"Also, the kingdom of heaven is like a salesman looking for fine pearls. One day the salesman found a very fine pearl. The salesman went and sold everything he had to buy that pearl."
—Matthew 13:45-46
Key Thought
I don't know about you, but I love to read mystery novels. I search for the clues, listen for the hints, and dig for the foreshadowing. But the joy of the search is worth its price only when I reach its goal. In searching for God's truth, I travel on the road of assurance because I know he wants me to find his grace and discover his Kingdom even more than I do. But without stretching for his truth, I may not have truly appreciated all that he has done for me. Without surrendering to him completely, letting his Kingdom be fully recognized as what I have longed to find all of my life, I probably would have missed its power and beauty. The Kingdom brings joy, not because its demands are easy, but because it calls me to a life of wholehearted, singularly focused truth. I won't hold anything back as I follow.
Today's Prayer
Almighty God, King of All, I want to fully surrender to your call and serve your Kingdom with wholehearted devotion. You are worthy of my life and your Kingdom is worth any price I may pay. Please help my faith to remain strong, my vision clear and my heart set fully on doing your work. In the midst of this, I know you will keep me in your grace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. One day a man found the treasure. The man was very happy to find the treasure. He hid the treasure in the field again. The man went and sold everything that he owned to buy that field. "Also, the kingdom of heaven is like a salesman looking for fine pearls. One day the salesman found a very fine pearl. The salesman went and sold everything he had to buy that pearl. "Also, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was put into the lake. The net caught many different kinds of fish. The net became full, so the fishermen pulled the net to the shore. The fishermen sat down and put all the good fish in baskets. Then they threw away the bad fish. It will be the same at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the evil people from the good people. The angels will throw the evil people into the place of fire. In that place the people will cry and grind their teeth {with pain}." {Then Jesus asked his followers,} "Do you understand all these things?" The followers said, "Yes, we understand." Then Jesus said to the followers, "So every teacher of the law who has been taught {the new things} about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house. He has new things and old things saved in that house. And he brings out those new things with the old things."Matthew 13:44-52
Related Scripture Readings
So Philip got ready and went. On the road he saw a man from Ethiopia. This man was a eunuch. He was an important officer in the service of Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians. He was responsible for taking care of all her money. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship. Now he was on his way home. He was sitting in his chariot and reading from the book of Isaiah, the prophet. The Spirit said to Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it." So Philip went toward the chariot, and he heard the man reading. He was reading from Isaiah, the prophet. Philip said to him, "Do you understand what you are reading?" The man said, "How can I understand? I need some person to explain it to me!" Then he invited Philip to climb in and sit with him. The part of Scripture that he was reading was this: "He was like a sheep when it is taken to be killed. He was like a lamb that makes no sound when someone cuts off its wool. He said nothing. He was shamed, and all his rights were taken away. His life on earth was ended. There will be no story about his family (descendants)." The officer said to Philip, "Please, tell me, who is the prophet talking about? Is he talking about himself or about someone else?" Philip began to speak. He started with this same Scripture and told the man the Good News about Jesus. While they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The officer said, "Look! Here is water! What is stopping me from being baptized ?" Then the officer commanded the chariot to stop. Both Philip and the officer went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away; the officer never saw him again. The officer continued on his way home. He was very happy. — Acts 8:27-39
"Continue to ask, and God will give to you. Continue to search, and you will find. Continue to knock, and the door will open for you. Yes, if a person continues asking, that person will receive. If a person continues looking, that person will find. And if a person continues knocking, the door will open for that person. — Matthew 7:7-8
The Lord is my strength and victory song! The Lord saves me! You can hear the victory celebration in good people's houses. The Lord showed his great power again. The Lord's arms are raised in victory. The Lord showed his great power again. — Psalm 118:14-16
Ⓒ 1996-2017 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware. Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.
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—Matthew 13:45-46
Key Thought
I don't know about you, but I love to read mystery novels. I search for the clues, listen for the hints, and dig for the foreshadowing. But the joy of the search is worth its price only when I reach its goal. In searching for God's truth, I travel on the road of assurance because I know he wants me to find his grace and discover his Kingdom even more than I do. But without stretching for his truth, I may not have truly appreciated all that he has done for me. Without surrendering to him completely, letting his Kingdom be fully recognized as what I have longed to find all of my life, I probably would have missed its power and beauty. The Kingdom brings joy, not because its demands are easy, but because it calls me to a life of wholehearted, singularly focused truth. I won't hold anything back as I follow.
Today's Prayer
Almighty God, King of All, I want to fully surrender to your call and serve your Kingdom with wholehearted devotion. You are worthy of my life and your Kingdom is worth any price I may pay. Please help my faith to remain strong, my vision clear and my heart set fully on doing your work. In the midst of this, I know you will keep me in your grace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. One day a man found the treasure. The man was very happy to find the treasure. He hid the treasure in the field again. The man went and sold everything that he owned to buy that field. "Also, the kingdom of heaven is like a salesman looking for fine pearls. One day the salesman found a very fine pearl. The salesman went and sold everything he had to buy that pearl. "Also, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was put into the lake. The net caught many different kinds of fish. The net became full, so the fishermen pulled the net to the shore. The fishermen sat down and put all the good fish in baskets. Then they threw away the bad fish. It will be the same at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the evil people from the good people. The angels will throw the evil people into the place of fire. In that place the people will cry and grind their teeth {with pain}." {Then Jesus asked his followers,} "Do you understand all these things?" The followers said, "Yes, we understand." Then Jesus said to the followers, "So every teacher of the law who has been taught {the new things} about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house. He has new things and old things saved in that house. And he brings out those new things with the old things."Matthew 13:44-52
Related Scripture Readings
So Philip got ready and went. On the road he saw a man from Ethiopia. This man was a eunuch. He was an important officer in the service of Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians. He was responsible for taking care of all her money. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship. Now he was on his way home. He was sitting in his chariot and reading from the book of Isaiah, the prophet. The Spirit said to Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it." So Philip went toward the chariot, and he heard the man reading. He was reading from Isaiah, the prophet. Philip said to him, "Do you understand what you are reading?" The man said, "How can I understand? I need some person to explain it to me!" Then he invited Philip to climb in and sit with him. The part of Scripture that he was reading was this: "He was like a sheep when it is taken to be killed. He was like a lamb that makes no sound when someone cuts off its wool. He said nothing. He was shamed, and all his rights were taken away. His life on earth was ended. There will be no story about his family (descendants)." The officer said to Philip, "Please, tell me, who is the prophet talking about? Is he talking about himself or about someone else?" Philip began to speak. He started with this same Scripture and told the man the Good News about Jesus. While they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The officer said, "Look! Here is water! What is stopping me from being baptized ?" Then the officer commanded the chariot to stop. Both Philip and the officer went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away; the officer never saw him again. The officer continued on his way home. He was very happy. — Acts 8:27-39
"Continue to ask, and God will give to you. Continue to search, and you will find. Continue to knock, and the door will open for you. Yes, if a person continues asking, that person will receive. If a person continues looking, that person will find. And if a person continues knocking, the door will open for that person. — Matthew 7:7-8
The Lord is my strength and victory song! The Lord saves me! You can hear the victory celebration in good people's houses. The Lord showed his great power again. The Lord's arms are raised in victory. The Lord showed his great power again. — Psalm 118:14-16
Ⓒ 1996-2017 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware. Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.
Let's lift up 
Hello everyone! Let's lift up these requests in Jesus' Name:
**Prayer Friends** 
