THE IRRITATION: TREASURES FOR TRINKETS? --- A GOOD TRADE?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Irritation: annoy, unpleasant, impatient, angry, to provoke, displeasure, bother.
Show me what ticks you off, and I will show you what makes you tick.
HAVE YOU EVER MADE A TRADE THAT YOU REGRETTED LATER?
WANT TO TALK ABOUT TREASURES FOR TRINKETS?
I am told that there was a letter written by Pieter Janszoon Schagen in 1626, that PETER MINUIT and the Dutch colonist acquired MANHATTAN ISLAND from the CANARSEE Indians of the Lenape tribe in exchange for traded goods worth 60 guilders, which would be about $24 dollars in USA money?
ETERNITY AHEAD? WHAT WOULD A MAN GIVE IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS SOUL?
Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Matthew 16:26 (MSG) What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?
TEMPORAL? ETERNAL? TRADING GOLD FOR TRINKETS?
Philippians 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
HOW ARE WE SEEKING? DO WE UNDERSTAND PRIVILEGE?
WHAT IS YOUR TREASURE?
Philippians 3:7 (MSG) The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I'm tearing up and throwing out with the trash—along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. 8 Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I've dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ 9 and be embraced by him. I didn't want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God's righteousness.
SOMEDAY THESE BARS OF BONES WILL BRING A RELEASE?
Ecclesiastes 3:20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
THE ROLE CALL OF HISTORY ENDS WITH 3 WORDS: AND HE DIED? AND SHE DIED?
FROM DUST TO DUST, EARTH TO EARTH AND ASHES TO ASHES WAS NOT SPOKEN OF THE SOUL!
WHAT IS THE GOAL OF LIFE? IS THE GOAL OF LIFE PROFIT? WHAT IS YOUR GOAL?
Someday someone will go and pick out you a nice casket and place your body? Or may a urn for your ashes?
HOW WILL WE DEFINE SUCCESS WHEN WE RETURN DUST TO DUST, EARTH TO EARTH, ASHES TO ASHES?
HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?
I am told someone asked a millionaire: HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH? Their answer was quick: ONE MORE DOLLAR!
Is the bottom line of daily living making a profit?
A car sales person’s goal is to sell a car?
A lawyer’s goal is to win the case and set his client free?
A doctor’s goal is to help ellivate pain?
A preacher’s goal is people and budget??
WHAT IS THE VALUE OF ONE SOUL?
EVER HAD SOMEONE IN A PYRAMID SCHEME TRY TO HOOK YOU INTO MAKING TAKING MONEY FOR THEM?
A young man stood in service one night and braggingly held up a check. It was his first check from his new business.
Wow, he was so proud of his new business. He boast to everyone he had made it. Later I found out his first check was for 20 cents. 20 CENTS? He chased everyone to make them come into his business.
SOME WORK BY SWEAT? Some steal and take from others? Others have a talent that will help them achieve. Still others work by brain power?
WE MUST FIND THE OBJECT OF OUR GOAL… TRINKET… OR AN ETERNAL TREASURE?
2 Corinthians 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Onward Christian soldier marching to the mark of the high calling…
FORWARD IS THE CROWN OF LIFE… before Us is OUR GOAL.
GREAT EXPECTATIONS AND GREAT ANTICIPATIONS --- JOB HAD BEEN SEARCHING FOR SOMETHING.
Life had been good but Job knew there was more.
Job 19:26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
JOB’S SEARCH WAS NOT TO SEE GREAT PEOPLE? Or great things? JOB’s search was not just for seeing heaven’s golden streets or the Pearly gates…
Job’s search was a FAITH SEARCH beyond finding the GATES OF PEARL. Life at times had been cruel to Job and Sister Job. BUT JOB’S SEARCH WAS DEEPER THAN THINGS… JOB DECLARED HE WAS SEACHING FOR MORE THAN THINGS --- IN HIS FLESH JOB WAS GOING TO SEE AND KNOW GOD…
Today we can know God by FAITH.
Someday our visual field will be to know God , to have the “VISION OF SEEING GOD AS HE IS!”
Whom my eye shall behold and not another… KNOW GOD IN HIS FULNESS.
OFTEN TIMES WE MUST RELEASE WHAT WE HAVE TO ACQUIRE WHAT WE DESIRE?
SELLING: Let go to receive? WALKING BEYOND OUR COMFORT ZONE…
Matthew 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
Matthew 13:44 (MSG) "God's kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field for years and then accidently found by a trespasser. The finder is ecstatic—what a find!—and proceeds to sell everything he owns to raise money and buy that field. 45 "Or, God's kingdom is like a jewel merchant on the hunt for excellent pearls. 46 Finding one that is flawless, he immediately sells everything and buys it.
The pearl oyster is found in the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea areas. In nature in these areas the oyster lives in its shell. Each shell can contain 8 to 10 pearls varying in size.
Pearls in Biblical times had greater value than they do today.
THE PARASITE BECOMES THE OPPORTINITY. Parasite, something that takes without earning, dependent.
Nature pearls form when an IRRITANT, often a PARASITE, (more often than a grain of sand) finds its way into the mussel, clam, or oyster. This PARASITE could destroy the life, but a DEFENSIVE MECHANISM kicks into gear and there is a fluid d gem emitted that coats the irritant. Slowly, layer by layer a “ NACRE” COATING IS DEPOSITED AROUND THE IRRITANT AND THEN A PEARL IS CREATED.
Today we have cultured pearls… the irritant is surgically implanted round bead. We call these SEED! The smal pearl will require about 3 years to develop. If you rush the process you will find a lower quality pearl and the NACRE coating is too thin.
THE TEST IS COMING? REAL? FAKE? REAL FAKE?
Only about 5% of cultured pearls are consider gem quality. A pearl farmer can spend over $100 for each oyster that he raises, 3 years to grow the oyster, 3 years for the pearl to form.
IMITATION PEARLS are cheap fakes. A glass bead is dipped into a solution made from fish scales.
THE TEST: You rub the pearl across your teeth. Fake pearls are smooth and slid easily over your teeth.
The real pearl with layers of the NARCE feel real gritty.
THE PEARL IS A RARE BEAUTY ---- IT IS FORMED THROUGH SUFFERING IN THE CENTER OF THE OYSTER…
THE DIAMOND AND RUBY AND MOST PRECIOUS STONES HAVE TO BE CUUT AND POLISHED…
NOT SO FOR THE PEARL. THE PEARL IS FOUND IN ITS PERFECTION FROM THE SHELL.
Do we seek treasures From above? There is a place where NO MOTH CAN’T EAT, AND NO WORM CAN DESTROY…
Life’s greatest treasures are HIDDEN and requires great efforts to find.
TELL ME ABOUT HOW YOU SEARCH? We must have a search on going…. And then life must demand action…
Occasionally we find the DEAL OF A LIFE TIME.
ONCE WE FIND OUR PEARL OF GREAT PRICE AND THEY BECOME OURS, WE MUST LEARN TO PROTECT AND GUARD THEM.
Matthew 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Matthew 7:6 (MSG) "Don't be flip with the sacred. Banter and silliness give no honor to God. Don't reduce holy mysteries to slogans. In trying to be relevant, you're only being cute and inviting sacrilege.
WE HAVE A LONG HOME. GOD HAS DESIGNED A PLACE FOR US. WHERE ETERNITY REIGNS, WILL WE BE WILLING TO SELL THE WORTHLESS TRINKETS FOR GOD’S VALUE SYSTEM?
WOW! 12 PEARLS:
Revelation 21:21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
CONCLUSION:
Have we found it? Have we found the pearl of great price?
Have we considered the cost? Are we willing to sell and give up what is needed to own our pearl?
Do we count our gains as loss?
DO WE UNDERSTAND THE REAL VALUE OF THE LOST SHEEP?
HOW ABOUT THE REAL VALUE OF THE LOST COIN?
DO WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE REAL VALUE OF A LOST SON?
NOTE: THE TREASURE SEEKER STOPPED SEEKING TREASURES WHEN HE FOUND THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE?
JESUS CHRIST IS THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE. JESUS IS MORE VALUABLE THAN DIAMONDS, RUBIES, SILVER OR GOLD…
Is this a stumbling block? Is this irritant going to kill us? Is this irritant our opportunity?
Hell? Heaven?
WHAT WOULD A YOU GIVE? DO YOU SEE THE VALUE OF THE IRRITANT?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Will you help enlarge my hands and pass this on to another?
