Month: December 2023

The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price

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. Matthew 13

^45-46 “Or, God’s kingdom is like a jewel merchant on the hunt for exquisite pearls. Finding one that is flawless, he immediately sells everything and buys it. Matthew 13, The Message

Matthew 13, is the chapter of the Parables, Jesus speaking to the crowds from the boat on the beautiful Sea of Galilee. All the Parables are concerning different aspects of the Kingdom of God. The central figure in this Parable was a merchant, someone  who knew about pearls; they appreciated and valued what they had before them. Not only did they appreciate what they saw, but they wanted it so much, that they gave up everything to make the pearl their own. Out of all the pearls available on the market, the merchant knew this pearl was uniquely valuable.

Derek Prince was travelling by train in India and when the train arrived at a station it was thronged with people. As he sat looking out of the train, he thought to himself, ‘I wonder what God thinks of this great mass of people’. To his surprise God answered him,

’Some weak, some strong

Some rich, some poor,

Some wise, some foolish

and some EXCEEDING PRECIOUS’. (Some in that large crowd represented The Pearl of Great Price)

There are no accidents in the Kingdom of God, all have been chosen because of our value to the Lord. He came from Heaven and surrendered everything for us, thank You Lord that You valued us so highly.

²¹ The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a SINGLE PEARL. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass. Revelation 21

Those pearls of great value extend right into the New Jerusalem, not just for this time here on earth. The following verses are so good I’ll post them here as well;

²¹ The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.

²² I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. ²³ The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. ²⁴ The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendour into it. ²⁵ On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. ²⁶ The glory and honour of the nations will be brought into it. ²⁷ Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Revelation 21, (Almost God’s last words to humanity, the penultimate chapter of the Bible)

God bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.

 

²⁸ Those who TRUST IN THEIR RICHES WILL FALL,
    but the RIGHTEOUS WILL THRIVE like a green leaf. Proverbs 11

¹⁰ The LOVE OF MONEY causes all kinds of trouble. Some people want money so much they have given up their faith and caused themselves a lot of pain. 1 Timothy 6, Contemporary English Version

Who or what we trust in will ultimately determine the destiny of our lives. Proverbs warns us against Trusting in riches which may even lead to the loss of our faith. Mammon, the demon on the Mountain of World Economy, exerts a very strong attraction for many in this world.

⁴ When CHRIST, WHO IS YOUR LIFE, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

⁵ Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and GREED, which is idolatry. ⁶ Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. Colossians 3

Greed has become a respectable sin in many parts of the Western Church today, but Colossians places it in the same company as other much more blatant sins. When we first received the Lord we may have been convicted by the Spirit to get rid of certain things. After I gave my life to the Lord I immediately destroyed magazines that had occult content. Zacchaeus was a very wealthy tax collector and Jesus went to dine in his house. The first thing the Spirit of God touched in his life was his money, it’s hold over him was a great impediment to walking free with the Lord.

⁸ But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and IF I HAVE CHEATED (Mammon does this) ANYBODY OUT OF ANYTHING, (Full redress, no conditions) I will pay back four times the amount.’ Luke 19

God gave Israel great wealth when they left Egypt, a type of this world. I believe the Church of our time, which has also been enslaved, is going to receive a similar ‘wealth transfer’, but we can never allow money to displace God’s headship in our lives. Money can flow through the believer and be a great blessing, but we must never set our hearts upon it. Our hearts must be kept for the Lord alone.

God bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.

 

Same scriptures in different versions, helps bring out the meaning.

¹⁹ Sinners love to fight; BOASTING is looking for trouble.

²⁰ An evil man is suspicious of everyone and tumbles (Falls) into constant trouble. Proverbs 17, The Living Bible 

And also in The Message Bible (MSG)

Peter Wagner was a mature believer, as was Derek Prince when they speculated on the danger of Pride to the believer. They saw the threat of Pride and were aware that it could steal a lifetime’s reward if it ever took hold. We owe our lives to the Lord, because He spent His time on earth in submission to the Father. May He keep us humble and faithful throughout our lives here.

God bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.

 

²³ THE LORD MAKES FIRM THE STEPS
    OF THE ONE WHO DELIGHTS IN HIM;
²⁴ THOUGH HE MAY STUMBLE, HE WILL NOT FALL,
    FOR THE LORD UPHOLDS HIM with his hand. Psalm 37

We looked yesterday at some verses from Proverbs 4:12, 19, which promised that we could run with/for the Lord and not Stumble. Psalm 37:24 above also promises we will not Fall. While we are living in our bodies here on earth we can make wrong choices which may have consequences. We mentioned David, the man after God’s own heart, who had a moral failure when he saw a beautiful woman bathing from his palace at night. It’s noteworthy that David was alone and unoccupied or ‘at a loose end’. His eyes wandered and focused on something which was unlawful, even for the king.

Two things to remember in life;

Take care of your thoughts when you’re alone and take care of your words when you’re with people. Joseph N Reyes, Facebook

¹⁰ LISTEN, MY SON, ACCEPT WHAT I SAY, 
    and the years of your life will be many. (AMEN LORD)
¹¹ I INSTRUCT YOU in the way of wisdom
    and LEAD YOU along straight paths.
¹² When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
    WHEN YOU RUN, YOU WILL NOT STUMBLE.
¹³ Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
    guard it well, for it is your life. Proverbs 4

Proverbs introduces us to Wisdom as a lady who has been with God from the beginning. (I know of a lady who said the Lord had taken her back in time, before the beginning, before God created this earth) There are many promises for those who lay hold of God’s Words of Wisdom. These verses relate to our Walk with the Lord and we’re told that, ‘we can run without stumbling’. It’s good to know that there are times when we can run in this life, not just in youth, but God will enable us to run/cover the ground quickly. Don’t limit yourself to plodding, especially in the things of the Spirit.

Stumble means To totter, waver, to falter, stumble, faint, fall (Strongs 3782)

Proverbs 4 promises those who Listen to God and Accept His Words need not stumble, or any of the above.

¹⁸ The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,
    shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
¹⁹ But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
    THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT MAKES THEM STUMBLE. Proverbs 4

The two paths people may choose in life are literally as ‘Different as Day and Night’!

²³ The Lord makes firm the steps
    of the one who delights in him;
²⁴ though he may stumble, he will not fall,
    for the Lord upholds him with his hand. Psalm 37

David knew what it was to Stumble and so do we, but THOUGH WE STUMBLE WE WILL NOT FALL. The Lord Himself upholds us in times of difficulties.

A friend once told me that he saw a hand holding my right hand as I was walking. I believe it was a hand of guidance and protection, leading me along the way I had to go. Some of us may need to ask the Lord for His Hand to take us through our own personal situations. I believe He wants to help us if we’ll ask Him now.

God bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.

 

¹⁶ At this, Daniel went in to the king and ASKED FOR TIME, so that he might interpret the dream for him. Daniel 2

¹⁶ So Daniel went in and requested of the king that he would give him A GRACE PERIOD, so that he might declare the interpretation to the king. Daniel 2, NASB

God was behind what was happening in the king’s palace in Babylon, but no-one knew it. Nebuchadnezzar had dreams which troubled him. Some of the dreams in the Book of Daniel were very powerful and caused great dismay to those involved. Daniel then found out from Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, why the order had been issued to kill all the wise men of Babylon. Daniel and his three friends were very gifted individuals, but even  they needed a ‘Grace Period’ to seek God’s help.

The fact is that God often initiates events without telling anyone! We may be caught off guard and thrown into a tailspin by the unexpected but we should and seek God’s advice. It’s very easy to react quickly to something unexpected but we should resist the urge to do so. Even the briefest prayer for guidance will enlist God’s help.

I was very much afraid, ³ but I said to the king, ‘May the king live for ever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?’

⁴ The king said to me, ‘What is it you want?’

THEN I PRAYED TO THE GOD OF HEAVEN, ⁵ and I answered the king, ‘If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favour in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.’ Nehemiah 2

Nehemiah was in the presence of King Artaxerxes, but he whispered a quick prayer for God to help to begin the return of the Jews from Babylon to the land of Judah.

Daniel and Nehemiah both received help from God when they asked Him and so can we, if we’ll JUST PAUSE AND INVITE HIM INTO OUR CIRCUMSTANCES.

²  … You do not have because you do not ask God. ³ When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. John 4

The Lord Himself tells us to ask so we can receive, an important lesson for the days we live in.

God bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.