TREASURE IN EARTHEN VESSELS

THE TREASURE
Jesus gave some parables in the 13th chapter of Matthew describing some aspects of the Kingdom of God. In one parable He referred to a treasure hid in a field. One who discovers the treasure should sell all that he has and buy the farm.
Matthew 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
Paul also used the term "treasure" in his writings. He likened the treasure to the administration of the Spirit of God among the people of God. "We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us". 2Cor 4:7 He had earlier referred to the same thing when he wrote, "Therefore seeing we have this Ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not." 2Cor 4:1
He said that he had not tried to depend upon his own ability to speak or persuade men by appealing to their intellect, but he depended on the demonstration, or showing forth of the Spirit and Power of God.
I Corinthians 2:4 And my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
I Corinthians 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
Anyone can speak in a persuasive manner, but they tend more to attract people to themselves than to God. Paul was determined not to do this, but chose rather to give a demonstration of what God could do in the lives of the people he was ministering to.
In Rev chs. 2 and 3 the admonition is repeated several times, for us who are able, to hear what the SPIRIT is saying to us.
Not everyone is able to hear the Spirit, for varying reasons. We are seldom aware of our inability to hear the Spirit until we are around someone who IS able to hear.
A child who is born half blind is not aware of its condition until it is placed with others who have good eyesight. I shall never forget the day when I discovered I was not able to hear what other people were hearing.
I was able to see the steam as a railroad engineer blew the whistle about three miles away, but heard no sound. My brothers had no difficulty hearing as well as seeing.
I am convinced that many of us are missing what the Spirit would say to us if we were in a condition to hear. I was unable to correct my natural hearing, but it is not so with the Spiritual hearing. That can be corrected, IF WE SO DESIRE.
A casual observance of the things of God will not cut it. We must put our heart into seeking Him.
Philippians 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them [but] dung, that I may win Christ,
Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Proverbs 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
II Peter 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make [you that ye shall] neither [be] barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
II Timothy 1:6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
We should be seeking for the Anointing of God in our lives that enables us to administer the Spirit of God to those around us.