Salvation, a beginning 529-1 - 5 - 5

Matthew 6:19-21, “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.”

These words by Jesus really resonate with me. About 30 years ago I thought it would be fun to try buying and selling jewelry weekends. It wasn't that I needed the money, as I had a very good job. What started out as a hobby became a near consuming passion. Over the years I have purchased dozens of pieces of Native American crafted jewelry, hundreds of strands of beads and turquoise nuggets plus kilos of sterling silver findings. I’ve incorporated the strands of beads into hundreds of items of jewelry. I often say I do not own my inventory, it owns me.

I have both a winter and a summer home in Arizona. Both are very unpretentious and very economical. My property tax on my northern home runs less than 50 dollars a year. Every time I drive back and forth between homes I drag boxes of jewelry with me. It is like the legendary albatross around my neck or to quote the Sufi, it's my ton of cabbage.

While jewelry is not susceptible to moth or rust, pieces are too often stolen. Over the ensuing decades I know that my true treasure is not in jewelry nor in beads. My true treasury is my relationship with Jesus.

Receiving salvation through Christ Jesus is not the climax, but the beginning. Now that I have salvation, what have you done for with it?

My mission field is primarily the Internet and that It is my desire to become a very effective Christian apologist. Here I will extend this to doing my part to fulfill the great commission assigned to us by Jesus. Matthew 28:19-20, “19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”