Hidden Treasure!  By James Lantz

       I will never forget when the Spirit of God spoke to my heart about the treasure that was hidden for me (not from me). In the spring of 2003, I  was in our bathroom shaving, I heard the Lord say, Matthew 13:44, it was not an audible voice just on the inside I knew that I had heard from God. I didn’t know what Matthew 13:44 said, so I got my Bible and looked it up.  Mt. 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.  Now if you want to know what the kingdom of heaven is like listen to what Jesus said about it. Who would know better than Jesus, since he is the creator of all things!   Col. 1:16&17  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.  Matthew records seven of Jesus parables about what the kingdom of heaven is like in this thirteenth chapter. This is awesome of Jesus to teach us what the kingdom of heaven is like, so that we can skillfully walk in the laws of the kingdom of heaven, while we are still on this earth. We are in this world but we are not of this world. We were transferred out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s dear Son the moment we were born again. It is very unfortunate that many christians still look at the scriptures and try to interpret them through the limitations of the flesh and their own natural human thinking, rather than going by what God, who knows all things, said. God said that he has already raised us up into heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Eph. 3:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.  I am not prepared to explain this in its fullness, but, it has to do with the fact that we are one spirit with the Lord.  1 Cor. 6:17  But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.  We are one with Jesus, like he is one with the Father, and like husbands and wives are one.  John 17:16-21   They (believers) are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.  Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word, that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.  The first parable that Jesus taught is so vital for each believer to understand that Jesus said, if you don’t understand this one you will not be able to comprehend the others. The first parable is about the word of God being planted into the human heart through the preaching, teaching, reading, and meditating on the anointed word. If people don’t grasp the fact that the anointed word, mixed with faith, will cause itself to manifest in their life, they will not attend to the word. God said we are to attend to his word above every other thing!  Pro. 4:20-27  My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health (medicine) to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward (disobedient) mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.  .  .  .  Far to long I had my eyes on the dirt (my own inability) instead of on the anointed word! My eyes are not on my own righteousness but on Him (Jesus the anointed word) who made me righteous! My eyes are not on my own ability to heal myself but on him who has already healed me. My eyes are not on my ability to prosper myself but on him who has blessed me with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ! I have been anointed to prosper! You can tell what people have their eyes on by what they say and what they do. If we don’t have the kingdom of God (which includes reading our Bibles, praying, going to church, tithing, and helping others) as our number one priority then God is not first place in our life. Now I know there is always some ignorant people, who say they love God, but don’t love his people nor follow his instructions. These people are liars and not doers of the word, because anyone who loves God loves his people! We must be aware of the five ways that Satan uses to effectively stop people from experiencing what God has given. Placing no value on the word of God, allowing trouble or persecution to stop you from doing what God said, or becoming intoxicated with the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches. The second parable acknowledges that the kingdom of heaven is in operation here in the earth, but because of man’s lack of good stewardship, the enemy was able to sow his workers among us. The third parable states that although the kingdom of heaven starts small like a mustard seed, it will grow so large that that the birds will lodge in the branches. The fourth parable relates that the kingdom of heaven is not visible to the natural eye but that eventually the proof will appear.  John 3:8  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou heareth the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit. When a person enters the kingdom you can not see it, however, in time you will see the evidence (fruit) of their love and obedience to the Lord. The fifth parable likens the kingdom of heaven to a hidden treasure which is so precious and valuable that a man who finds it, will hide it, and then with joy, sell all that he has and purchase the field in which the treasure lies. The sixth parable likens the kingdom of heaven to a merchant man, who is looking for valuable pearls,who, when he finds one of great value, sells everything he has and buys it. The seventh parable likens the kingdom of heaven to a net thrown into the sea and gathers good and bad. At the end of this world the angels will separate the wicked from the righteous, and cast them  into the lake of fire. I want to expound on this fifth parable because of how the Lord directed me to this verse.

        Mt.13:44 Amp.  The kingdom of heaven is like something precious buried in a field, which a man found and hid again; then in his joy he goes and sells all he has and buys that field.  Those of us who hungered and thirsted and humbled ourselves before the Lord, have been granted eyes to see how precious the kingdom of heaven is! God wants the eyes of our heart flooded with light, so that we can know and understand the hope to which he has called us and how rich is his glorious inheritance in the saints. We have been seated with Christ Jesus at the Father’s right hand to rule and reign together for eternity! Angel’s are not seated together with Christ Jesus. Sanctified men and women have been joined together with God through Christ Jesus! Where sin had abounded, grace has much more abounded! The first thing we learn about the Kingdom in this parable is that it is more precious than anything else. How precious it is that we were invited and welcomed into the family of God. How precious it is to be loved by God and to love him. When I think about how he wanted me and drew me to himself by his Spirit I am so thankful. Now that we are born of his Spirit and a child of his, it is our responsibility to stay close to him.  Ps. 91:1  He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  James 4:8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.  Col. 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.  The second thing we see is that the kingdom is not seen by everyone but that we must dig (seek) after it. The kingdom is revealed to us by revelation knowledge and we must act on or respond to what the Lord is leading us to do. Jesus said that he will build his church upon this rock (revelation knowledge). Think about what Moses would have missed if he would not have drawn near to the burning bush.  Exodus 3:4   And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.  Do you remember the times God brought things to our attention but we were to busy to turn aside. Make up your mind, I am never going to be to busy to turn aside to attend to the work of God.  Pro. 25:2  It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.  The first parable refers to the heart of man being the ground (field) and the fourth parable (preceding this one) refers to the earth being the field. I believe the field could be representive of either the heart of man or a literal field. The spirit (heart) of man who has been born again has received eternal life and the very force of life proceeds from with in.  Col. 1:27   To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.  Our future is in our heart! However, In my case, the Lord was directing me to a literal piece of real estate in which to build a church. It is obvious that all seven of these parables are referring to God’s people operating in the kingdom of heaven at the same time they are alive on the earth. When the Lord reveals what he has for you, it is time to get after it. This may mean that you start by preparing for it, but you must start. The third thing we see is that when we find the treasure we don’t go blabbing to everyone where the treasure is. We purchase the field and then we can share with others the treasure that we have found. The fourth thing we see in this parable is joy! When you see what God has for you, you have joy! Christians who are not in joy have lost sight of the goodness of God and what he has for them. Now the fifth thing separates the men from the boys. This act of selling all we have will only be possible by faith in God. Only those who are convinced they heard from God, and that he will perform what he has spoken or shown them, will part with what is seen for what is not yet visible to their natural eye. This takes faith that God will do more for you in the future than what he has done for you so far. When God reveals that we are to let go of something that we have it is always to bring us into a better place. God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt so that he could bring them into the promised land. He did not bring them out to die in the wilderness, but many of them refused to enter God’s best and died in the desert. The sixth thing is to buy the field. This means that it is going to cost you something. So many want something for nothing, and want God to do everything for them. God is gracious and had Jesus do all the hard part for us! How many of you know that God requires us to  step out and do our part. It cost something to be born again. We must give up the old life in order to receive the new! God accepts our commitment by faith and expects us to begin to conform into the image of his Son. Take up your cross and follow Jesus! Don’t look back, remember Lot’s wife. Joy can only be maintained as we look ahead to the joy that is set before us. Joy is ours as we keep our eyes fixed on what God has given us and what he is yet to do for us! Rejoice!

Haggai 1:8 .  .  . build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.