In Matthew 6:19-34 Jesus delivers a most important lesson relative to the eyes, the mind and man’s treasure.   The eye,s He explains, are the light of the body (soul) in that they allow into the mind what the mind will retain.  Man “treasures” what enters the mind and pleases him.  What he treasures can either build him up or destroy him either spiritually or physically, or both.  In the mind (heart) man decides what is important to him and what is not important.  Everything that enters the mind remains there as long as the person lives.  What man sees and absorbs in the mind is either embraced and kept “on call,” or rejected and repressed.  What man considers good and pleasurable is Biblically called his “treasure.”  What a person “treasures” is determined by the mind where one’s will operates.  Man’s will determines what he deliberately allows into his mind, what he keeps available for “uploading” and what he represses.

However, in life we sometimes see things we had not intended to see.  These things also enter into the mind and remain there.  Man “uploads” what gives him pleasure and depresses what does not.  What man deliberately uploads determines his character.  For example, studies have revealed that there is a sight-dominated industry that takes in more money than all of the professional  sports franchises combined each year.  That industry is pornography.  Normally, porn is deliberately seen via the eyes, embraced by the mind and kept in a state of readiness for uploading any time, any where.

A large percentage of men are mentally addicted to LOOKING AT sexual objects (women) and WATCHING sexual acts performed by them.  Illicit sex is the porn addict’s “treasure.”  It is the “light” that gives him pleasure.  It is through his eyes that this light is allowed into the mind so that he can enjoy his treasure at will.  The “light” of the porn addict is in the spiritual sense, “darkness.”  In verses 22 and 23 of the focal passage Jesus tells us that if our eyes are focused on what He deems good, our WHOLE BODY IS FILLED WITH LIGHT (GOOD).  However, if his eyes are focused on what is bad, HIS WHOLE BODY IS FILLED WITH DARKNESS (EVIL).  And, He adds, if the “light” (which gives man pleasure) is darkness, GREAT IS THAT DARKNESS because he has declared good that which God views as evil.  As God warns about such spiritual gymnastics: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who call darkness light and light darkness” (Isaiah 5:20).  Note that it is man himself who determines the focus of his eyes.  Notice also that either light or darkness FILLS US TOTALLY.  With God, it is all or nothing–not some of each.  We either love (obey) Him or hate (disobey) Him (Deut. 7:9-11).

The mind is the storage compartment for what man has seen through his eyes.  Tapping into that compartment allows him to “see” what is not visible.  This enables sex addicts to “upload” the porn that is stored in the mind.  Studies show that addicts upload porn repeatedly throughout their waking hours.  The same is true for those who, because of what they repeatedly see, are “addicted” to God’s Word.  They are able to “upload” His teachings at will.  Though I am unaware of any Bible addiction studies, I can report that there are a few believers who are totally addicted to God’s Truth and upload it repeatedly throughout their waking hours.  I know of one addict who sometimes dreams about Scriptural things.  I need not identify this person.

Light and darkness cannot occupy the same space.  God views good and evil from that perspective.  To Him, one is either filled with light or filled with darkness.  Just as a drop of Serin in a glass of water will kill a person physically, a “drop” of  evil will kill its owner if he allows it to be his “treasure.”  Throughout our lives man’s eyes take in both good and evil things, some deliberate, others by accident.  Man’s will then determines what he uploads and what he represses.  What he deliberately and repeatedly uploads is his treasure.  All humans have had evil experiences, some of them self-inflicted.  The episodes live in their minds, ready to be uploaded to the surface.  The true saint keeps them submerged and repressed.  Satan cannot force us to upload them.  God will not force us to keep them repressed.  WE MUST DETERMINE WHAT WE WANT TO “SEE” EITHER IN REALITY OR IN THOUGHT.  What we “see” is determined by our personal will.  A rule of thumb is this: What we see the most is what we think about the most–our treasure.  Studies have found that pornography addicts think about (mentally “see”) what they see in reality.  Addicts become addicted to what they repeatedly see, whether good or evil.

The goal of the true saint is to be addicted to God’s Holy Word, to make it his treasure.  The key to addiction is repetition.  Long ago I asked the Lord to remove from my life everything that was not His will.  He did.  As a result I spend most of my waking hours in His Word, either learning it, writing it, speaking it or thinking about it.  Of course this is possible because, at 81, I am retired.  People who work, maintain a household or go to school have other responsibilities.  However, there are many periods during the day when one is able to study or think about–one’s “treasure.”  Scripture memorization is an excellent way to utilize free periods such as while driving, walking or doing menial tasks such as mowing, washing, etc.  Satan will try to interfere with this practice.  Resist him.

The first two words in verses 19 and 20 of the focal passage contain the word “lay.”  In each instance the context is self-determination.  The command to “Lay” and “Lay not” mean that we can choose to obey or not obey the Lord’s command.  What we “treasure,” meaning what we deliberately upload, is determined by us.  We have the ability to depress those things we do not want to think about.  What we upload is, under normal conditions, determined by our will.  Satan will try to disrupt this system and will succeed unless we resist him with the power of the Holy Spirit.  Without the Spirit we are not able to resist the devil.  If you have problems uploading godly things, ask Jesus to justify you (forgive your past sins), convert you (turn you in the opposite direction) and fill you with His Holy Spirit so that you can “walk as He walked” (1 Jn. 2:6) and “overcome as He overcame” (Rev. 3:21).  Ask Him to kill the old man, create the new man and fill him with His Spirit.  Ask Him to make your body (soul) the temple of the Holy Spirit.  L.J.