Category Archives: Seek ye first The Kingdom of God

When Do You Need Jesus??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #290

20 Wednesday Nov 2024

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Abundant Life In Jesus, Choices And Consequences, Confidence, Following Jesus, Following Jesus or the World?, Holy, Holy Living, Holy Spirit, HOPE, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Relying on self or Jesus?, Seeing Truth, Seek ye first The Kingdom of God, Self-sufficient or Dependent on Jesus?, The Word

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When Do You Need Jesus???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #290

Life happens, time flies, and the world around us seems to suck us in sometimes but are we who claim the name of Jesus depending on Him or our own devices—the amazement of the techno-world gadgets, our own wisdom, intelligence or are we walking with our Lord, as the old song says, moment by moment!  There are days that I know that I am conscious of depending upon my Lord second by second.  I’d like to share some scripture that may help us to keep our eyes on Jesus—for one of Satan’s ploys is to keep us going on the toddler’s cry, “I can do it myself!”  How about you?  Are you leaning on the promises and truths that God’s Word provides, or something else.

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying,

All power is unto me in heaven and in earth.

19 Go ye therefore,

and teach all nations,

baptizing them

in the name of the Father,

and of the Son,

and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them

to observe all things whatsoever

I have commanded you:

and, lo,

I am with you alway,

even unto the end of the world. Amen.”                Matthew 28:18-20

Acts also records Jesus’ instructions as He was about to ascend to heaven, and they are words on which we must depend and keep in mind, for our strength is small, but as Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me”!  And Jesus made it clear that, “without me you can do nothing…”!

“And he said unto them,

It is not for you to know the times or the seasons,

which the Father hath put in his own power.

8 But

ye shall receive power,

after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:

and ye shall be witnesses

unto me both in Jerusalem,

and in all Judaea, and in Samaria,

and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”  Acts 1:7-8

When we are born again, we receive the gift of Jesus’ Holy Spirit to go with us; we could take a whole session to discuss the things which Jesus said The Spirit would work in and through us but suffice it to say we have all we need in Jesus by The Spirit’s work!  It’s one of the reasons that Paul warned the believers at Thessalonica to “quench not the Spirit”!  Stop the maverick lifestyle!  If you don’t have The Spirit, you don’t have Jesus.

“So then they that are in the flesh

cannot please God.

9 But ye are not in the flesh,

but in the Spirit,

if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.

Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ,

he is none of his.”  Romans 8:8-9

How can we do this?  You hit the nail on the head; “I” can’t but with The Holy Spirit’s work “we” can!  Remember what Jesus said, “without me you can do nothing…”; how much “nothing” are you spending in your own resources?  Let’s check out some great advice from scripture.

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall                                        

not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”  Galatians 5:16

“If we live in the Spirit,

let us also walk in the Spirit.”  Galatians 5:25

Paul also gave some great advice to young Timothy.

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God,

a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,

rightly dividing

the word of truth.”   2 Timothy 2:15

Isaiah also shared an amazingly helpful word that I rely upon continually.

“And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity,

and the water of affliction,

yet shall not thy teachers be removed

into a corner any more,

but thine eyes shall see thy teachers:

21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying,

This is the way, walk ye in it,

when ye turn to the right hand,

and when ye turn to the left.”  Isaiah 30:20-21

So my question for us today is, “Are you walking with Jesus?  Do you need Him, or are you the ‘solo flight’ of the year?”  I close with a passage that is probably familiar to most, yet I want to explain the context.  Jesus is calling to the church at Laodicea who claimed His name, yet Jesus described their attitude as “needing nothing”!  They had become self-sufficient, and Jesus called them to come to Him.  I find it most interesting that Jesus is outside knocking on the door to get in!  Are you walking in your own self-sufficiency or have you opened the door to Jesus and learned to depend upon HIM continually?

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:

if any man hear my voice, and open the door,

I will come in to him,

and will sup with him,

and he with me.”  Revelation 3:20

Amen & Amen!!!

What IF? A Good Question??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #266

29 Sunday Sep 2024

Posted by in Humility, If not now? When?, PRAY! PRAY! PRAY!, Prayer, Repentance, REvival, Revival or Recycle?, Revive us O God!, Salvation, Seek ye first The Kingdom of God, Turn to God's Word, Well Done Thou good and faithful servant!

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What IF?  A Good Question???   A Word from THE WORD!!! #266

I am among those who are earnestly praying for revival, and I know only God can send it.  Yet God set out some parameters for restoration, forgiveness and healing.  And I’d like to share a few brief thoughts on this very thing from a verse that many know, and hopefully I can shed some light on it that we may consider the truth of where we really are and what we need to do!

IF: a supposition; uncertain possibility… a condition, requirement, or stipulation…

Keep this in mind as we consider God’s promise to Solomon.

“Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD,

and the king’s house:

and all that came into Solomon’s heart

to make in the house of the LORD,

and in his own house,

he prosperously effected.

12 And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night,

and said unto him,

I have heard thy prayer,

and have chosen this place to myself

for an house of sacrifice.

13 If I shut up heaven

that there be no rain,

or if I command the locusts

to devour the land,

or if I send pestilence

among my people;

14 If

my people,

which are called by my name,

shall humble themselves,

and pray,

and seek my face,

and turn from their wicked ways;

then will I hear from heaven,

and will forgive their sin,

and will heal their land.”  2 Chronicles 7:11-14

I want to simply make a few comments on things that we so often miss in this passage, and may we draw near to God, willing to do the things that will lead us to real revival from God.

First and foremost is that great big “if”!  This is a term of condition—God is saying that there are some things that are expected from “my people”, those who are “called by my name”!  God isn’t talking to the world, but to those who claim His name and are truly His children.  As I so often remind us, Jesus told us in Matthew 7 that in the day of judgment there will be those who “say Lord, Lord”, yet He will tell them, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”  So, it seems to me that God is talking about those who have truly been born again, by responding to Him in repentance and faith in Jesus’ substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for sin—your sin and mine!

God goes on to tell us what it is that His people need to do.

Humble themselves—

to bow before God to ask Him as thePsalmist prayed, “search me O God…know my heart…. try me…see if there be any wicked way in me…lead me..”  Recognize that God is right, and I need to adjust to His way, not the other way around.

       Pray—

to truly pursue intimate, concerted, conversation with God.  Not just a check-off list, but truly an earnest and open communion with God The Father, and Jesus The Son, seeking His will for me, my family, and the culture in which I live.

       Seek MY Face—

to keep our eyes on Jesus, and desire toknow Him better through His Word—the love letter that God has written that we might be “approved unto God…rightly dividing the word of truth…”!  The Word of God is to be our daily bread, that as Job said, “I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.”  Job 23:12

As we take these things into our heart and mind, may we will be able, ready and willing to complete this quartet from God’s Word.

Turn from their wicked ways—

even we who are God’s Own, often fail and fall for the lies of the devil.  We live in a culture that not only fails to keep God’s commands and His Word, but is blatantly guilty of doing as Isaiah said,

“Woe unto them that call evil

good,

and good

evil;

that put darkness

for light,

 and light

for darkness;

that put bitter

for sweet,

and sweet

for bitter!

21 Woe unto them that are wise

in their own eyes,

and prudent

in their own sight!”  Isaiah 5:20-21

Only when we understand and are willing to hear God’s truth and yield to His demands, will we have any hope of seeing revival.  May we truly humble ourselves, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from our own sin!  Oh, Father, hear our prayer and bring us to repentance that we might see you revive and heal our land.

Amen and Amen!!!

A Friday Destination??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #265

27 Friday Sep 2024

Posted by in Choices And Consequences, Choose Wisely, Choosing Jesus or The World?, Christ IN YOU, Seek ye first The Kingdom of God, seizing Jesus, Trust God, Trusting God, Trusting Jesus

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 A Friday Destination???    A Word from THE WORD!!! #265

What value do we place on success?  Define success?  I think Jesus gives us the greatest commentary on not only our destination, but our journey along the way.  So many today are missing the joy of the journey because they can’t see past the goal!  As believers in Jesus, we have a call, and I simply want to share Jesus’ simple but profound message of truth for us today—for us all—every day!

“No man can serve two masters:

for either he will hate the one,

and love the other;

or else he will hold to the one,

and despise the other.

Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

25 Therefore I say unto you,

Take no thought for your life,

what ye shall eat,

or what ye shall drink;

nor yet for your body,

what ye shall put on.

Is not the life

more than meat,

and the body

than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air:

for they sow not,

neither do they reap,

nor gather into barns;

yet your heavenly Father

feedeth them.

Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought

can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment?

Consider the lilies of the field,

how they grow;

they toil not,

neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you,

That even Solomon in all his glory

was not arrayed like one of these.”   Matthew 6:24-29

As the old cowboy movies used to say, we can speak “with forked tongue”!  Western speak for lie!  But how many of us not only lie with our tongue, but we are walking a forked road!  And while we won’t look at it today Matthew 7, goes on to remind us that we must choose either the “broad way which leads to destruction” or the “straight gate which leads to life”; and as it goes on to tell us, there is a difference between the “many” and the “few”!  Read Matthew 7 and see the contrasts that Jesus makes about roads, and foundations, and fruit.  While I post it often, I’ll leave it to you to check out for yourself today and we’ll go on with chapter 6.

Please don’t miss what Jesus says about the flowers of the field; He said that Solomon, the wealthiest man to ever live, couldn’t clothe himself in more beauty than God clothed the lilies with!  Wow!  What are you focused on?  Jesus isn’t saying that we aren’t to take care of physical and material needs, but He is telling us to choose wisely where we are attempting to go, and what we want to find when we get there.  Jesus had more to say; let’s take a look at it.

“Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field,

which to day is,

and to morrow is cast into the oven,

shall he not much more clothe you,

O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying,

What shall we eat?

or, What shall we drink?

or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things

do the Gentiles seek:)

for your heavenly Father knoweth

that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first

the kingdom of God,

and his righteousness;

and all these things

shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought

for the morrow:

for the morrow

shall take thought for the things of itself.

Sufficient unto the day

is the evil thereof.”  Matthew 6:30-34

I’m not saying I am always living in a way that is seeking “first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness” but, my friends, it is my top priority, and Jesus and Father God have never failed me yet!  And I know He never will.  We are called to be faithful stewards of what God entrusts to us as we work (which He also calls us to do) to be faithful servants of our King, seeking HIS Kingdom and righteousness!  As Jesus said, “your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things…”!

Are you struggling with a need?  Are you questioning what and where God wants you to be?  Get into His Word and He will reveal to you what His kingdom work is and as you grow in His righteousness, you will find peace, joy and fulfillment in His provision and direction.  Here’s a good place to start!  Be blessed my friends as you walk on God’s path, you will find life!

“Trust in the LORD, and

do good;

so shalt thou dwell in the land,

and verily thou shalt be fed.

4 Delight thyself also in the LORD;

and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

5 Commit thy way unto the LORD;

trust also in him;

and he shall bring it to pass.

6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness

as the light,

and thy judgment

as the noonday.

7 Rest in the LORD,

and wait patiently for him:

fret not thyself

because of him who prospereth in his way,

because of the man who bringeth wicked devices

to pass.

8 Cease from anger,

and forsake wrath:

fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

9 For evildoers shall be cut off:

but those that wait upon the LORD,

they shall inherit the earth.” Psalm 37:3-9

All this because of God’s gracious salvation; provided by His Son’s substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for our sin on a cross.  Blessings on your day my friends.

Amen and Amen!!!