Gold; its value is at an all-time high, but the process for getting to this precious metal isn’t easy. You don’t mine gold nuggets. It’s found in microscopic particles, mixed into the dirt. On a recent news show, one mine worker said, “You can’t tell by looking at it that there’s gold in it.” The NBC News reporter said, “Getting the gold out is a massive task. They grind it, treat it, and heat it until they can literally squeeze out the good stuff. They’ll move 190,000 tons of dirt a day; they’ll get a few thousand ounces of gold.” But here’s what makes it all worthwhile. All this produces a 90% pure bar of gold which weight around 2.2 pounds a precious metal, getting more precious all the time.”
Webster tells us that the word Precious means of great price; costly; as a precious stone. 2. Of great value or worth; very valuable. 3. Highly valued; much esteemed.
But there are other things more precious than gold; how about your life, your family, your faith? Do you remember the Apostle Peter? You know, the man who felt overconfident when danger was near, he rushed ahead when he should have waited; he slept when he should have prayed; he talked when he should have listened. He was courageous, but carless. But what interest me about this man Peter is he learned what was precious and he wrote and told you and I so we too would know what is precious. In 1Peter and 2Peter he used the word precious 7 times telling you and I what was precious. He tells us that our faith is more precious that gold; why because gold is real but one day it will perish. I have never heard anyone say when they were dying “I’m rich” no there is not enough money in this world that will mean anything when you’re dying.
1Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:Then there is the Blood of Jesus Christ that saves us from a devil’s hell.
1Peter 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Then there is the Precious Promises;
2Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
There have been many who have given you and I promises, but their promises were worthless even though they were made with good intentions, but the promises that Christ has given you and I are precious. Remember the night Peter was in prison?
Act 12:5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
Act 12:6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. Herod had all intentions of killing Peter just as he had killed James. Put yourself in Peter’s place; would you have been sleeping? Not only sleeping but he had made himself comfortable.
Act 12:8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
Why wasn’t he pacing the floor; oh he couldn’t, he was between two soldiers and chained. Why wasn’t his mind running wild on how he was going to get out of this; he wasn’t even praying. Have you ever thought why? What would you have been doing? Here is why I think Peter was so calm; because he had the promise of God. Let me show you. Jesus gave Peter a promise;
John 21:18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. Peter didn’t know what was going to happen but he knew that this wasn’t the night he was going to die nor was it going to be the next day either. That’s why Peter could write and tell you and I about the precious promises because he had experienced them. So don’t worry because what God has done for others He will do for you. What He has done in the past He will do in the present.
