November 5, 2024

Biblical Common Sense

April 4, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

 

We have now entered the season of Lent.  For many Christians, Lent is taken as a time of preparation for the celebration of Easter where God miraculously redeemed mankind by resurrecting His Son from the dead. It is also a time to consider what Jesus said and did; and how we should be living in light of His Words.  ✞ ♥

During this season, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we have chosen to focus our devotionals on Jesus’ instructions and admonition communicated in Matthew chapter 5—the Beatitudes.  Jesus said, “Blessed are…” and He went on to give instruction as to how to be “blessed.”  To be ‘blessed’ is to ‘be happy, or to be envied.’   Truly for the Christian, we ARE blessed—oh, how very blessed we are!  Those who observe our lives should clearly be able to tell that we ARE blessed—and that we KNOW it! ✞ ♥

Please consider Jesus’ instructions along with us.  We pray that our words will encourage you and spur you on to be prepare your hearts for the joyous celebration of His Resurrection!  ✞ ♥

God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, 
for they will be satisfied. 
Matthew 5:6

Every year for the past eleven years I have filled out a survey at my children’s annual physical checkup.  From ages 2-6, I am required to ask them the question, “What do you do when you’re hungry?”  Of course they respond with “Eat,” or “Ask for food,” things such as that.  I’ve always wondered why this question is asked…why such a common inquiry is made; even small children know what to do and how to respond.  But there must be a reason that each year we are reminded to quiz our children on such a simple thing, something we see as common and natural.

When I read this Scripture, I thought of this scenario.  We know we’re supposed to seek God and do as He commands and instructs; doing this leads to righteousness.  In a sense it is biblical common sense.  We hunger for God’s Word and for His guidance and love. and when we hunger, when we strive, we find righteousness.  Just as the pediatrician reminds us to look closely at common things, so does Christ.  Sometimes we become so engulfed in our life that we forget to consciously thirst for Christ and to be hungry for His word, His direction.  So He has given us reminders, such as these verses, to look at and to remind us.  This is more than an answer on a piece of paper.  It is a reminder that when we seek Him and when we thirst for him, He will fill us.  When we seek…we will find.  When we thirst…we will be filled.  Common sense, yes; but the reminders are much needed, much desired.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Matthew 7:7

He has filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich He has sent away empty
Luke 1:53

Let’s Pray:
Dear Heavenly Father, there are times we forget common things, like what to do when we’re hungry.  Like the pediatrician, You remind us of what we sometimes forget to see—that our thirst for You will lead to righteousness and that we will be filled when we hunger and thirst for Your Word.  Lord, remind us to seek You daily.  And to thirst for You always.  Increase our desire to be filled, so that we will not forget the common things, so that we will not forget to seek, and ask, to find and to hunger.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

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Seek Him First

January 7, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

 

Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me
and I will listen to you.
You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:12-13

Strategic timing is often involved in the fulfilment of Gods promises. God fulfils His Word and His promises both in relation to the fullness of His redemptive purpose and in response to His faithful peoples’ earnest prayers.

Jeremiah prophesied that at the end of the seventy year captivity a new ‘fullness of time’ would occur. God would then move within a holy remnant so that they would seek Him in prayer with all their hearts. And there God would listen, answer from heaven, and fulfill His promises of restoration.

Note two principles:

  • When God desires to do great things for His people, He moves His people to great praying; and,
  • The timing of God’s answers to their prayers is often linked to God’s purposes for His people as a whole

 The lions may grow weak and hungry
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

Psalm 34:10

Note that the promises in this psalm are conditional and reserved only for those who seek the Lord. God promises to deliver us from fear, save us from trouble, send angels to encamp around us, supply our needs, give us abundant life, hear our prayers, comfort us with His presence and redeem us – but only if we seek the Lord.

Ask and it will be given unto you,
seek and you will find
knock and the door will be opened.
Matthew 7:7

When we are seeking, it implies earnest petitioning along with obedience to God’s Will. See that doors and gates are opening for those that are seeking the Lord diligently. I therefore request you, my sisters, to seek the Lord at all times. For it also says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and its righteous and all the things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).  It is only when we seek the Lord that all things shall be added unto us. The doors to prosperity, to good health, to divine protection, etc. will be added unto us. All the prophetic messages we heard on New Years Day concerning 2014 will be fulfilled when we diligently seek the Lord.  Let us seek the Lord not in vain. Let us seek Him with all our hearts.

I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness;
I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, ‘Seek me in vain.’
I the Lord speak the truth; I declare what is right.
Isaiah 45:19

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Father, we come before You for we know there is no one who is like unto Thee and You alone we seek for we know we can’t go wrong and all these things will be added unto us. Create in us a steadfast spirit, Lord, in Jesus’ name we have prayed. Amen.

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Interested in joining us for our next Online Bible Study that starts on January 13, 2014?   Click HERE for more details!

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Are You Listening?

August 13, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogo

I once prayed to God earnestly and tearfully.  During my prayer, I felt God answering me; however, I wasn’t finished.  I needed Him to hear my entire vent.  Once I was done, I boldly (well, that’s my nice way of saying rebelliously) informed God that if His answer was not what I wanted it to be then I wasn’t listening.

The psalmist wrote, in Psalm 141:1,

O, Lord, I am calling to you. Please hurry! Listen when I cry to you for help.

We call to God and ask for help.  We even ask Him to hurry!  Sure, we would love God to answer our prayers just as quickly as we ask.  Sometimes He does…sometimes He already has… sometimes He does not.  Regardless of when God answers, we need to make sure we are listening.

God’s word clearly says He answers prayers.

For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds;
and to him who knocks, the door will he opened.
Matthew 7:7

Remember God is a God of hearts.  He cares about character more than our comfort.  Whenever I ask God if He is listening to me, I always feel Him say:

“Are you listening to me?”

My earlier story was an extreme example. We don’t often walk around, boldly proclaiming that we aren’t going to listen to God.  No, we use more subtle methods.

  • God commands us to love, yet, we add conditions to our love and when those conditions aren’t met, well, (we think) that’s not our fault.
  • God commands us to forgive, yet, we hold “justified” grudges.
  • God says to be honest, yet, we claim white lies are merciful.

In Luke 5:4-6, Jesus told Peter to let down his nets for a catch, and although Peter and his partners had worked all night and caught nothing, Peter listened to the Lord and his nets were filled.

In Luke 18: 21-23, Jesus told the rich young ruler to sell everything and follow him. “When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.” He listened to the Lord, as well.

One was blessed and the other was sad. What’s the difference between these two scenarios? Both men listened to Jesus but differently. Peter listened to Jesus, decided to obey and was blessed. The rich young ruler listened to Jesus, decided to disobey, and was sad.  What you do with what you hear is just as important as listening.

The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears, and I have not been rebellious;
I have not drawn back.
Isaiah 50:5

God’s listening.  Are you?

* * * * *

Lord, thank You that You speak to us through Your word and through Your spirit…during the quiet of the night and the roar of the storm. You are faithful. Give us listening ears and obeying hearts and help us to see You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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