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[[http://www.jesusnetwork.eu/de/jn_de_2018_09_03|Deutsche Version]] [[Start|| Wiki Start]] [[topics_collection_ix|| Theme Collection ix ]]

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====== Great Value ... ======

Monday, Sept 3, 2018. What is of great value to you? Recently I had a discussion with my bank advisor, 
and the people suggested various investments for my savings. How can you make the most of what you have?
What do you want with your money? When do you need it? There are many questions to answer, and you 
need to be smart, or you loose a lot which is of value ... 

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** The treasure, the pearl ... **

When you have friends, or when you are in love with someone, you realize that all what might be of
value to you is nothing compared to that particular friend or person. You are happy to give a lot of
treasures, just to be with him or her, just to spend time with her, to speak, to enjoy, to exchange
about life, about work, about sorrows or the joy of life!

What is of value? The bible tells us that God himself is fantastic, even better that the best experience
we have with friends or with human love. God and his kingdom is a great treasure, it is a great pearl,
it is beyond measure in terms of our human riches and values! 

In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus tells two parables about this treasure, have a look into chapter 13:

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44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
</color> (Matthew 13, 44-45)


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** My own steps ...**

What are my own steps when it comes to God? Let us discuss two scenarios. First, assume someone does
not know God. But he or she might have a faint idea that God might be interesting or fantastic. What would
you do? You would go and start to find our more! You would search God. You would try to discuss God
with people who could know more. This approach is reasonable and constructive!

Search for believing Christians! Search for Christians who live with Jesus, and then start to discuss
the questions with them. There are various churches in each and every town, where you find believers. 
Go and search, and God himself has promised that he will give you answers, that he can be found!

But let us also talk about the second scenario: assume you get to know God. Assume you start to realize
that God is there, indeed. Assume you start to realize how fantastic God is, how holy, full of eager
justice, full of mercy, of compassion, of love and truth and light! Then, you start to discover the
treasure which is in him. 

Go and give all the other treasures to get to him, to buy his treasure. It is part of the story of 
God, that he is the source of life. We cannot hold anything against him. We cannot buy our one life, 
except by realizing that all comes from him, and all belongs to him. We will give all we have, to be 
free to fully meet him. Here, with him, true freedom comes! His kingdom is a pearl so valuable, that
even the largest kingdoms of our planet are mere dust in comparison, just a second of time in eternity. 
When we start to meet him we realize great value, far beyond our wildest dreams.
(Roland Potthast)
[[http://www.jesusnetwork.eu/en/topics_collection_ix|... further texts]]
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