A Precious Prize

I believe, in general, that we can know the Lord a lot more that we do right now.

Most of us love the Lord and make an effort to get closer, but the Lord is talking about something far greater.  The King of Kings desires us to know Him so much more.  There is much He would like to share with us, but we hold on to our lives---myself included.

Matthew 11:12 says from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of God suffers violence and the violent take it by force.  But the Amplified Version renders it beautifully: the violent men seize it by force as a precious prize---a share  in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion.

The King is part of the kingdom and He is definitely a precious prize worth any effort we have to expend.

Matthew 16:24-25 says that if anyone desires to follow Him, we must deny ourselves or more directly, put away our own ambitions.  It goes on to say that if we try to save our life that we will lose it, but if we give over to His desires and leadings then we gain HIM.  When we persist on our path, then the result is a limited relationship.

We need to give up 'our life' just like He gave up His.  When we die to ourselves and obey Him, the Lord will manifest Himself to us.  In other words, we need a vision for heaven.  The Lord tells us to lay up treasures in heaven (Matt 6:20).  He is our treasure and our reward now and in the hereafter, as well.

Unfortunately, many of us are happy with our arrangement with the Lord.  We pretty much complete our goals and conduct our affairs as we see fit.  He is in  our lives, but for the most part, we still have our hand on the controls.

Paul says in Phil. 3:8 that he counts all things loss for the excellence of knowing Christ Jesus.  He goes on to say that he has lost everything for Christ, but counts it all rubbish in comparison.

Paul was one who sought the kingdom with intense exertion and considered Christ a precious prize.  There was a sense of abandonment in his walk with the Lord.

We tell others, "It's not a religion, but a relationship!", yet we keep a good portion of our lives for ourselves because it sounds negative "to lose your life for Christ".  In reality, it couldn't be further from the truth.  The quality of life improves immensely----our communion with Him is sweeter, His blessings flow and the enemy is in the distance instead of nearby. 

We need to shift our focus from this world to His kingdom and view things in the right perspective. 

Our relationship with Him will blossom as we make Him the center of our existence.  Seek ye first the King and His kingdom!

IF YOU FIRST SEEK THE KING---

If you seek first the King---

      YOU forget about time in His presence.

      YOU long for your daily quiet time with Him.

      YOU get lost in His Word.

      YOU love all God's people.

      YOU give priority to those things He's instructed you to do for His Kingdom.

      YOU pour yourself out before Him.

      YOU love the things He loves, and hate the things He hates.

      YOU are grieved by your sins and press to overcome them.

      YOU want to be like Him.

      YOU are excited about worshipping together with others.

      YOU welcome the correction of the Lord.

      YOU cheerfully give your finances to the work of His kingdom.

      YOU count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Him.

      YOU are moved by those things that are important to Him.

      YOU want all that He has for you.

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I might dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and inquire in His temple.  Ps.27:4

A Snake Called Compromise

Here is a slick trick used by the enemy.  Most of us would agree that there are some areas of disobedience that give us difficulty.  We have struggled and struggled and as a result, many times we just do what we can and leave it at that.  It is depressing and we have to move on or else we'll fall into a slump.  After all, the Lord understands.

It sounds good, but you just compromised with the enemy.  He has hoodwinked you into thinking that you  can't over come this sin or weakness.  Since most of us resort to compomise in other areas of our lives, we dicide to do what we can and hope for the best.  In actuality, you have given up in exchange for the enemy's retreat.  It's what you call a 'working relationship' with the devil.  The fact is you're at a standstill in your life.  But the good news is the Lord has provided a fool-proof way of success.

Wasn't it His grace that enabled us to believe Him for our salvation? (Eph. 2:8)  Well, it's also His grace that enables us to overcome any sin or weakness.  Gal 3:2 says, "Having begun in the Spirit are you now being made perfect by the flesh?"  We don't have to compromise or 'do what we can and leave it at that'.  We can get the job done by depending on the grace of God.

Also, Romans 6 tells that we've been given newness of life as a result of being buried with Him through baptism into death.  It simply means that we have a new nature and our sinful nature died with Christ.  However, even though it's good news, it isn't automatic.  You still have to be cautious and purpose in your heart to resist the enemy's temptation.

All the while you're resisting, the enemy will relentlessly try to make you feel like you will never overcome.  Feelings are lies.  the Word of God says you are free and have the Lord' s grace or strength, to overcome.  Unfortunately, some saints have failed so many times that it 'feels' like they will never be victorious.

Solution?! Soak in those verses declaring your freedom from sin until the truth carries more weight than your feelings.  Believe the Lord and continue pressing until you break free!  It won't be easy, but the victory is there for you to experience.  Who are you going to believe--- the Word of God or your feelings?

You can overcome any area of sin because the Word says to be holy like He is holy.  He would never say that to us if it couldn't be done!  Just one step at a time is all you have to take.

Salt Please?!

We, the Church, look too much like the world.  We live here, but we should model ourselves after the Kingdom of God.

How is it that we look and act so much like the unsaved, perhaps not on every issue, but so much so, that we often blend right in.  Many saints like their off-color jokes, questionable movies, free-flowing alcohol, live-in partners and sexy clothes.

No wonder unbelievers question our sincerity and have little or no regard for us. They know the difference between right and wrong and wonder why we follow them in their questionable pursuits.

We have a lopsided belief system in America.  We lean too heavily on the grace of God and His wonderful loving nature.  We have forgotten that He is also a holy God who loves righteousness and truth.

I know He sees the righteousness of Christ when He looks upon us, but should we come into His presence with a slight odor of the world on our garments.  He died for our sins and here we are participating in a good number of them.

He's looking for sons and daughters that resemble Him--not the world.  He wants to see His character developed in our lives.  This is what is pleasing to His heart.  The more we share in common with the Lord, the closer we can get to His presence.

He wants to bless us.  "Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever."  (Deut.  5:29)

Hear His heart. Can you detect the regret that His people do not follow His ways, so He can bless them even more.

While there are varying degrees of involvement with the world, we all need to ask the Lord to give us a sensitivity for those things that offend Him.  We are to live for Him.  Desire the conviction of the Lord and leave the ways of the world behind!

Tell It Like It Is!

I can't get away from II Chronicles 7:14--"If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

Not only are we to search our own hearts, but I believe we are to speak the Word of God to one another.  We have kept our mouths shut long enough in America.

In general, Chrisitans in America lack the fear of the Lord and we have adapted the Word to fit our culture.  As a result we are no longer a blessed nation and we need to stand up and declare the truth in hopes of establishing the plumb line once again.

No one wants to offend --myself included, but I do believe the Word of God is being withheld to such and extent that an imbalance has occurred and sin is rampant among the saints.

This is the Word of the Lord to the American church today.

Ezekiel 3:4,7-11
Then He said, "Son of man, go to the people of Israel and give them my messages.
But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted.
Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces and your forehead strong against their foreheads.
Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.
Moreover He said to me: "Son of man, receive into your heart all My words that I speak to you and hear with your ears.  And go, get to the captives, to the children of your people and speak to them and tell them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, 'whether they hear, or whether they refuse."

Ezekiel was to speak to his own people.  The house of Israel represents the church and the Lord is telling us not to be afraid of our brothers and sisters.  The Lord has been trying to turn believers around in America for years and now we are seeing signs of judgments in our county.

We are to apply the Word of God to our own lives first (receive My Word into your heart) and repent and then speak the truth, in love, to our brothers and sisters who the Lord calls 'captives'.

The church in America has its own compromised version of the Word of God and the Lord says we are a rebellious people who will not listen to Him.  He is requiring us to speak, despite the fact that most will not listen, but will be stubborn and give us angry looks.

I was floored upon receiving this.  How was I to muster up enough couragge to stand my ground when my approach is usually laid-back?

The key lies in Ezekiel 3:7.  The Lord says, "I will make your face strong against their face."  The NIV translation says, "I have made you as obstinate and hardhearted as they are."  This is what He did for Ezekiel, so he could carry out His commmand and He'll do it for us as well!

My personality is the opposite of what is being required here, but He often chooses those that are completely lacking to show Himself strong in their lives.  All I have to do is cry out for this change.  It may, or may not be an immediate change, but I am to continually ask for His grace to speak the Word boldly.

Ezekiel 2:8 states that if we do not speak out the truth, we will be considered rebellious by the Lord and verse 18 says their blood will be upon our heads if we don't tell them.

We are not to club people to death, but we are prayerfully speak the truth in love.  Hang on saints.  The Lord is requiring a change  and we must keep up with Him!

S-T-R-E-T-C-H You Can Do It!

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.

The Great Commission was given to all that are called by His name.  These were among His last words.  The LAST thing He wanted to leave with us.  Yet most would say that this does not pertain to them.

"Oh, I am not an evangelist."    OR    "That's not for me.  I'm terrible at that."

Well, I was, too.   But that was His last command and while I don't have an evangelistic gifting, He has made me into a 'fisher of men'.

I didn't want to go knocking on doors or speak to my co-workers.  I still don't ---but I know that's what He wants.

He has taught me techniques and given me favor--all because I cried out for help.

I was terrible at the beginning.  I would ring the bell, wait 2 seconds, leave the flyer and be two doors down before the original person answered the door-----then I'd wave at them!

I would cry out to the Lord to make me bolder---to come out of myself and not worry what they thought of me---to preach the entire gospel. 

After a while, things came together and while I'm not perfect---I can generally get the message out in its entirety.

He heard my cries, saw my struggles and knew I wanted to shrink back, but because I didn't QUIT, He eventually was able mold me into one who can share the gospel effectively.

S-T-R-E-T-C-H!  You can do it!                                                                     

Spiritual Housekeeping!

It is very easy to think that we are on target with the Lord when in actuality, we are not doing the will of God.  How can this be?  We love the Lord, go to church, read the Word of God and are doing everything we know to live a life that pleases Him.

The ansewer is found in Jer. 17:9-10.  "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.  Who can know it?  I, the Lord, search the heart and know the mind." 

We might have the best of intentions and truly love the Lord, but He says our hearts deceive us and lead us astray.  We may have no idea that we are off track.  But the Lord does. He examines our secret motives and He knows all things.

Our hearts can fool us into thinking that we're doing this or that for the Lord, but the Lord can examine our motives and show us we're often doing things to benefit ourselves and not Him.  We can protest vehemently, but He knows the thoughts of our hearts.

It's an easy thing to remedy, however.  Don't you think if you asked the Lord to divulge what is in your heart and any wrong motives that He would graciously reveal these hidden things and readily restore you?

We get busy and just rely on Him to understand that we love Him and that our hears are in the right place.  However, it's our responsibility to reserve some special time before Him to examine our hearts for wrong motives.  Some things may surface immediately and others may take a while for the Lord to orchestrate situations that reveal the hidden truth.

You may feel you're too busy for this, but it's actually a preventative measure and the benefits are numerous.  The alternative is to postpone this little housekeeping job 'til the place is falling down around your ears and you're in so much trouble you don't know where to start!