TREASURE IN EARTHEN VESSELS

James 1:1-4 KJV
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

James 1:1-4 CEV (Contemporary English Version)
From James, a servant of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ. Greetings to the twelve tribes scattered all over the world. My friends, be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble. You know you learn to endure by having your faith tested. But you must learn to endure everything, so you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything.

James 1:1-4 GW
From James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. To Gods faithful people who have been scattered. Greetings. My brothers and sisters, be very happy when you are tested in different ways. You know that such testing of your faith produces endurance. Endure until your testing is over. Then you will be mature and complete, and you wont need anything.


James 1:1-4 MSG
I, James, am a slave of God and the Master Jesus, writing to the twelve tribes scattered to Kingdom Come: Hello! Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So dont try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

James 1:1-4 NCV
From James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. To all of Gods people who are scattered everywhere in the world: Greetings. My brothers and sisters, when you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience. Let your patience show itself perfectly in what you do. Then you will be perfect and complete and will have everything you need.

AMP VERSION James 1:1-4
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered abroad [among the Gentiles in the dispersion]: Greetings (rejoice)!
2Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.
3Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.
4But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.

WHY THIS TRIAL OR TEST?
THE TREASURE


Job 23:10 KJV
But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

2 Cor. 4:7
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.
In the mid-20th century, the Government of Thailand in Bangkok wanted to build a highway through a village. This highway would pass through a Buddhist monastery with a little chapel housing the heavy 11 feet tall clay statue of Buddha. They decided to relocate the chapel and its statue. They moved all these one after the other with a crane. At the turn of the heavy clay statue, the clay began to break apart and crumble as they lowered it into its new location. Despite their careful handling, the clay fell off completely. The workers were amazed at what was revealed: the statue was pure gold underneath the clay.

Before this revelation, the people estimated the worth of the statue at about fifty thousand dollars (50,000). Today, as a result of this revelation, it is worth millions of dollars and has since become a major world tourist attraction.

2 Cor. 4:16-18. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.


Like the Buddha statue went through some little rough handling which brought about the revelation of the glory of its underneath content, God is working out something to bring about the revelation of the non-perishable treasures in us. Whatsoever we go through that seems to be tearing us through is not without the knowledge of God. He is using whatever we go through to prepare us for the revelation of HIS TREASURES IN US. Everyone who is looking at the clay that houses us will not place much value on us until the revelation of the unseen, eternal weighty treasure in us. When we go through fire that is not meant to consume us, but will only refine us, we come forth as gold. Then, we become the rare commodity that the world is yearning for and can pay any prize to enjoy what is revealed in us.

In Job 23:10, Job in his trial declared: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. We must be willing for God to conclude us through the best means he chooses for the revelation of the excellency of the glory of his treasures buried in us.

WORDS OF PAUL THE APOSTLE: HIS BOASTING:

2 Corinthians 11:20-33 KJV
For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face. I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also. Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.


1 Peter 5:7 KJV
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Galatians 6:2 KJV
Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

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