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treasure

Those Old Earthen Jars (Part Three)

by TerryLema

One of the most profound experiences I had was at the Boise Art Museum (BAM) looking at jars. Yes, Pots. (I have told this story many times.)

The artist had blown jars of various shapes and sizes and covered them with layers of paint in different colors. Then he took a knife and scored them exposing the various colors creating woodland scenes with trees, animals and sky. They were beautiful, even more so because he added light inside which shown through the scoring.

Every place where the artist had dug deep with his knife, the light was bright. The deeper the cut, the brighter the light. As I stood there looking at these jars and watching the video about how they were made, I saw a visual representation of a verse in 2 Corinthians 4.

“Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us.” [vs 4:7 HCSB]

We have the treasure of the New Covenant within us. We have the light of Christ within us. We have the Holy Spirit within us. All that creates an “extraordinary power” from God. And because of that power, Paul goes on and once again reminds us that – We Do Not Give Up!

“Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory.” [2Corinthians 4:16-17 HCSB]

This old earth jar may be falling apart, but boy, what is inside (that extraordinary power from God) is an absolutely incomparable eternal treasure!

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Mary’s Treasure

by TerryLema

You’ve traveled far. It’s not like you really wanted to, after all you’re very pregnant. You have to, however. The government says you do. The top guy (Caesar) has decided he wants a census of the entire Roman world, and that includes you and your betrothed husband Joseph. So heavily pregnant, you travel from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea because you and Joseph are from the lineage of King David.

When you arrive, the town is bustling with all the others who were doing what the government commanded. There’s no room anywhere to rest. Finally, Joseph secures a bit of privacy in a place that houses the animals. The time for your baby to be born arrives. No family. No friends. Maybe no mid-wives. One nervous husband. You give birth.

You’ve brought wrapping cloths for your newborn. Exhausted you put him to sleep in a feeding troth while you rest a bit. Joseph keeps watch.

Suddenly a bunch of rough men show up with a story almost beyond belief. Angels appeared to them and told them that they would find a baby in a manger that was the Savior, Christ the LORD.

Such a story would be almost beyond belief, but not for you. You remember the angel Gabriel and his sudden appearing and the words he spoke to you. “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” [Luke 1:35]

One amazing night to be remembered forever.

“Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” [Luke 2:19]

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Hidden Treasures

by TerryLema

It is Christ.

“All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him.” [Colossians 2:3 HCSB]

Wow, wisdom! Wow, knowledge!  And that wonderful word, “All!”

(All!) Knowledge is knowledge of God as revealed in our Savior and in Scripture.  It also means knowledge of ourselves as revealed in Scripture. We must remember that the Bible is the one book that reads us! It is living and reveals who and what we are as we search and study it.

(All!) Wisdom refers to the ability to apply all God’s revealed truth to our daily lives. Remember the two commands of God that we looked at on January 4, found in 1 John 3:22-23:  We are to have faith in Christ Jesus, and we are to love one another.  The wisdom (and knowledge) of God teaches us how to live and love those commands.

(All!) wisdom and knowledge are the true treasures of life and they are found in Christ Jesus alone.  It is Christ!

But then there is that little word “hidden.” It is “apokruphos” and it means hidden away, secret, stored up. That word implies that we need to seek out those treasures. They are not always lying around on the surface like seashells on a beach.

While they are hidden, however, they are not unattainable. In fact, God’s Holy Spirit has been given to us so that we might attain them. Jesus promised, “The Counselor, the Holy Spirit—the Father will send Him in My name—will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.” [John 14:26 HCSB]

On the Day of Pentecost, Jesus fulfilled that promise. Now those who have surrendered their lives to Him are indwelt by the very Spirit of God who enables them to search for and attain (All!) those hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Him.

Remember though, that while God has provided all we need, we still have to do a little digging!

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Earthen Vessels

by TerryLema

Yesterday I had the amazing privilege of praying with a small group of Boise pastors, young men that I have come to appreciate and love. As we prayed, I was reminded of something that happened about a decade ago. I have probably told you this story before, but I need to tell it again this morning – as I told it yesterday to these young men.

My grandson and I attended a new exhibit at the Boise Art Museum. The artist was a glass blower who made vases, jugs, jars in all different shapes and sizes. Each vase was lighted, each one different, each one “decorated” with a lovely scene. Many were woodland scenes with tall trees, brilliant skies, flowers, and animals. I thought the scenes were painted on.

Then I watched the film as the artist created them. He fired the glass, molding each one individually, some small, some large, some in between, all differently shaped. Then he rolled them in pigment and fired each color individually, layer upon layer upon layer of colors.

But it was the final touch that has stayed with me. He put a light into each one. He took scoring knives, some wide bladed, some small and pointy and he began to “score” the vases. One swipe here that revealed a blue, another smaller revealed greens or reds or yellows. He continued to work, cutting through each pigment color until he exposed the color he wanted – and as he did so, the light in the vase became more brilliant, and a beautiful picture became visible.

As I watched I was overwhelmed remembering the verse, “We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” [2 Cor 4:7]

I am retelling this story today because of two things. First, the verses that follow that verse have meaning for the church today. (“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” [vs8-9])

Secondly, I sense that the LORD is doing a little “scoring” in pastors and needs to do a little “scoring” in me. I am going to be offline for the next 7-10 days so that I may give Him time to do so as I pray and seek His wisdom.

God bless you all and see you in about a week!

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