Dust to Diamonds

Dust to Diamonds                               June 23, 2019

Bottom Line:  The end result of all spiritual growth is becoming as much like Jesus as we can.

Introduction:

 A. Man’s best friend vs. a girl’s best friend! (At least according to Carol Channing & Marilyn Monroe)

 B. Diamonds are valuable as jewels and as symbols

   1. The Crown Jewels in the Tower of London

   2. The small diamond I gave Donna 47 years ago May

 C. Where do diamonds come from?

   1. Not coal – but closer to dust!

          – Coal & diamonds from decaying carbon

          – Diamonds pre-date coal!  God’s work?

   2. Diamonds come from 100 to 435 miles in the Earth’s mantle layer!

          – Temps above 2200 degrees F

          – Pressure exceeding 750,000 psi

          – 1 to 3 billion years

   3. Delivered from mantle by deep source volcanic eruptions – plate shifts – comets & asteroids!  Hard!

   4. Industrial diamonds are lab created

 D. Value is from rarity, mining, size, and art

   1. Rarity by color:  yellow, brown, colorless, blue, green, black, pink, orange, purple and red.

   2. 4 C’s = Carats, cut, color, clarity

 E. What does it take to make a valuable diamond?

   1. Time – Pressure – Discovery – Polish

   2. Any short cut diminishes the end result/value!

 F. What does it take to turn us from dust to diamonds?

  * Analogy’s aren’t perfect, but we can learn something.

1.  For us to be God’s diamond, it takes Time!

     (1 to 3 Billion years for a diamond)

 A. No one is born a grown up!

 B. Jesus called us to a process:  “Come unto me…”

   1. A process takes effort and time

   2. Bible concept of grow (2 Pet.3:18); mature (Eph.4:15-16);  transform (Rom.12:2);  become (Phil.2:5)

 C. Perseverance and patience = give God time to work!

2.  For us to be God’s diamond, it takes Pressure!

     (750,00 psi and 2200 degrees)

 A. We call it stress and it is part of life

 B. We decide if it will be an opportunity or not

          James 1 = Joy;     2 Cor.12 = God’s grace

 C. Turn chains into changes!  Turn weights into witnessing!  Turn loss into love!  Turn a trial into a treat!

3.  For us to be God’s diamond, it takes Discovery!

 A. He found you! Before you were born!

 B. You found Him! Discovered his love and how to love!

 C. If you’re still buried and lost – change it!

4.  For us to be God’s diamond, it takes Polish!

 A. God is working on us!  Learn and grow!

 B. God’s Ah-Ha moments are cuts & polish!

 C. Are you looking more like Jesus!

Conclusion:

A. Analogy for value! For being something special to God!

B. The play is an example of dust becoming a diamond

C. Gospel is a Pearl & a Treasure in a field

D. Who is your appraiser?  Others? Self? God?