Keep searching for the true treasure who is Jesus in the treasure chest pictured above. Revelation 22:12 says And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. The reward, prize, and treasure is Jesus and to see Jesus forever in the kingdom will fully satisfy any saint now and forevermore. Philippians 3:14 reads I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Proverbs 2:3 tells us to search for wisdom which is Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:30) like someone searching for hidden treasure. The scripture reads Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding. If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures, then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowlege of God.
Jesus tells us when we run this race to Jesus to daily deny ourselves and take up our cross daily and look to Jesus crucified daily with our hearts for strength. Luke 9:23 tells us And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. Luke 13:24 tells us strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. Paul tells us all how to run this race in 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 which reads Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate (defined as constantly denying your flesh and living holy for Jesus) in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
Wow, you might all say what is Brother Bob doing now with the two pictures above of a peacock and an almug (algum tree). Well, lets all go back to the days of Solomon and the land of Ophir. This is all in the bible everyone. Sailors in the navy for King Solomon every three years would go to Ophir which is modern day India to obtain gold, precious stones, silver, ivory, sandal wood from the algum (almug) tree, apes, and peacocks and bring the riches from Ophir to King Solomon. 1 Kings 10:22 reads For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram. Once in three years came the navy of Tharshish bringing gold and silver, ivory and apes, and peacocks. 1 Kings 10:11 reads And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees and precious stones. The almug or algum from Ophir was a precious coral red sandalwood used to make ornaments in Solomon's temple and palace and used to make musical instruments and costly utensils.
But now the good news. Jesus is better and worth more than Ophir's gold, silver, almug sandalwood, ivory, apes, and peacocks. Rejoice and shout to Jesus saints as I quote what Job stated about this in Job 28:20 which reads When then cometh wisdom (which is Jesus stated in 1 Corinthians 1:30)? And where is the place of understanding. Skip back a couple of verses to Job 28:15 for the answer. The scripture reads It cannot be gotten for gold neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof. It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx (or sardonyx) or the sapphire, the gold and the crystal cannot equal it and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold. No mention shall be made of coral or of pearls. For the price of wisdom (Jesus) is above rubies. The topaz of Ehtiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold. To conclude if you by faith with your hearts daily remember Jesus and the cross you have much more treasure than gold, silver, topaz, onyx, rubies, crystals, corals, and pearls. Jesus is better than anything you could ever obtain on this earth.
You might say what is the picture above now from Brother Bob. This is a picture of Paul in Ephesus and Demetrius the silversmith behind him is starting a riot because Paul is telling the people not to worship the idol Diana. Demetrius made his living and money from erecting silver statues of Diana and is trying to stop Paul and make him flee from Ephesus so he can keep making money by erecting silver statues of the idol Diana. Acts 19:24 reads For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen. Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. Moreover, ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands. So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought. But, also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth. And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath and cried out saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. And the whole city was filled with confusion. And having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.
Matthew 6:24 reads No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Think about this verse saint reading this. When someone is sold out for Jesus, our enemies are people that love money and not Jesus. This can be fake religious people who love money who will fight against you when you preach Jesus Christ crucified. Think on this quote from Brother Bob. Today there are many people in this world that love material things like palaces, jewelry, yachts, and extravagent cars and ornaments and waste large amounts of money on these worthless material items and won't even give a penny for the relief of a poor christian widow or orphan.
Read this thought written by a puritan in the 1600's. Christians on this earth toil fervently and expend large sums of money overlooking dangers only to view Jerusalem and the Holy Land. They only get to see the bare tomb of Jesus and the earth Jesus walked upon. But, we as saints should strive and labour much more to enter into the kingdom by living holy every day. Our reward in the kingdom will be to personally see Jesus and not an empty tomb. Also we will possess and not just view our own personal mansions in the kingdom forever.
Other people in the bible like Demetrius pictured above who valued money and their jobs over Jesus are listed below. The pig owners in Gaderenes told Jesus to leave their country and persecuted Jesus when their pigs were drowned by demons and they couldn't make money from their pigs as a livelihood. The master of the woman of divination had Paul and Silas beaten and thrown into prison when he couldn't make any gains of money after Paul cast out the demon in the woman of divination. But Matthew the publican was so blessed and we all should be like Matthew. Matthew immediately left his trade of being a tax collector and followed Jesus. Saints remember if we try to save our lives we will lose them but if we are willing to lose our lives for Jesus we all will find our lives. Be like Brother Bob. Brother Bob left everything for Jesus and Jesus is all you all need in this life.
Wow, saint reading this study the picture above and people who really sold out for Jesus. Open your bibles to Acts 19:19 which says Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men; and they counted the price of them, and found it 50000 pieces of silver. These people did not want to sell these books and get money and cause people to be misled by their curious arts books. So they burned the books. I've done this myself. All the material things that I owned in the world before I knew Jesus that were ungodly were put in the dumpster. All I have now in my house is books, music, and computers that lift up the name of Jesus. What does it profit us if we all gain the world and lose our souls. Only Jesus lasts. Everything else will burn.
Wow, look above and left click the picture to see another one of Brother Bob's favorite pictures from the Sistene Chapel painted by Rosselli of Moses breaking the ten commandments after he saw the people worshipping the golden calf idol. Also notice Moses and Joshua together warning the people to worship God instead of a golden calf. The people above wasted their gold on a golden calf idol instead of Jesus. Exodus 32:3 reads And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf. And they said, These be thy gods, O Israel which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. Isaiah described what was done in the above picture at Isaiah 46:6 which reads they lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith, and he maketh it a god. They fall down, yea, they worship.
Jesus tells us not to be like the people in the picture above and waste your money and time on a worthless golden calf idol or material thing of this beggarly world. Jesus said in John 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for the meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you. For Him hath God the Father sealed. A puritan writer from the 1600's wrote In AD 300, a man named Licinius and his deputy Agricolaus tried to make 40 saints of God deny Jesus by offering them great wealth. The 40 saints shouted in praise to Jesus, O eternity eternity, we choose Jesus who will last forever. They refused the pitiful wealth which was current only in this beggarly world and chose to obtain durable riches by choosing Jesus and godliness. Brother Bob has personally experienced this by choosing to leave large sums of money and family to follow Jesus and currently live in a one bedroom apartment with a space heater and regularly give away money to help the poor widows, prisoners, and orphans all over the world.
In closing, I give you all Job 14:14 which reads If a man die shall he live again? All the days of my (appointed time) (defined as warfare) will I wait, till my change come. Saint reading this continue to fight the good fight of faith and wait for Jesus. Your change will come and you will be blessed now on this earth and forevermore in the kingdom with Jesus for all your labour for Jesus. 1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Keep in contact and write anytime to Brother Bob at rz9tlm@gmail.com. Your friend in Jesus Brother Bob Malkin, 2233 Pinetree Lane, Apt. N., Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068 (614) 746-7071. These messages are free of charge and please forward them everywhere to lift up Jesus and bless the nations.
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