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“Seek What!?”

There is always this question in our minds what to pursue first.  We get out of high school and we think, “Okay, what is next?”  The answer may be college.  Once we graduate from college we usually launch our career.  And somewhere in there we get married and start having children.  Life is busy and chaotic at times, probably most of the time.

At this point we are just running one hundred miles per hour just trying to keep the heat on and food on the table, so it seems.  As time passes the expenses get higher and we start to feel choked out with everything.  Our priorities start to get all mixed up.  We suddenly, without even really thinking about it, start living a life of survival.  I have to make money, pay the bills, get a house and a car.  And I need this, this, and this.

I have felt this way many times.  You start out in life not really “planning” anything.  We think we are planning but reality is we are not.  Most of us don’t sit down to count the cost we just plunge ahead.  And before we know it we are in the rat race of life just like everyone else.

I didn’t sit down and count the cost.  Although I am glad I got married and had my children, I didn’t sit down and really calculate what it would take.  And over the years it has been way harder than I ever imagined.

We do need to calculate the cost of everything we do.  But there is one ingredient that is often be left out of the equation.  And that is, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33

We get so busy making money and trying to survive in life that we often forget what our priorities should be.  We need to be seeking God.  We need to be seeking Him every day, not just once a week when we go to church.

Some might be saying, “But I have to make a living, pay the bills and take care of my family.”  Yes, and God even says that taking care of your family is very important.  “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” 1 Timothy 5:8 This is a very strong verse.  God doesn’t want lazy people because He also says, “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.” Proverbs 6:6

It is really all about getting a person’s priorities straight.  What God says is to Seek Him First.  Here are some suggestions to follow.

  1. Seek God first. I would really challenge you in this area.  I have experienced not taking the time to seek God in the morning, as well as seeking Him the first thing.  Which requires getting up earlier.  I have found that when I do seek Him first I am less tired, get more done in the day, and things go more smoothly.  Being able to seek God in the morning starts the day before by going to bed early.  It may be hard to do but it is a must.
  2. Make a budget. Too many times we have to work more hours because we need more money.  But a lot of times if we would budget our money and really seek God on how we spend we would buy less, save more and really be able to live comfortably without working the long hours.
  3. Prioritize your days. Start by getting rid of the time wasters.  It is amazing if we really look at our day how much time we can recover just from unnecessary things we may be doing.  I have found it helpful to lay out an ideal week for myself.  It does take some time to get it to work.  The whole family could do this as well.  Each person can have their day in such a way as to have the priorities where they need to be.  We should budget our time just like we do our money so that nothing is wasted.

These are just a few things that I have found helpful.  I have found that if I am consistent with these things it makes a difference, the blessings that come our amazing.

Dear Father,

We can struggle so much in wasting our time and money and not even recognize it.  And we end up pushing You out of the picture, which just leads to more disasters.  Forgive us for getting so caught up in the things of this world.  Prompt our minds to seek You first.  Prompt us with Your Spirit every time we go to waste time or money.  Thank You for Your love and patience.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

I challenge you to seek God first.  He needs to be first in every area of our lives, money, time, etc.  It is worth it!  And watch amazing things happen.

What about you?  Have you made God first?  Do you have a story of what God has done for you when you made Him first?  I would love to hear it.  Share below.

 

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“What’s That In Your Ear?”

As we age our bodies start to fall apart.  The healthier we choose to live the longer parts of our body stay healthy.  But then the time comes where we may need glasses or our hearing starts to go.

A little over a year ago I had a physical and they found that in one of my ears they could not see my eardrum.  They tried to get the wax out but they could not.  They told me to buy some over the counter drops to put in my ear to soften it up so that I could get it out.  I tried but finally gave up and just went on with life.

A couple of months ago I was having trouble with my ear so I decided to get some of the “earwax removal candles”.  The burning, hollow candle creates a vacuum, softens the wax making it possible to remove.  They do work.  I think I did it three times and was getting more wax every time.

Later I went to the doctor for something else and they check the ear and it still had some wax in it so they were, at that point able to get out the last bit.  I cannot believe how much I had in there and it is shocking that I could even hear.

My daughter and I were just reading this in her science the other day.  It was talking about how that wax buildup can keep you from hearing.  So if you are having a hearing problem start by seeing your doctor to see if there is some wax keeping you from hearing.

You might be thinking, “Why in the world is she talking about such a gross thing?”  The illustration that I gained from all of this is worth it all to me.  It was quite an eye-opening thought.

The wax is just like sin in our lives.  As we do one thing, that we don’t really think to be that bad, it always leads to another and another.  And pretty soon we have a build up of sin.  With each layer of build up it is harder and harder to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit.  And pretty soon we don’t hear Him at all.

We need some “sin removal candles”.  God’s Word is like the candle.  It is a light that shines and burns in our hearts.  As we allow God to place that “candle tip” into our spiritual ear, He will light it.  As the “Candle” (God’s Word) burns it will create a vacuum that will draw the sin from our lives.  When the sin is extracted we will start again to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit.

When you want to remove wax from your ear with a “earwax removal candle” you have to have help.  It would be dangerous and destructive to do it on your own.  The same is true when using the “sin removal candle”.  You need to have the help of God or it will be dangerous and destructive.  We need to cooperate with God in the process.

God’s Word is a lamp unto our feet.  It is a fire that refines our character by taking away the dross and making us pure as gold.  As we read God’s Word it is like a vacuum, it softens our hearts, and makes it possible for God to remove the sin in our lives.

Just like you can use the “earwax removal candle” in a wrong way or have wrong expectation for the results, you can also use God’s Word in a wrong way and have wrong expectations.  If you mechanically start reading God’s Word without an open mind to change, expecting some magical miracle, it is not going to happen.  We need to go into God’s Word with a cooperative spirit knowing that it is through the power of the Holy Spirit, as we allow Him to work, that our lives will be changed.

Dear Father,

I pray that each of us will allow You to do the work in our lives that will prepare us for Your soon coming so that we can go home and live with You.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Surrender all to Him today and let Him soften your heart through His Word, so that He can remove the “wax” of sin from your life.

What has the Lord used in your life that has helped softened your hard heart?

 

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“It’s Graduation Day!!”

This is the time of year for graduations.  There are so many of us that know someone who is graduating.  They may be graduating from, eighth grade, high school, or even college.

I have a son that graduated from eighth grade last night.  We have been anticipating this time of celebration.  We have also been preparing.  Getting the “right clothes” to wear, according to my son’s ideas.  Planning a short history of his life video.  Putting together a tri-fold full of life memories.  And of course, there is the food for the reception.  Wow! Plan, plan, and plan.  It takes planning to make any celebration event special.

Graduations are special landmarks in our lives and the lives of our children.  They mark their accomplishments.  It also marks what choices they have made in accomplishing their achievements.

This really made me think of the most important “Graduation” that is coming for us as Christians.  We are living in a time of preparation for that grand celebration.  The question is, “Are we ready to graduate?”  The difference between this graduation and a graduation here on earth is that we won’t be able to graduate with anything but an “A”.  It is not based on a sliding scale or you can’t just slide in by “the skin of your teeth”.

What I believe our entrance to heaven is based on is our striving for the mastery through our love to learn more about the One that has loved us so much to give all for us.

Those that strive for a good grade in school, have to work really hard to get that good grade.  They are working hard for the good grade and a lot of times they are getting no enjoyment out of it.

Someone who loves to learn does not consider it hard work.  They do it out of the joy and love of learning, they enjoy it and the result is a good grade.

There may be some that really struggles with learning but they have someone in their life that has sacrificed a lot for them to get an education and they work tirelessly out of love for the person who gave so much for them.  The work seems light because of the love they have for the person that has sacrificed.

If we really realize what God has done for us, the sacrifice that He has made.  We will have a love for learning more about Him.  We will be eager to learn all we can to improve our “grade” (selves).  Instead of graduating with Gold Cords, or a Gold Medallion we will receive a Golden Crown of Life.

How do we get this Golden Crown of Life?

  1. Fall in love with Jesus. You might be saying, “How do I fall in love with Him?”  I would say to spend a thoughtful hour each day contemplating what He has done for you, especially in His last hours on the cross.  You can find this story in His Word, the Bible.
  2. Read God’s Word. There is so much in the Bible that shows God’s love for man.  I would start by reading through the New Testament, especially the four gospels.   Finding a commentary on the Life of Christ that goes into more detail can help us understand more.  I do have my favorite Commentary.  You can check out a PDF version or go get a free paper back version of my favorite commentary.
  3. Learn & Grow. Just like when you have a love for learning English, Science, Spelling, etc., you do well and don’t look at it as a burden, when you love learning from Jesus at the foot of the cross, it will not be a burden and you will learn and grow in the Grace of God.  Your life will be transformed, by the renewing of your mind.

Dear Father,

Thank You for what You have done for us.  We long for that graduation day where we can receive the Gold Crown of Life and be able to enter into Your presence.  As we continue to walk with You, lead us and guide us.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Keep growing in Christ and He will see you through.

The Bible is the greatest commentary on the Life of Christ.  Besides the Bible, do you have a favorite commentary that expounds on the Life of Christ?