You know, I can't always, I can't say that I've always felt this way about coming to church. Amen. But I can tell you that right now, right now, Right now, I am glad that I'm in church. I look forward to being in church, amen? And I certainly hope you do, amen? Get excited about Sunday, amen? Get excited about Wednesdays and get excited about special meetings, amen? I tell you, it is a blessing. People get all fired up and get excited about Saturday football. Get all excited about the March Madness, amen. Get excited about the Atlanta Braves or New York Mets or whoever, amen. But they didn't die for you. And they won't. Amen. Hey, they're not going to crucify theirself out on the field. They're not going to do that. Amen. They'll do it for the dollar. Amen. They'll do it for the praise. Amen. Isn't it amazing what a man will do for the world and for his job and for a dollar, but he won't do for God? Isn't that amazing? Man, I tell you, it's just amazing. But this morning, I'm not sure exactly, man. I tell you, I was listening to my brother Drew with some stuff this morning, and that's probably a mistake. Because, you know, when you get your message down and you're like, man, I've been studying on this one for a little while, a few days, a few weeks, whatever, and so, you know, you get some things down and you think about it through the week, you think about it through the days, and then you hear preaching, and then you hear teaching, and it's all like, oh yeah, that's a good point, that's a good point, that's a good point. And listen to me, the whole time, you probably won't understand it unless you're a preacher or something, but the deal is, is the whole time you get you, God speaks to you and gets you something and you're like, man, that's it right there. God's given me that and I know when I'm gonna do it and what I'm gonna do and how it's gonna happen and all this stuff. And then as you get that thing going, the devil starts talking to you and saying, man, no, that ain't gonna work. That's not going to work. You need to do something else. Do something else. And see, that's one of the things, that's one of the tactics of the devil. He'll not tell you not to do something, but he will tell you that what you're doing is not right. Amen. He won't tell you not to come to church, but he'll tell you don't get involved. Amen. I mean, he comes to church. Do I need to preach last Sunday's message again about the devils, amen? I mean, the deal is, is he won't tell you, like I said, not to come to church, but, you know, he'll just tell you, hey, just sit back, you've deserved a week of rest, you know, and it is called a day of rest, isn't it? I mean, you know, just do that and the devil will do that, amen, and he'll He will cause you to do that. I want to talk this morning about some hidden treasure. And there were some things that we want to look at. Go to Colossians, if you will, in chapter number two. Colossians chapter number two. And I want to see some things here. Hopefully we'll try to stay on course. try to stay where we need to be and give some things that will be a blessing to you and it will help you. I don't know if this will be preaching or teaching, but I imagine it will be a little bit of both. Man, there's just so much in this thing, and I'll try not to tax your patience, but if we have to take a break and let the kids come and sing again, we'll start all over again after that. But I just want us to get something. This morning, thank you for being here. You could have went anywhere else, but you came here, and I appreciate that so very much. And I do not take it lightly for you folks coming to church. I do not and I promise you I don't and So good to have you to come to church today. All right here in Colossians chapter number two Let's read verse 1 the Bible says for I would that you knew what great conflict I have for you and for them at Laodicea and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh and I want you to understand something here before we get into the message that Paul is writing to the church at Colossae. There in chapter 1 and verse 2, the Bible says, "...to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colossae." But also, I want you to understand that he is preaching and praying and he's asking for this letter that he's writing to Colossae to be read there in Laodicea as well. Laodicea, as you know, is the last of the churches mentioned in Revelation chapter 3. And Laodicea is a church of my rights, the last days church. And so Paul is writing here to Colossae, but also the letter to the Laodicean church as well, of the things that are going on. And he says in verse 2 that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love unto all riches, of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father of Christ, and of Christ. And in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Now, there's two words here that we're gonna deal with primarily today, and that is mystery and treasures. And man, I tell you, There's some good stuff in here, and I don't want to confuse you, but verse 2 is a mouthful. There is a lot in that verse, and if we're not careful, we'll miss some things. But I just want to simplify it for my own good, amen, for me to understand it. And I have to for me to understand it. And the Lord does things like that and helps us understand things. And so we're going to look at some things about this hidden treasure and the mystery, and that's what a hidden treasure is, or something hidden. It's a mystery. We like a good mystery, amen. I do. I mean, I really do. I like a good mystery. I mean, I like a good mystery, and I'm sure that you like treasures as well. And of course, you know, there's some things that we have to understand about that. So we'll get into this and we'll just see where the Lord leads us in this. Father, we need help today as always. Thank you for the singing. Thank you for these youngins, Lord, singing and singing out and the joy they have and the smiles on their faces, God, when they sing. And Father, thank you so much for that. Father, I'm asking that you would just be with us during the preaching time. And Father, that you'll deal with hearts as heart has the need. We love you, Jesus in your precious name we pray, amen. So we see this thing and there's a couple of things, about three things we're gonna have to establish before we get into this thing about finding treasure. And I'll give you these things. The first thing is, is verse 2 there in Colossians, the Bible says that your hearts might be comforted being knit together. And so we find there that the first thing, if we're gonna get into the mystery of this thing and we're gonna find some treasure, We're going to have to have the same heart, same mind, amen, same goal. We're going to have to be knit together in this thing. You know, the Bible teaches us that we can't, God said that it's not good for man to be alone, amen? It's not good for a man to be alone. God established, now listen to me, God established the church. for the fellowship of the saints. Amen. He established a church for that. Amen. There's nothing wrong with you having fellowship at home. There's nothing wrong with you having fellowship with God by yourself. There's nothing wrong with that. But the church is what God established for us to come together, learn the scriptures, and have accountability to each other. Now, if all I do is stay at home and I do this at home and stuff, I'm not accountable to anybody. But if we come to church as God has set the church up and have this fellowship, we have the accountability to each other. Amen. And I'm telling you, I need that. Amen. And you need that. We all need that. So here's the deal. We must be knit together in this thing if we're going to find this treasure and go through this mystery, amen, together. It says that their hearts might be comforted being knit together. And so we find there that this is one of those things that we have to establish is we've got to have the same heart. We've got to have the same mind, amen. We've got to have the same goals. Amen. We've got to have this thing together as a church as we tried to bring a few Wednesday nights ago about the unspeakable gifts of God, of how the church is fitly joined together, amen, and how that God fits us together in the church, amen. And we all have our purpose and we all have our use of God for us to do that. A second thing is, is that we find here, it's not only for us to be knit together, but we find that in this thing of being knit together, we have to be knit together not only of those things, but three things of that. Those are sub-points of the point. Amen. Look at it. It says, in love, Amen? And the second thing is, is unto all riches, and that's not talking about money riches, it's talking about Bible riches. Amen? And then the third thing is full assurance of understanding. See, it's all in the verse there. So he tells us that we've got to come together, be knit together in the love and in the fullness of the riches and also in this thing a full assurance of understanding. If you want to get something from God as a church, if you want to find out through the mystery and the mystery find out the treasure of what God has for us, we have to come together. We have to come together loving each other. We have to come together trying to find the fullness of the riches of God, amen? And not only that, as it says there, the assurance of understanding, amen? We got to have a want to, to understand the things of God, amen? Is that okay? Everybody all right? All right, now the second thing is, we've got to establish if we're gonna go through this, finding this, through the mystery of finding the treasure and all that stuff is this, you've got to, and we've got to acknowledge, we've gotta have an acknowledgement of the treasure. Look at this thing in verse two. He says, he says, this thing of full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God. We've got to acknowledge that there's something there. We've got to acknowledge that there's something you and I just can't see, but we know there's something there. Amen. There's a mystery in this thing. There's a mystery in it. And of course, we understand what some of that mystery is. We don't get it all, but we know that there's some things in this book that, man, it's worth digging into. It's worth searching out. Amen. It's worth getting in there and finding some things out. They're hidden. And so he tells us that we've got to acknowledge that. Look down there in chapter 1, in verse number 25. Notice what Paul says here in verse 25. He says, Whereof I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God, which is given to me for you to fulfill the word of God. Even the mystery which had been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints. So we've got to acknowledge that there's the mystery that is hid in this book. Amen. You've got to come together and realize these things and understand these things. And so you acknowledge the acknowledgement through the mystery that there's the treasure inside this mystery. Well, I hope I'm not losing you. We'll get preaching here in a minute. This is just setting this thing up. Amen. I do, I like a good mystery. I mean, I really do, man. It's just, it's just, man, you get on the edge of your seats and I can tell you are right now, amen. You're just ready to go, amen. I like a good mystery, amen. I like to be able to get the clues and be able to get those things and figure out who did it, amen. Amen, I like to be be in that position and try to figure those things out. Amen So so we've got to we've got to have the acknowledgement there That there is a treasure that there is a mystery and we've got to have that it that Acknowledgement look there in the closet again in chapter 1 and then look in verse number. I will just give you a couple of things This thing's the mystery that is given by Paul. We just read in verse number 26. I Notice in verse 27, "...to whom God would make known that is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles." And of course, part of this mystery we see here is that Christ, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Amen? That's part of the mystery. Amen? That's part of what is going on right there. And so we find there in verse number 28, and he says this, How are you going to get it? You're going to get it by preaching, and you're going to get it by teaching. He says in verse 28, Whom we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we represent every man perfect in Christ Jesus. He says, Whereunto also labors, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily. So, I mean, a lot of stuff right here. We find there that Paul is teaching this thing, But you're going to get this thing, you're going to be able to get part of the mystery and part of that treasure by the preaching and teaching of the Word of God. Amen. And Paul, listen, this is kind of a side note, but if you look there at verse 29, Paul is willing to labor to teach and preach. If you don't think there's work in preaching and teaching and pastoring, you ought to try it sometime. Amen. You ought to try it sometime. Amen. But listen, it is work. It is a labor. But boy, I tell you what, it's the best work on this earth. Man, I tell you, it really is. Let me give you this third thing. So we must be knit together, we must have an acknowledgement of the treasure, but the third thing is, is we've got to recognize the mystery and the treasure, the mystery and the treasure that is in it. I hope I said that right. We've got to acknowledge that of the mystery, we've got to recognize this thing, that the mystery, which there's things in here that we don't know, there's things that we know that are there, but we just don't see it right now, amen? There's things in there that's just in there and we know it's there, but also we've got to understand that in the mystery, there's treasure. There's a payoff. Amen. It's worth digging into. Amen. God makes it worth it for you. Amen. Don't you think it's worth it whenever you pray and God answers those prayers? And you look back and you say, boy, it was worth it all. Amen. I mean, Jesus said this. This is the way He put it in Hebrews chapter 12. He said, He said, Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame? Amen. See, that was part of that mystery for us that Christ would die on the cross and pay for our sin, but Jesus looked at it and He said, But for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame. So digging into it, He said it was worth it. It was worth it. And I can tell you that it'll be worth it finding out through the mystery the treasures of God. Are we okay? So those three things we've really got to get it. We've got to be knit together, we've got to acknowledge the treasure, but also we've got to recognize the mystery and the treasure that's in it. Amen. Look at verse 3 of chapter 2. He says, "...in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Of who? In whom? In whom? Verse 2, of Christ. Christ sometimes is a mystery. Amen. Who He is, what He did, I mean, His ministry on the earth, but also His heavenly ministry now is a mystery. So we recognize the mystery and the treasure in it. We've got to recognize it is a mystery and it's worth finding. And we've got to recognize that there's a treasure in this mystery. And so we get that. Can I tell you part of this thing of the notice in verse number, let's see, what is it? Number, where is it? And number three, he says there, the treasures in whom are hid all the treasures. Notice this, some of the treasures of what? Wisdom and knowledge. Can I tell you that it's worth it to dig into the book to get the wisdom and knowledge. And what wisdom and knowledge are you getting? That of Christ, that of God. Listen, just think about it. It's the wisdom of God. That's what's hidden in this book here. Are we getting this? Listen, it's not the wisdom of the government. It's not the wisdom of NASA. It's not the wisdom of the Pope. It's not the wisdom of the scientists of our day or any day. It's the wisdom of the Creator, the wisdom of God. It's worth it to get in here and find these treasures, amen. Man, the treasures that are in this mystery book. Amen. And it's not a mystery book that you can't find these treasures. Man, there's golden nuggets all the way through this thing. I mean, can you imagine the messages that have been preached out of this one book? I mean, out of this one book of the years of the preaching and even the preaching before this book about what's in the book. I mean, and just imagine the songs that have been sung about this man, this book, the mystery, our God, the Savior, amen, and the grace and the mercy. Just imagine all the songs that have been written and have been sung, amen, just in our little church, just in your little lifetime. And it's still a mystery. We still ain't figured it out. I cannot fathom what God has in store for us. I mean, there's just, you can't fathom the glory and all the graces that God has for us there in heaven. I mean, it just, it makes my head hurt, amen. Just to try to think of those things. What an amazing thing. So, we've got to establish these things. We've got to establish that, man, we've got to have one heart and one mind about this thing. We've got to come together with this thing. We've got to acknowledge that, man, there's something just beyond the words on the pages of this book. There's something past that, amen. It's just a book written by men, as they say. I beg to differ, amen. There's more than just a book here. There's more than just words here, amen. There's something behind this. Boy, it's a mystery. It's a mystery. I like a good mystery. And we've got to recognize that that's what this is. There's a mystery in here. There's treasures in here. And we've got to recognize those things. We've got to acknowledge these things. And that's the reason why the world is in the shape it's in. They denied it. They've denied it and said, God's not real. I've heard testimony of people saying, you know, about the Christians and what the Christians believe. I've heard men testify and say these things. Well, you know, religion, that there was a man that walked on the earth and, you know, he died for the sin of the whole world and, you know, I don't think I'd believe that. They're not even sure that he was even a real man, that he even real walked on the earth. And I'm telling you, one of these days, they're going to stand before a holy and righteous God, and they're going to have to admit that, yes, there is a man named Jesus. There is one that died for my sin. There is one that rose again the third day, amen. And every knee is going to bow, and every tongue is going to confess that he is the Lord of lords, amen. And they're going to have to admit that. You know why they miss it? Because it's a mystery. It's a mystery. That's why they miss it. It's hidden. It's hidden. And God says for those that want to know it, they can find it. Amen. For those that want to know it, they can find it. And that's the way God works. That's the way God works. You see, God's not going to force this book on you. He's not going to do it. He's not going to say, take it or else. He's not going to say that. He says, I want you to learn of me. Isn't that what he says in Matthew 11 over there? He says, take my yoke upon you and what? Learn of me. He doesn't force that on anybody. Amen. What a thing. So there we have the establishment of those three things. Man, it's already chicken time. Amen. But we have the treasure here that is in a mystery that's hidden in the book. And so we're going to look at some of these things about what the treasure is and how, well, let me just give you a few things about what the treasure is and then we'll get into real, try to finish this thing up of how you get it, how you find it. Okay? Wouldn't you like to know how to get the treasure? I mean, wouldn't you want to know? I mean, you know, just tell me how to get it. It's like, you know, you go all the way around the world to get this and people do those scavenger hunts and all that. Some people get into that, you know. I mean, the book really helps me because I like digging and I like a good mystery. But a scavenger hunt, man, just tell me where it's at. I'm not in for that, but this ain't a scavenger hunt. Man, there's a treasure here, amen. There's something worth finding here. Listen, it's worth every minute that you spend in here. There were some people that sat for three hours and watched their team play a ball game, amen, and their team lost. Now, they're going to sit there and say it was worth it? They're going to say, man, I enjoyed that. No, I can tell you every minute you spend in this book is worth it. Amen. It's worth it. The Bible says in 1 John chapter 5 that there's a record in heaven. Amen. It's not only a record of the names that are written now, but there's a record of what you do with Jesus Christ, what you do with what He's given you. Amen. There's a record. It's coming up sometime. And I tell you what, I want it to be on my record that I spent time in his book, amen. Looking for that treasure, searching in the mystery of the Word of God, amen. I'll give you real quickly what some of these treasures are. And I have four listed that I feel like that there's treasures are, amen. You find that there's two right here in verse number three of chapter two. The Bible says, in whom are hid all the treasures, number one of wisdom. and number two, knowledge. You know why a man walking around out here in the world does not know God, does not know these things and has the wisdom or the knowledge of God? Because they're not looking in the book. It's really that simple. For somebody, and I've said this before, and I know people quit talking to me because I've said this, is because when people come in and they've been saved for five, six, seven, eight, nine years, and they come in and they just say, man, I don't understand it. I just can't get it. Listen, I understand it when they tell me those things. that they're just not getting in the book. Amen. I mean, how many of y'all got on a bicycle and just took off riding for the first time ever? No, you had to work at it. You had to get your balance. You had to work at it, amen. You had to do those things. And listen, people do what they want to do. People learn what they really want to learn. Amen. I'm just being honest with you. I don't think I've heard that from anybody in this room, amen, telling me that they just can't learn the Bible. Nobody in here said, don't quit talking to me, amen? But I'm just telling you, if you want to learn the Bible, you can learn the Bible. Let me tell you this, okay? The Bible says that God calls some evangelists, some preachers, some teachers, amen, some to faith, some to witnessing, some to giving. Did you know giving is a gift that God gives certain people? Some people don't have the gift of giving. I don't because He didn't give me nothing to give, amen. I'm just kidding, amen. There's more to giving than money. I just want to make that right, make it clear. Amen. There's more to giving than money. But there's different gifts for different people. So for you to understand the Word of God to be able to preach, maybe that's not your gift. For you to understand the Word of God to get up here and teach, maybe that's not your gift. For you to understand on learning how to give, that's not your gift. God will give you learning for what your gift is. So don't fret if you're not getting an outline like the preacher does. Don't fret because you're not getting understanding like somebody else does. You just thank God that he's given you some time to get in the book to learn a little bit. And a little bit. And a little bit. You see, God knows who you are, where you are, and what you are, even though you don't. And when you open that book, God will give you what you need for you. But one step farther, He'll give you what you need for you to please Him. Okay? So don't look at somebody else and say, man, I can't get it like they do. Well, maybe you're not supposed to. Maybe you're not supposed to get all that stuff. Just get what you can get. And then give it back to God. Don't fret. Don't fret over those things. Amen. I hope it makes sense. So the treasures, we find two right there in verse 3, which is wisdom and knowledge. I'll give you another treasure. Look there in verse 27 of chapter 1. All right? It gives you both of them, but it's only used in one word. But we see here in verse 27, "...to whom God would make known what is the riches of His glory, this mystery among the Gentiles." Here's the mystery that it's among the Gentiles, but the treasure is Christ in you. It's a mystery, but it's also the treasure, that it's Christ in you, living in us. Boy, that's a treasure. But it sure is a mystery. I don't understand it sometimes. I don't know why sometimes. Just like we talked about Wednesday night. I mean, why he'd do some of the things he does. The love of God. I mean, you know. And I'll give you the fourth one. It's in the Word Christ. Who is Christ? He's the Anointed One. And who is Christ? He is the Son of God. But also we find that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was with God. There's your fourth mystery. It's not just that Christ is in us, but it's that Christ is God. God, man. God in the flesh. You see, the Pharisees couldn't get it. The world can't get it. They don't understand it. Why? It's a mystery. But it's a treasure. Boy, it's a treasure. So you've got the wisdom, you've got the knowledge, and then you've got Christ in us, and then you've got the God-man, Christ Jesus. There's four of those treasures that's in that book. It's in that book. Let me ask you a question. Do you think it's worth digging in there? Man, I'm telling you, it's worth it. It's worth it. Listen, that's the reason why I'm telling you, I don't know if it's preaching or teaching. I think it's a little bit of both. But getting in there and finding this stuff, I'm telling you, God will bless you. God will help you with these things. Don't ever, don't, listen, it's not about you anyway. It's not about how much knowledge you get. Can I help you for a minute? It's not about the knowledge and how much you can fill yourself up with the things of God. It's about how much God wants you to have and you taking the effort to get the things to please Him. That's what, listen, that's what it's all about. It's not about, you know, well, I learned this, and I learned that, and I learned, hey, what did you do with what you learned? Are you doing it for the Lord, or are you doing it so you can brag about it? Amen, it's not about how much you think you need to get, it's about how much He knows you need to have, and you turning it back to try to please Him. All right, I'm not gonna beat a dead horse, but that's what that is. That's what that is. So there's your four treasures, and there's more in there, but boy, those are top. I mean, those are on top. Amen. And boy, it's worth it. It's worth it. Why is it worth it? Now, I'm getting a message in a minute. It'll be okay. It ain't going nowhere. I still got the backside, amen, so we'll be all right. Here's the thing, you think it's not tough, you don't think it's worth it. How many people you ever said, have you ever heard say this, I hope I'm saved? Amen. Even some of you have even doubted. But what has cleared up your doubt? By getting in that book And that's how it's cleared up your doubt. That's how it's cleared up everything. It's because you took the time to get in there, the hidden nuggets, the hidden treasures, to find out that, hey, inside this mystery, and I call it a mystery book because of the hidden treasures in it, not because you can't understand it, so please don't misunderstand when I call it that, and there's no disrespect in my heart at all for the book. Y'all know that. But when you get in here, it's a mystery because it says things, but how is it applied? Amen? How do you apply it to your life? How do you apply it to your day and time? To us today, the church, and understanding those dispensations that Paul said in chapter 1. Like he said in verse 27, I think it was, that was granted to him the dispensation, right? So the deal of it is that hidden mystery of the treasure of Christ in you, boy, that's way up here. Way up here. That is a treasure that he is in you, but to clear that doubt up, you've got to get in there and dig. Isn't that simple? But boy, the devil will mess you up. He'll say, you can't understand that book. You might as well just close it. You might as well just set it down. I mean, you know, that book's just too hard. No, it's not. It's not. You know when God will take away your ability to understand that book? It's when you decide you don't want it. Isn't that what He did with Israel? He did it. He came unto His own, but what? His own received Him not. That's what he did. So Romans chapter 11, what did he do? Romans chapter 11, he cut them off and grafted us in. Boy, that's a mystery. That's a mystery and it's a treasure. But I'm just telling you, you clear the thing up by getting in this book, in the mystery book. Amen. You see, there's only so many things that the preacher and the teacher and all these folks that are preaching and stuff can give you. Some point in time, you're going to have to get in here yourself. Amen? You're just going to have to get in here yourself. Everybody okay? Alright, now that's introduction. Now here's, let me give you this. How are you going to find the treasure? All right? I know you get in the book. I know. I mean, that's given, right? You get in the book. We got to get in the book. I mean, you got to get in the book, but you also got to come to church. I mean, I say you got to. Boy, it's very helpful if you come to church. Amen? Fellowship, all those things. Don't it encourage you when you come to church? Amen. Kids get good sleep when they come to church. Some of you adults get some sleep, too. Let me give you this before we derail here. You know, here's how you're going to find that treasure. And y'all know the way that I do my outlines and stuff, the way the Lord leads me and stuff. But I don't normally use the same letter for the words. But this one just happens to be this one. Yeah, I done wore this thing out. I'll try to stay behind the pulpit. I doubt I can, but I'll try. Amen. But here's the deal about finding this treasure. Number one, you're gonna have to search for it. You're just gonna have to search for it. Uh, you know, God's just not going to just throw everything in there and say, here, you know, no, you're going to have to search for it. And I'm quickly going to give you some of these verses cause I got, I got several verses and I'll try to be done as quick as I can. John 5 39 says this, search the scriptures, search the scriptures. And here's an ironic part of this is it's for in them you think you have eternal life, but they are which testify of me. That's what Jesus said. You wanna know about your salvation? You wanna know what the Bible teaches about the Lord? You gotta get in there and search it, amen. You gotta search it. Isaiah 34, 16 says, seek ye out of the book of the Lord and read. Amen, Isaiah 34, 16. It says, seek ye out of the book of the Lord and read. So you know what you're going to have to do if you're going to find the treasure inside this book, in the mysteries that God has given us, you're going to have to search for it. Listen, I'm just going to tell you that you're not going to be able to find it with your book like this. You're not going to do it. It's just not going to osmosis start speaking in your head. It ain't going to happen. Amen. Ain't the way it works. Amen. Listen, the way that that works is you read something in here and then later on in the day you're faced with something and when you're faced with something, the Holy Spirit will use the words that you've read. But if you never read them and it's closed like this, it ain't going to speak to you. All right, number two. One, you search for it. The second one is, it's kind of like number one, but then you got to study it to find it. You got to study it. Of course, we know the verse, 2 Timothy 2, 15, study to show thyself to prove unto God a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly divine in the word of truth. You got to study the thing. Hey, you search it out and then you study it. Amen. That's what you got to do. Study. Listen, that word study means labor. We don't like working. We don't like laboring. We don't like that stuff. Sometimes it takes sweat. Amen. My wife, she's so good to me. Did I tell y'all she's good to me? She is good to me. Amen. My wife's good to me. I'm just telling you. Just making sure y'all understand that I love my wife and she's good to me. You know what she did? She bought me a fan. That's my biggest fan. She said, like, I got you this fan. And I said, well, why did you get it? She said, well, it's on sale. But it came in, and it's about this big. And it runs off of a battery, computer. You can plug it in, recharge it, all that stuff. And this, I tell you what, the other morning, when I get up and study, it's dark. And when I read at night, it's dark. So I can't remember which is which. But she came in there, and I said, baby, I love you. And she kind of looked at me like, why? And I said, man, this fan is just great. Because I'm sitting here laboring over a book. And man, I got this little fan just blowing me right in the face. Because it's work. You labor in the book, amen. And that's what studying is. And that's the reason why people won't read a thing. They won't get in there because it takes more than just reading the words. It takes some studying. How do I know that it's laboring? Because later in the verse it said a workman. A workman that needeth not be ashamed, but rightly denied in the word of truth. So there's labor involved and there's work involved and studying. Hey, listen, not just studying for a message, but also studying for your own personal life. And not only studying for your own personal life, but studying for teaching. As Brother Drew, Brother Randy, my wife, and Miss Lauren, they all well know, it takes some study. Like Miss Andrea working with the kids during the summer with memorizing verses. If she didn't get in there, Papa, if these didn't get in there, if I didn't get in there, you would surely know it. You would surely know it, amen. I'm telling you, it takes study. It takes preparation. Amen. It takes labor. It takes working. My, my, my. Hey, I'll give you a third thing real quick. If you're going to find this treasure, you search for it. You got to stay, you got to study for it. And then the third thing is you got to stay in it. It means you got to be consistent. Just because you don't get what you want or what you think you ought to have in a matter of two seconds after you read the first two words, that don't mean you close it up and walk away. It means you come back. It means you keep reading. It means you keep studying somewhere in the chapter, somewhere in the book. Listen, why did God spread this stuff out in here? So you'd read it, so you'd study it, so you'd get in it. And listen, you know what it does? It separates those from that really want it to those that just want it handed over to them. Listen, how would you like for somebody to work for you, or be a friend to you, or whatever, that's just always gimme, gimme, gimme? How would you like for somebody that's always around you, that they're just, man, they're laborists in the sense of, you've always got to take care of them. I mean, you know, they're just something all the time. God wants people that will learn things for themselves, learn things on their own. God wants people that will work for it. We're eating a snag here, I can tell you. But that's what God wants. I mean, you don't want it, why would you expect God wants it? I mean, really? Somebody you've always got to push? Somebody you've always got to beg? Somebody that you've always got to just keep prompting along and prompting along? I understand, but you've got no means. I understand it when you've got little ones you want, you've got to teach them, you've got to carry them on, right? Sometimes you've got to pick them up and carry them. But adults? I should never, any pastor should never have to beg their church members to come to church. That's right. I mean, it's just that way. Why? You should, you should, you should know enough about the mysteries and the treasures in that book that you're supposed to want to come and get more. That's right. Yeah. I mean, really, how y'all can only eat one bowl of ice cream? Right. We make homemade ice cream the way you have those little styrofoam cups. I know why. I know why. Because, you know, it'll melt before the chicken. I mean, if you've got a big cup, it will melt. So, you know what? Save your cup. Go back and get another one, and another one, and another one. I mean, you can only eat one pancake chip. I mean, my wife had pretzels in the car yesterday, and it's like, you can't eat just one. You've got to keep eating them. I mean, why would you want to just eat one word, one page in your mind? I've got to move on. You've got to stay in it. What does that mean? It means being consistent. Being consistent. Consistently in your Bible. Amen. Look down there in chapter 1 of verse 23. Chapter 1 verse 23. The Bible says this. If you continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and be, look at that, be not moved away. Be consistent in it. Be consistent in it. Stay in it. Amen. Acts 27, 31, when Paul was out there, and you don't have to turn there, but they was out there, and the big Heraclitan, the big storm come along, and they were out there in that storm, and they were all on the boat, and they was gonna run over there and set out the lifeboats. Y'all know the story? If you don't, you can read it. Acts 27, verse 31 says this, Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, except these abide, In the ship, you cannot be saved. What is he telling them? Stay in. Stay in. Can I tell you, if you want the blessings of God, stay in. You want to find the treasure, stay in. Don't quit. Amen, don't quit. And boy, I tell you, we all have that temptation to quit. We all have that temptation to just give it up. Can I tell you this? Another thing, and we're quickly moving on. We're almost done. I can see the landing strip. Can I tell you, if you're gonna find it, you gotta surrender to it. You're just gonna have to surrender to it. What does that mean? It means just that. You're gonna have to let the book move you. You're gonna have to let the mystery move you. Don't you move in. So many people have moved in and put markers out there of what they think it should be, what they think it ought to say, their own interpretations. I said I'd stay behind the pulpit. I knew I couldn't. But they said that they would, here's what we gotta do. We've got to surrender to the book. We've gotta let the book move us. You need to think about that for a while. Here's what they did in Acts 27, again, when the storm was going on, and they couldn't stop the storm, and they couldn't drive the ship. Can I tell you, we get in these storms sometimes, and we can't stop the storm, and we can't steer the ship. So what does it do? It moves us. He says there that they just took up anchors, and they just let her drive. And sometimes that's what we gotta, if we're gonna find the treasures that's in this mystery book, we're gonna have to just let the book move us. What does that mean? It might mean that, it might mean you might have to change your plans. It might mean that you just might have to change what you think that you ought to be doing. I mean, you'll read something through there, and I've done it before, and I believed one way, and all of a sudden, it's like the Lord says this, and the Holy Spirit says that's what that means, and I'm like, well, that ain't what I've been taught. The Holy Spirit said that's what that means. Well, that ain't what I've heard. The Holy Spirit said that's what that means. I don't move it. I'm moved by it. I have to be surrendered to this book, to the treasure. If I'm gonna find it, I'm gonna have to be surrendered to it. Amen. Matthew 22, 29 says this, Jesus answered and said to them, ye do err not knowing the scriptures. It's a mistake not to know the Bible. It's a mistake not to know the scriptures. He said there in Matthew chapter seven, verse 29, for he taught them as one having authority. This book has the authority. Are you listening? You let it move you, you don't move it. Why? Because this is the authority. The Bible says in Mark 1, verse 22, to reiterate, he says, and they were astonished at his doctrine for he taught them as one that had authority. Luke 4, verse 36, and they were all amazed and spake among themselves saying, what a word is this? For with authority and power, he commanded the unclean spirits and they came out. You see what the authority of this book can do? It can clean up your house. It can clean up your life. It can chase the evil spirits away. Amen. I mean, isn't that a strange thing? The Bible, listen, the Bible teaches us that we're to send the spirits away and the world is inviting them in. Listen, if you really want to know what God wants you to do, if you'll pay attention to some of the things that the world is going on and what's happening in the world, just do the opposite. Amen? Just do the opposite. Why? Because the Bible says the world is an enemy, enmity against God. Amen? So whatever the world is pushing and whatever the world hates, God uses it. Isn't that an amazing thing? Not everything, but most things. It's a good rule of thumb, but you need to run it by the authority. Right? Luke 4, 36. I just read that. John 7, 46 says this. The officers answered, never man spank like this man. Never book reads like this book. Why? It's the authority. What do you got to do? You got to surrender to it. You got to surrender to it. I'm careful sometimes to repeat what people tell me because they tell me in confidence of things, but I've showed people in this book. I mean, thus saith the Lord. I mean, plain, right there it is. Oh yeah, well that's it. I believe it. I mean, there it is, I see it. And then two days later, they're still going their own way. They're still believing the way they, and how do I know they're still doing it? Because they tell me. No, that's not a mystery to me. It's like, really? But what about this? Oh, well, you know, my grandma says, well, my former pastor says, you know, and this, and my mom says, but what about the authority? You see, what they've done is that they changed the final authority to a man or a woman or a person instead of God. And folks, if you don't have a final authority, you're going to believe anything. What am I telling you? I'm telling you gotta surrender to the book. If you wanna find the treasure, you gotta surrender to the book. It's in here. It's all in here. Let me get you this last thing. Everybody ready for the last thing? I'm surprised I'm getting all this in here this morning. And y'all are saying, or not. Amen. You got to laugh at yourself sometimes. I do every time I look in the mirror. Amen. You got to surrender to it. And the last thing is, let me just tell you, you just got to settle it. You just got to settle it. You just got to say, man, this is it. This is done. I'm done with it. All right? Yeah, but no, this is what God wants me to do right here. I don't care what that one, that one, that one, that one. I don't care what this one. I don't care what this one says. I'm settling it. This is what God wants me to do. This is God's will. Yeah, but this here, I'm settling it right now. I'm surrendered to it right now. Amen. And it's it. Listen, I've heard the saying that the Bible says it, I believe it, and that settles it. Listen, it goes beyond that. The Bible says it, that settles it. Whether I believe it or not, amen, it doesn't matter whether I believe it or not, it settles it. We've got to believe it, we've got to make the stand on it, amen, if we're going to find the treasure in this book. If you look there again in chapter 1 and verse 23, we read that, but look what he says, if you continue in the faith, grounded and settled. You see that thing? Settled. You've got to settle it, amen. We must settle the Word of God in our heart, we've got to settle it in our mind, and we cannot waver on the truth that this book teaches. There's no wavering on it. There's no wavering on it. And we find that Paul came, listen, Paul came to the end of his life and he had it settled, I'm telling you. I mean, let's just turn over there real quick, real quick. 2 Timothy chapter number one, just a few pages over, 2 Timothy chapter number one. You need to see this. I want you to see this thing here. Paul settled this thing of what God wanted him to do. He said there in verse number 11, you got it? Say amen. Verse 11, where unto I am appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles. You know, Paul never questioned that. He never questioned that. He knew what his calling was, and he never questioned it. But look at verse 12. Listen, if you ain't got it settled, you will be ashamed. If you're not settled in the Word of God, you will not hand out a tract, you will not be a witness or a testimony, you will not do anything for God because you don't have it settled. Paul said there, I am not ashamed. He had it settled. Not only did he say, I am not ashamed, but notice this, for I know, Not that I hope so, not that I'm guessing, not that I'm hoping to do this. No, he said, I know whom I have believed. He said, and am persuaded that he is able that which I have committed unto him against that day. He's able to what? Keep it. Keep it. What'd he do? Man, he settled it. Boy, he settled it. And the one we read so many times in chapter number four, look over there in chapter number four of 2 Timothy. You're getting this? I hope you're settling it, amen? Look what he says in verse number six, for I am now ready to be offered. He couldn't say that if he wasn't settled in it. He couldn't say it, but he was settled. He was settled. Here's this, here's this. I mean, it's good to have the treasure. It's good to get in and study. Man, that's what God wants us to do. I mean, those things is what God wants us to do. Amen. I mean, and that's a great thing. But you know what Paul says, one of the reasons why that you really need to get in here, you really need to settle it, you need to surrender, you need to just stay in it, you need all these things. You know why Paul's telling you that? It's real simple. Listen, I could have saved y'all an hour. Not hardly. But I could have saved y'all a lot of time. Here's why Paul says get in it. Go back to 1 Corinthians chapter two. And you're gonna go, man, I should have saw that. I could have left early. Look what he says here. Look down, you got it? Say amen. Look in verse four, in this I say, why are you gonna look for the treasure? Why are you gonna dig? Lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. Colossians chapter two, are y'all there? I said what? Oh, did I say Corinthians? It's not in Corinthians, it's in Colossians. Colossians chapter 2. Verse 4. That's why you don't put all your trust in a man. That's why you don't move the book, but the book moves you. Amen. Verse 4. This I say, lest any man, y'all there? Should what? Beguile you. Beguile you. What is that? That's deception. That's enticing words. Look at it. Beguile you with enticing words. What is enticing words? You know, the professionalism. You know, like, the Greek says this. I mean, love is agape, but there's that agape love, and then there's the filial love, the love of the brethren, and then the agape love of God, and the Hebrew this, and the Greek... No, no, no, no, no. What is that? That's enticing words. You know what? It's not... The man's moving you instead of the book. God says, you need to learn the book. so you don't get moved by these enticing and these deceptive words and deceptive preachers like the Pharisees. And here's what they are. Look in verse 8. See, I could have saved y'all about an hour. Beware lest any man spool you through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. You know why I spend hours? You know why that we spend in labor? I hate that, man. You know why that I do that personally? It's because I don't want you to be deceived. I don't want you to be lied to. I don't want you to be led astray. I don't want this flock Amen? I'm responsible for you people. I'm responsible for you people, and I don't want you to be deceived. I don't want you to be lied to. I don't want you to be mesmerized by these big, long words, bringing praise upon a man. That's why that I try to tell you, boy, there's treasures in here. But it's gonna take work. It's gonna take work. And the beginning of the message and the appetizer of it, the three points, man, we gotta come together. You know what, Brother Drew's teaching and learning, and Brother Randy's teaching and learning in his study, the ladies teaching the kids and teaching other ladies, everybody in here, everybody in here should have the same desire to get in this book. And again, I'll reiterate, not re-preach, but reiterate, just because you're not getting what they're getting, don't mean you're not getting to what God wants you to get. Don't let that happen to you. Don't let the devil lie to you. Oh, he just don't want you to be as God's like he is. You remember that? Genesis 3, you remember that? Who said that? Satan said yeah, so when he comes to you and tells you that or when you hear that voice, you know where it's coming from Right No matter who says it It could be a husband or a wife. Oh, you're not gonna learn it or you're not gonna get it. It's a co-worker Oh, you're not gonna get it. It's just you know, what's coming from the devil? All right It's coming from the devil so I, listen, good, treasures. Treasures. If you're gonna get something out of this book, man, it's gonna take some effort. And I'm urging you to get in here and spend the time. Spend the time. God will give you some treasures. And I'm gonna quit on this. Your biggest treasure right now, your biggest treasure right now, and I'm just gonna, I'm gonna prophesy. I'm going to say that your biggest treasure right now is your unanswered prayer, that you've been praying. I'm telling you, God's got the answer to it. He's got the answer to it. Are you willing to spend the time to find the answer? That's your biggest treasure. Tell me you've got some big prayers. Amen. Some of you got some big prayers. God says, here's the authority. Here's the authority right here. It's in here. It's a treasure in here. Amen. Amen. All right. I don't feel the need to give an invitation this morning.