John Bunyan, who penned 'The Pilgrim's Progress' while imprisoned for twelve years in the Bedford Jail in England, catalogued many of the dangers, deceptions and distractions that disciples face as they make their way from the City of Destruction to the promised Celestial City. The pitfalls, personalities and principles illustrated in his allegory have a timeless relevance.

Rudyard Kipling wrote:

The craft that we call modern
The crimes that we call new
John Bunyan had them typed and filed
in 1682.

The spiritual landscape faced by Bunyan's pilgrim is similar to the one we encounter today; full of pitfalls and temptations: distracting Bypass Meadows that beguile us off the pilgrim pathway, Sloughs of Despond, Hills of Difficulty, Vanity Fairs, Castles of Doubting and Dungeons of Despair. The devious personalities that ensnare us today bear a striking resemblance to Mr. Moneylove, Lord Hategood, Mistrust, Envy, Rev. Doubletongue, Lord Vainglory, Madame Wanton and Worldly Wiseman.

In the orientation session Jesus gives His disciples, which we call the 'Sermon on the Mount', He warns us of common dangers that keep us from 'fellowship with the Father'. He tells it like it is: We live in a world in which thieves break in, moth and rust corrupt, minds rationalize away truth and moral conviction, and Money rules. We are in living in the midst of a spiritual war zone between two kingdoms and there are minefields all around us.

Therefore in Matthew 6:19-24 He says we must choose our treasury, our vision and our Master. We need to lay up our treasures in the treasury of heaven rather than hoarding them on the earth, set our affections on things above rather than on things below, and live in the light of the Father owning all things and ourselves being accountable stewards. We need to choose our vision. If we have a healthy eye for the things of God, a receptivity and openness to divine revelation through the Word, we shall walk in the light as He is in the light and the blood of Christ will cleanse us from all sin (1John 1:7). If we have an unhealthy eye: a blindness, double or blurred vision, due to a reluctance to focus on revealed truth, we are in danger of self-deception. We will call the darkness in us 'light' (Isaiah 5:20). How great then is that darkness! We need to choose to serve God as our Master rather than Money. Jesus recognizes that the love of money chains us to the kingdom of darkness. Both God and Money make totalitarian demands. You cannot serve both.

With worldly attachments come decaying riches, deceptive vision and spiritual bondage (Matthew 6:19-24). With materialism comes anxiety (Matthew 6:25-34). How do we break free from the clutches of the spirit of this age? Get to know the Father by following the Lord Jesus Christ, the true image of God. Shut the door on all practices of man-pleasing (Matthew 6:6) and live as Jesus did: for the sole pleasure of the Father in the power of the Spirit. Pray as He taught us for the advance of His purposes and spiritual victory (Matthew 6:9-15). Choose your treasury, your vision, and your Master (Matthew 6:19-24). Seek first the kingdom (Matthew 6:33). Consciously live in the presence of our Magnificent Father, who owns all things, is able to superintend over all things, and provides all things (Matthew 6:30).

Pagans run after things and pleasures (Matthew 6:32). Disciples run after the incorruptible inheritance of knowing the Father's pleasure.

Clothed with a glory that transcends time (Matthew 6:30),