Treasure What Matters: God, Relationships, and Fulfillment

Devotional

Day 1: The Heart's True Treasure

Treasures are not limited to material possessions but include relationships, reputation, and our connection with God. They reveal where our hearts truly lie and what we value most. Understanding this helps us align our lives with what truly matters. [01:58]

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one intangible treasure in your life that you value deeply. How does this treasure reflect where your heart truly lies, and how can you align it more closely with God's purposes today?

Day 2: God as the Ultimate Treasure

The greatest commandment is to treasure God above all else. This involves loving Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, aligning our will with His, and finding fulfillment in His purposes. When God is our ultimate treasure, our lives are transformed, and we find true fulfillment. [03:04]

"And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (Mark 12:30, ESV)

Reflection: Consider one area of your life where you struggle to make God your ultimate treasure. What practical steps can you take today to prioritize your relationship with Him in that area?

Day 3: Honoring Others' Treasures

Intimacy and respect in relationships involve honoring each other's treasures. This respect is crucial, especially in parent-child relationships, where it can significantly impact a child's development and dignity. By valuing what others hold dear, we foster deeper connections and mutual respect. [05:56]

"Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor." (Romans 12:10, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a relationship in your life where you can better honor the other person's treasures. What is one specific action you can take today to show respect and appreciation for what they value?

Day 4: Discerning Our Treasures

Treasures can be noble, gratuitous, or disordered. Noble treasures, like God, are inherently worthy, while gratuitous treasures hold personal significance. Disordered treasures, such as wealth or reputation, can lead us astray if not properly managed. The challenge lies in discerning and letting go of these disordered attachments to find true freedom and fulfillment. [08:07]

"Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." (Proverbs 4:23, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one disordered treasure in your life that may be leading you astray. What steps can you take today to begin letting go of this attachment and realign your heart with what truly matters?

Day 5: Treasuring Life's Moments

We are encouraged to treasure the moments, beauty, and people in our lives while learning not to cling to things unworthy of our devotion. By treasuring God and others, we align ourselves with a life of deeper meaning and connection. This perspective invites us to live with gratitude and intentionality. [10:01]

"So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a recent moment or interaction that brought you joy. How can you cultivate a habit of treasuring such moments daily, and what impact might this have on your relationship with God and others?

Sermon Summary

In today's reflection, we delve into the profound concept of treasuring, inspired by Dallas Willard's insights. Treasuring is not merely about material possessions but extends to the intangible aspects of our lives, such as relationships, reputation, and ultimately, our relationship with God. Jesus teaches us that our treasures reveal where our hearts truly lie. We often go to great lengths to protect what we treasure, whether it be a physical object or something more abstract like our reputation or relationships.

The most significant treasure we are called to hold is God and His kingdom. To love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength is to make Him our ultimate treasure. This involves aligning our will with His purposes and finding our fulfillment in Him. When we treasure God, we naturally begin to treasure others as He does, respecting their dignity and the treasures they hold dear.

The narrative of Mr. Stevens and Miss Kenton from "Remains of the Day" illustrates the vulnerability and intimacy involved in sharing our treasures. It highlights the importance of respecting each other's treasures, as they are deeply connected to our spirit and dignity. This respect is crucial in relationships, especially between parents and children, where honoring a child's treasures can significantly impact their development.

We categorize treasures into three types: noble treasures, like God, who is inherently worthy of our devotion; gratuitous treasures, which may not have intrinsic value but hold personal significance; and disordered treasures, which can lead us astray when we place undue importance on them, such as wealth or reputation. The challenge lies in discerning and letting go of these disordered attachments to find true freedom and fulfillment.

In our daily lives, we are encouraged to treasure the moments, the beauty of creation, and the people around us. Yet, we must also learn not to cling to things unworthy of our devotion, such as material wealth or societal approval. Ultimately, by treasuring God and people, we align ourselves with a life of deeper meaning and connection.

Key Takeaways

1. child relationships, where it can significantly impact a child's development and dignity. [05:56]
4. Categories of Treasures: Treasures can be noble, gratuitous, or disordered. Noble treasures, like God, are inherently worthy, while gratuitous treasures hold personal significance. Disordered treasures, such as wealth or reputation, can lead us astray if not properly managed.

5. Living a Life of Treasuring: We are encouraged to treasure the moments, beauty, and people in our lives while learning not to cling to things unworthy of our devotion. By treasuring God and others, we align ourselves with a life of deeper meaning and connection.

** [05:56]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:28] - Introduction to Treasuring
[01:41] - What Do You Treasure?
[02:15] - The Concept of a Safe
[02:47] - Treasuring Beyond Material Goods
[03:04] - Treasuring God Above All
[03:41] - The Human Need for Treasures
[04:01] - Story from "Remains of the Day"
[05:11] - Vulnerability and Treasures
[05:42] - Intimacy and Mutual Knowledge
[06:09] - Respecting Children's Treasures
[06:39] - The Story of Sleepy Dog
[07:24] - Treasures and Our Soul
[08:07] - Categories of Treasures
[09:09] - Treasuring Life and Moments
[10:01] - Treasuring God and People
[11:09] - Closing Remarks and Resources

Sermon Clips

I invite you to think today about what do you treasure what would you like to treasure what will you choose to treasure today cuz treasuring gets deeply into the notion of having a kingdom a range where our will is effective and where we count Jesus teaches us about our Treasures Treasures are things we try to keep because of a value we place upon them they may be of no value whatsoever in themselves nevertheless we tra take great pains to protect such things we are said to treasure them. [00:01:41]

The most important commandment of the judeo-christian tradition is to Treasure God and treasure God's realm more than anything else that's what it is to love God with all your heart soul mind and strength it is to make you God my treasure to hold him dear to protect and Aid him in his purposes our only wisdom safety and fulfillment lies in so treasuring God then we will also treasure our neighbors rightly as he he Treasures them. [00:02:47]

Everyone has Treasures this is an essential part of what it is to be human to have nothing that one Treasures is to be in a nonhuman condition and nothing degrades people more than to scorn or destroy or deprive them of their Treasures indeed merely to pry into what one's Treasures are is a severe intrusion. [00:03:41]

A main part of intimacy between two persons is precisely Mutual knowledge of their Treasures Treasures are directly connected to our spirit or our will and thus to our dignity as persons it is for example very importance for parents to retra the to respect the treasure space of children it lies right at the center of a child's soul and great harm can be done if it is not respected and even fostered. [00:05:42]

People in concentration camps and and those homeless folks who come to live on the streets go to Great Lengths and even risk their lives to hold on to things that may simply be ridiculous to others none of them is without some treasure it will be perhaps a photo or old letter or some ornament or trinket we reveal what our Treasures are are by what we try to protect secure and keep. [00:07:24]

To discuss our Treasures is really to discuss our treasur Rings we are not to pass it off as dealing merely with external Goods which are non-spiritual it is to deal with the fundamental structure of the Soul it has to do precisely with whether the life that we're living now in this physical mat material realm really is a material one. [00:08:07]

There are noble Treasures to treasure God above all because God is worth treasuring and then there are um gratuitous Treasures to wrap my heart around um Sleepy Dog some object or a song something that doesn't have great intrinsic value but it becomes an object of my heart's desire in a way that is beautiful and we love that about people we love that in Little Children. [00:08:47]

But then there are disordered treasuring when I come to be too attached to money and rest my security in it one of the things that I have had to learn is to let go of treasuring my reputation and then doing that in many ways uh that was kind of forced by a situation there was a great Freedom that comes on the other side of ceasing to treasure a disordered attachment. [00:09:09]

Treasure your life treasure each moment treasure a meal that you have with a friend treasure a piece of music that you love treasure the sky or a tree or what it is that God has created number two don't treasure your life and by that I mean don't clutch on to don't remain attached to the that which is not worth treasuring. [00:09:59]

God thank you that you made me and that you love me and that you're with me and that you guide me and that Jesus is my friend who gave his life for me so that I might treasure him and you and the cross and the message treasure god and then treasure people treasure people because God treasure Treasures people God Treasures us because we were treasured by Jesus. [00:10:01]

It is the case with every person that the day will come when I will no longer be able to treasure them and I was thinking yesterday about someone I would love to treasure but eventually through death or loss of another kind that opportunity is lost while it's here tell them love them reach out to for to them touch them care for them treasure people. [00:11:09]

Hey if you enjoyed that video be sure to subscribe so you don't miss any future episodes from John orberg or become new you can also head to our website become new.com where we have a bunch more resources you might be interested in like free downloads books and a library of videos for you to explore learning how to grow spiritually one day at a time. [00:11:09]

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