Sunday, March 06, 2011

"Sell your possessions, and give to the needy....For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."-Dr. Luke 12:33-34


Bishop John Charles Ryle says about these verses of holy truth:

"The language of this charge is doubtless somewhat figurative. yet the meaning of it is clear and unmistakable. We are to sell,--to give up anything, and deny ourselves anything which stands in the way of our soul's salvation. We are to give,--to show charity and kindness to every one, and to be more ready to spend our money in relieving others, than to hoard it for our own selfish purposes. We are to provide ourselves treasures in heaven,--to make sure that our names are in the book of life,--to lay hold of eternal life,--to lay up for ourselves evidences which will bear the inspection of the day of judgment. This is true wisdom. This is real prudence. The man who does well for himself is the man who gives up everything for Christ's sake. He makes the best of bargains. He carries the cross for a few years in this world, and in the world to come has everlasting life. He obtains the best of possessions. He carries his riches with him beyond the grave. He is rich in grace here, and he is rich in glory hereafter. And, best of all, what he obtains by faith in Christ he never loses. It is "that good part which is never taken away."
Would we know what we are ourselves? Let us see whether we have treasure in heaven, or whether all our good things are here upon the earth--Would we know what our treasure is? Let us ask ourselves what we love most? This is the true test of character. This is the pulse of our religion. It matters little what we say, or what we profess, or what preaching we admire, or what place of worship we attend. What do we love? On what are our affections set? This is the great question. Where our treasure is there will our hearts be also."


And God knows our hearts, doesn't He. And yet, even knowing this, and understanding the truth of Jesus spoken here, and expounded upon brilliantly by JC Ryle, I still have struggles with my love wandering from my greatest treasure, who is Jesus my Savior and Lord. I suppose as long as we struggle, this will be sufficient, and even the evidence that I do have my name written in His book. And actually, the only reason I do love Christ, is because God first loved me (1 John 4:9).

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