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Valuing What We Have
November 4, 2023

 

 

Do we value what we have? It’s been said that we don’t appreciate what we have until it is gone. Valuing what we have is a theme we can find in the Bible. For instance, in the Book of Proverbs, we are told to be diligent to know the state of our flocks and herds because riches are not forever and the crown does not endure to every generation.

Proverbs 27:23-24
Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?

Even Jesus alluded to this concept brought forth by Proverbs in teaching about the Kingdom of God. He told his disciples that while it was God’s good pleasure to give them the kingdom, they needed to secure for themselves a treasure in heaven instead of trying to secure for themselves a treasure on earth, explaining that their heart is where their treasure is. He used this same teaching to explain the need to always be ready for His second coming, doing what God expects of us.

Luke 12:32-40
Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

Laying up treasure in heaven is another way to explain the need to seek first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness. Instead of worrying about what we see on a day-to-day basis, Jesus taught what we are to prioritize, the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness.

Matthew 6:25-34
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the Gentiles seek for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Seeking first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness implies other things will also be sought, and these other things must be sought at a lower priority. As Christians, while we do not worry about the things we need in this life, we never allow those things to disrupt our focus on the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness. If we seek something better for our life, there is nothing wrong with that. Whatever that better thing is for our life, it cannot be of more importance than the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness to the degree that we seek that something better first and before the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness. Jesus was teaching the need to prioritize what is spiritual that leads to eternal life over what is physical that serves our needs in the present life. It comes down to valuing what we have.

In explaining judgment to the disciples, Jesus also taught them to value what they had. He indeed taught them to not judge others lest they be judged exactly the same way, but to consider first what needed to be changed in their own lives. Then Jesus added something curious along with that teaching about valuing what they had, to not cast what is holy before dogs neither casting pearls before swine lest they trample that under their feet before turning against them.

Matthew 7:1-6
Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

From that we can see that we are not to regard what is holy and allow it to be trampled underfoot by those who have no regard for what is holy in not judging others. In not judging others, we still value what we have, those pearls and what is holy, but we simply do not judge others. In not judging others we do not cast off what is holy. We do not abandon what is holy in not judging others. Instead we continue to affirm what is holy without judging others knowing that those who disregard the law of God already would trample the law of God underfoot and easily turn on us. For us, giving what is holy to dogs and casting pearls before swine would be to allow them to decide what is holy and valuable to us. God defines what is holy and it is up to us to decide to value what God decides is holy. We never abandon the truth to placate those who have no regard for the truth. We have been given the truth and we must value the truth. In this modern age where what is good in the Bible is often defined as evil by society, we cannot side with society.

Knowing about the Kingdom of God gives us a level of peace in understanding the evil we see in this world today as we pray for the Kingdom of God to come quickly. The Kingdom of God is something of extreme value and more valuable than anything that we can be offered in this present age. If we value the Kingdom of God, everything we do will support our quest for the Kingdom of God, knowing that as we are on the quest for the Kingdom of God, among us will be many just people and many who are wicked. We cannot allow the wicked of this world to distract us from our quest in seeking first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness.

Matthew 13:44-50
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

If we value what we have, we will not hide it but share it with others as the opportunity presents itself, valuing the hope of eternal life in the Kingdom of God more than the physical life we now have.

Matthew 10:27-31
What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

If we value what we have seeking first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness, we will not only be focused on those lesser things that are important to us, but we will also be focused on what is important to other people, especially those people who are part of our life.

Philippians 2:1-4
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

If we value what we have, we will seek first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness knowing we have been called to be holy, and in what we do and say, we will strive to be holy knowing that Jesus Christ died for our sins so that we could have eternal life. We know we are moving in the right direction when we have a pure love for the brethren. That love for the brethren cannot be faked, cannot be for show, cannot be a scam.

1 Peter 1:13-22
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

When it comes to the people in our life, including our family, we must continue to value what we have. Jesus explained of the need to prioritize our relationships with people, and God and Jesus Christ explaining that those who do not love their family less than God and Jesus Christ cannot be His disciple. Unfortunately, the Greek word is translated as hate in the passage we’ll read and is translated from the Greek miseo, Strong’s Greek word 3404, meaning to love less. We are not told to hate but to prioritize our relationships as we value what we have.

Luke 14:25-33
And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

In valuing what we have, Jesus explained to the disciples that it is possible to gain the whole world and save the physical life and lose everything spiritually. We can never value what is physical on this earth more than the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness. Not everything we do physically presents as a challenge to the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness. For instance if we are buying a loaf of bread, buying that loaf of bread typically doesn’t make us think of the need to seek first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness, even though we must do that. Other things in this physical realm directly make us think of the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness, and for those of us keeping the Sabbath and Holy Days, incredible job opportunities that would be ours for the taking if only we would work on the Sabbath and Holy Days come to mind. We cannot seek to gain what is physical while throwing away what is spiritual, casting pearls before swine and giving what is holy to dogs. We must continue to value what we have.

Matthew 16:24-28
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

Seeking the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness is not an excuse to ignore the needs of others, especially those who are part of our family. We take care of our family, especially those living in our household or we have denied the faith and are worse than those who are not called. Valuing the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness means we take care of family knowing we always prioritize the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness first.

1 Timothy 5:3-8
Honour widows that are widows indeed. But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God. Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day. But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless. But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

Once, Jesus was asked to divide an inheritance with a person’s brother. Jesus simply told that person to beware of covetousness because a person’s life does not consist of the physical things that are owned.

Luke 12:13-15
And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

When asked about the timing of the Kingdom of God, Jesus explained that just like a person can tell that summer is near when the leaves begin to bud and fruit is set that the Kingdom of God will be near as end time events point to the Kingdom of God. As we await the Kingdom of God we cannot be overcharged with the cares of this life to the point we are caught unprepared. We cannot value more what is in this world and must instead remain focused on seeking first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness.

Luke 21:29-36
And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

In writing to the Thessalonians, Paul wrote that when people claim peace and safety sudden destruction will come. To counter this Paul told them of the need to be vigilant, to not sleep, but to watch and be sober, to comfort each other, and to edify each other.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

The Colossians were told to seek those things which are above, those heavenly things, where Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of God, and not to set our affection on those things which are here on earth.

Colossians 3:1-4
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

In Proverbs we are told to keep our heart with all diligence, for through the heart comes everything dealing with life.

Proverbs 4:20-24
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

As we live our life on earth today, we must seek those things which are found in heaven, and that will only happen if we remain vigilant, comfort each other, and edify each other. Remaining vigilant was even something taught to the children of Israel as God explained to them if they lacked vigilance, they would soon forget what they had seen with their own eyes. Imagine forgetting about crossing on dry land through the sea or seeing the pursuing Egyptian army destroyed behind you. Imagine seeing the imagery of the ten commandments at Mount Horeb and then forgetting about it. If we do not seek first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness, we will find ourselves forgetting what is important to God.

Deuteronomy 4:9-14
Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children. And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness. And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice. And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone. And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it.

Paul warned Timothy to not be entangled with the affairs of this life, to remain focused first on the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness. It doesn’t mean we will never encounter and work within the affairs of this life. The electric and gas bill will come due at your house as much as it will mine. We will find ourselves busy and at times very busy in this life, but we cannot become entangled with the affairs of this life. We become entangled with the affairs of this life when the affairs of this life trip us up and keep us from doing what we need to do to seek first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness.

2 Timothy 2:1-7
Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

In Hebrews, we are reminded of the need to lay aside every weight, the affairs of this life that entangle us, and to lay aside sin as we run the race that is before us. As we do this, as we seek first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness, instead of becoming entangled with the affairs of this world, instead of becoming entangled with sin, we look to Jesus Christ who is the author and finisher of our faith.

Hebrews 12:1-3
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

As we run that race which is before us, we need to run our spiritual race as if it were any race we would run on earth where only one person wins the race. If we want to win our spiritual race, if we value what we have, we will be temperate in all things as we seek that which is eternal.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

As we run the spiritual race that is before us, as we lay aside every weight including sin that can easily become part of our life, we need to exhort each other so that whatever sin comes through our life does not harden our hearts.

Hebrews 3:12-15
Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; While it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

When we value what we have, we present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God living our life with a mind that is not conformed to this world, but that is transformed through the renewing of our mind that comes with the Holy Spirit proving what is that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God. If we value what we have, we will not think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think, but will soberly be aware of where we are in the faith at all times, knowing we are but one person in a family of faith on earth, and that each of us has been given different gifts according to the will and mercy of God.

If we value what we have, we will hate what it evil and cleave to that which is good as we are kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love. If we value what we have, we will not walk away from the faith and those in need who are of the faith. If we value what we have, we will not seek to avenge ourselves knowing that vengeance belongs to God. If we value what we have we will not be overcome by evil but will overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:1-21
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

What we have is faith based in this hope of eternal life and our place in the Kingdom of God that will be established on earth. We have these great and precious promises that we might become partakers of God’s divine nature escaping the corruption that is in the world through lust. If we value what we have, we will spiritually move forward with diligence and add to our faith virtue, knowledge, self-control, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love.

If we value what we have we will do all of these and we will not be spiritually barren nor will we be unfruitful in all things related to Jesus Christ. If we value what we have we will give diligence to make our calling and election sure so that we will never fall and thus we will be given an entrance into the eternal Kingdom of God with Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords.

2 Peter 1:2-11
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

For us who are the called, chosen, and faithful, valuing what we have means much more than what we physically have. What we physically have is inconsequential to what we will have in the Kingdom of God to come. We must value the calling we have been given, that we have been chosen now to have knowledge of this incredible peace that will one day be for all of mankind, and we must remain diligent so that nothing ever removes us from this faith that we have been given, so that we too will be given entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of God.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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