Satan Exposed: Our Treasure

Our church has been going through a “Walk of Faith” campaign for the last several weeks. The four “pillars” of the campaign, if they can be called such, are our Time, Treasure, Talents, and Testimony. The basic drive of the campaign is that God wants us to, in giving Him our lives, use our time, treasure, talents, and testimony for His Kingdom.

Many of the messages in our culture today, though, run very contrary to this idea. I see Satan well on his way toward robbing us of all four of those pieces of our lives. This post is exposing the first robbery — our treasure.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” — Mt. 6:19-21

Over the course of our lives, we (Americans) will make thousands, perhaps millions, of dollars. We will acquire material objects and gifts from other people. We possess more materially than any other culture in the history of humankind. Our will determines what becomes of this great wealth. We could spend it fruitlessly on food, fattening ourselves to no profit. We could invest the resources and create a huge retirement account to carry us through our final years and create a foundation for our children. Or we could invest our money and resources into the Kingdom, by providing for the needs of others around us.

Of those options, Satan wins with all except the last. Our bodies will perish. All our material possessions will perish. They are members of Satan’s broken kingdom. This is why Jesus tells us to invest into His Kingdom, where these things will not be destroyed or stolen. Many of us agree with this mentally, but only deceive ourselves, because we live a very different story indeed.

As an example, the average American makes a car payment of $350 every month. Dave Ramsey fans know that if this money were invested into an IRA, after many years you would have several million dollars. Invested into the Kingdom, though, millions of meals could be served, houses built for homeless families, chains loosed, bonds broken… the work God has assigned to His People would be accomplished.

But the madness doesn’t end with a car payment. The average household has almost $10,000 in credit card debt. Every American should own a new car, lease a nice SUV, have a couple wave runners for the summer and a condo in Florida for the winter. Before long, every dollar that comes into the two-income family is immediately sent back out to make payments for our silly luxuries. Jesus warns us that rust will destroy our cars and boats and homes, and that moths will ruin our expensive clothes. That’s the way life goes. Yet still, we go on, month after month, chasing foolishly after the things the world promises will provide us with pleasure.

And there we find our true god. We say we believe that our time is eternal because we’re following Jesus. But if we’re brutally honest, we have bought the world’s line: “Eat, drink, and be merry — for tomorrow we die.” And because of this, we spend every last penny on making our lives as enjoyable as possible. We buy the latest big-screen TV and speaker set so we can play the latest video games in hi-def, surround sound quality. We make sure we own the shiniest, most exquisite vehicle on the lot, lest we look less fortunate than Mr. Jones next door.

Why? Why do we follow the same drum beat by which the rest of the world marches? Because we’ve bought the Lie! Jesus said to invest your money into the treasures of the Kingdom — selflessly giving to all who need. Satan counters this command by placing in front of us immediate fun and enjoyment, and we fall hook, line, and sinker.

When will we ever learn? Perhaps on our death bed. Perhaps when we look back over 60, 70, 80 years of life and realize the only thing we’ve ever invested in is a rusty car and a life of fun that is forever gone then we will weep in agony as our eyes are open. We will weep even more bitterly when we see that our children and grand children are now taking the same foolish road of life, and there’s nothing we can do about it anymore. They, too, have been swallowed up by the Enemy.

The only hope we have is to believe. Believe John when he says that this world and its desires are all passing away (1 Jn. 2:15ff). Believe Jesus when he pleads with us to store for ourselves treasures in heaven. Believe that we are blinded and fooled by the world and its slogans. Cling to what is good and abhor what is evil. Repent and believe, and we will most certainly be saved from ruin.

Satan has tricked us. He has lured us away to be slaughtered. Absolutely nothing we possess is ours. It has all been granted to us by God, from whom all good and perfect gifts come. But He has not given these things to us so that we can build our own kingdom of pleasure. He has given to us so that we may be light and salvation to those around us. We are the hands and feet of our King while He is away. We are to put our money toward the family with none. Our ample car is perfect for the single mother whose van just died. Our spare bedroom is an incredible tool for the man who can’t get back on his feet!

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” — Mt. 25:34-36

I assure you, whatever you do for the least of us, you do for our King. Invest richly in His people. May He return to find His people serving wholeheartedly and with great power and effectiveness!