I DREAMED OF TREASURE
By W. G. Guy
One night I had a vivid dream that I was seeking treasure and my search led me to large old mainline type church building. I entered the sanctuary, but there was no treasure to be found there. I went up to the second floor and balcony area, but there was no treasure there either. I then climbed to the third floor which seemed to be a storeroom for musical instruments or a band room. It had some marvelous musical antiques including organs and valuable large music boxes. No treasure here either even though the valuable antiques would be considered by many to be treasure, they did not constitute the true treasure I was seeking.
Then I climbed a narrow flight of stairs up to the belfry. When I reached the top of the stairs I closed and locked the door behind me since there were others who were also coming after the treasure. Then I saw them coming up another stairway so I went over and locked that door to keep them from getting in.
When I turned around I saw an old man who lived in this belfry. He was quite old and frail and about to die. I realized this man had written a well known hymn that was very popular in the church, but the church did not know him.
He gave me a card that was for his wife who had died a while back. There were several pages to this card, and each page was beautifully illustrated. Each page was about his love for her as it progressed through the years through various experiences, joys and sorrows. On the back page of this card were the simple words, without an illustration, that said, "And the greatest of these is LOVE"
Immediately I recognized that this was the treasure I was looking for. I had to guard and protect it from the others who were trying to get treasure, because they would not have recognized it as the true treasure and would have ignored the card, and even tear it up, abuse or mutilate it. They were looking for material treasure; which is why I had to lock them out. Their lust for material treasure may have even endangered the old man.
LOVE is the TREASURE; this is the treasure you take with you when you leave this physical life behind, as the old man was about to do. This man's love was still evident for his wife even though she was gone. Love is eternal; love like this is of and from God; it is the main character and nature of God (the first Fruit of the Spirit). The dream ended when I found and recognized the treasure, the true riches of the kingdom of God - LOVE.
Supporting Scriptures:
TREASURE: Matthew 6:19-21 "Lay not for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
TRUE RICHES: Luke 16:11 "If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches ?
Colossians 3:1-2 "If ye 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."
Ephesians 1:18 "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints." (glory =doxa: which is dignity, or ones character and nature).
Ephesians 3:16-19 – that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Colossians 3:12-14 - "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, (Love) which is the bond of perfectness."
2 Peter 1:5-8 "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 (love). For if these things be in you, and abound, they shall make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT - Galatians 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance...". The fruit (the true riches) reproduce God's character and nature, just as Jesus exhibited and as Adam had before the fall.
QUALITIES OF LOVE (charity) - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 "Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth."
For simplicity, here is a comparative listing:
WHAT LOVE DOES WHAT LOVE DOES NOT DO
Suffers long Envies not
Is kind Vaunteth not itself
Rejoices in truth Not puffed up
Bears all things Not behave unseemly
Believes all things Not selfish (seeking its own)
Hopes in all things Not easily provoked
Endures all things Thinks no evil
Never fails Does not rejoice in sin
Covers all sin
Casts out all fear
CHARITY also means CHERISHING and caring for that which is the object of LOVE. This charity is God's kind of love; the love that He places in our hearts by the Holy Spirit:
THIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER - 1 Corinthians 13:8 states that it never ceases. It appears that LOVE is the basic foundation of the Kingdom (domain) of God, since the product of love is righteousness, peace and joy, (see Romans 14:17).
THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE:
1 Corinthians 13:13 - "and now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS CHARITY." This verse is telling us that the supernatural Gifts of the Spirit, of 1 Corinthians 12, work by LOVE, (charity).
What is this kind of LOVE? - It is translated CHARITY because it means BENEVOLENCE, to care for others even as you would for yourself. Jesus gave us the best description of this treasure in John 15:13 - "Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends". To put this verse in modern terms is to define this kind of love as follows: “LOVE IS TO AID OR ASSIST AN OTHER EVEN AT YOUR OWN EXPENSE".
Is it not strange to see that God even COMMANDS that we obtain and use this treasure of love?
Matthew 22:36-40 – Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
John 13:34-35 – A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 14:15 – If you love Me, keep My commandments.
John 15:12 – This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
1Timothy 1:5 – Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,
1 John 3:23 – And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.
1 John 4:7-10 – Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
This love/ charity is the sum total of the law:
Romans 13:8-10 – “Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covert; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore LOVE IS THE FULFILLING OF THE LAW.
The God kind of love (agapeo) is the treasure we, as God's children and Christ's brethren, are to be seeking. What is so amazing is that this TREASURE is FREE and we really don’t need to put forth effort to find it – it finds us because of His love. We only need to accept it from God and allow it to prosper in each of us by letting it live through us. This is the true treasure and it IS eternal. (Selah - think on this!)
The foundation of the Kingdom of God is LOVE. This is why God has commanded LOVE to be in His people; it is so that they are suited to be part of His kingdom. Love is the TRUE TREASURE and the real riches that we are to seek after. Here is an interesting fact: when you give out love to others, your love will not run out but is constantly refreshed and refilled. It’s not like material wealth that when you give it out your amount diminishes. Love is eternal and by the Spirit of God.
Romans 5:5 – "And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."
Therefore, Love IS the Spirit of God/Christ that is living within you! It should be very evident in your life as a true child of God!
By W. G. Guy
One night I had a vivid dream that I was seeking treasure and my search led me to large old mainline type church building. I entered the sanctuary, but there was no treasure to be found there. I went up to the second floor and balcony area, but there was no treasure there either. I then climbed to the third floor which seemed to be a storeroom for musical instruments or a band room. It had some marvelous musical antiques including organs and valuable large music boxes. No treasure here either even though the valuable antiques would be considered by many to be treasure, they did not constitute the true treasure I was seeking.
Then I climbed a narrow flight of stairs up to the belfry. When I reached the top of the stairs I closed and locked the door behind me since there were others who were also coming after the treasure. Then I saw them coming up another stairway so I went over and locked that door to keep them from getting in.
When I turned around I saw an old man who lived in this belfry. He was quite old and frail and about to die. I realized this man had written a well known hymn that was very popular in the church, but the church did not know him.
He gave me a card that was for his wife who had died a while back. There were several pages to this card, and each page was beautifully illustrated. Each page was about his love for her as it progressed through the years through various experiences, joys and sorrows. On the back page of this card were the simple words, without an illustration, that said, "And the greatest of these is LOVE"
Immediately I recognized that this was the treasure I was looking for. I had to guard and protect it from the others who were trying to get treasure, because they would not have recognized it as the true treasure and would have ignored the card, and even tear it up, abuse or mutilate it. They were looking for material treasure; which is why I had to lock them out. Their lust for material treasure may have even endangered the old man.
LOVE is the TREASURE; this is the treasure you take with you when you leave this physical life behind, as the old man was about to do. This man's love was still evident for his wife even though she was gone. Love is eternal; love like this is of and from God; it is the main character and nature of God (the first Fruit of the Spirit). The dream ended when I found and recognized the treasure, the true riches of the kingdom of God - LOVE.
Supporting Scriptures:
TREASURE: Matthew 6:19-21 "Lay not for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
TRUE RICHES: Luke 16:11 "If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches ?
Colossians 3:1-2 "If ye 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."
Ephesians 1:18 "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints." (glory =doxa: which is dignity, or ones character and nature).
Ephesians 3:16-19 – that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Colossians 3:12-14 - "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, (Love) which is the bond of perfectness."
2 Peter 1:5-8 "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 (love). For if these things be in you, and abound, they shall make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT - Galatians 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance...". The fruit (the true riches) reproduce God's character and nature, just as Jesus exhibited and as Adam had before the fall.
QUALITIES OF LOVE (charity) - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 "Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth."
For simplicity, here is a comparative listing:
WHAT LOVE DOES WHAT LOVE DOES NOT DO
Suffers long Envies not
Is kind Vaunteth not itself
Rejoices in truth Not puffed up
Bears all things Not behave unseemly
Believes all things Not selfish (seeking its own)
Hopes in all things Not easily provoked
Endures all things Thinks no evil
Never fails Does not rejoice in sin
Covers all sin
Casts out all fear
CHARITY also means CHERISHING and caring for that which is the object of LOVE. This charity is God's kind of love; the love that He places in our hearts by the Holy Spirit:
THIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER - 1 Corinthians 13:8 states that it never ceases. It appears that LOVE is the basic foundation of the Kingdom (domain) of God, since the product of love is righteousness, peace and joy, (see Romans 14:17).
THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE:
1 Corinthians 13:13 - "and now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS CHARITY." This verse is telling us that the supernatural Gifts of the Spirit, of 1 Corinthians 12, work by LOVE, (charity).
What is this kind of LOVE? - It is translated CHARITY because it means BENEVOLENCE, to care for others even as you would for yourself. Jesus gave us the best description of this treasure in John 15:13 - "Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends". To put this verse in modern terms is to define this kind of love as follows: “LOVE IS TO AID OR ASSIST AN OTHER EVEN AT YOUR OWN EXPENSE".
Is it not strange to see that God even COMMANDS that we obtain and use this treasure of love?
Matthew 22:36-40 – Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
John 13:34-35 – A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 14:15 – If you love Me, keep My commandments.
John 15:12 – This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
1Timothy 1:5 – Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,
1 John 3:23 – And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.
1 John 4:7-10 – Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
This love/ charity is the sum total of the law:
Romans 13:8-10 – “Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covert; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore LOVE IS THE FULFILLING OF THE LAW.
The God kind of love (agapeo) is the treasure we, as God's children and Christ's brethren, are to be seeking. What is so amazing is that this TREASURE is FREE and we really don’t need to put forth effort to find it – it finds us because of His love. We only need to accept it from God and allow it to prosper in each of us by letting it live through us. This is the true treasure and it IS eternal. (Selah - think on this!)
The foundation of the Kingdom of God is LOVE. This is why God has commanded LOVE to be in His people; it is so that they are suited to be part of His kingdom. Love is the TRUE TREASURE and the real riches that we are to seek after. Here is an interesting fact: when you give out love to others, your love will not run out but is constantly refreshed and refilled. It’s not like material wealth that when you give it out your amount diminishes. Love is eternal and by the Spirit of God.
Romans 5:5 – "And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."
Therefore, Love IS the Spirit of God/Christ that is living within you! It should be very evident in your life as a true child of God!
