The Pursuit of God

Hebrews 12:14 - "Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord."

The pursuit of God is not complicated. We must be vertically aligned with heaven and horizontally in tune with mankind. These things come by desire and asking God for wisdom to live holy, and then a desire to love all men as He loved them.

Lord, we will never know You as we should without a desire to live holy and right. Grant us eyes, ears, and hearts of wisdom, allowing us the fortitude to reject the unholy things of this world and to cling to You. May we seek heaven upon earth as we consecrate ourselves to You, fixing our gaze upon Jesus who is making us into Your image. Help us and perfect us, Lord. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Praying by Stealth

Matthew 6:6 - "But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you."

Do we hide our prayer habits so that others cannot see them? Or, do we make sure we are seen by others? Public prayer rooms are wonderful. However, if we are not seeking to hide ourselves from men's approval then we cannot be hidden in God for His purposes, or for His pleasure.

We must covertly offer up prayers continually. As a result, others may not overtly see the act of prayer, but rather breathe prayer's fragrance. If we are interceding continually to God then no one will need to see us, but it will be evident by the aroma of Christ upon our lives. Beloved, may we all seek to stealthily hide our prayer life from men. For in so doing, God will make it evident to all both in this life and the one to come.

Collective Obedience

John 21:6 - "And He said to them, 'Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.' So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish."

When Jesus speaks, things happen – often beyond what we are capable of handling alone. Until the church is bound together by purpose and destiny, we will never do the seemingly impossible unless we cast our nets in humility and obedience together.

May we put all put our denominational differences aside and pull together as Christ's Body on this earth. For when we do, the "catch" which we bring into the kingdom will only be astounding to us, and certainly not to our Lord. He knows and understands what will happen when His beloved hear His voice and obey.

Omnipotent God

Numbers 11:23 - "The LORD said to Moses, 'Is the LORD’S power limited? Now you shall see whether My word will come true for you or not.'”

We have all doubted God's word. For instance, we may find it easier to believe for another rather than for our own healing. However, if God has spoken to us, and we have faltered in belief, we should know He is most patient with our mortal flesh. Though we often deny Him, He cannot deny Himself nor His word. It will not return void, beloved.

Have we aborted God’s power through unbelief? It is imperative that we wait on God. In time we “shall see” God’s word come true if we grow in faith, believing His power is unlimited.

Certain Judgment

Ecclesiastes 8:11 - "Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil."

Both man's and God's justice can often seem slow and arbitrary. There is something to be said for nations which impose swift judgment on crimes. There are seldom repeat offenders. The guilty quickly learn that retribution is swift and certain.

However, God weaves His mercy into the dynamics of judgment lest we be consumed. He tells us through the prophet Jeremiah how his mercies in the midst of judgment are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23).

Let us all know that whether or not we witness judgment in this lifetime, it will surely come. May we all live accordingly, beloved.

Wise Leadership

Ecclesiastes 9:18 - "Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good."

The peaceniks love this verse, stating how many of our past leaders have not shown wisdom but have instead resorted to "weapons of war." Abraham Lincoln deplored the conflict he was immersed in, but knew there was no other recourse to stem the tide of unrest than through the civil war which engulfed the nation. Woodrow Wilson sought to keep America from conflict in 1917, yet evil would not rest through its relentless provocation. Consternation still rages whether Harry Truman's decision to use atomic weapons was prudent to end World War II. And, lately President Bush is and will be the subject of debate whether the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were necessary.

However, I believe Solomon is getting at something deeper and greater than just the decision of government leaders regarding the toll of human mortality. What about the toll of human despair brought on by a man not governing his family? What is the cost of a man not humbling himself before God and acquiring wisdom to lead those in his charge? The casualties are much greater than all wars combined, beloved. As men, we need to rise up and collectively humble ourselves on behalf of those with whom we are entrusted. In so doing, we ensure future generations the opportunity to live in peace and security. While wars and crimes against humanity are inevitable in our sinful, fallen state, they can certainly be minimized through widespread revival in our respective homes. May we all acquire God's wisdom to do accordingly.

Spiritual Fathering

Hebrews 12:9 - "Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?"

I am thankful today for the love and discipline of my father. It meant life for me, even though he did not father perfectly. There is only one who will exceptionally look after us in a paternal manner. God will always be the benchmark of the loving disciplinarian.

Our Father watches to fill up what is lacking in us as sons, fathers, grandfathers, and uncles. With each passing year, we have the opportunity to learn more what good fathering entails. May we all be grateful and blessed that our Father in heaven continues His wise instruction in our respective lives.