What Are You Seeking?

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6.33

If I am going to seek something, I must first know WHAT it is, some idea of WHERE to find it, and some sense of its importance to me. The words of Jesus in this verse have significant value for each one of us. Do you KNOW what it is you are seeking? Do you have some idea of WHERE to find it? And once you find it, do you have some idea of its significance to you in your life? The WHAT of the kingdom of God is my ability to realize that God must e FIRST in my life in every arena of my life. The kingdom of God is WHERE God is and since He is omnipresent, a recognition of His presence gives me cause to want everything He has for me in order to live my life in a way that will glorify Him. Finally, these truths are significant because an active knowledge of these things will cause me to live differently every day, I, e, to live in a way that brings honor and glory to my Heavenly Father.

To seek God’s righteousness is to realize His inability to live in the presence of sin. Therefore, I will want to live a life as free of sin as possible. And I will be grieved when I do sin and will want to confess and forsake my sin as quickly as possible.

“ … all these things shall be added unto you.” What does this mean? What is the context of this conversation? Matthew 6.31 says: Ttherefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?” Their concern seemed to be for temporal things, and Jesus said, “ … all these things shall be added to you.” You attend to my kingdom and I will attend to your needs. Sounds like a great idea to me. Just my thoughts …

It’s All In His Hands!

“He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.” Proverbs 2.8

How many times do you think to yourself, “So-and-so has really got it coming. And I am going to make sure they pay for what they did.”? That, of course, is the natural reaction to getting hurt by someone. But as a Christ-follower, God is looking for something entirely different from us. He is longing for us to leave judgment in His hands. That is what Solomon tells us here: “He keepeth the paths of judgment … ”

The significant statement in this verse for us is the second one: “He … preserveth the way of his saints.” Think carefully about that statement. God chooses to preserve the path He has chosen for you. More than anything else, God wants us to walk the path He has chosen so that we escape the dangerous path that our enemy would choose for us. When something is “preserved,” it is protected from decay. It is also guaranteed a future. WHATEVER we need on our way, our heavenly Father has already taken care of it. That is a great comfort to me. I pray that it is to you also. Just my thoughts …

In vs. For!

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Philippians 4.6

How many times a day do you find yourself getting anxious (careful) about things that you cannot control? I think most of us would admit we do that far too many times. That may be the very reason the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to pen this verse. That word nothing is all inclusive. There is nothing about which you and I should be anxious. So, HOW do we keep from being anxious? The answer here is obvious but not easy. We pray and commit the matter about which we are anxious to God. Understand that I am not suggesting that this is something that we will naturally do or that it will be easy to do. But I am suggesting that this is the solution to our being anxious about things we cannot control.

The sooner we realize that being anxious is a sin, the sooner we will see the need to commit those matters to God through prayer. We must never become comfortable accommodating sin, whether it seems small or large to us.

Perhaps the most difficult part of this verse is the phrase: “ … in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” You and I would quickly agree there are many situations in life for which we would struggle giving thanks. But the difference here is not that we must give thanks for everything but in everything. I could not give thanks for God allowing me to have cancer, but I could and did give thanks in the midst of my dealing with that cancer. That allowed me not to be angry with God because I contracted cancer. It allowed me to let Him walk with me through that experience and come out on the other side victorious. Just my thoughts …

Nike Says, “Just Do It!”

“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” Colossians 3.13

We seem to live in a world where so many people are angry about something all the time. Paul addresses that issue with believers in the verse above. When you are with other believers, how easily are you offended by something one of them says? When your pastor is preaching, and he addresses an issue that affects you, how easily are you offended?

Paul makes two suggestions for us here: (1) forbearing one another, and (2) forgiving one another. What does it mean to be forbearing? The dictionary tells us to forbear is to “politely or patiently restrain an impulse to do something;” If you are like me, there are times when you just want to give someone “a piece of your mind.” NOT to do so would be to forbear or refrain from doing it. That is something that most of us need to do more often. Then Paul suggests that we need to do more forgiving. I know that forgiveness is a sensitive subject. Many people think that forgiveness lets the other person off the hook for what they said or did. Quite the contrary, forgiveness is for you, the forgiver. Forgiveness clears YOUR conscience before God and you can now see that person for WHO they are rather than constantly see only what they did to you. The slate has been wiped clean. Then Paul invokes the greatest memory that you and I should have: “ … even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” We have been forgiven for SO MUCH by our Savior. Nothing that anyone can do to us even comes close to the sin of our that nailed Christ to the cross. SINCE He has forgiven us, Paul says, we should forgive others. Don’t rent them space in your mind. Forgive them. Just my thoughts …

It’s a Gift!

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14.27

I am reading a book entitled “Soul Hunger” by Dr. J. Otis Ledbetter. In his book he writes, about this verse: “Jesus summed up what He had in mind for these men by leaving them with three powerful heartening contemplations.

“I want you peaceful!” My peace I give to you. Not the absence of conflict but an underlying contentment that generates an unspeakable peace.

“I want you untroubled!” Let not your heart be troubled.
“I want you unafraid!” Neither let it be afraid.
Condensing His remarks into one word, He is leaving them with . . . peace.” Soul Hunger, pg 43, J Otis Ledbetter

We must remember that peace is not the absence of conflict, but “an underlying contentment that generates an unspeakable peace.” The world can offer us nothing that will bring contentment. All they have is counterfeit. There are times when we wonder HOW God will bring the peace we need. It will be different for each one because our needs our different. It doesn’t matter HOW it does it. It is ENOUGH to know that He will do it.

Today you and I may encounter others who are struggling and are looking for this peace that only God can give. Let’s offer them hope, understanding, compassion, and a prayer for deliverance from whatever they are experiencing. Just my thoughts …

 

 

He Believed …

“And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” Genesis 15.6

God had just promised Abraham a son and said that his seed would be as numerable as the stars of the heavens. That is a huge promise to this one who is already up in years. But to Abraham’s credit, he believed God. And God “counted it to him for righteousness.”

Let’s move this verse from Abraham’s time and life to our own time and life. How many times has God made you a promise, not nearly as monumental in size as the one made here to Abraham? And what was your response to that promise? Were you skeptical? Did you act in disbelief? Did you wonder whether or not God could keep the promise? Did you respond “in faith” believing that God would do exactly as He promised? I believe our lost world would have a different view of our God if we magnified the promises He has made and kept for us. Think about what God promised Abraham and Sarah. Though it seemed like a staggering promise, requiring great faith. God did EXACTLY as He promised and He did it in His own timing.

I fear there are times that we want to put God in a box or try to compel Him to go by our calendar. My life works best when I remember these simple truths: (1) God knows WHAT is best for me. (2) God knows WHEN the best time is for Him to fulfill His promise. And, (3) God knows the best way to fulfill His promise to me. When I accept those truths, He will count it to me for righteousness. Just my thoughts …

I Want to Fear Him!

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1.7

Have you ever wondered where knowledge begins? Solomon gives us the inside scoop here in this verse: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge … ” So, if I understand Solomon correctly, real knowledge begins when you and I BEGIN to grasp who God really is. Quite honestly, there was a time in my life when I thought I had learned all I could ever know about God. But then life started to unfold before me with issues and circumstances that totally escaped my understanding. I cried out to God for help. Help me see the big picture. Help me grasp that you have this issue firmly in control. Help me learn how to release this issue to you. Help me know how to exercise faith when I can’t understand what the next step is supposed to be. With all of those unanswered questions, there was no one else to whom I could turn but God. It was then that I began to realize that I knew so little about Him. It was then that my fear of Him turned to wonder and my wonder of Him turned to a greater sense of awe over Who He really was.

But Solomon continues: “: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” “But fools … ” I read somewhere that a fool is KNOWN by his doing. Why would anyone despise wisdom? Why would anyone despise instruction? Only someone who THOUGHT they didn’t need either. I don’t want to live my life thinking that I have learned all I need to know, so I don’t need to learn from anybody. Friend, I want to learn from everyone I can and I believe I can learn something from everyone. Just my thoughts …

Take Heed!

“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:” Ephesians 4.26

I’m sure there are times when we read that first phrase and think to ourselves, “How in the world do I do that?” Usually our anger is a reaction to something someone has said or done to us. And our first thought is, “I have every right to be angry.” Remembering that anger is a choice, we must decide if our anger is a sin because it is directed at some person.

There are occasions in the Old Testament when we see David display his anger and we may ask, “How can he do that?” When we observe David’s anger in the psalms, it is because he is jealous over someone attacking the character of God. His anger is not because HE has been offended, but rather the character of His God has been attacked.

Then Paul addresses the issue of how do we handle our anger once we have sinned. Here is his remedy: “ … let not the sun go down upon your wrath:” How many times have a married couple gotten angry at each other (no matter the cause) and then several days go by before either one is willing to make amends or apologize. Let not the sun go down on your wrath. Be humble enough to admit if you were the one that was wrong but don’t go to bed with the anger issue remaining between you. THAT is a sin. I admit that these are difficult issues, but when you and I become more concerned about pleasing God and less concerned about our own pride and/or feelings, we will at last do what God wants. He will be pleased and our lives will operate much more smoothly. Just my thoughts …

Let It Flow!

“From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’S name is to be praised.” Psalm 113.3

Have you ever unconsciously thought that maybe the only time we need to praise the Lord is on Sunday? That may seem logical to some, since that is our “day of worship” and surely we will praise the Lord then. But the psalmist gives us a different perspective on this matter of praise.

Notice the time frame he gives us here: “From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same … ” You say, “That sounds like we are to praise Him pretty much all the time”, and I would say that you are right on track. When we are awake, we are to be praising God with our lips and with our lives. Once again, praise is not a steady spewing of scripture verses at everybody. Praise is an attitude that reflects the love of Christ flowing through us. Praise is a response to God’s goodness to us. Praise is the acknowledgment of God’s presence in our lives. Praise is a reflection of our understanding of the awesomeness of God.

Perhaps you are thinking, “But that’s just not something that is natural for me.” I don’t think it is a natural response for anybody. But in think it can become a supernatural response when we willingly and prayerfully ask God’s Holy Spirit to work in us and through us to enable us to praise God “From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same … ” The more we long for God to be glorified in and through us, the easier it becomes to be an instrument of praise. Try it! You’ll like it! Just my thoughts …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Great Companion!

“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40.31

If you are like me, waiting for ANYTHING is a chore. We live in a world where almost everything is INSTANT. You can make a cup of coffee in a matter of minutes. You can pop popcorn in 2 ½ minutes. We can make instant potatoes. And the list could go on for some time. So, when Isaiah tells me that I need to WAIT on the Lord, I’m like, “What’s up with that?” But then he tells us the benefit of waiting on God. The primary benefit is that we will renew our strength. I believe he is talking about our spiritual strength here. I, for one, need all the spiritual strength that God will give me. And if waiting on God will provide MORE strength, I am all in.

When I think about mounting up with wings like an eagle, I think about how high an eagle flies and how his perspective on things is so much different than mine. There are times when you and I need to see “the big picture” not just our little corner of the world. Finally, we will be able to run and not be weary and walk without fainting. Think carefully about these two things. There are times when our spiritual life involves running and if we aren’t careful, we will grow weary. There are times when our “walk with the Lord” seems overwhelming. God’s promise is that if I will learn to wait on Him, in my walk I will not grow weary. I think I am going to take God at His word. How about you? Just my thoughts …