Jas 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
We ask but we don't receive. Remember talking about asking for *good things*? People do it all the time, yes? We ask for good things like healing for a sick friend, that's a good thing to pray for, isn't it? We do it all the time, don't we? I see it on facebook often… various people fall ill or have loved ones who fall ill, or friends, and even friends of friends asking for others to pray for them and this is good, yes? Recognizing that God is the giver of life, the giver of healing, that God has this power that we lack. Is there anything wrong in asking God to bring healing to someone? Not if we are praying for His will to be done, right? Is it possible that STOP praying for God's will and start praying for our will to be done? We might not actually say those words, in fact we might mouth the word's 'Thy will be done', but are they sincere? We HAVE to ask ourselves these questions, we really do. We are told plainly-
Ye receive NOT because ye ask amiss and you're asking amiss because you want to consume the answered prayer upon your lust. Your lust being your selfish purpose.
Do you suppose a person can pray selfishly for another person to be healed? I do. I believe that a person can want to claim glory for the mere fact they prayed and THEIR prayer was answered. All glory is to go to GOD, none to ourselves. Yet we all too often take glory to ourselves.
I also believe a person can want another to be healed because selfishly they can't imagine life without that person.
We want people to be healed because not to want them healed means we want them to suffer and if we want someone to suffer that would just plain be cruel, and wrong.
There ARE good reasons to want people healed, there really are. Jesus went about healing thousands with many miracles. Jesus healed and these miracles made those healed, and those witnessing the healing much more receptive to the message our Savior had to give them. The hearts of many were softened by the healing touch and many accepted the Savior - the way, the truth, and the life- the bringer of eternal salvation. To want healing for others or even for ourselves is not wrong, but we can want healing for others selfishly and anything done from selfishness is never a good thing.
Jas 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
God knows our hearts and He know when we ask something amiss, we can't fool God. Seriously, we can't fool Him.
Our Savior was God become man all because He needed to do so in order to bring us salvation in Him so that we may one day live with Him eternally in love. This is why our Savior lived. So if our Savior lived to save us, we too need to live in order to point the way to our Savior and salvation in Him. This is why we live.
We were created for GOD'S glory.
Isa 43:7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
We were created for our LORD'S pleasure- For our Lord's will, for our Lord's desire- for this we were created.
Rev 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created
We are given to Christ who wills that we be with Him.
Joh 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
We live, but the selfish part of us does NOT live when Christ lives in us!
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Our LUSTS are crucified if we are Christ's.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
If we live for Christ, if we live with Christ in us, if we live for what Christ lived for- eternal life IN HIM- then ALL we pray for will be centered solely around Him, for Him, for all that He is- HIS WILL.
Jas 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
We receive not from God when we ask selfishly.
When a loved one dies after being ill when we've been praying for God's healing it is very easy for us to believe God did NOT answer our prayer. And we ONLY believe that way when we are being selfish, right? Seriously. Selfishly we refuse to believe that God's will could be anything other than ours- that the person be healed. We don't like to imagine it is God's will that a person we love- die. Remember it was the Father's will that Christ die for us. We think of death as something horrible, something to be shunned at all costs, something to dread, and fear. Very few of us believe death is something to welcome because that sounds very morbid and really it is, unless you are suffering horrifically and then death is a welcomed reprieve from the pain. We are not to SEEK death, but at the same time we are not to FEAR death either. And when death enters our lives - and it does in many ways- we need to understand that God who sees far beyond our mortal sight allows death and will continue to allow death until it is swallowed up in the victory of Christ- at the last trump- at Christ's return.
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
Death is allowed and all we can do is pray that God's will be done in our lives and in the lives of those we pray for and before death takes any of those we love, before death takes any we pray for, that they die as Christ's so they will rise again from the dead when Christ returns.
When we 'ask amiss' we are asking for our will, our selfish will to be done. This is true not only when praying for the ill, the dying, but in all we pray for. This doesn't mean we are not to ask for things, we are but ALWAYS with God's will first and foremost in mind. Do you want to pray for a safe journey? Do you believe God wants you to be safe- it's hard to believe otherwise, right? But when the car breaks down, or you're caught in a traffic jam, or you're in a car accident it's NOT because God didn't want you to be safe. It is ALLOWED to happen ultimately for our good when we believe God is in control of our lives. We can't understand why bad things happen, but we have to trust God even in our darkest hours and if you haven't had any darkest hours yet, you most likely will eventually, very few are spared them.
Every single prayer we pray is answered, every single prayer we pray is heard by God when He is our Lord of Lords. The answers we receive might not always be what we desire and we need to do some self-reflection when that happens. Are we asking 'amiss'? Are we praying selfishly? If we fully believe we are not praying selfishly, that we are not asking 'amiss', then we must leave it all in God's hand for Him to work out according to His will in the ways He knows are best.
By His Grace!
Amen.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked
Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
We know not that we are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. We believe we are rich and have all we need. This is the state of so many people in regards to their spiritual life. They need nothing, they need no more, they have all they'll ever need and yet… they have nothing. This is akin to our Savior saying to a people in the day He returns for us--
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
We wonder how anyone could believe they are Christ's, don't we? We should KNOW whether or not we are Christ's, shouldn't we? Yet there are a whole slew of people who don't know. These people are completely oblivious to their true state, this ought to frighten us, shouldn't it? The people just don't know! They believe they are but they aren't and they just don't realize it. How can we know? How?
We read this…
Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing
…and don't we know? Rich and have need of nothing. Rich spiritually rich, needing nothing. Yet anyone who is TRULY Christ's knows that they NEED Christ's righteousness. Anyone who is truly Christ's knows they need so much and they need it constantly, never endingly. We can never use these words… I am without adding… with Christ by His grace. When we take any glory to ourselves we are stealing it from our Savior who deserves ALL the glory, ALL the glory!
We are NOT rich! We are NOT increased with goods. We DO NEED so much!
It's no wonder there will be many in the day Christ comes that THINK they are His but they are not, He doesn't know them, how can He know them? They are too busy caught up in themselves to really know Him.
Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Knowest not that thou art- wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.
We are wretched
We are miserable
We are poor
We are blind
We are naked…without Christ.
With Christ we can be rich in faith, clothed in His righteousness, and filled with the sight of Holy Spirit.
Only through Christ are we anything at all. Christ will know us because we live through HIM. When we aren't living on our own we have Christ living in us filling us with Himself, His righteousness, His grace, His love, His life. Is it any wonder He knows those who are His?!
By His grace and mercy may we be wholly His! Fully surrendered to Him, rich through Him, clothed by Him, filled with sight by Him, all to His glory!
Amen.
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
We know not that we are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. We believe we are rich and have all we need. This is the state of so many people in regards to their spiritual life. They need nothing, they need no more, they have all they'll ever need and yet… they have nothing. This is akin to our Savior saying to a people in the day He returns for us--
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
We wonder how anyone could believe they are Christ's, don't we? We should KNOW whether or not we are Christ's, shouldn't we? Yet there are a whole slew of people who don't know. These people are completely oblivious to their true state, this ought to frighten us, shouldn't it? The people just don't know! They believe they are but they aren't and they just don't realize it. How can we know? How?
We read this…
Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing
…and don't we know? Rich and have need of nothing. Rich spiritually rich, needing nothing. Yet anyone who is TRULY Christ's knows that they NEED Christ's righteousness. Anyone who is truly Christ's knows they need so much and they need it constantly, never endingly. We can never use these words… I am without adding… with Christ by His grace. When we take any glory to ourselves we are stealing it from our Savior who deserves ALL the glory, ALL the glory!
We are NOT rich! We are NOT increased with goods. We DO NEED so much!
It's no wonder there will be many in the day Christ comes that THINK they are His but they are not, He doesn't know them, how can He know them? They are too busy caught up in themselves to really know Him.
Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Knowest not that thou art- wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.
We are wretched
We are miserable
We are poor
We are blind
We are naked…without Christ.
With Christ we can be rich in faith, clothed in His righteousness, and filled with the sight of Holy Spirit.
Only through Christ are we anything at all. Christ will know us because we live through HIM. When we aren't living on our own we have Christ living in us filling us with Himself, His righteousness, His grace, His love, His life. Is it any wonder He knows those who are His?!
By His grace and mercy may we be wholly His! Fully surrendered to Him, rich through Him, clothed by Him, filled with sight by Him, all to His glory!
Amen.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Selfless
1Jn 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
1Jn 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
If we KNOW that He hears us- WHATSOEVER we ask, we KNOW that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
We know because we are asking ACCORDING to HIS WILL. As long as we ask according to HIS will He hears us and will grant our petitions.
Yes, yes, and yes, this has been my focus lately but I think it needs to be. When we pray we have to pray according to God's will, not our will. CAN we do this? Seriously, can we do this? We get so caught up in our own will we scarcely can pray for God's will. We are so incredibly self-centered that whenever we pray we put self into it to the point we are asking God to do our will. Answer our prayers, which in truth are HIS prayer if it is for HIS will, yes?
God's will and our will, this is what it's all about-- bending our will to God's, submitting our will to God's, surrendering our will to God's will, giving up self to God. Can we do this? Can we? We who are so incredibly wrapped up in our selves, can we give that up to God? It's easy to say yes, but so very hard to do. In fact it's impossible for us to do, and only possible for our Savior to do for us.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever
The Comforter abiding with US forever.
Mar 13:11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
It is NOT ye that speak BUT the Holy Ghost!
We will need to speak, we will be required to speak and when that day comes we won't be the one speaking, why? We won't be the one speaking because the HOLY GHOST will be speaking THROUGH us. God will be speaking through us. For it is NOT YE that speak. We will be a vessel to be used by God. This is a moment of complete self-surrender. God speaking through us, not us speaking- no self involved whatsoever, us being used by God. So amazing! So wondrous!
Is it any wonder that over and over Jesus' example is one of serving others? He spent all of His ministry preaching the gospel of the kingdom of heaven while healing multitudes, tending to all those around Him. Jesus didn't stay in one place but journeyed to bring His message to many. The healing and preaching went hand in hand. The giving was a CONSTANT message to us. The Son of God was NOT selfish. Every time He healed someone that was time He gave to them, His time, His love. We must remember Jesus was human- Jesus became tired and hungry just as we do. The work He was called on to do wasn't easy. Just imagine how much energy it took from Him to be so in demand working so incredibly hard. It's too easy for us to believe that He had endless stores of energy, but He had our FLESH, and any one with our flesh body has the same needs we have. Seriously, this is something we don't consider enough. Our Savior was our example in all things and He knew when He needed to rest, He knew when He needed to eat, He knew when He thirsted, He knew when He needed to be alone to pray. Jesus had physical LIMITATIONS! Too many shake their heads to that, believing that because He was a God He didn't have to feel things the way we feel things- they're wrong! Jesus EMPTIED Himself and became HUMAN. Jesus relied upon His Father just as WE have to rely upon our Heavenly Father.
The example of our Lord is something we need to hold up every single day. Our Savior's selflessness, pure selflessness!
By His grace may we become selfless, through Him may we become selfless, so selfless that the Holy Spirit will be able to completely use us, speaking through us when that day comes.
In His LOVE!
Amen.
1Jn 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
If we KNOW that He hears us- WHATSOEVER we ask, we KNOW that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
We know because we are asking ACCORDING to HIS WILL. As long as we ask according to HIS will He hears us and will grant our petitions.
Yes, yes, and yes, this has been my focus lately but I think it needs to be. When we pray we have to pray according to God's will, not our will. CAN we do this? Seriously, can we do this? We get so caught up in our own will we scarcely can pray for God's will. We are so incredibly self-centered that whenever we pray we put self into it to the point we are asking God to do our will. Answer our prayers, which in truth are HIS prayer if it is for HIS will, yes?
God's will and our will, this is what it's all about-- bending our will to God's, submitting our will to God's, surrendering our will to God's will, giving up self to God. Can we do this? Can we? We who are so incredibly wrapped up in our selves, can we give that up to God? It's easy to say yes, but so very hard to do. In fact it's impossible for us to do, and only possible for our Savior to do for us.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever
The Comforter abiding with US forever.
Mar 13:11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
It is NOT ye that speak BUT the Holy Ghost!
We will need to speak, we will be required to speak and when that day comes we won't be the one speaking, why? We won't be the one speaking because the HOLY GHOST will be speaking THROUGH us. God will be speaking through us. For it is NOT YE that speak. We will be a vessel to be used by God. This is a moment of complete self-surrender. God speaking through us, not us speaking- no self involved whatsoever, us being used by God. So amazing! So wondrous!
Is it any wonder that over and over Jesus' example is one of serving others? He spent all of His ministry preaching the gospel of the kingdom of heaven while healing multitudes, tending to all those around Him. Jesus didn't stay in one place but journeyed to bring His message to many. The healing and preaching went hand in hand. The giving was a CONSTANT message to us. The Son of God was NOT selfish. Every time He healed someone that was time He gave to them, His time, His love. We must remember Jesus was human- Jesus became tired and hungry just as we do. The work He was called on to do wasn't easy. Just imagine how much energy it took from Him to be so in demand working so incredibly hard. It's too easy for us to believe that He had endless stores of energy, but He had our FLESH, and any one with our flesh body has the same needs we have. Seriously, this is something we don't consider enough. Our Savior was our example in all things and He knew when He needed to rest, He knew when He needed to eat, He knew when He thirsted, He knew when He needed to be alone to pray. Jesus had physical LIMITATIONS! Too many shake their heads to that, believing that because He was a God He didn't have to feel things the way we feel things- they're wrong! Jesus EMPTIED Himself and became HUMAN. Jesus relied upon His Father just as WE have to rely upon our Heavenly Father.
The example of our Lord is something we need to hold up every single day. Our Savior's selflessness, pure selflessness!
By His grace may we become selfless, through Him may we become selfless, so selfless that the Holy Spirit will be able to completely use us, speaking through us when that day comes.
In His LOVE!
Amen.
Whatsoever we ask...
1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
Whatsoever we ask-we receive of HIM- BECAUSE we keep HIS commandments and DO those things that ARE pleasing in HIS sight.
We talk much about keeping HIS commandments but right now we need to talk about DOING those things that ARE PLEASING in HIS sight.
What sort of things do you believe are pleasing in our Savior's sight?
Joh 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
Jesus ALWAYS did things pleasing to the Father.
We know what Jesus did, we have a record of His life, of His ministry, of the Gospel message He came to give to mankind. When we look to Jesus and know that all He did was pleasing to God then we know that if we are to please Him we must do all He did, all that we are able to do through HIS grace and righteousness.
It's silly for us to try and please our Savior and not keep his commandments. It'd be like a child trying to please his parents and not following the rules the parent set up for the child to keep. Why do we believe that we can act in any manner we choose and please God? A spoiled child believes that way. A spoiled child will easily disobey their parent and expect that parent to overlook their petulant, selfish actions. Why? Because a parent might just do that. But God… God can't overlook our selfish behavior. God cannot lie. God cannot lie, period, meaning God will not lie even to Himself and that's what parents do when they decide to overlook a child's selfish behavior and give into a child's petulant ways. A parent makes the choice to allow a child to disobey, they lie to the child because they generally will not tell the child they are choosing to overlook their bad behavior, instead they just overlook it and allow the child to believe they've gotten away with their bad behavior.
To please God, to please our Savior, we obey Him.
1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
When we obey our Savior we are doing that which is pleasing in His sight.
In obeying our Savior we can truly ask Him anything and we WILL receive what we ask for because we wouldn't dare ask Him for anything that wouldn't please Him. And what pleases Him most-- our believing in Him enough to wholly want His will done in our lives. How beautiful this message is.
Selflessness.
God paramount in our lives.
The giving up of self for God.
Living for God's will.
This is what God wants of us and this is our duty to God.
Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Reverence God- keep His commandments.
1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
God's will now and forever!
Amen!
Whatsoever we ask-we receive of HIM- BECAUSE we keep HIS commandments and DO those things that ARE pleasing in HIS sight.
We talk much about keeping HIS commandments but right now we need to talk about DOING those things that ARE PLEASING in HIS sight.
What sort of things do you believe are pleasing in our Savior's sight?
Joh 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
Jesus ALWAYS did things pleasing to the Father.
We know what Jesus did, we have a record of His life, of His ministry, of the Gospel message He came to give to mankind. When we look to Jesus and know that all He did was pleasing to God then we know that if we are to please Him we must do all He did, all that we are able to do through HIS grace and righteousness.
It's silly for us to try and please our Savior and not keep his commandments. It'd be like a child trying to please his parents and not following the rules the parent set up for the child to keep. Why do we believe that we can act in any manner we choose and please God? A spoiled child believes that way. A spoiled child will easily disobey their parent and expect that parent to overlook their petulant, selfish actions. Why? Because a parent might just do that. But God… God can't overlook our selfish behavior. God cannot lie. God cannot lie, period, meaning God will not lie even to Himself and that's what parents do when they decide to overlook a child's selfish behavior and give into a child's petulant ways. A parent makes the choice to allow a child to disobey, they lie to the child because they generally will not tell the child they are choosing to overlook their bad behavior, instead they just overlook it and allow the child to believe they've gotten away with their bad behavior.
To please God, to please our Savior, we obey Him.
1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
When we obey our Savior we are doing that which is pleasing in His sight.
In obeying our Savior we can truly ask Him anything and we WILL receive what we ask for because we wouldn't dare ask Him for anything that wouldn't please Him. And what pleases Him most-- our believing in Him enough to wholly want His will done in our lives. How beautiful this message is.
Selflessness.
God paramount in our lives.
The giving up of self for God.
Living for God's will.
This is what God wants of us and this is our duty to God.
Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Reverence God- keep His commandments.
1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
God's will now and forever!
Amen!
Monday, May 16, 2011
If you love me...
Joh 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever
Have you ever said these words to someone- 'If you love me…' If is the key word here, right? It really is because it puts a condition upon the love. IF you LOVE me… you will… you would…you'd do…you wouldn't do…ask me to…don't ask me to…give me…don't give me…take this…don't take that… on and on and on we can go, but the whole thing revolves around IF you LOVE someone then your actions will reveal that love. Most of us have uttered those words- If you love me, and when we do that we aren't necessarily doing it because we want to get our own way selfishly with something or other. Sometimes when we say those words to someone we are dead serious about what we are talking about and we are telling someone that IF they LOVE us then something about them in some way would reveal that love. It's easy to believe that someone doesn't love you when they do all sorts of things to hurt you, or they ignore you. And it's easy to believe someone does love you when they don't hurt you and they don't ignore you.
If I went up to a stranger on the street as asked them if they loved me, what do you want to bet they'd get that 'you're nuts' look in their eyes before telling me outright, no. They might believe I was on drugs, or drunk, or just crazy to be asking them- a complete stranger- if they love me. We associate loving someone with knowing someone, right? How can we love a complete stranger if we don't know them? The definition of what love is has become very selfish. We can love if we know someone and they deserve our love, but to love regardless of whether or not we know someone, or they deserve our love is a whole other story.
We are told to love our neighbors and then told our neighbors include complete strangers- yet so few of us actually LOVE our neighbors. So few of us actually love each other indiscriminately. While some might argue that God wouldn't want us to love satan worshippers, I'd beg to differ. We are to love them- and that doesn't mean becoming like them, it doesn't mean believing in all they believe, it doesn't mean telling them that sin is good in any way, shape, or form. Loving someone means regardless of every single external bit of their lives we care for them as one that deserves to know the saving power of our Savior, a Savior who loves us and forgives us our sins when we repent and seek His forgiveness. We need to love others indiscriminately because that is how we are loved, that is how we are forgiven. Are there conditions put upon the love our Savior gives us?
Did He say- 'If ye love me…'
Yes, He did say those words. 'If ye love me, keep my commandments.'
Those commandments are to love. If we love Him, out of that love for Him we will love.
Out of love for Him we love.
We are supposed to love complete strangers.
We are supposed to love those we don't know.
We are supposed to love those who hate us.
We are supposed to love… and if we love we are not selfish in that love, we are not discriminating in who we love.
All deserve to know the love of God and the way we reveal that love is by asking our Savior to send us another Comforter to abide in us forever. Through that Comforter we live our lives as a testament to our Savior, ever pointing the way to eternal life in Him, ever preaching the kingdom of God, ever living our lives not with tomorrow worries in mind, but with the hope of heaven with our loving King.
We will love God.
We will love our fellowman.
And when we love, our Savior is praying to the Father for us to have the Comforter with us forever.
Yesterday we discussed praying in Jesus' name, asking anything in His name, all to the glory of God. Today we are talking about loving Jesus, keeping His commandments, and receiving the Comforter. All of this goes hand in hand. Living our lives for our Savior, living for the coming kingdom, NOT living to selfishly have anything at all whatsoever. Not loving selfishly. Not loving few, but loving many, loving all.
We cannot love like this without our Savior- it impossible. Only through our God can we ever hope to love, can we ever hope to keep His commandments. Let it be our will to love Him as He would have us love, now and forever and ever.
By His GRACE!
By His LOVE!
Amen.
Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever
Have you ever said these words to someone- 'If you love me…' If is the key word here, right? It really is because it puts a condition upon the love. IF you LOVE me… you will… you would…you'd do…you wouldn't do…ask me to…don't ask me to…give me…don't give me…take this…don't take that… on and on and on we can go, but the whole thing revolves around IF you LOVE someone then your actions will reveal that love. Most of us have uttered those words- If you love me, and when we do that we aren't necessarily doing it because we want to get our own way selfishly with something or other. Sometimes when we say those words to someone we are dead serious about what we are talking about and we are telling someone that IF they LOVE us then something about them in some way would reveal that love. It's easy to believe that someone doesn't love you when they do all sorts of things to hurt you, or they ignore you. And it's easy to believe someone does love you when they don't hurt you and they don't ignore you.
If I went up to a stranger on the street as asked them if they loved me, what do you want to bet they'd get that 'you're nuts' look in their eyes before telling me outright, no. They might believe I was on drugs, or drunk, or just crazy to be asking them- a complete stranger- if they love me. We associate loving someone with knowing someone, right? How can we love a complete stranger if we don't know them? The definition of what love is has become very selfish. We can love if we know someone and they deserve our love, but to love regardless of whether or not we know someone, or they deserve our love is a whole other story.
We are told to love our neighbors and then told our neighbors include complete strangers- yet so few of us actually LOVE our neighbors. So few of us actually love each other indiscriminately. While some might argue that God wouldn't want us to love satan worshippers, I'd beg to differ. We are to love them- and that doesn't mean becoming like them, it doesn't mean believing in all they believe, it doesn't mean telling them that sin is good in any way, shape, or form. Loving someone means regardless of every single external bit of their lives we care for them as one that deserves to know the saving power of our Savior, a Savior who loves us and forgives us our sins when we repent and seek His forgiveness. We need to love others indiscriminately because that is how we are loved, that is how we are forgiven. Are there conditions put upon the love our Savior gives us?
Did He say- 'If ye love me…'
Yes, He did say those words. 'If ye love me, keep my commandments.'
Those commandments are to love. If we love Him, out of that love for Him we will love.
Out of love for Him we love.
We are supposed to love complete strangers.
We are supposed to love those we don't know.
We are supposed to love those who hate us.
We are supposed to love… and if we love we are not selfish in that love, we are not discriminating in who we love.
All deserve to know the love of God and the way we reveal that love is by asking our Savior to send us another Comforter to abide in us forever. Through that Comforter we live our lives as a testament to our Savior, ever pointing the way to eternal life in Him, ever preaching the kingdom of God, ever living our lives not with tomorrow worries in mind, but with the hope of heaven with our loving King.
We will love God.
We will love our fellowman.
And when we love, our Savior is praying to the Father for us to have the Comforter with us forever.
Yesterday we discussed praying in Jesus' name, asking anything in His name, all to the glory of God. Today we are talking about loving Jesus, keeping His commandments, and receiving the Comforter. All of this goes hand in hand. Living our lives for our Savior, living for the coming kingdom, NOT living to selfishly have anything at all whatsoever. Not loving selfishly. Not loving few, but loving many, loving all.
We cannot love like this without our Savior- it impossible. Only through our God can we ever hope to love, can we ever hope to keep His commandments. Let it be our will to love Him as He would have us love, now and forever and ever.
By His GRACE!
By His LOVE!
Amen.
Whatsoever ye shall ask
Joh 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
No, these are NOT magic words. This is not a magic formula. This was not Jesus saying that he will do anything for us no matter it is. When we ask for something in HIS name, we are asking for something HE would approve of, something we KNOW He would desire for us. All too often we ask for things that we *THINK* Jesus wants for us, or should want for us, but the truth is (and this is the a BIG truth) that all we should really want- is God's will to be done.
Yes, I've been writing about this for a long time now, but everything just keeps pointing back that way and for a good reason- it's truth and a truth we need to comprehend fully not just partially.
Asking in Jesus' name.
If we ask in someone's name what exactly are we hoping for?
If I ask my sister for something in my mother's name, for example, if I ask my sister for a loan in my mother's name, what am I doing? I'm asking her to look at my mother and what she stands for and by my mother's good grace, through my mother's merits I want her to grant me this loan. Now if my mother was against loaning out money for whatever reason and my sister knew this she might just decide that because it's against my mother's will as she's known it that it's not a good idea to give me that loan. My sister might also decide that because she knows I want the loan for something that isn't exactly going to help me in the long run so she denies me the loan. However, my sister might realize it is in my best interest regardless of how my mother felt about loans, and she might think that my mother would have given it to me under my circumstances and with all that in mind I would get the loan from her. Do you see the poor analogy I'm trying to make here?
Jesus will do nothing for us if we ask in His name for something that would be against God's will.
Jesus will do everything for us if we ask for God's will to be done and believe that the answer we receive is God's will.
So when we read these words of our Savior--
Joh 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Whatsoever ye shall ask IN MY NAME, THAT will I do- we have to remember we are asking in the name of our Savior and in His name we it will be the will of the Father that will be done just as it always was in His life.
When we read… if ye shall ask ANYTHING in MY NAME, I will do it… we MUST understand without any question that the ANYTHING is ALWAYS part of God's will. Jesus would do nothing without it being God's will, absolutely NOTHING. So when we dare to ask for something in Jesus' name we need to do it asking wholeheartedly for God's will, not ours.
Does is hurt to ask for frivolous things? Does it hurt to ask for say a million dollars? Most of genuinely would love the security that a million dollars could give us. Security to keep a roof over our heads, a working car on the road, food in our bellies, health care. I'm not talking about asking for a million dollars to spend wildly on anything we have a whim for. Most of us would use it resourcefully, so is it wrong to ask for it? I don't think it is… as long as we are asking that it be according to God's will, not ours. As long as we aren't turning around and chastising God for not hearing us, for not answering us in a way we desire. God knows much more than we can ever, ever hope to know and we are SAFE in Him. And when I say SAFE in Him I mean our ETERNAL life is SAFE in Him. Our life here and now, this flesh life we were brought into the world in, is not the life we will one day have by the grace and mercy of our Savior. We need to live for eternity- beyond the here and now. All the suffering we are called to endure in whatever form it takes- is only temporary.
By His amazing grace and in Jesus' name may His will be done, may the Father's will be done, in our lives now and forever.
Amen.
Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
No, these are NOT magic words. This is not a magic formula. This was not Jesus saying that he will do anything for us no matter it is. When we ask for something in HIS name, we are asking for something HE would approve of, something we KNOW He would desire for us. All too often we ask for things that we *THINK* Jesus wants for us, or should want for us, but the truth is (and this is the a BIG truth) that all we should really want- is God's will to be done.
Yes, I've been writing about this for a long time now, but everything just keeps pointing back that way and for a good reason- it's truth and a truth we need to comprehend fully not just partially.
Asking in Jesus' name.
If we ask in someone's name what exactly are we hoping for?
If I ask my sister for something in my mother's name, for example, if I ask my sister for a loan in my mother's name, what am I doing? I'm asking her to look at my mother and what she stands for and by my mother's good grace, through my mother's merits I want her to grant me this loan. Now if my mother was against loaning out money for whatever reason and my sister knew this she might just decide that because it's against my mother's will as she's known it that it's not a good idea to give me that loan. My sister might also decide that because she knows I want the loan for something that isn't exactly going to help me in the long run so she denies me the loan. However, my sister might realize it is in my best interest regardless of how my mother felt about loans, and she might think that my mother would have given it to me under my circumstances and with all that in mind I would get the loan from her. Do you see the poor analogy I'm trying to make here?
Jesus will do nothing for us if we ask in His name for something that would be against God's will.
Jesus will do everything for us if we ask for God's will to be done and believe that the answer we receive is God's will.
So when we read these words of our Savior--
Joh 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Whatsoever ye shall ask IN MY NAME, THAT will I do- we have to remember we are asking in the name of our Savior and in His name we it will be the will of the Father that will be done just as it always was in His life.
When we read… if ye shall ask ANYTHING in MY NAME, I will do it… we MUST understand without any question that the ANYTHING is ALWAYS part of God's will. Jesus would do nothing without it being God's will, absolutely NOTHING. So when we dare to ask for something in Jesus' name we need to do it asking wholeheartedly for God's will, not ours.
Does is hurt to ask for frivolous things? Does it hurt to ask for say a million dollars? Most of genuinely would love the security that a million dollars could give us. Security to keep a roof over our heads, a working car on the road, food in our bellies, health care. I'm not talking about asking for a million dollars to spend wildly on anything we have a whim for. Most of us would use it resourcefully, so is it wrong to ask for it? I don't think it is… as long as we are asking that it be according to God's will, not ours. As long as we aren't turning around and chastising God for not hearing us, for not answering us in a way we desire. God knows much more than we can ever, ever hope to know and we are SAFE in Him. And when I say SAFE in Him I mean our ETERNAL life is SAFE in Him. Our life here and now, this flesh life we were brought into the world in, is not the life we will one day have by the grace and mercy of our Savior. We need to live for eternity- beyond the here and now. All the suffering we are called to endure in whatever form it takes- is only temporary.
By His amazing grace and in Jesus' name may His will be done, may the Father's will be done, in our lives now and forever.
Amen.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
We find God when our heart belongs to Him.
Jer 29:12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Search for me with all your heart.
We know all about searching don't we? Every single one of us at one time or another has searched for something. Even if our search was simply in a text book at school looking for an elusive bit of information to answer a homework question. Or perhaps we've only searched a telephone book for a phone number- that analogy too out dated? Maybe it's only been a search in our smartphone, as we look for a phone number. Searching takes on many forms- we search for so many things. You've searched the laundry for a favorite shirt, right? You've searched the dryer for a sock match that just seems to have disappeared, yes? Suffice it to say we've ALL searched for one thing or another in our lifetime however short or long the searching. Yes, babies even search for a bottle or breast to suckle on to get nourishment. Toddlers search for toys- not always happy with a toy they are offered but preferring a favorite.
We search, we are searchers. If we aren't searching for something tangible we are searching for something intellectual- knowledge of some sort. The fact is we really are on a constant search throughout our lives, perhaps for a good meal, or something to wet our whistle, or a good nights sleep. We want these things and we live in hope of having things. Many search for love, yes? Wanting someone they're compatible with to give them love- to care about them. Others search for someone they can care for, not necessarily fall in love with, but they have a need to be giving. There are so very many ways we search throughout our entire lives. This isn't to say that some people don't give up on searching, they do. The world unfortunately has many people who would rather die by their own hands than keep living- which means keep searching for the many elusive things they need to give them the will to live. We have a daily quest for whatever drives us for whatever it is that keeps us holding onto life. There are many very sick people who cling to life searching for a little more time- holding onto life just because to be without it seems impossible.
While we search on many levels throughout our lives, how often do we search for something with ALL OUR HEART? You mean you did search for that lost ring with all your heart, giving it everything you had to find it? But there came a point didn't there, when it became futile to continue searching? You exhausted every possible avenue of search, turned everything upside-down and inside-out. You looked high and low even in the impossible places- just in case. Then finally you gave up the search. Inevitably we do get to a point when searching for something constantly begins to wear on us and hopelessness can set in. We might buy *another* if it's something that we can buy another of, hoping the replacement will do. Not everything has a replacement though. When we can't replace something we've lost and give up searching for it there is an emptiness where that something used to be. Time usually eases the pain of losing something we cherish and cannot replace, but sometimes there's always a little ache for that loss. Time might ease the pain of the lost thing or lost love, but it never fully fills in that spot where the loss occurred.
So as we go through life, is it safe to say some people search for happiness and they try to find it in many, many things and ways? Is it equally safe to say that we are all searchers even those most content in their lots in life? Even the most content might have to search for something to eat, yes? The search being they desire something and go to retrieve it. I'm not saying the search has to be for something impossible to find. We search a newspaper for information on current events. We search online search engines for answers to questions- again, wanting knowledge. We look for jobs, we look for a good place to see a movie, we search for a nice restaurant. Searching is something we are endlessly involved in. Even when we watch a movie on television aren't we searching for entertainment? Many search for good recipes, yes? Content, able to have others search for us, even then we are searching for their success at finding what we desire them to find. Some searches are much more active than others. Some searches require very little effort so we barely call it searching at all, but ultimately we search for much more than we care to realize.
Do you think God would tell us to search for something that is impossible to find? I don't.
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
So, if God isn't asking the impossible, just how do we seek Him, how do we search for Him with all our heart?
*******
Deu 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
Deu 4:30 When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;
Deu 4:31 (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.
Turn to the Lord and be OBEDIENT unto His voice.
To find God as we search for Him with all our heart we must be OBEDIENT to His will. Does that seem contrary, it's not. We must believe God IS in order to search for Him otherwise we are searching for nothing. Those who search for Bigfoot, the Yeti, the Lochness Monster, the Abominable Snowman all believe these creatures EXIST. If they didn't believe they existed they'd be searching for nothing. You might laugh and say that's exactly what their doing, but the point is THEY BELIEVE in them. When we search for God with all our heart we believe that He is. By faith we believe in all He's done through the men moved by the Holy Spirit to write down His words. We know from the Word we read that our God would have us be OBEDIENT to Him. In searching for God we need to be obedient to Him- choosing to believe the commandments He's set forth for us. If we choose NOT to be obedient to the Lord then our heart is NOT fully believing in Him, we are NOT seeking Him when we choose to disregard His word. In fact we are searching for reasons NOT to believe, rather than searching with all our heart and soul to believe.
*******
Deu 30:6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
Jer 4:4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Col 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ
The LORD our God will circumcise our hearts- cutting off all that would keep us from Him.
Circumcising ourselves to the Lord- we open our hearts to our God's will.
Circumcised in spirit, made acceptable to God.
Circumcised without hands- cutting sin from our lives through Christ!
We find the Lord when we allow ourselves to be circumcised of all that would prevent us from finding Him. We can choose to keep sin in our lives, we can choose to accept sin, embrace sin and let it be a part of our lives- this is the choice we make. We can choose to not believe. We can choose not to accept Christ's sacrifice. We can choose to ignore all thoughts of God. But if we are truly desiring to search for the Lord with all our heart and soul then we will purge all that we can from our lives that we know is unacceptable to Him. We will give ourselves to Him and allow Him to purge us from all that is unacceptable through His power, we will trust that He will prepare us, that He will do all for us that we cannot do.
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Deu 30:10 If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.
Deu 30:11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.
Deu 30:12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
Deu 30:13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
Deu 30:14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.
Deu 30:15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;
Deu 30:16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
Deu 30:17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;
Deu 30:18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.
Deu 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
Deu 30:20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
We MUST listen to God! He speaks to us and we MUST listen! Too many believe in God in a very abstract many. He's there but as a silent being who requires nothing of us. Like a genie in a bottle we just rub a little prayer and He'll listen and because He's a finicky genie He'll only answer when He feels like it. This idea of God is a false belief. God speaks to us through His Word and He has a lot to say to us. He'll put His word right in our hearts if we allow Him to, but we MUST listen to Him.
*******
Isa 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Isa 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Listen to HIM! Forsake the evil thoughts and ways!
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Jer 3:10 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD.
Truly seek the LORD with your WHOLE heart!
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2Ch 31:21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.
Psa 119:2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.
Psa 119:10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
Psa 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Psa 119:145 KOPH. I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy statutes.
Joe 2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning
Act 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
Act 8:36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
Act 8:37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Psa 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts
Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
The CONCLUSION of the WHOLE MATTER!
Fear God and keep His commandments!
When we seek to do this from the heart we are doing so with a singleness of purpose, using our whole heart not just a tiny part of it, not just half of it, not even three-quarters but our WHOLE entire heart must be seeking God. He must be our all in all even in a world crammed full of people. When HE is our all in all, then others are precious to us for HIM, not for our selfish purposes. All those that live around us that are a part of our lives are precious to us because they are precious to Him and have the potential to fully give their whole heart to Him as well. He loves us and because He loves will love through Him! Is it no wonder Jesus could tell us to love our enemies… He could do that because it is HIS love we are loving them with, not our own. Our love comes from Him. And if He can love us- the sinners that we are- we must love others with His love.
Yes, we are to FEAR GOD and KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS- everything else comes as a result of this obedience, of this faith in God.
Our searching for God must be a real and constant seeking, a believing, a living breathing believing that affects our entire lives. We find God when our heart belongs to HIM.
By His grace! By His mercy! By His righteousness! All through His love!
Amen.
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Search for me with all your heart.
We know all about searching don't we? Every single one of us at one time or another has searched for something. Even if our search was simply in a text book at school looking for an elusive bit of information to answer a homework question. Or perhaps we've only searched a telephone book for a phone number- that analogy too out dated? Maybe it's only been a search in our smartphone, as we look for a phone number. Searching takes on many forms- we search for so many things. You've searched the laundry for a favorite shirt, right? You've searched the dryer for a sock match that just seems to have disappeared, yes? Suffice it to say we've ALL searched for one thing or another in our lifetime however short or long the searching. Yes, babies even search for a bottle or breast to suckle on to get nourishment. Toddlers search for toys- not always happy with a toy they are offered but preferring a favorite.
We search, we are searchers. If we aren't searching for something tangible we are searching for something intellectual- knowledge of some sort. The fact is we really are on a constant search throughout our lives, perhaps for a good meal, or something to wet our whistle, or a good nights sleep. We want these things and we live in hope of having things. Many search for love, yes? Wanting someone they're compatible with to give them love- to care about them. Others search for someone they can care for, not necessarily fall in love with, but they have a need to be giving. There are so very many ways we search throughout our entire lives. This isn't to say that some people don't give up on searching, they do. The world unfortunately has many people who would rather die by their own hands than keep living- which means keep searching for the many elusive things they need to give them the will to live. We have a daily quest for whatever drives us for whatever it is that keeps us holding onto life. There are many very sick people who cling to life searching for a little more time- holding onto life just because to be without it seems impossible.
While we search on many levels throughout our lives, how often do we search for something with ALL OUR HEART? You mean you did search for that lost ring with all your heart, giving it everything you had to find it? But there came a point didn't there, when it became futile to continue searching? You exhausted every possible avenue of search, turned everything upside-down and inside-out. You looked high and low even in the impossible places- just in case. Then finally you gave up the search. Inevitably we do get to a point when searching for something constantly begins to wear on us and hopelessness can set in. We might buy *another* if it's something that we can buy another of, hoping the replacement will do. Not everything has a replacement though. When we can't replace something we've lost and give up searching for it there is an emptiness where that something used to be. Time usually eases the pain of losing something we cherish and cannot replace, but sometimes there's always a little ache for that loss. Time might ease the pain of the lost thing or lost love, but it never fully fills in that spot where the loss occurred.
So as we go through life, is it safe to say some people search for happiness and they try to find it in many, many things and ways? Is it equally safe to say that we are all searchers even those most content in their lots in life? Even the most content might have to search for something to eat, yes? The search being they desire something and go to retrieve it. I'm not saying the search has to be for something impossible to find. We search a newspaper for information on current events. We search online search engines for answers to questions- again, wanting knowledge. We look for jobs, we look for a good place to see a movie, we search for a nice restaurant. Searching is something we are endlessly involved in. Even when we watch a movie on television aren't we searching for entertainment? Many search for good recipes, yes? Content, able to have others search for us, even then we are searching for their success at finding what we desire them to find. Some searches are much more active than others. Some searches require very little effort so we barely call it searching at all, but ultimately we search for much more than we care to realize.
Do you think God would tell us to search for something that is impossible to find? I don't.
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
So, if God isn't asking the impossible, just how do we seek Him, how do we search for Him with all our heart?
*******
Deu 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
Deu 4:30 When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;
Deu 4:31 (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.
Turn to the Lord and be OBEDIENT unto His voice.
To find God as we search for Him with all our heart we must be OBEDIENT to His will. Does that seem contrary, it's not. We must believe God IS in order to search for Him otherwise we are searching for nothing. Those who search for Bigfoot, the Yeti, the Lochness Monster, the Abominable Snowman all believe these creatures EXIST. If they didn't believe they existed they'd be searching for nothing. You might laugh and say that's exactly what their doing, but the point is THEY BELIEVE in them. When we search for God with all our heart we believe that He is. By faith we believe in all He's done through the men moved by the Holy Spirit to write down His words. We know from the Word we read that our God would have us be OBEDIENT to Him. In searching for God we need to be obedient to Him- choosing to believe the commandments He's set forth for us. If we choose NOT to be obedient to the Lord then our heart is NOT fully believing in Him, we are NOT seeking Him when we choose to disregard His word. In fact we are searching for reasons NOT to believe, rather than searching with all our heart and soul to believe.
*******
Deu 30:6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
Jer 4:4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Col 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ
The LORD our God will circumcise our hearts- cutting off all that would keep us from Him.
Circumcising ourselves to the Lord- we open our hearts to our God's will.
Circumcised in spirit, made acceptable to God.
Circumcised without hands- cutting sin from our lives through Christ!
We find the Lord when we allow ourselves to be circumcised of all that would prevent us from finding Him. We can choose to keep sin in our lives, we can choose to accept sin, embrace sin and let it be a part of our lives- this is the choice we make. We can choose to not believe. We can choose not to accept Christ's sacrifice. We can choose to ignore all thoughts of God. But if we are truly desiring to search for the Lord with all our heart and soul then we will purge all that we can from our lives that we know is unacceptable to Him. We will give ourselves to Him and allow Him to purge us from all that is unacceptable through His power, we will trust that He will prepare us, that He will do all for us that we cannot do.
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Deu 30:10 If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.
Deu 30:11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.
Deu 30:12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
Deu 30:13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
Deu 30:14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.
Deu 30:15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;
Deu 30:16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
Deu 30:17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;
Deu 30:18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.
Deu 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
Deu 30:20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
We MUST listen to God! He speaks to us and we MUST listen! Too many believe in God in a very abstract many. He's there but as a silent being who requires nothing of us. Like a genie in a bottle we just rub a little prayer and He'll listen and because He's a finicky genie He'll only answer when He feels like it. This idea of God is a false belief. God speaks to us through His Word and He has a lot to say to us. He'll put His word right in our hearts if we allow Him to, but we MUST listen to Him.
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Isa 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Isa 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Listen to HIM! Forsake the evil thoughts and ways!
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Jer 3:10 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD.
Truly seek the LORD with your WHOLE heart!
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2Ch 31:21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.
Psa 119:2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.
Psa 119:10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
Psa 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Psa 119:145 KOPH. I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy statutes.
Joe 2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning
Act 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
Act 8:36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
Act 8:37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Psa 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts
Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
The CONCLUSION of the WHOLE MATTER!
Fear God and keep His commandments!
When we seek to do this from the heart we are doing so with a singleness of purpose, using our whole heart not just a tiny part of it, not just half of it, not even three-quarters but our WHOLE entire heart must be seeking God. He must be our all in all even in a world crammed full of people. When HE is our all in all, then others are precious to us for HIM, not for our selfish purposes. All those that live around us that are a part of our lives are precious to us because they are precious to Him and have the potential to fully give their whole heart to Him as well. He loves us and because He loves will love through Him! Is it no wonder Jesus could tell us to love our enemies… He could do that because it is HIS love we are loving them with, not our own. Our love comes from Him. And if He can love us- the sinners that we are- we must love others with His love.
Yes, we are to FEAR GOD and KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS- everything else comes as a result of this obedience, of this faith in God.
Our searching for God must be a real and constant seeking, a believing, a living breathing believing that affects our entire lives. We find God when our heart belongs to HIM.
By His grace! By His mercy! By His righteousness! All through His love!
Amen.
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