This is “Acres of Diamonds.” You are living in acres of diamonds. It may look like nothing right now, but look again. Ask God to open your eyes to see the unfathomable riches of God right where you are. You don’t have to search abroad to find answers and purpose. You just have to dig deep where God has you planted to uncover your hidden potential. To hear more inspiring messages from Jentezen Franklin, visit http://www.jentezenfranklin.org/watch… & subscribe to this channel: http://goo.gl/yfkXHy
the following program is sponsored by
friends and partners of kingdom
connection
i don’t have everything perfect but this
is the day the lord has made
i’m gonna rejoice and appreciate acres
of diamonds
right here right now everybody listen to
me take a praise break
and thank god for the diamonds
look with me in psalms 119
and verse 18. open my eyes
that i may see wondrous things from
your law open my eyes
the implication is it’s possible
that wondrous things are all around you
but you can’t see them and so i want to
tell you a story today
and i want you to lean in and listen for
just a moment it’s a story
that was first told by mr russell
russell conwell
he heard this story from an arab guide
when he was touring the middle east back
in the late 1800s
he was on camelback and around the
campfire
his guide told him the story mr russell
conwell took the story and put it in a
pamphlet
and it was printed and it sold
seven million copies the story is
this he said there lived in south africa
it’s a true story by the name
a man by the name of ali hafid
he’s a poor farmer he had an ox he had a
plow
he had a lot of land he lived in a very
meager
house but in many ways he was blessed
and he was content until a stranger
came by his house he worked hard for
everything he had day after day
and a stranger was passing through a
traveler was passing through
and he stopped by and told this old
farmer
about what was happening in india in
those days they were discovering
mines diamond mines in india
and you know how things get exaggerated
and he said what you should do instead
of working so hard
and working yourself silly and you don’t
have much to show for it
even though the man was content if
you’re content and you’re blessed
you got enough for you and your family
you are blessed
but the man when he started hearing
about people who were finding diamonds
the size of rocks
and becoming fabulously rich became
totally discontented with his life
and he sold the whole farm and he said
i’m going
to chase the diamonds i’m going to find
them
and he hugged his wife goodbye put his
money
in a sack said goodbye to his children
put him up temporarily and he said when
i come back we’ll be fabulously
wealthy and you’ll be set up for life
he goes off as a soldier a fortune
looking
for diamonds in india and after
searching and searching and searching
he ends up writing a note
that says and i quote there’s no
diamonds anywhere
he jumped into a raging river and took
his own life
now here’s the part of the story that’s
amazing it’s true story
the man who bought the farm hooked up
the same ox
the same plow the same field
the same old farmhouse he lived in
and he ate the same food
but one day as he was plowing his fields
he kept noticing these black rocks that
were extremely annoying to him and he
was throwing them
every few feet to the side of the field
stacking them up
finally he hits one so big he can’t
hardly get around it
and he thinks as the sun hits it it has
rainbow colors in it and he thinks to
himself that’s pretty
i don’t have anything on the mantel in
my little fireplace my humble place
and i’m gonna put that up there as
decorations and he did that
and a priest came by to welcome this man
who was new to the community
to that area and the priest while he was
talking froze in mid-sentence when he
saw
this rock on the mantle he said where
did you get that and he said i got it on
this property i actually got that one
out of my garden
and they’re all over this property as a
matter of fact i can’t
i can’t plow a field without running
into so many i have to stack them up
he said you don’t understand that is a
diamond
in the raw that is a diamond right there
and sure enough they took it to
specialists
and that diamond that first diamond was
worth
25 000 in the 1800s
it was the birth of the world’s largest
diamond
field the famous gallando diamond mines
that the queen of england herself said
i want my diamonds to come from that
place and most of the diamonds that the
queen wears
came from these minefields that the man
bought and dug out that somebody else
said
it’s not worth anything i it’s out there
it’s not here
now think about what i’m saying the man
who flung himself
into that raging river never realized
that he had been living on acres of
diamonds
he thought it was out there he thought
if i could just find it out there if i
could just go out there
that i could really find something of
great worth
never realizing that he was living
in acres of diamonds now that’s how he
meant
that lesson to be is check out where you
are
before you start trying to find it out
there somewhere
but i want to preach now because i
remember reading a story about a
prodigal son
i don’t know what he had in his mind
when he left the father’s house
i know that he asked for his inheritance
i’m sure that he had some friends who
were telling him
man out there they’re having fun if you
just leave the father’s house
out there there’s a party going on like
you’ve never experienced
out there there’s freedom out there
there’s unbelievable fun
that you can never have in the father’s
house and you ought to leave the
father’s house
and get out there whatever it was said
to him
it caused him to leave the riches of his
father’s house
and when he got out there you know the
story he lost
everything that he had and he began to
believe the lie that the grass was
greener on the other side
and the bottom line is he ended up broke
and he ended up
in in a pig pen eating the slop with the
animals
until finally he realized and he
understood
i’m going right back to what i left
because
everything that i’ve ever wanted was in
my father’s house
it wasn’t out here it’s in the father’s
house i’m preaching to you today
that we right here are living
in acres of diamonds if you know you’re
saved
if you know you’re going to heaven if
you know that things
are right with god you are
living in acres of diamonds take a
praise break and i’ll keep moving
don’t sell out so cheaply don’t believe
the lies
you may be giving up something that
somebody else
would give anything to have you see
in the process of making a diamond it
takes time
a diamond is born because of intense
heat and pressure it’s the intense
heat and pressure on carbon monoxide
that takes just coal and causes
a diamond to be born in other words
listen carefully
if the pressure is just right if the
heat
is just right and the coal will submit
and not
get up and move away from the heat and
move away from the pressure
but only the pressure and the heat can
cause
the coal to give birth to a diamond
that’s where diamonds come from i’m
telling you
that you shouldn’t run from your trials
you shouldn’t run
from them for in them you will learn
more
you will become more you will do more
quit jumping from marriage to marriage
quit running
from from church to church every time
something happens you don’t like
stay right there where you’re under heat
and you’re under pressure
because only then can diamonds be born
he will not put more on you than you’re
able to bear
god knows just what’s involved
in making a diamond out of you
i’m saying to you today that there’s no
church without trouble
and there’s nobody who’s going to live
for the lord and not have trials
you’re going to have trials whether you
live for the lord or not
i tell people this all the time
everything’s better with jesus
including trouble and you’re going to
get trouble in life
with or without jesus i choose jesus
i choose the one who can carry me
through when i can’t make it
he can make it he can conquer he can try
on
many people are living in spiritual
poverty
while they’re in the midst of untold
spiritual wealth that’s why david said
in psalms 119
open my eyes to the wondrous things
all around me open my eyes
let me see god what others they may say
it’s trash
but you see the treasure and open my
eyes
i’m blessed right now i’m healthy
right now it’s not when i get a car or
when i get a promotion or when i get a
bigger house
or when i finally make it when this
happens the single people when i finally
get married
the married people if i could just be
single
i’m telling you it’s always out there
and you don’t realize
you’re living in acres of diamonds you
need to take that old plow
and take that old ox and get a smile on
your face
appreciate the job you have right now
you’re living make something out of
where you are
right now turn to somebody and say dig
in your own backyard
there’s a phenomenon that takes place in
south america in the amazon river
when it meets the atlantic ocean the
amazon river rushes out
back in the days before they had radio
and technology like we have it today the
ships
had to signal one another with signal
flags
to communicate a message and one of the
ships at sea
had gone for many many days they could
not see land
and they had run out of water and they
were in the third day now
without food for many days but now three
days without water
and the men were dehydrated and about to
perish
and on the horizon they saw a ship and
it got close enough
that they could send a signal by flags
and the one of the men on the boat took
the flags and began to signal
we need water we’re in dire condition we
need water please
please come give us water and as the
boat was passing
it signaled back let down your bucket
he signaled back and said they must not
have understood we
need water we are dying and he signaled
back
let down your bucket and the ship kept
going
and rode off in the horizon and the
captain said i don’t know what he means
but we might as well give it a try they
let down the buckets
pulled the water up and as soon as they
took a taste of the water
amazingly the water was cool and clear
fresh water here’s what had happened for
200 miles
there is a rush and a surge of fresh
water from the amazon river
that is so clear and so cool that
it pushes the heavier salt water all the
way down
and there’s clear cool water for 200
miles
where the river runs into the ocean and
it was
under their nose the whole time they
were thirsting to death
all they had to do was let down
their bucket i’ve come today to preach
that if you’re thirsty if you’re empty
if you’re try let down
your bucket there’s healing for your
body
there’s blessing for your family there’s
provision for your needs
jesus is the living water and it’s not
out there
it’s in the father’s house this morning
right here we’re living in acres of
diamonds
just let down your bucket
do you need joy do you need hope do you
need
faith do you need a future let
down your bucket
[Applause]
people have had the answer right under
their nose and quit
so near but missed it
i think about that thief on the cross
two of them
now you listen to me jesus
is hanging in the middle
and there’s a thief on one side and he
looks
let’s say this pulpit is jesus
and the thief on one side looks
and he sees worthless nothing
he sees blood he sees the crown of
thorns
he sees the blood spurting out from his
side and his feet in his hands
he hears them mastermoaning and groaning
and praying father forgive them
and he sees nothing but
worthlessness and he curses the savior
with his last
breath and he goes into eternity on the
other side of the cross
there’s a man looking at the
same thing the other guy saw
the same blood the same cross
the same suffering the same wounds
and his eyes get open to wonder his
things
and he cries out remember me
you’re not a worthless piece of trash i
see a
treasure on that middle cross and would
you remember me
king jesus when you come into your
kingdom
and jesus turned to him and said this
day
you will be with me in paradise
you just found the acres of diamonds
both of them looking at it see i want to
preach this morning
don’t you take your salvation for
granted other people heard it but they
didn’t get it
other people said in the same service
and didn’t repent
but thank god he opened my eyes to who
jesus is i believe he was born of a
virgin
i believe he lived i believe he
died and i believe he rose again
and i believe he’s coming back again
and he’s taken me home to acres of
diamonds
just waiting you see my brand new home
and here’s the thing
we’re always when i get that when this
happens
when i get that breakthrough then i’m
gonna be happy
when i get that house when things settle
down with my children
when this happens when that thing
happens when when this thing happens
when i finally get that promotion then
i’m going to be happy
and you don’t realize your greatest
treasure the greatest treasure was in
the middle
of that cross
and you know what your greatest treasure
is right now
but there were two thieves on the sides
of that cross
the thief of yesterday and the thief of
tomorrow
yesterday says you can’t be happy
because of your past the shame the guilt
so let yesterday rob you of the joy of
today
and tomorrow says things aren’t exactly
like you want everything so you probate
your joy and enjoy your life when you
get over here
but right there you ought to be
miserable
and there’s two thieves every day to our
greatest treasure which is right now
and some of you let yesterday steal what
you have right now
it’s over you can’t go back you can’t
change it
it is what it is so now therefore now
therefore
there is no condemnation to them
that are in christ and i’m not gonna
wait till
everything’s perfect i’ll do that when i
get to heaven
but since i’m here right now i’m gonna
live in
acres of diamonds i got a blessed life
i’ve got a blessed
wife i’ve got a blessed family i got a
blessed church
i’m highly favored of god i don’t have
everything perfect but this is the day
the lord has made
i’m going to rejoice and appreciate
acres of diamonds
right here right now everybody listen to
me take a praise break
and thank god for the diamonds
the thing that got me about this story
is we’ve overlooked so much there’s some
things money can’t buy
and a man took the same ox that’s what
messed me up
the same plow in the same field that
somebody else said this is
this is worth nothing this is trash i
hate my life
somebody took the life he hated
and turned it into acres of diamonds
so you hate your life i promise you
there’s somebody in intensive care
who would take you with your little limp
or your little arthritis or whatever it
is your
ball head whatever it is that they they
could care
they’d give anything to live in your
acres of diamonds
they’d get some joy today just knowing i
got 10
15 20 two years to live six months to
live
[Applause]
there’s acres of diamonds you’ve
overlooked and not seen
i’m closing but listen there’s hidden
potential
in things right now and job that you
have the place where you are
in your present job in your current
relationship
in the location you now live
the answer to your dreams may be right
at your fingertips
if only you would believe that it’s
possible before making a big life
change look carefully around you there
may be acres of diamonds
the thing that touched me about the
story of the prodigal son is this
he came home to find happiness that he
did not find when he lived there
and isn’t it funny how once we’ve lost
something
we don’t know what we’ve lost and what
we gave up
until we lose it you’re living folks i’m
telling you
right now you’re living in acres
of diamonds this is a word in season for
people’s lives
appreciate right here right now
begin to enjoy your life right now
thank god for your family and love them
like they are right now don’t worry
about tomorrow
and don’t let the thief of yesterday
steal you
a valuable time that you have
here on this earth right now
would you stand reverently for just a
moment
every head bowed every eye closed at
every campus
pastor jensen i know
this very moment that if the trumpet
were to sound or christ were to come
should i go into eternity i’m not ready
but i’d like to get ready today
and i want a life that i don’t have to
have another thing to feel content
i want a life that my my greatest wealth
is not in the things of this world
but in my relationship with my savior
jesus
christ
there’s hidden potential
you are made of dirt in other words your
acreage
and only jesus knows how to give birth
to the diamonds of purpose and destiny
in your life it’ll never happen without
him
just lift your hands toward heaven would
you do that and just say lord
jesus i surrender my life
completely to you you’ve opened my eyes
to see the wonderful thing that jesus
did for me
on the cross i receive
the forgiveness his blood
bought me and by his blood
i am forgiven i receive
all that jesus has for me i let
down my bucket i drink of the water of
life
i thank you today for blessing me
and giving me acres of diamonds
in jesus christ
in our closing moments i want to share
with you one of the unprecedented
opportunities
that god has opened up for this ministry
over the last several years
the work that we’re doing in israel is
absolutely critical
the eshkol region borders the gaza strip
and it’s plagued by near constant
rockets and chaos
and here we’re building the eshkol
region
trauma center we’ve broken ground on it
and it’s under construction
as i speak i believe that we are
fulfilling the biblical prophecy of
isaiah
that he spoke about in the 40th chapter
when he said
comfort ye comfort ye my people
so i want you to consider sowing a first
fruits
offering or gift at the beginning of
this year
i’m only going to ask you to seek the
lord
and see what he would have you do with
your help
we will finish this in just a few months
and have a grand dedication there in the
holy land
and you’ll have a memorial for your
family
in the holy land that says to god i
have loved the nation of israel i
believe god will pour out blessings on
you like you’ve never seen before
please do your very best we need your
help on this project
here’s my announcer to tell you how you
can be a part
as tensions in the middle east reach a
boiling point the people of israel brace
for increased violence and rocket fire
and in eshkol children and elderly alike
have just 15 seconds to take cover in
bomb shelters
the trauma of terror stealing the
innocence of children and crippling the
dreams for all generations
because of the generosity of friends and
kingdom connection partners just like
you
we’ve been able to send five hundred
thousand dollars to build the eshkel
region trauma center
here children who live in this combat
zone will have a safe place to
strengthen their sense of community
and receive much needed counseling
services they
are a generation of strong resilient
jewish children
there are acres of diamonds in them as a
thank you for your generous gift of 1
000
or more to this critical project you may
request
the diamonds gift collection including
jensen franklin’s just released book
acres of diamonds with accompanying
resources a limited edition art piece
as well as your name inscribed on the
comfort my people wall of recognition in
eschkal
with your gift of 300 or more you’ll
receive the diamonds gift set
or for your gift of 50 or more we will
send you
the diamonds package with your gift of
any amount
we want to thank you by sending you a
custom magnet displaying the priestly
blessing found in number six
join us in restoring hope for thousands
of jewish children and families
by building the eshkol region trauma
center
visit us online today
charisse and i want to invite you to
join us on our holy land tour
it’s an amazing trip unlike anything
you’ve ever experienced
and we’ll be on the trip we get on the
buses our family will be on there and i
promise you
it will change your life 2020 is the
year to go you’ve been thinking about it
you’ve been praying about it this
is the year to go 2020 god’s going to
open your eyes to things you’ve never
seen and experienced before in the holy
land get
signed up today
this program has been sponsored by
friends and partners
of kingdom connection we hope you’ve
enjoyed this teaching by jensen franklin
and thank you for your continued support
of this ministry
your prayers and financial support make
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for more information about this message
and other ministry resources
visit us online at jensenfranklin.tv
you