Don’t do it!” 

Isn't that precisely what most of us do? Aren't we trained from a young age to desire "treasures?"   To collect things?    Baseball cards, Beanie Babies, Coins, Postage stamps.    Aren't we telling the American Dream that everyone can be successful?   But what is success?   I think most would answer in the form of treasure… the big house, the car, the boat, the motorcycle, the vacation, the clothes, the purses, the shoes, you name it.  

Jesus warns us, "Where our treasure is- there our hearts will be also."   

I've really been struggling with this concept, trying to grasp its meaning and implication fully.    Here's where Montana has been very enlightening. As we were checking out of a hotel outside Glacier National Park, I noticed behind the counter a big sign that read, "Welcome To The Treasure State!"   I thought, how funny because this concept of treasure has been weighing on me, and here we are in the “Treasure State!” 

Naturally, I had to know why Montana was called the “Treasure State” and learned that it dates to the discovery of gold when thousands of prospectors flocked to the state in the 1860s in search of riches. Turns out Montana has a wealth of minerals, gems, and precious metals. 

Yet, what I noticed here in Montana is that it now has a plethora of other things: 

·      Weed Dispensaries (almost on every corner);

·      Coffee Shops; 

·      Beer/Liquor Stores; 

·      RV Sales Lots; and

·      Banks. 

Far more of these establishments than even grocery stores, malls, and churches.  

So, what does that say about their treasure?  Tangible evidence that even an outsider can see that money, travel, comfort, and self-medication in the form of caffeine, weed, and alcohol are the new treasures in this state.   

I'm not knocking Montana; everyone's treasure will look different, but if the only treasure you have in your life comes from the world- it’s actually not a good thing!!     Because you are giving yourself- your heart- your time- your talent- your resources- your energy to rubbish!    Rubbish that doesn’t last.   The things of the world- the busyness and buying to “fill our God-shaped hole.”  It is a steep price to pay!    We are so immersed in what the world says will make us happy and fulfilled that we are literally forfeiting our souls in exchange.  

 We do it out of sheer ignorance.    We naively get swept up into the things of this world- the comforts, pleasures, pride, and achievements that we mistakenly believe are the whole point of life.    

 The Parable of the Rich Young Ruler found in three of the gospels Matthew, Mark, and Luke- all speak to this truth, yet when we read them, we fail to see ourselves in the story!  

 Matthew & Mark are almost identical stories. Whereas Luke’s expands a bit, so I'd like to read Luke 18:18-30 for you: 

 The Rich and the Kingdom of God

18 A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.”

21 “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.

22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. 24 Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

26 Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”

27 Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

28 Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”

29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30 will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”

I find this an unfortunate story-  a successful man who obviously had a heart for the things of God, yet when faced with a choice-  to give up his earthly treasures and follow Jesus, he couldn’t-  he couldn’t part with his temporary treasure and literally forfeits the eternal.   Walking away from Jesus’ invitation filled with sorrow. 

 Here’s the real tragedy, He failed to understand- the ultimate lasting treasure, our greatest delight- the one thing that matters for eternity was standing before Him- wrapped up in Jesus.    

 Psalm 37:4- "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." 

 We were designed to have desires- designed to be treasure hunters.   And it’s OK-  that's why the Bible tells us to "SEEK FIRST the Kingdom of God," and then all will be added.  The world tells us to seek first everything else! 

 The Lord is good, and He wants to be the source of our treasure.   He wants to be the one that gives us the desires of our hearts, to provide us with a lasting treasure that carries into eternity.  

 This is why we must be cautious; if we are not, we will trade the eternal for the temporal just like the rich ruler. 

 1 John 2:15-17 tells us, "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”    

 This is the gut check; just like the rich young ruler who thought his heart was aligned with God, it turns out that loving the things of this world reveals that the Father's love isn't in us.    We cannot serve two masters! 

 How much of our time, talent, and resources are we investing in what is lasting- or do we treasure things that only benefit ourselves or our families? Are we trying to keep up with the Joneses? Are we living in the past polishing memories, or are we focused on the here and now- focused daily on Jesus and what He is inviting us to treasure? 

Take your own inventory.   What consumes your heart?   What do you spend most of your time doing?   And is it something that you can carry into eternity?

I'm starting to believe that a minimalist lifestyle is a Jesus lifestyle and one worth seriously exploring!   Where distractions from the excess are removed, and there is freedom to focus on the meaningful things in life over pursuits and possessions. 

Ladies- Let me encourage you to be women whose hearts are attuned to care more about the things that Jesus cares about- to love others, to invest in others, to pray for others, to be generous and give of our time, talent, and resources for others- because it matters for all eternity. Treasure what God says is important above it all. When we do, I believe we will find the ultimate treasure that brings freedom now and carries into eternity.