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

The Pirate searches for the treasurers hidden and not visible to the naked eye. The Pirate seeks the things that seem valuable that another hides for their materialistic salvation. There search for gold did not keep them from finding it, or searching for more. Perhaps even drinking up what they once search upon finding it. The items not worthy to hold to or save up beyond the need for the next drink or next self satisfication. If you given a thousand dollars what do you spend it on. Do you save it for a rainy day, or straighten out bills and other things that are in your way. The greed of the pirate will make you broke, the greed of the rich man will make only the pirate broke and those that borrow.

If we set our treasurers on earthly things how many things can we take with us when we die. Many people are buried with jewelry, with trinkets, and even some beer cans. No one full grasping that the person is dead, and they can not use one item you dropped in the casket. Bibles of loves ones are often given to someone else that treasurers the word. The notes writen by love ones to be searched over and studied. Notes and references a gift to someone that needs help through the Bible. Yet today with all the reference guides and search engines, to study the Bible is much quicker and easier for those that know what they are looking for if you understand the language of the Bible and listen to the Holy Spirit. The Bible the biggest treasure map in the world, yet it thick page count with leather, paper, carboard bindings that can not be taken with you into heaven, but those treasured words of God will last forever that within those pages.

If we are truly saved then why are we seeking the things of this earth. We all do it to some degree. Some of us are living pay check to pay check hoping for a break through or windfall of money, and will probably never receive it. Those that do will only be able to hold onto it as long as one's financial needs are meet. The minute the savings begin to be attack the quicker it leaves a person back into the same hole they just climb out of.

Salvation by faith in Christ Jesus is the most precious thing and is your human right to claim it, because it was offered to you by God. It the one ticket you can not loose upon true reception of the gift of salvation. When you truly grab hold and realize that one day you be absent from this earth and be standing beside him in the air.

No you and I as believers can go outside and watch for his coming. However over time you learn a watch pot never boils, but one watched while doing other things in the kitchen will eventually see that pot come to boil. Meaning what. While we are to watch for Christ coming, we are to be busy about our work. What is our work. Whatever our talented are, and whatever God ask us to do for his kingdom that is coming. Beware the minister that asking for gold, and yet will not get his hand dirty to get someone out of the muck and mire of life, you better ask why. Minister better be following God's Spirit here on not to enter in the muck and the mire. God has treasurers in place that they do not belong, but they to blind by their sin, to know they do not belong there. What happens is God uses those treasurers to bring someone else to the light of Christ. They buried in the muck and mire of life and they need to be spit shined by blood of Christ, through his word. What is spit shinning. the old shoe shine boy that shined rich men shoes would make a nickle in his day for cleaning the road dirt from them. They did not carry a water can they used their natural spit to clean the shoes at times. You know like mother spit cleans the dirt off the nose or cheek of a child. Blood Christ washing and being reminder of the debt Christ paid for our sins cleanse the dirt right off all sinner in needing the saving grace of God. Those that backslid, have hid their faith deep within their hearts and need to be pulled out of the mud too. They hide their faith, not realizing when it time for it to be sanctified the white robe they had will not be clean. God going to bring you out of the grave you seem to place yourself in and pull you up out of the grave to be resurrected to live for him. He going to put you through the fire of your faith. Your in a pit oh backslider, trust me you can remain there.

God needs you to do two things set your gaze where Christ is sitting. How do we get to our place in heaven. How do we become royals first through faith, and then by following in the footsteps of Jesus, keeping our gaze on him. We see the prize let us not loose faith. We see the mark to the finish line lets set our hope there. We see our mindset must be on things of heaven and not this earth. The earth can take you into the deepst carvans, deepst sea, but it can not take you up up and away with Jesus. The buried treasure in this world will corrupt you if you fix your eyes on it. We need to remove our eyes from the treasures of this world, yet we need to work to keep a roof over our heads, food in our bellies and shoes on our feet. Yet these things are not going to get us to heaven. If God takes care of sparrow do you not think he watching over you and will provide for you? Ask a homeless person if he feels God protection. Every night no harm comes to him is protection. Every day money is found, food pantry is open and the street needs sweeping is a day that means there is still a job to do, to keep another out of the garabage bin. The world does not care if you eat out of the garbage bin. God cares. As long as the God's people care people will not go hungry.

It is easy to be carried away by the cares of this world, yet we have a responsibility to keep our focus and hope in God through Christ Jesus. Our eternal hope rest there, our world is here present and so we must remain focus on what is truly important, first God, others and ourselves. I talked about disciples working, yet Jesus filled their nets when the work for the Lord was needed to allow those on shore to be able to do their work, while the disciples continued on in ministry. They were working, but a time would come when they would have to rely solely on Jesus to feed them and provide for them as they went on their journey after the cross.

There are ministers that are called full time into ministry. There are ministers called to work and to minister both. God feeds and provides for his people this way. Ministers feed the troops and God Spirit provides for the minister. Those that work find ways to minister where they are to people in need. God's kingdom grows and grows. Jesus taught how to trust God for provisions. We look and we wonder how is God going to provide. Keep focused on our salvation even when the going gets rough. Some are called to ministry and some churches that lets their minister starve. Where is the sheep's focus on the Lord? The sheep focus needs to be on Jesus, they should busy about their own work and own call of ministry in the open field of this earth. The treasure and reward is heavenward.

Our life as we know it upon salvation is hid or buried with Christ, we rise to newest of faith in God. The treasures of this world having little value. Yet we all have things we treasure and love. Those that are saved are treasures that will be with us in heaven. As a minister said the other day I was watching, we see the enemy going to the altar we know he be in heaven too, but we also know that Christ is changing that heart and soul of our enemies. As they begin to look toward heaven too. The enemy God wants to make them into a treasure too while on this earth as they see your love and forgiveness. Our treasures are Christians friends, Christians that will be and will know the love of Christ we shared with them. Are we in need of the lust of this world? If answer no set your focus on Jesus. If your answer is yes, you need to get saved and focused on Jesus and what Jesus has to offer you for eternity.

Dear Heavenly Father, help us to focus on the prize that you set before us, that place called heaven where your throne sits and Christ sits beside you waiting for us to reach those pearly gates to home. That one day your people will surround God's throne to worship and adore you, In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Matthew 6:19-21 KJV
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.