Digging for God’s Treasure: Pt. 1

 What Are You Searching For?

The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) began slowly on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill, in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, Sandwich Islands, Hawaii, Mexico, Peru and Chile and they were the first to start flocking to the state in late 1848. The news of the discovery brought some 200,000 people to California by 1852 from the rest of the United States and abroad. Of the 200,000, approximately half arrived by sea and half came overland on the California Trail and the Gila River trail. The gold-seekers, called "Forty-niners" (as a reference to 1849), often faced substantial hardships on the trip. While most of the newly arrived were Americans, the Gold Rush attracted tens of thousands from Latin America, Europe, Australia, and eventually China. Gold worth tens of billions of today's dollars was recovered, which led to great wealth………for a few.

However, most would return home with little more than they had started with, if anything.

What a very sad situation this is when we actually look at it from a factual perspective. Thousands of men gave up all they had and left their homesteads to risk the lives of themselves and their families to travel to California. Planes did not exist. Cars did not exist. Thousands of American men, women, and children traveled by horse and carriage; and for months they journeyed while braving the weather, battling the elements, overcoming the terrain, succumbing to sickness and disease, and in constant fear of attack from wild animals, Indians, or bandits. Why?  In a nutshell, they were willing to risk it all in order to possibly strike it rich. They had their hearts set on California’s treasure and they were willing to pay any cost just for the chance to find it, even if the possibility of having worldly wealth was a small one. There was no guarantee at all that they would prosper, but they still set out on this voyage; fully aware of the danger and the futility.

 I don’t know about you, but this sounds uninviting to me.

See, I’d like to have a greater chance of success if I was going to risk my family’s well being. Wouldn’t you? Well, the story of the gold rush and the risks that were taken reminds me of another tale about a man who searched for treasure. But the good news in this account is that he didn’t have to risk all that he had to find it, but rather chose to sell all that he had after he had found it. Oh, don’t get me wrong, it cost him time and energy up front. But, anyway, let’s check it out.  It’s short, to the point, and was spoken by Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry. Here it is:

 

Matthew 13: ⁴⁴ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

 

This parable from the book of Matthew has always motivated the explorer in me. What was it that attracted this man to this field? How did he know there was treasure buried there? What possessed him to spend so much time and effort looking for it? What is it that this man found? Needless to say, it must have been something spectacular to warrant his reaction. According to our Lord, when he finally found what he was looking for; he hid it again and it caused such inner joy that he sold all that he had just to purchase the field. First off, I’d say, doesn’t it seem kind of selfish to find something of such worth only to hide it again? It does. However, I believe the man in the Lord’s parable didn’t purchase this field simply to keep this treasure to himself. On the contrary, I have great faith that it was just the opposite. In my opinion, what this man had discovered was a well of Godly understanding that he knew he could continue to draw from. What he had found he wanted to be sure to protect so that he could share it with others. By selling all he had and buying the field, he was merely making sure that no one else came and polluted what he had so diligently searched for and worked tirelessly to find. This wasn’t an easy discovery; he had no doubt spent countless hours excavating all across this seemingly vacant field searching for answers to life’s mysteries. His face was tattered and dirty, his feet were sore, his knees were scarred, his elbows were bruised, his hands were cramped, and his body exhausted from his tireless pursuit to find what it was he knew existed. Where most men saw an empty field or maybe a meadow of flowers and nothing more, through the eyes of his heart, this man; this seeker, knew there was more to it than what he could see in the natural. He knew that hidden within the field of life; there was a deeper meaning. Hidden somewhere beneath the dirt, mud, and the rocks lied the answer to all of his soul’s deepest questions and concerns. This man had discovered, through his relentless faithful pursuit, a source of water that finally quenched his spiritual thirst by providing him wisdom and understanding for life. He had been searching for the way, the truth, and the life. And he had found Jesus Christ and all the treasures which are hidden within Him. (Col. 2: 1-3) He had found the door to heaven. Once he had discovered the authenticity of his treasure, he realized that everything else was meaningless in comparison. Truth is, this man had faithfully gone on an archaeological dig in life’s field to unearth God and he was rewarded according to Jehovah’s good word, which says in the following scriptures:

 

Jeremiah 29:  ^13 “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”

Matthew 6:– ^33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Matthew 7:-- ⁷ “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸ for everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”

Hebrews 11: ^5 “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. ⁶ But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

Now for the contrast:

Unlike the 49’ers of the Gold Rush, who risked it all for the mere possibility to find bullion, the man in Jesus’ parable chose to challenge Yahweh to His word and search for Him.  The Word declares that those who diligently seek and ask will be rewarded. Where is the risk in this? There is none. The Word says that the wisdom and understanding which is hidden in Christ Jesus is more precious than gold, and that this wisdom will be liberally given to those who ask. (James 1:5) Where is the risk in that? There is none. All that is required is to get our faces planted into the dirt, get our knees bruised in prayer, and let our hands cramp as we pan through the pages of the greatest nugget producing stream of all time……the Holy Bible! Why? Because, hidden within the field of the Gospel story, there is a greater significance than we can even fathom. It should be known that God is endless and His love is without depth, height, or width. There is always something new to learn. But only if we hunger and thirst for it.

I would like you to take the time to pray and then read the following chapters and passages of scripture, then come back here:

Colossians 2: 1-3

Proverbs 16:16

Psalm 19: 7-11

Proverbs 4: Security in Wisdom

Proverbs 2: The Value of Wisdom

 

 The Hidden Treasures Which Are Hidden in Christ!

Colossians 2: For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, ² that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, ³ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

As you just read in these passages, there is nothing you can pursue that is of greater value than the Lord’s wisdom and understanding. So pray and then allow Holy Spirit to help you use the shovels of scripture and the pales of prayer to unearth the greatest treasure that you will ever know. And it really is simple; cry out for understanding, ask for wisdom, and seek for them. In turn; He will hear you, you will find and receive them, and you will reap the benefits. There is no risk! You WILL be rewarded for your efforts. There is no chance of jeopardizing it all only to come away empty handed. And it just might be that when you do acquire these spiritual gems and you truly understand His word, you’ll actually be willing to give up everything to protect it and share it.  After all, having the veil removed from the eyes of your heart and finally seeing Jesus Christ for who He accurately is and totally understanding the significance of the Cross, His mercy, and His grace has a way of breaking even the strongest chains. Praise you Lord for Your blood of redemption and the Spirit of renewal.  Hallelujah!

So, I ask. Are you asking? Are you seeking? Are you knocking? Are you digging? If so, is what you’ve found worth giving it all up for and do you feel a need to share it? If not, I hope this blog awakens the Spirit of Christ in you which longs to cry out “Abba Father”. (Rom. 8:15) (Gal. 4:6) I hope it compels you to search for the answers to your deepest questions and to allow Holy Spirit to help you bring to light the truth of God’s word. (1 Cor. 2:10) (Jer. 33:3) Remember this friend, our goal as a follower of Christ is to be transformed from glory to glory into His image. (2 Cor. 3:18) But how can this happen if we’re not seeking His face to know what He looks like? And how can we expect to have the mind of Christ, if we aren’t searching His word to become acquainted with how He thinks? (1 Cor. 2:16)  

 The depths of love found within the work of the cross can never be fully understood. Therefore, it must be our lifelong pursuit to dig it out. -- The Ramp

My prayer is that this blog will become a place where you can come when you need to be inspired, when you need to be encouraged, or when you just need to know that He still cares for you and loves you. It is my heart, my passion, and my gifting to cry out, to ask, to seek, and to knock. What I find, I want to share.  I promise I won’t write anything here until I have poured over the scriptures, sought the heart of the Father, and the Holy Spirit burden to put pen to paper has become unbearable.  I only want to share Truth. I only wish to stir up your gifts, to edify you, and to challenge you to build your relationship with your Heavenly Father. (Heb. 10:24, 25) He loves you and He longs to draw near to you. He’s just waiting for you to draw near to Him. (James 4:8) So get on your knees and don’t stop moving and digging; and as promised, He will bless you with His hidden treasures. For, the Lord has promised to reveal Himself to those who diligently seek Him. (Jer. 33:3) Praise the name that is above all names and prepare yourself to stand face to face, because He alone is worthy. Amen.

As you seek the Father’s face, let the Holy Spirit become your dearest friend. You will not regret it. After all, Jesus said it would be better for us if He went to the Father because He would send the Comforter.

Peace in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

Brother Joseph

Are You Judging Me?

Matthew 7:1-5

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the same measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, Let me remove the speck out of your eye; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

Lately, after a sharing of the truth of God's word by a discerning and concerned believer, I have been reading and hearing many people misuse Christ’s teaching of “Judge not, that you be not judged”. They may paraphrase and say "Only God can judge me", "Don't judge me", or even use the lesson about the adulteress and say “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone”.  I believe this epidemic stems from the fact that America's culture, both in and out of church, has produced a people that do not want to be held accountable for their actions. Honestly, I expect the world to misquote and misuse scripture to gain its own advantage, but because of the fact that many professing Christians have used this with me recently:

Holy Spirit wants to clarify something.

 If we read past verse 1 of Matthew chapter 7, we see that the judgment referred to here is that of approaching someone about their sin without even considering and taking care of our own sins first (remove the plank from your own eye so that you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brothers). Jesus also taught not to judge someone (what kind of person they are) based on their attire, financial status, or any other superficial means. The former is hypocrisy, and the latter is unfair judgment based on the appearance. But to judge righteously, to judge in Spirit, to judge by the Fruit of the Spirit, to exhort in Spirit and to correct for the right reasons (to bring someone into right standing with God) is very much required of Christ's followers. (John 7:24) Ultimately, it's what LOVE does. Because there is an eternity for every soul whether in Heaven or in Hell; LOVE cares, LOVE shares, and LOVE saves. It's why Jesus came and ultimately why He died.  We love Him because He first loved us. And we see His love for us in that while we were still sinners, He came and showed us the way and died for us.  Do you honestly think they crucified Him because He only spoke what they wanted to hear? Did He not preach repentance? Reality is they killed Him because He spoke truth by Holy Spirit, yet He never condemned or judged anyone. He only offered forgiveness of sin and right standing with the Father through His soon to be shed blood. He knew He was to bare the weight of the world’s sin and take our place in death on the Cross and He preached this to everyone regardless of status; the government officials, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the rich, the poor, and even to the social outcasts of that day. As a matter of fact, He was ultimately ridiculed because of who He hung out with and ministered to.  Think about this. The poor heard Him. The broken heard Him. The diseased heard Him. The crippled heard him. But the proud along with the religious and political leaders of that day scoffed at His teaching and correction. Sound familiar! He didn’t judge them, their decision to ignore Truth judged them. He merely preached forgiveness and salvation by the word of God and so should we! So how do we judge righteously by the Word?

Let us remember that the Scriptures are God-Breathed. They are the infallible word of God and good for correction, exhortation, and rebuke. (2 Tim. 3) Without Them: We have no standard or Truth by which to gauge our lives by. There is no accountability. We can do what we want and simply state "Only God Can Judge Me” But with Them: We now have a Holy measuring stick and an unchangeable Godly standard. And, through prayerful reading we can understand and know God's will for man and for the nations through the work of the Cross and the precious gift of rebirth in Spirit. I rejoice and thank the Father for His Grace and His Holy Spirit power which brings freedom from my flesh and sin.  Hallelujah!!! The apostle Paul proclaimed, “Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16-25) So what judgment does the flesh deserve?

Within the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, the Judgment of God is laid out plainly on all disobedience. (Eph. 5:3-6) Simply put, He WILL bring punishment on those who choose lives of sin and fleshly pleasure over His free gift of a freed life in Christ which has been transformed by the empowering of Holy Spirit . Those practicing sin and without repentance will be subject to His wrath. Therefore, when someone who is empowered by Holy Spirit and in line with the WORD of our Lord gently and non-contentiously points out sin in your personal life or in the Nation as a whole and mentions the saving grace of Jesus; we should see that they aren't really "judging" us but rather actually trying to SAVE us from the coming judgment. Are they not merely sent from God to warn us of what we will reap from our sowing? For according to scripture, those who truly care about the souls of men would be wise to gently correct (judge righteously according to God's word) those they love in Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:15) (James 5:20) (Ezekiel 33:8) (Hebrews 3:13) (1 Thess. 5:12-22) In other words, to point out someone’s sin in order to correct and bring them to repentance is true LOVE, but to allow them to continue in their sinful ways out of some worldly definition of "love" and based on cultural beliefs is to usher them into God's Judgment. Would any good Father allow his children to go unpunished or uncorrected if they were breaking the law? NO! He would out of love for them, correct them. (Hebrews 12:5-11) If I saw someone running down a seemingly harmless path that I knew led to a never-ending cliff, would I not scream at the top of my lungs to stop them and then try to show them the error of their way. Yea I would, but only if I LOVED them. If I didn't care, I’d allow them to continue down that path; that path which promises world peace; that path which is said to lead to global unity; that path which is undeniably sinful but yet marked by signs which are shrouded in the buzz words of Civil Rights, Cultural Tolerance, Modern Ethics, Religious Enlightenment, and Political Correctness.  (Proverbs 16:25) This is the path that citizens of the world follow, but friends we are not citizens of the world but rather citizens of heaven. We are called out to be consecrated and pure.  We are to be set aside as a peculiar people; A Holy People; A Righteous People.  Not by our own works, but by the empowering Holy Spirit through a faith in Christ Jesus, who loved us and gave His life for us. We must be Born Again. (John 3:3) The old has passed away and the new has come. We are now dead to sin and alive to God. Praise God for this Truth! Praise God for this Great News!

Therefore friends, let us all repent, walk in Spirit and stand firm on God's Holy word; lovingly correcting and exhorting with patience and gentleness all who are blind and bound by sin, so that even though we will be hated and even though we will be persecuted, God may grant that by our LOVE even a few souls might be saved. (2 Timothy 2:24-26)  And if we see anyone truly judging people (condemning the chooser and not the choice) in the name of Christ, let us be true to the Word and rebuke, exhort, and correct THEM. For it is time that Jesus Christ’s true believers grow HOT for Him and start seeking for their flesh to be crucified so that they may better represent His nature.  Friends, remember this, being Lukewarm equates to being Christ's vomit. Let that stir your heart’s coals for the day and may the Holy Spirit come to rest on you. (Hebrews 10:24) As you ask, as you knock, and as you seek, let it be so to you and your family. Peace in Jesus and many Spiritual Blessings. Come Lord Jesus!

I’m Not Judging You, I’m Trying to Save You

John 3:16-17

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

Let Christ Jesus receive all due honor and glory. He alone is worthy.  For He alone has saved us. Amen!

In His love

Brother Joseph