I am sitting on a treasure. It’s probably 20 years old. It is very worn, dumpy looking, and doesn’t work very well. I can’t sell it because no one would buy it, and so it is headed for the dump in the next two weeks. It is my old recliner chair. 

Why do I consider it a treasure? It was far more than my favorite chair in the evenings. It was never used for viewing entertainment, but rather for mining gold. “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her” (Proverbs 3:13-15). Oh how sweet mining gold during family Bible time every night. 

This chair is a special reminder of those times, as for years and years one of the children would sit on the right arm of the chair with me as we read the Bible each night. Like most recliners, the arms have a wooden frame and ample foam on them making them comfortable. However when a child sat on the arm every night, that foam took a beating. It was designed to support the occupant’s arm, not the weight on a child. All that is left now on that arm is the fabric covered wooden frame. It is beautifully ugly to me. It is a treasure of memories of those precious nights, one after the other in God’s Word with one of my gifts from God, sitting beside me, participating in family Bible time. It brings water to my eyes. 

Oh my brothers, I plead with you. Be in the Word every night with your family. The world feeds on sewage in the evening while we feed on the precious Word of God. 

“How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth” (Psalms 119:103)!

There is an area on the garage wall that is marked by many precious memories. Drawing closer and closer, you will be able to read the very small writing. There is name and a date, written next to a horizontal line. There are many such markings documenting children’s growth through the years. Those markings are very special to me because they reflect the growth of our children and a number of grandchildren. 

Physical growth is special, but even more precious is spiritual birth and ensuing growth. The biblical term for growing in Christ-likeness is sanctification.  Physical growth is fairly easy given normal health and feeding. Sanctification however is a whole different process. 

First, it isn’t automatic like physical growth. Sanctification must be purposeful. I expect most have met people who said they were believers, yet their life did not back up their words. Usually, when someone comes to Christ, they do not have a life that resembles a Christian. Sanctification is a process that takes time and doing things that spur spiritual growth. Often someone might say to me, “I got saved a long time ago.” But as they share their life, there is no evidence of sanctification. When I probe a bit, I find out they don’t read a Bible, they don’t go to church, and they have no desire for growth in Christ.

“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. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:5-8).

We must be purposeful in learning of Christ, and living for Him Who died for us. Then, we strive to lead our children so that once saved, they grow in Christ as well. 

Have you noticed how most houses have at least one tree in the front yard? It provides some shade and adds to curb appeal. Either the houses we moved into had one, or we planted one for the reasons above. However, I am now aware of a big reason not to have a tree in the front yard. 

For most homes in cities, the sewer line runs out under the front yard 12 to 15 feet underground. In an average size home, the tree is not far from the sewer line. Trees need water, and their roots grow down and out in search of water. Especially in times of drought, those roots will find any crack or small breach in the sewer line. Then the tree’s happiness is proportionate with the homeowner’s displeasure as his sewer backs up due to the thirsty roots. 

What a fitting analogy to the wicked desires of the flesh. The flesh craves the filth of this world. It’s so subtile and will relentlessly seek to satisfy it’s desires. The filth is near and downward, never upwards. It looks innocent on the surface (simple entertainment), but it carries out its work out of sight. 

Walk in the Spirit, not in legalism but out of a sincere heart for loving the One Who died for us. We live to please Him “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” (2 Tim 2:4), and therefore hate evil. “The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth” (Psalms 11:5).

Doesn’t the following sound like it could be a description for what’s on normal TV programming or movies each night? “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21).