Harold Bennett - Pearl of Great Price

[ST]

HAROLD BENNETT

He spoke from Matthew 13:45-46 The kingdom of heaven is like unto
a merchant man seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one
pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. The
one pearl of great price is Jesus, God's most costly possession. A
pearl is perfect. If you try to touch up a pearl, you destroy it (unlike
a diamond). You can't add to Jesus or take away from Him; you have
to accept Him in his entirety.

The pearl is the result of an irritant (a piece of grit) in an oyster, to
which the oyster reacts in a beautiful way. In Jesus the piece of grit
was the will of God; God's will goes against our grain. (See Heb 5:7 and
Heb 2:10) Every reaction of Jesus was beautiful.

The merchant had been searching for goodly pearls, and he found the "pearl of great price." He sold everything he had to buy it, even all his other goodly pearls. He thought, if I have this one thing, I'll be rich.

The gospel is for people who can't be satisfied with anything else. They
have to have it. Jesus and his truth cost everything, all our will.

When we pass through death, there's only one thing we can take with
us--Jesus, the pearl of great price. God's people are pearls in the
making. The pearl of great price if formed in God's people. (See Gal
4:19 and Col 1:20)

The beauty of God's people is like the pearl--the work of God on the
inward part. (See 1Pet 3:3) The oyster itself has no beauty (like our
body). The inner work, the work of God, is what He'll take to heaven.

Cultured pearls are formed one by one. A piece of grit is put right into the heart of the oyster. 50% of oysters spit out the grit and no pearl is formed. The grit causes the oyster suffering and pain because it goes against the nature of the oyster. The oysters are then put in pails in the
sea for five years. In the sea is where the work is done.

The sea is like the world; God does not isolate his people. (See John
17:15) Then the pails are brought up and cleaned; there are things that
attach to the oysters that impede the pearl-making. The pearl far
outlasts the life of the oyster. (See 1 Cor 3:13) Pearls are the
product of a life and they can withstand fire. God's people are pearls in
the making. (See Mal 3:17)

[Simple]

ST said:

HAROLD BENNETT

He spoke from Matthew 13:45-46 The kingdom of heaven is like unto
a merchant man seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one
pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. The
one pearl of great price is Jesus, God's most costly possession. A
pearl is perfect. If you try to touch up a pearl, you destroy it (unlike
a diamond). You can't add to Jesus or take away from Him; you have
to accept Him in his entirety.

The pearl is the result of an irritant (a piece of grit) in an oyster, to
which the oyster reacts in a beautiful way. In Jesus the piece of grit
was the will of God; God's will goes against our grain. (See Heb 5:7 and
Heb 2:10) Every reaction of Jesus was beautiful.

The merchant had been searching for goodly pearls, and he found the "pearl of great price." He sold everything he had to buy it, even all his other goodly pearls. He thought, if I have this one thing, I'll be rich.

The gospel is for people who can't be satisfied with anything else. They
have to have it. Jesus and his truth cost everything, all our will.

When we pass through death, there's only one thing we can take with
us--Jesus, the pearl of great price. God's people are pearls in the
making. The pearl of great price if formed in God's people. (See Gal
4:19 and Col 1:20)

The beauty of God's people is like the pearl--the work of God on the
inward part. (See 1Pet 3:3) The oyster itself has no beauty (like our
body). The inner work, the work of God, is what He'll take to heaven.

Cultured pearls are formed one by one. A piece of grit is put right into the heart of the oyster. 50% of oysters spit out the grit and no pearl is formed. The grit causes the oyster suffering and pain because it goes against the nature of the oyster. The oysters are then put in pails in the
sea for five years. In the sea is where the work is done.

The sea is like the world; God does not isolate his people. (See John
17:15) Then the pails are brought up and cleaned; there are things that
attach to the oysters that impede the pearl-making. The pearl far
outlasts the life of the oyster. (See 1 Cor 3:13) Pearls are the
product of a life and they can withstand fire. God's people are pearls in
the making. (See Mal 3:17)

Who are God's children Harold?
You and your group?
Do you know?
Why do those who follow you bear witness to
you and not Jesus?
Why is your fellowship in such spiritual disarray? (decay)
Why do you keep your crops in limbo?
If you will point to Jesus and not yourself they would
know where to go, but you just keep insisting you and
your fellow workers own God, like a bunch of blind fools!!
Your monkeys are always there to show us your lies Harold.

[selah]

The Matchless Pearl

A heavy splash was followed by many ripples and then the water below the pier was still. An American businessman crouched on the low Indian pier. His eyes were riveted to the water, straining to see his Indian friend swimming in the deep.

In a moment a dark head appeared. Then the old Indian pearl diver clambered on to the dock, grinning as he shook off the water.

“This will be a good one,” said Rambhau, handing a large oyster to Morris.

Prying open the shell, Morris exclaimed, “Have you ever seen a better pearl! It’s perfect, isn’t it?”

“There are better pearls, much better. Why, I have one that...” Rambhau’s voice trailed off. “See this—the black speck here, and that tiny dent. It’s just as you say about your God. People look perfect to themselves, but God sees all the imperfections.”

As the two men started down the road, another man walked far ahead of them.

“Do you see that man over there?” asked Rambhau. “He’s a pilgrim going perhaps to Bombay or Calcutta. He walks barefooted and picks the sharpest stones—and see,” he pointed, “every few blocks he kneels down and kisses the road. That is good. The first day of the New Year I also will begin my pilgrimage to Delhi. I will suffer but it will be sweet, for it will purchase Heaven for me.”

“Rambhau!” said Morris. “You can’t purchase Heaven! Jesus Christ died to provide Heaven for you!” But the conversation seemed useless. The old man could not understand.

One afternoon not long afterwards, Morris answered a knock on his door and found Rambhau standing there.

“Will you come to my house for a short time?” asked the diver. “I have something to show you.”

Morris followed him to his home. Once they were there, Rambhau brought out a small but heavy strongbox. “I have had this box for years,” he said. “I keep only one thing in it.”

The old man drew a carefully wrapped package out of the box. Gently he folded back layers of cloth. Uncovering a brilliant pearl, he placed it carefully in Morris’s hands.

The pearl glowed with a luster Morris had never seen. It would have brought a fabulous sum in any market.

“Now I will tell you about it,” Rambhau said. “Once I had a son.”

“A son?” Morris interrupted. “You’ve never said a word about him!”

“No. I couldn’t. But now I must tell you. My son was the best pearl diver on the coasts of India. What joy he brought me! He always dreamed of finding a pearl beyond all that had ever been found. One day he found it. But finding that pearl cost him his life.

“All these years I’ve kept this pearl,” Rambhau continued. “And now I want to give this pearl to you, because you are my best friend.”

Morris looked up excitedly. “Rambhau, you can’t give me the pearl. How can I accept this priceless gift? Let me buy it from you. I will give you all I can.”

“What are you saying?” The old diver was stunned. “You don’t understand, my friend. Don’t you see? My only son gave his life to get this pearl. I cannot sell it. But I want to give it to you because of my love for you.”

Morris could not speak. He gripped his old friend’s hand. “Rambhau, don’t you see? That is just what you have been saying to God all these years.”

Rambhau stared at Morris for a long time. But slowly he began to understand.

“You have tried to buy salvation from God. But God is offering salvation to you as a free gift,” Morris explained. “It is so great and priceless that no man on earth could buy it, and no man is good enough to deserve it. It cost God the lifeblood of His only Son, so that you could enter into Heaven. All you can do is to accept God’s gift because of His great love for you.”

Tears were rolling down the old man’s cheeks. “Now I understand,” he said. “Some things are too priceless to be bought. I will accept God’s salvation.”

Rambhau bowed his head in prayer to receive Jesus Christ as his Savior. After he had prayed, Morris took a small Bible from his pocket and read aloud:

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth His love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8).

“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:11-12).

“By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God—not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

www.gnpcb.org/product/663575728917

[Gene]

hmmmm.....

[jxr]

gnelson2 said:

hmmmm.....

Talking of pearls, this one was a corker. Oh, the depth of understanding in that comment. I'll have to quote it in next Sunday's testimony.

[pegasus]

Very nice story about the pearl, indeed.
Harold Bennets pearl I like much better than the last pearl, because the story about the last pearl sounds true, but something it doesn't tell you and therefore worse than a lie. There is an error/bug in the message. You see, the salvation is a gift for all people and it is for free. Agree. The devil tries to picture out that anyone don't have to do anything to receive this pearl, because it is a gift and it is free. Yes he knows the thruth because he has been in heaven. When you recieve a gift you must make a place for it in your hearth. It means to get rid of all the things that take the first place like the world, flesh etc. The devil don't tell people that because he is the snake. He speaks the truth but puts a different meaning in the word so they shall believe the lie. He likes to tell people what they would like to hear as he is the snake and eats dust and human beings are flesh. So he betrays people who like to hear what sounds good for the flesh. The flesh also wants salvation, but it is not possible. This salvation is just for the soul.

[selah]

Hi pegasus,

Eternal life is a "free gift". This is not Satan's teaching. It's right from the word of God. However, I do understand how easily this can be misunderstood.

Rewards, of course, are not "free". They are "earned". They are like wages for good works. Some of these rewards will be received in heaven. But, eternal life is a gift that Jesus gave for free. We just need to recognize that and receive it.

When Christ enters into our hearts...we are born again...a new life...ETERNAL life. It starts right now!

Then we live the rest of our earthly life for Him. The results our lives produce are the treasures we store up in heaven, and we receive rewards as well.

Jesus is ALL SUFFICIENT. There is nothing I can add to what He did to assure myself of eternal life. In trying to earn what He already fully paid for, we deny the all sufficiency of His gift. He completely paid the price...not just part of it.

We dedicate the rest of our lives to serving Him and bringing glory to His name. It is His Spirit within us that produces the fruit and the ability to live according to His will.

Of course, you're right that if we just verbally accept the gift, without actually RECEIVING it into our spirits, there will be no results.

Doing good works is not the way to receive the gift, it is the result of having already received the gift.

Blessings,
Linda

[Pegasus]

Hi again,

I didn't say that eternal life as a free gift is Satan's teaching. Not at all. Nobody can receive this gift until he/she has made place for it. Christ don't enter in anybody's hearth until he/she has made place for him to dwell there. That is what we have to do: make place for the gift. Not just one day or sometimes, but every day and the whole life. Have a wonderful day.

[Pete]

jxr, I suspect you are being a little facetious in your post about Gene Nelson's short but otherwise apt reply #3. You fail to recognise that Mr Nelson does make valuable contributions, which we should all take notice of. Not long after he began posting here, Mr Nelson said " You can blot out the sun with a bit piece, yet it feeds the whole world !"

That profound statement has remained with me since then and there is hardly a day goes by but I consider the depth of wisdom it contains. Personally I think you should revisit your wisecracks and take a more sincere and acceptable approach.

[selah]

Pegasus said:

Hi again,

I didn't say that eternal life as a free gift is Satan's teaching. Not at all. Nobody can receive this gift until he/she has made place for it. Christ don't enter in anybody's hearth until he/she has made place for him to dwell there. That is what we have to do: make place for the gift. Not just one day or sometimes, but every day and the whole life. Have a wonderful day.

Hi Pegasus...thank you for straightening me out! I'm sorry I misunderstood. Of course, you are right...we need to make room for Jesus.

But once He has come in, He is there, right? He doesn't leave. We may not always surrender to His leadership, but He is still present in our lives.

Is this how you understand it?

www.greatcom.org/english/spirit.htm

Blessings,
Linda

[pegasus]

He leaves or disappears when other things come in and take the place He should have.