Blessing

Hidden Treasure

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“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. Matthew 13:44

Why does Jesus say that God’s message is a hidden mystery? It is all around us like air but we only find it like this man did when we are looking. He didn’t just trip over the treasure accidentally. The story Jesus tells says he found it hidden then hid it again sold all he had and bought the field.

Today if we are looking for Him we can find Christ in the secret place of prayer. If we listen and hide in our heart what he tells us we are motivated to action. Is what we have heard and believed more precious than anything else? If so God’s greatest treasure can be ours today and forever!

Giving

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In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”  Acts 20:35

Jesus received the gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh to celebrate His birth. For 33 years he gave honor to His earthly parents, sight to the blind, healing to the sick, bread for the hungry and living water to the thirsty.

The week before He was betrayed Jesus received one more gift when Mary anointed His head and feet with perfumed oil to prepare for His death. When she was criticized, Jesus defended her and told us to always remember her act of giving. Then last of all He gave His life for ours. Now that’s a life of blessing! That’s a life of giving!

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Rejoice-Pray-Give Thanks

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Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16‭-‬18

When I worked as a tree climber years ago I learned that my life depended on my rope. Our ropes in those days were generally three separate cords woven together. Each cord could have held our weight but in the case of a sudden fall the breaking point of that strand was only one tenth of its load capacity. By having a rope of three woven strands we were assured that in any situation we would be held safely. In the same way God has woven together a three stranded lifeline to hold us. In the past I always carved up these verses into three separate commands, but as I read this morning I realized they are in fact three strands of just one cord in Jesus Christ.

We must rejoice because by His amazing grace He has chosen to come to us no matter how humble our place. The Bible tells us that He is not ashamed to call us brothers. He is willing to include us in His family.

We should always pray, because our Lord like a brother will always listen. There is nothing that affects our life that does not concern Him. Since He has taken the time to count the hairs on our head how can we doubt that He will help us in even our smallest struggles? Remember that He said. “Without me you can do nothing!” John 15:5

Give thanks. Ingratitude will not undo the miracle of God’s healing, but it will keep us from a close relationship with Jesus. In Luke’s gospel we see that one day Jesus healed ten lepers. They had all prayed and all rejoiced but only one remembered to say thanks.

He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Luke 17:16

The bible does not say that the other nine lost their healing or that they had sinned. But the man who was thankful was the only one who worshipped at the feet of Jesus. The three stranded rope of this man’s faith brought him all the way to an intimate relationship with Christ. Today we are just the same as any of these lepers. We all have a need for a miracle and we all can rejoice in His amazing grace, but only when we are truly grateful will we know how to worship God. He is so kind and good to us all. Will we be found at His feet today?