Valuable Rocks

Jesse Birkey's picture

One mans trash is another mans treasure

 

Clichés are often the source of a collective groan.  But in the midst of extreme overuse, things that are supposed to matter become lost.

 

There’s a reason some sayings eventually fall into the cliché category.  There’s truth in them important enough to be repeated.

 

I was spending some time with the Lord the other day when he showed me a path with small pebbles and stones scattered about.  I bent over and picked one up.  It was plain but sparked a deeper interest in me.  I closed my hand around it and continued on.

 

Then the Lord reminded me of a rock polisher that my older sister used to have.  As kids we would gather rocks and pebbles that stuck out to us for one reason or another, and bring them back to our house to be polished.

 

Take that plain rock you picked up, the Lord said, and polish it.  Clean it and make it shine.  Then take it to a pawnshop.  What do you think you could get for it?

 

I scratched my nose.  “I don’t think I could get anything for it.”

 

You’re probably right, the Lord replied.  But just because someone determined it to be worthless doesn’t mean that it is.  Worth and value is ascribed.  And you ascribed value to the rock when you took the time to pluck it up, clean it, and polish it.

 

I sat still and thought about that for a while as the Lord continued to explain.  He showed me that we can take ourselves to a thousand pawnshops only to have each one of them determine that we’re worthless.  And we do, don’t we?

 

We often parade ourselves in front of the world wondering if we will be considered valuable.  Based on how we look, how well we perform, what we can buy, and more, the judge will come to a determination.  But even if the world finds some value in us, it’s often short lived.  As looks, things, and performance begin to fade so does our value to the world.  We tend to find ourselves feeling worthless no matter what the outcome.

 

But that doesn’t mean it’s true.

 

Worth and value was ascribed to every single person on the planet when Jesus died on the cross.  There’s nothing more he could’ve done to show us how valuable we are to him.  He suffered on the cross to reveal who he truly is that we might run to his open arms. 

 

It’s simply impossible for you to exist without worth and value.  Not everyone is going to see it, but God does.  He has proclaimed you worthy and that’s not something that can be erased.  It was given to you from the beginning and it has no expiration date. If you don’t feel it, it might be because you’ve believed the lies our adversary loves to whisper in our ears.

 

It’s time to stand under the light of the truth.  You are loved and valued so much more than you know. 

 

Blessings,

 

Jesse and Kara Birkey

www.jessebirkey.com

jbirkey@jessebirkey.com

twitter.com/JesseBirkey

http://www.facebook.com/jesse.birkey

www.goodreads.com/jessebirkey

http://www.amazon.com/author/jessebirkey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Through the Bible 6: Life of Christ - MP3s

Through the Bible 6: Life of Christ MP3s

by Dr. Andrew Hardy | 10 Sessions

Dr. Andrew Hardy takes you through the Gospels, the Life of Christ, in 10 sessions. This is part six of our Through The Bible series,  which provide you an in-depth overview of the entire Bible. You may choose to begin with the Life of Christ, and work your way through the entire New Testament, and then follow this up by going through the Old Testament.

Why are there four Gospels describing Jesus' life? How are the three synoptic Gospels different from John? What does God want to say to me through the life of Jesus? Can I really imitate Christ and be like him? Yes, Jesus came to model the lifestyle God has empowered us to live!

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Through the Bible 7: Acts and Epistles MP3s

by Dr. Andrew Hardy | 10 Sessions

Dr. Andrew Hardy takes you through Acts and the General Epistles in 10 sessions. This is part seven of our Through the Bible series, which provides you an in-depth overview of the entire Bible. You may choose to begin with the Life of Christ, and work your way through the entire New Testament, and then follow this up by going through the Old Testament.

In the book of Acts you discover the vibrancy of the early Church. The Holy Spirit descended upon them in Pentecost and filled them and the room in which they were seated. Empowered by the Holy Ghost, they immediatey won 3000 to the Lord. Miracles followed, many were healed, and the world was transformed by these anointed disciples. 

In the General Epistles we learn of the struggles the early Church faced, and the amazing teaching the Apostle Paul provided to keep them on track. You receive a glimpse into the heart of Paul as he passionately encourages his readers to know who they are in Christ and ascend into the heavenlies, where they are seated with Him in heavenly places, ruling and reigning. These books take you into the depths of Scriptural truth as revealed by the Holy Spirit. Pray for God to give you revelation knowledge in your heart and mind as you meditate on His Word (Eph. 1:17,18).

Price: $14.95

Through the Bible 8: Epistles and Revelation MP3s

by Dr. Andrew Hardy | 10 Sessions

Dr. Andrew Hardy takes you through the General Epistles and the book of Revelation in 10 sessions. This is part eight of our Through The Bible series,  which provide you an in-depth overview of the entire Bible. You may choose to begin with the Life of Christ, and work your way through the entire New Testament, and then follow this up by going through the Old Testament.

This eighth series in the collection covers the following New Testament books: I Thessalonians, II Thessalonians, I Timothy, II Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, I Peter, II Peter, I John, II John, III John, Jude and Revelation.

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Unique Gifts Make Winning Teams MP3s

These MP3s contain the same content as the Unique Gifts Make Winning Teams CD set but in digital format. Receive your product immediately with no shipping costs!

Price: $39.95

Your Extraordinary Life MP3s

Mark Virkler | 16 MP3 Sessions

Can you imagine starting new believers off with the Holy Spirit! What if the first thing you were taught as a newborn Christian was how to connect easily and daily with the Holy Spirit Who was living inside you, anointing you, empowering you and transforming you?

Price: $39.95
4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice Teacher's Guide eBook

4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice Teacher's Guide eBook

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 62 Pages

If you are going to teach the 4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice 10-12 week course yourself, without using the DVDs, then this teacher's guide will prove very helpful. It will give you clear focus for each weekly session.

Price: $9.95
4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice PowerPoint Download

4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice PowerPoint Download

by Mark Virkler | 258 Slides

If you are teaching the course 4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice, then these 200 PowerPoint slides will make your classroom presentation powerful and attractive. If you are going to use the DVDs to teach this course, then the PowerPoint is already interwoven into the DVDs.

Price: $29.95
Donate toward leaders in developing nations

A Gift for Leaders in Developing Nations: One-time Donation

To the Ends of the Earth! Missions Outreach
Karen Tanner, Missions Coordinator

There are two ways we reach into the mission field of developing nations. One is through a free hidden website with copies of over 25 of Mark’s books and MP3 versions of our core classes and the other is sending courses to prisoners in Namibia, Africa. We offer a Bachelor’s Degree from Christian Leadership Seminary to those that complete 120 credits of coursework.

Donate to prison ministry

A Gift for Prisoners: One-Time Donation

Many prisoners are hungry for God and word is spreading in prisons that they can contact this ministry for deeply discounted courses. You can help us provide materials to these prisoners by your generous gift. Our ministry sends books into correctional facilities below our cost, making no profit at all. You can make a one-time gift, or pledge $20 or more a month and “adopt a prisoner” as s/he works through book after book, maturing in the Lord.

Adopt A Language

Adopt a Language - Variable Price Donation

Choose the amount you can afford to go towards a translation of our books.

We are looking for people or groups to help us spread the message of Communion With God by sponsoring the translation of 47 sessions of Mark Virkler's teaching into one language for a tax-deductible gift of $3000. Our goal is the 11 key languages in India as well as another 50 other languages worldwide.

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