Pearl of Great Price

Anything that we can say and think about the Kingdom of God, and prizing the Kingdom, is juxtaposed AGAINST valuing the things of this world

The Pearl of Great Price

We look to Jesus as our saviour, as the answer to the problem of sin, and the separation in our relationship with the Father.

Last week we discussed the removal of the veil from our eyes, and the fact that we can now see ourselves and see the Father in ACTUAL reality, not just the world’s sinful system.

This week let’s talk about about entering into that reality, into the Kingdom of God.

What is the Kingdom of God?

-it’s the active replacement of the kingdom of this world, the limitations of the worldly view of ourselves. It’s the acceptance of the new way.

Jesus is the King, and we are welcomed to be His citizens.

In the kingdom, Miracles and the supernatural are allowed to flow. Supernatural anointed ways of living are part of the deal.

Mary and Chip on Thursday night

Steve and Julie of Friday night

Matthew 13:44–46 NASB95

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Matthew 13:

The treasure hidden in a field is a great parable. Jesus is not kidding around. The Kingdom of Heaven is the treasure, and finding it brings joy. KEEPING it costs everything.

Costs adopting a whole new value system:

Accepting that to give is to gain,

To die is to live.

To become great is to serve.

In the Kingdom of this world, we have to make the decisions that keep us alive, comfortable, in the groove of the world’s values.

To accept the Kingship of Jesus is to let those values go and to allow yourself to be emptied out of the world’s cares and the comforts of the flesh,

and instead to find our comfort in doing the will of God. This is what it means to die, not as the world dies, but as citizens of a different kingdom, we find that as we die we enter into a new realm of life that is hidden from the world.

The most difficult times in our lives will be in these times when we are letting go of the world’s values. Many believers essentially attempt to continue to fill up their lives with the same old same old, and add Jesus to the many resources they use to get through. This is not an option for us in Catch the Fire.

Jesus goes on to describe the Pearl of Great price

The fulfillment of our discovery of our new life in the kingdom is a willingness to trade EVERYTHING we had been building in our own kingdoms.

That’s why at Catch the Fire we leave room for everyone and anyone to be involved in ministry, whether that’s an ignite group, or volunteering in the church, or buying out a movie theater for one night to bless your city.

Jesus doesn’t share an option B with his disciples. Go and sell half, and get a second rate kingdom.

The way we access all that God has destined for us in His Kingdom, is to destine all that we have for Him.

Carolyn and I have been blessed to take part in this divine exchange in so many ways. We have always been willing to give our time, our money, our availability, our home, our cars, our food, whatever, if it serves the Kingdom.

We haven’t spent a lot of time concerning ourselves with “HOW” God is going to pay us back.

In fact, it’s a quality of believer that we return to the Lord anything He asks, knowing that in the Kingdom, as we give we receive. As we give what WE have, we receive what HE has.

Salvation is a free gift.

The Kingdom is costly.

And so far it would be easy to assume I am talking about costing goods, or money. But most of all it costs our comfort.

At the Waffle House we were approached by our server who was in serious need, and we had an opportunity to pray for her, and further, to extend an invitation to Ignite Group. She had an immediate obstacle of transportation, so Mary had some quick decision making to do, and offered to pick her up, and they exchanged numbers.

In the kingdom we have to spend our comfort on those brought our way. Cross the Chicken line for the Lord and I know that He will bless you for it.

The Father does not know how to be in your Debt.