Precious Pearl
Matthew 13: 44 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls,
46 who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
I have heard a lot of teaching on what this treasure and pearl is. Most of what I have heard refers to Jesus as the pearl and treasure and the field as the Earth. I agree with this, but there is a more personal meaning to me.
I visited with a friend this week who used to walk in the Holy Place. He used to hunger and desire for more of the truths of God and fellowshipped with Christians who had the same desire and hunger.
He had some troubles in his life over the past few years that really hit him hard. Talking with him this week I realized that he had walked away from the truths that the Holy Spirit had shown him for his life. He had walked away from who he was called to be in Christ. In our short conversation he revealed he was living with his girlfriend, he was making his own alcohol drinks, he enjoyed filthy jokes and most of his conversation was filled in with colorful adjectives.
It broke my heart. This had once been one of my closest spiritual friends. This was a man that I could share my deepest thoughts about what the Holy Spirit had revealed to me knowing that he could encourage me to move into it and could also add the next line to it.
Here we sat apart from each other. He had traded all those precious pearls that were stored in his spirit for other things. Worst yet, he didn't even realize that he had given up so great a treasure. He thought that he still possessed precious jewels.
I later went to my room and wept. It broke my heart and still does. It was like listening to a total stranger, not a spiritual brother.
Ezekiel 18: 21 "But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
22 None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live.
23 Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? " says the Lord GOD, "and not that he should turn from his ways and live?
24 "But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.
25 "Yet you say, `The way of the Lord is not fair. 'Hear now, 0 house of Israel
God is fair.
Ø He placed me in the middle of a large field, called the world, then he called me.
Ø He has called me for his purpose.
Ø When I heard Him call at the age of 10 years old, I searched the field trying to find where this voice was coming from and I found a pearl. It was the Holy Spirit.
Ø The more I read God's word the more I wanted more of God.
Ø Then the Holy Spirit revealed to me that I could be a son of God, not just a friend.
Ø The Holy Spirit started sharing with me about exchanging my nature with the nature of God's son, Jesus Christ.
I wanted that treasure and was willing to sell all I had to buy it.
Then, the Holy Spirit introduced me to a group of men and women who wanted the same pearls and treasures as I did, and these people became as treasures to me.
Ø Every time that they shared a new revelation that was shown to them, it became precious to me also.
Ø When they grew in the nature of Christ, I grew in the nature of Christ with them.
Ø When they walked towards Christ, I walked with them.
Ø During fellowship together the entire room became filled with the treasures and precious pearls of the Holy Spirit and Christ.
Then Satan said "enough!"
Ø This was a threat to his work in the Earth.
Ø The treasure that he had tried so hard to hide from mankind were being discovered line upon line and precept upon precept,
Ø And even worse still, they were using this treasure to gain their freedom from this world and beginning their walk in the Heavenly with Jesus.
It had to be stopped at any cost or Satan knew he would lose all of mankind to Christ.
Satan had an idea.
One by one he would offer an exchange. He had treasures too, signs and wonders, money, selfish ambition, pride and control. Maybe not in their own lives, but in their loved ones or those they knew.
These things weren't obvious at first. They were subtle, but line upon line and precept upon precept, Satan convinced them that his treasures were more important than the treasures they had.
Ø They made them feel better.
Ø They were glass marbles, clear with beautiful colours inside.
Ø They were easier on the eyes and took less effort to see through.
Ø They were much prettier to look at then those boring, unclear, white pearls that they had
And one by one... they traded them.
The pearls were traded for marbles and treasures for trash, until only a fraction of the remnant remained who became lonely and heartbroken that these precious treasures could be given up so easily and quickly.
This remnant though, was determined to hold true to their calling. They were going to pay whatever price to buy more of these precious pearls because they realized a truth about their treasure:
Revelation 21: 1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.
2 Then I, John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. "
5 Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new. " And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful. "
6 And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.
7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be My son.
8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. "
9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife. " lo And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel
18 The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.
19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones:
21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.
24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.
25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there).
26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it
27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
This remnant realized something about these pearls that they had paid so high a price for.
These pearls are the keys to the entrance of the kingdom of God.
21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl.
25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there).
Knowing this made all the sadness, all the loneliness, all the sacrifice all the tears and all the anguish worth it.
Ø They know that these precious pearls reflect the light of God who illuminates them.
Ø They are the light of the Lamb
And the nations of those that are saved shall walk in this light
Precious Pearl
(Scott Brenner)
Jesus, You're the precious pearl.
There's no other in all the world.
So beautiful, who is like You.
Jesus, You're the cornerstone.
Your foundation will stand alone.
No other love can satisfy.
You are my portion,
You are my satisfaction,
Nothing else can take the place of loving You.
You're my inheritance,
not as the world can give.
Your love is like a buried treasure,
A precious pearl beyond all measure
Beautiful, so valuable.
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