Tag Archives: seek first His Kingdom

Seek First

  By Rachel | May 29, 2012 - 9:34 pm | Thoughts for the Day
Leave a comment

Learn From The Way The Wild Flowers Grow. They Do Not Work Or Spin

Seek Him first- seek first His Kingdom- it is a habit, a changing of our heart- an intentional effort to seek God first in all things.

Yesterday we had a busy day.  I am sure you can relate- those days when you move from thing to thing at a pace that makes it easy to never stop and consciously invite God in.

I got to the end of the day, pulled out my journal and wrote-I have not talked to you or prayed to you since this morning- please forgive me.

I want to change my habits.  I want to move my priorities- where I “will” myself to stop and invite God into all I am doing- not just on days when I am not busy, or just on days when I really need Him- but every day.

In Matthew 6, Jesus is teaching about several things- starting in verse 25 he discusses worrying- he says in verses 33-34:

33 But seek first his (God’s) kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

(If you have time, read all of Matthew 6- these verse are so much richer in the context of the whole chapter.)

Jeremiah 29 is a letter to God’s people who had been taken from Jerusalem to Babylon (they were exiled)- hear what He tells them through His prophet:

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

What are you seeking first? The temptation can be great after a rough day to retreat into a cocoon of comfort- whatever that might be (TV, books, food, alcohol).

Not that these things are necessarily sinful- what I am suggesting- and what I have found to be true in my own life- is that sometimes I use these things- I run to them- instead of running into God’s arms.

It is a conscious effort- a changing of my heart- a willingness to expose my sins before the Lord- and even at times admitting my reluctance to go to Him instead of escaping into the familiar.

But I keep finding when I say no to those things and say Yes to God- oh the blessings that are mine.  How He blesses me and my family through my desire to seek Him more- to open myself up to His presence- to invite Him into my life.

To ask Him to fulfill my needs- to satisfy my longings- to bring peace and comfort.  He gives good gifts.

We are in a battle- God is battling for our affections against sin and pleasure- the temptations of our flesh.  I pray that you will seek discernment from the Lord on what things in your life may be coming between you and God- that you would step out in faith to let go of those things.  To embrace God instead.

I am not free of the temptation to sin- there are still days when I seek escape from my troubles- but I am trying- I am opening myself up to Him- asking Him to come in and change me.  He wants a willing spirit in us- one that is honest in success and failure.  He loves us.

Romans 8:1-2

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

Once we have accepted the gift of salvation- we are saved from all of our sins, past, present, and future.

Do not let Satan lie to you- not by works- we will all sin in this life.  But by God’s grace we can choose not to sin- and follow that desire placed in our hearts by salvation to know God and love Him- to respond in love and obedience to the gift He has lavished upon us.

May we seek Him first.

 

 

The Great Divide

  By Rachel | February 23, 2012 - 2:50 pm | Random
Leave a comment

Canyon

Why do we focus on the things that separate us?  We spend so much time and energy reading books and listening to people talking about how our side is right and the other side is wrong that I think sometimes we forget what is truly important.

Political division has the potential to turn brother against brother, friend against friend.  Do we hold more tightly to political beliefs than to Jesus Christ?  Do we hold more tightly to our political position than our love extends to others?

Roman 12:9-21

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[ says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:

   “If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
   if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Are we more concerned with being right- our side is superior- than we are with trying to live out what the Bible teaches us?  There is so much that we don’t know in this life (God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, His ways are not our ways)- so many things we can speculate about.

Would Jesus have been a liberal or a conservative? When people ask questions like that- it makes me angry.

Why?  Because it focuses on what divides us, and it can keep us from loving fully- when we argue political position rather than following Christ’s example.

Just live out the Gospel.  Can’t we all agree on that?

Is our pride in being right more important than loving and serving those around us?

Do you making sweeping judgments about a political group- lumping everyone together?

Do you mock and belittle their position- taking pride in your superiority of thought?

If you truly feel that a brother or sister in Christ is being deceived, do you pray for them in love and reach out to them?  Or do you think about how ignorant they are?  What is going on in your heart?

I have wrestled with this so much over the years, but the older I get the more I find that those things that preoccupy my thoughts have nothing to do with political position and everything to do with obeying God’s Word and serving the people He has called me to serve.

If we all just sought to be obedient and use the gifts that God gives us- to support and love each other-despite our differences- to not turn away from each other in anger but give each other the benefit of the doubt…

We can’t know another person’s heart.  Yes, we can watch for fruit- (Matthew 7).  But I think sometimes we are so set in our position- that becomes our focus- ideology supersedes our love for people. (Look up confirmation bias and belief perseverance- be aware of our tendency to cling to our own position- even in the face of evidence that is in direct contradiction)

When we post something on Facebook or other social mediums- are we more concerned with being right and flaunting our position or making fun of the other side- or are we seeking to love, encourage- and “spur one another on to love and good deeds?” (Heb. 10:24)

As I post this, I am thinking these things over seriously concerning my own actions- and praying that I will be seeking to encourage- to share my passion- to spur on my brothers and sisters in Christ and not focus on what divides us.

This does not mean that we water down truth- or we have to compromise our convictions. We must endeavor to be obedient to God’s Word- even though that may cause tension or division at times.

Please hear my heart- take some time to think about your motivations when it comes to your political convictions- and how much energy are you extending to prove you are right- are you motivated by pride?

If you have said things that have hurt a friend or co-worker, and now regret it, will you seek reconciliation?  We can disagree politically and still respect and love each other.  We can focus on the things that unite us in Christ.

If you have other thoughts to share- I would encourage you to comment on this post.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

 

 

Enhanced by Zemanta