The Kingdom of Heaven Investment Firm

Update:

• The meeting of pastors in town are still making plans to try to contact everyone in the 72768 area code to share the love of God and see if we can help meet their needs. They are also considering a system of unifying Sulphur Springs' churches by everyone meeting at different churches on a rotation, once a month or so. If you would like to join this group or have some input please contact David. 

Praise Reports:

• Vanessa has a new vehicle
• God willing, Aaron will go to a two-week summer camp in July
• Kim's neck pain is getting better
• Clara wrote a song and was able to perform it with Elaine accompanying on the piano

Prayer Requests:

• We prayed for blessings on Mary, who is still struggling with carpal tunnel as well as other debilitating illnesses.
• Dixie has had a very bad report from the doctor. Please pray for peace, joy, and God's love for her and her entire family, as well as a miraculous healing, for God's glory. 
• Ace had to have surgery for pacemaker troubles.
• Pam and her diabetes
• Roy's nephew Mark--peace and grace for his family
• Darla Davidson--health, peace for her family, and healing
• Julie's ministry
• A couple who are involved in mission work in Laos
• Healing for Richard
• Ken's eye--give doctors guidance and improve vision
• Rebecca Thomas--direction and provision
• Emily Barber--health and wisdom for doctors
• Vanessa's mother and husband
• Our nation--common sense and God's will be done
• Steve Todd--heart attack and subsequent surgeries
• Brothers and sisters in the Middle East--may God be a refuge and peace for them there
• Vanessa's dog--heart worms

Treasure Hunter originally uploaded by .Bala

What is the Kingdom of Heaven? Matthew 3:2 says that it is "near" and Luke 17:21 says it is "within (or amongst) you". Who is in the Kingdom? It is made up of Jesus's followers, but after looking at the parables of the wheat and tares (Matthew 13:24-30) and the net (Matthew 13:47-49) there are also tares and bad fish in the Kingdom. After examining the scriptures we see that the Kingdom of Heaven is the world after the crucifixion and resurrection, where Jesus is king even although there is still evil in world. When a parable speaks of the Kingdom of Heaven, then, it is not talking about a place where we'll go after we die, it is about the world we live in now. 

Matthew 13:44: a very short, simple parable. Imagine it like this: you get out your metal detector and go searching around the countryside looking for something worthwhile. One day you find something and dig it up to find 40 lbs. of solid gold! It is on a three acre parcel that is up for sale for $20,000. You don't have much money, but you go back home and sell absolutely everything you own to raise enough to buy the land. Once you buy it you are wealthy beyond your wildest dreams.

When you put it that way, what stands out about that story? No matter how much you give up--even if it's absolutely everything--it is laughable in comparison to the treasure you have found in Jesus Christ. It would be silly to ask, "Should I give up my house, my car, my stamp collection, and everything else I've worked so hard all these years for, just to buy land with 40 lbs of gold on it?" This is a no-brainer investment. It demands a lot of sacrifice, but look at the return!

Matthew 13:45: a different kind of investment. Imagine selling all you have in the world for a single pearl! A pearl can't clothe, feed, shelter, or transport you. It can only give you beauty and pleasure. That's like following Jesus Christ, giving up everything, and having no tangible reward except peace and a hope of Heaven. This is not a health-and-wealth gospel, it is a sacrificial investment. Luke 14:28 says to "count the cost". We will all have to pick up our crosses, but some people will see very few tangible rewards in this life. 

Decide now that you are willing to give up everything for the "pearl of great price". Go through it all in your mind--the circumstances, feelings, etc.--live it through beforehand. Then admonish your soul, "One pearl is more than enough to make up for losing everything else." (Philippians 3:8)

Matthew 13:47-48: a picture of the end of the age. This is where we see that not only are we investing in God, but He is investing in us! He sent his Son to die on the cross for our salvation and gives us strength and reassurance day by day throughout our lives. What will we have done with His great gift? There will be discrepancies: those who have treasure and those who have pearls (John 21:18-22). It will be seen if we were wise investors, gaining more "talents" than we were given. "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." (Luke 12:48) 

We want to be "trophy fish" in the end and hear our Father say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." Remember that "our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18)

Are you willing to invest? Will you count the cost? You must sacrifice everything.