Treasuring God

This is Rodney from the masculine journey podcast. We explored manhood within Jesus Christ your chosen Truth Network podcast starting in just a few seconds.

Sit back and enjoy it, share it, most of all, thank you for listening and choosing The Truth Podcast Network. This is the Truth Network encouraging prayer, God offers an open invitation for his people to talk with him at any time about anything, and encouraging prayer Dr. James Banks, author of the best-selling peripheral product and many other books on prayer provides weekly biblical insight help you learn to love and now James is Rice's lately so this morning we thought we talk about treasure but were not talking about investing in gold or silver platinum or palladium were talking about another treasure treasure in our heart's not even crypto and putting it that way is where things really get interesting right because we can treasure a lot of things of course we treasure those we love our friends and our family. But there's something that Jesus says that we should treasure even more right right Jesus said in Matthew six. Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth were Mark Lieberman destroyed the steel 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.

So the question is really where is my heart is with things on her things in heaven right and that's where it gets difficult because of her honest, we have to admit that at least on some level we are torn courses can be things that we treasure here on earth like a spouse or son or daughter in Scripture says that we should love them.

Our staff reads our daily bread every morning and in this morning as I note you right for them. James and this morning. You know there's a great piece about a man who was cleaning out his father's room in the nursing facility after staff and he was handed two small boxes really all the things in his data down and that's all I came down to is that was happy. He smiled easily and encouraged others, and it was all because of his faith in Jesus, the writer said that his heart was set on loving God by loving others.

Yeah I saw that P and toward the end of it. The writer you were my editor and faded up. We might want to ask yourself if we could be happy with fewer things that clutter distract us from the more important matters a loving God, loving others and maybe stop and think about how much I need to treasure Jesus and how you know my heart is sometimes cluttered and pressuring him.

You know everything else, including the way I treat others will flow out of the richness of all that you all this is rich and so let's talk about treasure Jesus in prayer, you know, how can we do that as we yeah let's go there because we really treasure him. There is nothing better and we can start by thinking about all that he is all that he's done for us is cross loving example impeaching his promises to us. I think of Elizabeth.

Browning's work. How do I love you. Let me count the ways. When you apply that to God father son and Holy Spirit.

It's amazing you know is you just try to love him how his love flows into us and there's peace and hope and faith in anticipation of being with him because the spirit is moving in us as we respond to him and love.

This is what happens to us personally when we treasure him.

That's only the beginning because you know that's just the thinking part then we need to act on. I think about what Jesus said if we love him will obey his words right.

Obedience is how we show our love for him in prayer is an important part of that obedience is a great place to start and let God lead you from there. So we need to take moments where we are doing nothing else other than just loving God for who he is loving Jesus for who he is but because God made us all different. This can take on many different approaches when we pray, you might just be quiet and praise them inwardly or you might hold up your arms to him. You might go and serve someone very intentionally, but praying all the while knowing in your heart that what you're doing it your serving Jesus again. The important thing is where our hearts are and if you think about that. I don't know about you, but it can get convicting pretty quickly for me because I know I need to grow in this.

Whatever occupies our thoughts, but no I'm not talking about you know the situations that we have to be attended to. Like in our work. This places were required to focus but apart from that, where is our heart and mind go to thoughts of our own pleasure or comfort of glory that Jesus is pointing to separate where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Man shows us how we need to pray in another way really just asked Jesus to help us treasure him as a the idea you never pray actually that that he will help us love him most now because you know we can't do this unless he helps us yeah that's so true robbing me think about what you said been forgiven much love much and it it's good to go. Think about how he forgiven us what he's done for us so much love. The cross and how it's all because of goodness to Satan you know John, pour out your heart to him. There's an old German him almost 400 years old, called Jesu Mina Freud literally Jesus, my joy, but in English it's translated Jesus priceless pressure and got a closer couple of verses from this one is really appropriate.

I think with what's going on in our world and a writer you hunt front new war well because he lived during the 30 years war. He saw it up close and personal. So here's the second verse where he's talking to Jesus. Let your arms in full. Those who try to wound me. Cannot reach me here though the earth be shaking every heartbeat quaking Jesus calms my fear inspires me flash and thunder crashes. Yay though sin and hell assail me, Jesus will not fail me. While it is appropriate yeah it is. And here's the fourth first banish thoughts of sadness for the Lord of gladness. Jesus enters in. Though the clouds may gather those who love the Savior still have within the library much sorrow here. Still, you live purist pleasure.

Jesus priceless treasure hello how we need to treasure while thanks James, let's wrap up today with a prayer that we can just sit Jesus, we thank you so much for these insights and pray for simple prayer Lord, teach us to treasure and shows how to do it. Show us how to love you asked us to hear more from Pastor James by visiting the website. James bank.org or by visiting church in Durham, North Carolina. May God bless you and encourage you to pray. This is the Truth Network