Spiritually Hungry?

         Are you SEEKING the kingdom of God? Seeking means you are attempting to find or obtain something. Are you attempting to find/obtain the kingdom of God and Christ's righteousness? Can you describe what your seeking entails?

       Mat_6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

       Col 3:1  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 

       Col 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 

      That's another verse about seeking. Are you actively seeking those things which are above- things of that heavenly kingdom?

      Just where are your affections, your thoughts, your desires?

      Is the heavenly kingdom an afterthought in  your day, not the focus? 

      We need to ask ourselves these things because we are told not to have our focus on earthly things, even while we are living among all earthly things.

      Is God's will being done something you apply to every aspect of your life? 

      In all your ways - every single one of them - are you acknowledging the LORD? 

      If you're not, why not? 

      Just how much of your life does God occupy- 1%, 10% 25% 50%?  

      How much of your life should God occupy?

      In ALL our ways we are to acknowledge God- does that mean in everything we do from the smallest thing to the greatest, or should we set God aside while we brush our teeth? 

     How can we make sure God is in our thoughts first and foremost and all earthly things secondary to Him? 

     Solomon was told this…

1Ki 3:11  And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; 

1Ki 3:12  Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. 

1Ki 3:13  And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. 

1Ki 3:14  And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days. 

      Solomon did not ask for earthly things. He wanted the ability to understand how to care for the people entrusted to him. He wanted an understanding heart.  

      All too often we want things, earthly things and neglect the desire of wanting an understanding heart.

      Joh 6:26  Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 

Joh 6:27  Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

      People were seeking Jesus because He revealed He could provide for their earthly needs, but the earthly needs were provided by Jesus so the people could stop thinking about their physical hunger and feast on the words He was preaching. 

      Jesus did not go about feeding every single person, keeping them from physical hunger. Jesus did not tell people He was wiping out the ability for people to starve to death, to go hungry. He was offering eternal salvation- hope in a kingdom, the kingdom we are to seek as we set our mind on heavenly things.

      Which rules your life- physical hunger or spiritual hunger? 

      Do you even have a hunger or thirst for things spiritual? 

      A true HUNGER, a true THIRST?

      Are you SO hungry for the spiritual that you seek to be fed spiritual meat? Are you hungry to learn things of a spiritual nature or is your appetite for things spiritual so slight it's barely discernible? When was the last time you couldn't wait to dive into the study of the Bible because you yearned for the spiritual food it contains? 

      We have an inexhaustible wealth of spiritual food that is there for the taking, for the devouring, for the constant consuming. At least some of us do. There are those who cherish even a tiny scrap of spiritual food found in God's word because they aren't allowed to have a Bible. Their love for a single passage of Scripture passed onto them outweighs the love of many who own multiple Bibles and have a stock pile of spiritual food they barely look upon, let alone truly feast from.

     Where is your hunger, your thirst for things of God's kingdom? 

     The next time your stomach growls, or you lick your dry lips as thirst fills you, try to pause and ask yourself how much you want that food, or drink to take the edge off your needs. You might want it quite badly, in fact it finds you walking into your kitchen for a sandwich and some water knowing once you consume those things your hunger and thirst will be satisfied temporarily, that's understandable, right? So I ask again, where is your hunger and thirst for things of God's kingdom?  Is it so great you have to satisfy it temporarily, or is it non-existent? You snack on the Word of God, on things spiritual occasionally just because it's something you should do, not because you spiritually ache to be filled with an understanding heart so you can be filled spiritually.  Your affections aren't heavenly kingdom affections, they are earthly. Your mind is set upon earthly life and all the things that entails, not on your heavenly kingdom home. 

      We need to pray for an understanding heart, a heart yearning for God's leaning, a heart desiring God's ways, not our ways. God help us!