Tag Archives: seek

THINGS THAT DAVID SAID – 9

Devotion, ,

ONLY ONE THING!

Psalms 27:4 NIV
[4] “One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.”

What a good thing to be single-minded, especially about God!

Some people are single-minded about worldly pursuits… like money, or sexual experiences, or pleasure, or even happiness! They go hard after these things, only to find that “enough” is always just beyond their reach.

To be single-minded in one’s pursuit of God is a two-way street. He hides Himself from those whose desire is half-hearted, insincere, or for selfish gain. He sometimes works incognito to achieve His purposes without interference, keeping from us the awareness of His presence to build our faith.

Isaiah 45:15 NIV
[15] “Truly you are a God who has been hiding himself, the God and Savior of Israel.”

God hid Himself from His people for many years, about 400 years to be exact. He went silent on them…never did anything or said a word, so it seemed, between Malachi and Matthew. He left them to their own devices but…He was working behind the scenes all the time.

God chooses when and to whom He reveals Himself, regardless of where or how hard we seek to find Him.

Jeremiah 29:13-14 NIV
[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.”

Thus…God’s promise to His people after He had exiled them from their homeland for seventy years, for their stubborn disobedience and idolatry.

The Apostle Paul was aware of this fact when he wrote,

Galatians 4:4 NLT
[4] “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.”

God was quietly preparing His people and the world for the greatest event in history, when He came in person to rescue us.

With a flourish, the angel announced to Joseph, Mary’s intended, before Jesus was born, reminding him of the promise God made to His people centuaries before…

Matthew 1:23 NLT
[23] “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”

No, God is never distant from His creation or separated from His purposes. How can He be when He is everywhere? He Himself informed Jeremiah…

Jeremiah 23:23-24 NLT
[23] “Am I a God who is only close at hand?” says the Lord. “No, I am far away at the same time. [24] Can anyone hide from me in a secret place? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?” says the Lord.”

God chooses to whom He will reveal Himself either by tangible signs as He did to Paul on the road to Damascus, or by the quiet, inner assurance that He is always near.

So, what’s the secret of knowing God’s presence? What can we do to induce God to reveal Himself to us, especially in times of distress when He seems far away? How can we not only be aware of but also live in His presence, taking shelter in Him from the storms of life, and contemplating His glory against the backdrop of a wicked world? How can we keep our balance when everything around us is shaking?

Strangely enough, God gives us the initiative to seek Him, not the other way around.

James 4:7-8 NLT
[7] “So, humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.”

The Word gives us the simple steps that allow us to seek and find the Lord, and to enjoy the wonder of His person and presence continually. We have no need to beg Him to reveal Himself to us. He has done that in abundant measure through Jesus, our Immanuel.

First, He calls us to turn away from sin, from our stubborn independence that leads us away from Him, and to approach Him boldly through the blood of His Son.

Hebrews 10:19-20, 22 NLT
[19] “And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. [20] By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.
[22] Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.”

There is no other way to access God’s presence but through Jesus.

Second, we must draw near to Him by faith. We must both trust and act on His promise.

Hebrews 11:6 NLT
[6] “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”

“Come close to God, and God will come close to you.”

Third, as citizens of heaven, by faith we live in the realm of Jesus’ place and rule in His kingdom even as we conduct our daily lives on this fallen planet and in its corrupted systems.

Colossians 3:1-3 NLT
[1] “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. [2] Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. [3] For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Do you get it, dear child of God? Unlike David, who expressed a longing to live in the sanctuary where God was present, we are the dwelling place, the holy temple of God, right now.

1 Corinthians 6:19 NLT
[19] “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God?…”

No need to desire, long for, or seek God’s presence. He is already in us by His Spirit. Once again, all we need is to change our perspective…to grow our awareness by faith, that we are in God and that He is in us and to gaze, contually, at Jesus. Slowly, as we gaze, we are being transformed into His likeness!

2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV
[18] “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

God’s presence isn’t hit and miss according to our experiences and emotions. He us with us and in us forever, right now.

ASK AND KEEP ON ASKING – JESUS

Apologetics, ,

Matthew 7:7, 9-11 NLT
[7] “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you….
[9] “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? [10] Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! [11] So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”

This prescription Jesus gave His disciples about prayer seems to imply that God responds to nagging. God will give us what we want if we nag Him long enough! Is that really what He meant?

As always, the context will reveal the true meaning.

In Matthew 7:9-10, Jesus compares the attitude of human fathers with the attitude of the heavenly Father. Although human fathers are basically sinful, they don’t substitute their children’s needs with harmful or worthless things like stones and snakes.

“How much more, then…” The Father’s love and goodness are far greater than those of human fathers. He will give better gifts to His children than even the basic needs of bread and fish.

So, Jesus urges, never stop asking, seeking, and knocking because we are approaching a loving and caring heavenly Father who gives what we need and much more. We can be assured that He is greater, wiser, more loving, and far more able than any earthly parent to supply the needs of His children.

ASK, SEEK, KNOCK

Christian Life, ,

ASK, SEEK, KNOCK

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7, 8.

Many of us have been taught that Jesus was talking about being persistent in prayer here. Ask and keep on asking, as though God were deaf or needed persuading. We know that is not true because God is more ready to give than we are to receive. Sometimes the problem is that we ask for the wrong things, for the wrong reasons or with the wrong attitude.

But Jesus’ instruction here – His yoke – is not so much about persistence, although it is important that we do not give up, as it is about approaching God with the right attitude. First of all, asking, seeking and knocking are all part of prayer. Sometimes we need to ask, other times to seek or to knock depending on what we desire from God.

We often approach God with a request in the same way as we approach some people, depending who they are or what our relationship to them is. For example, we would ask our boss for a raise in salary differently from the way we would ask our father for a new bicycle. We would give reasons and explanations to our boss and even ask him in a roundabout way. We would not need to speak to our father like that. We would simply tell him what we want.

Jesus said that we are to treat God as our heavenly Father. He does not need long explanations, big words or round about ways of asking. If it for our good and for His glory, He will willingly give what we ask, even if He does not give it to us immediately. At the right time He will grant our request if we trust Him and patiently wait for His time.

God is a far better Father than any earthly father. Earthly fathers give their children what they ask for – even if they are evil compared with God our Father. Surely then, God, who is a perfect Father will give us what He knows is good for us!

Jesus taught us to be direct with God. We don’t need to butter Him up or beg Him for what He is more than willing to give. Just ask in simple words; just seek with an honest heart; just knock on the door you would like to go through. Then trust Him to do the best for you and give the best to you because He is your heavenly Father, full of love and compassion for His children.

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

BE REAL WITH GOD

Christian Life, ,

BE REAL WITH GOD

Ask and it will be given you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him as stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him? (Matt. 7: 7-11)

This could well be a part of Jesus’s teaching on prayer but for one thing – the context. If we ignore the following parable, we might think that He advocating persistence in prayer, which is a reality about prayer in other contexts, but not in this one.

So what is He talking about?

His story seems to indicate that God values a transparent two-way communication in our dealings with Him. When a child asks straight out for what he wants, a father will not be devious and give him what he has not requested. If earthly, fallible human fathers treat their children well, how much more will a perfect heavenly Father give the best to His children?

The issue is: If God is open and honest with us, how open and honest are we with Him? We fool ourselves if we think that we can fool Him by our words while at the same time try to conceal what’s in our hearts. Be real with God. Jesus taught Bartimaeus, the blind man, this lesson when He asked him,

What do you want me to do for you? (Mark 10: 51)

Jesus was not stupid. He knew what Bartimaeus’ problem was, but He wanted him to verbalise it. Why? Because it was important for the blind man to admit his need. Jesus drew him out to ask for what he wanted. He wanted him to play open cards with Him so that He could respond to him according to his heart need.

This lesson is not only applicable to our interaction with the Father. It is equally important that we be transparent with people as well. This does not give us a licence, however, to be brutal in our honesty. There is a way to be open with people that invites trust, not offence. Jesus put it this way:

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. (Matt. 7: 12)

Let’s take this a little further. What about the way Jesus spoke to and about the Pharisees? Was He not being brutal in His transparency? Was He contradicting His own principles? Did He expose the wicked hearts of the Pharisees in the spirit of Torah?

In order to uncover His purpose, we must check His motive. What was His intention when He spoke to them as harshly as He did? There may be several reasons but let’s look at a few.

  1. They were the spiritual leaders of the people. They were the educated ones who were responsible for interpreting, modelling and teaching the Torah. Had Jesus remained silent, He would have given them permission to continue being hypocrites, teaching one thing but contradicting what they taught by their behaviour. By publicly exposing their hearts, He warned them about what they were doing and, at the same time, the people who admired them for the wrong reasons. They did not follow the teaching of Torah which they expected their followers to do.
  • The Pharisees thought they were the watchdogs and critics of the people. They did what Jesus warned His disciples not to do. They judged others by their own standards and heaped guilt and condemnation on those who failed. That was not to be their role. They were to lead by example, not alienate by condemnation. Jesus alerted the people and warned the Pharisees that they were themselves under condemnation for what they were doing. This was their opportunity to repent.
  • Jesus offended their minds to expose their hearts. Their reactions to Him revealed what was in their hearts. They were not interested in walking in the way of Yahweh. They enjoyed the praise they received from people while living their wicked lives in secret. Jesus told them the truth so that they would have an opportunity to repent, and so that they would have no excuse for what they did when they came into judgment.

John the Baptist was equally brutal in the way he spoke to the religious leaders. He called them “a brood of vipers” – not a very flattering title or a way to “win friends and influence people”! Luke concluded his report with these words:

And with many other words, John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them. (Luke 3: 18)

Good news, John? In this case, the context makes it clear that John’s harsh words were part of the good news he was telling them. If his hearers knew what was in their own hearts, perhaps they would realise that what John taught about Messiah was true – that He had come to take away the sin of the world and to give them the Holy Spirit who would separate out the wheat from the chaff in their lives.

The most loving way to treat people is, in the end, exposing them to the truth because they will be held accountable for their lives and behaviour by the truth.

Scripture is taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE – DON’T PLAY GAMES WITH GOD

Bible Study, ,

DON’T PLAY GAMES WITH GOD

“Here’s what I am saying, Ask and you’ll get; seek and you’ll find; knock and the door will open. Don’t bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This is not a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we’re in.” Luke 11:9-10.

If this story is about the reason why we pray, it is also about our attitude in prayer – honesty. Because God is spirit who lives in the realm of the unseen, it is very easy to be artificial in prayer. The temptation is to think that, because I can’t see Him, therefore He can’t see me. If He can’t see me, then He can’t know what is in my heart and He is confined to hearing my words in order to know me and what I need.

How foolish is that! God is omniscient. He knows what I am thinking and why I am thinking it. True fellowship with God can only happen on the basis of transparency in my heart. God hears my heart more than my words. How much better to express what is in my heart, even if it not what I think God wants to hear.

How does this fit in with asking for what I think I need? As much as God has issued an invitation to me to come to Him honestly with my needs, knowing full well that I don’t always know what is good for me and, therefore my requests are always subject to His greater wisdom, He has given me the gift of His Spirit who makes all the difference to the outcome of my praying. It is far more important for me to pray with open-hearted honesty that to get my requests or even my words right. The Apostle Paul assures me that, because I do not know what to pray, the Holy Spirit accurately interprets my prayers to the Father.

So what is Jesus saying? Don’t play games with God when you pray. Be honest. Be direct. State your request and leave the answer to God. He is a Father. He knows what you need and He will answer according to His wisdom. His reason for inviting you to come to Him with your needs is not because He does not know but because He desires fellowship with you.

The awareness of need in your life is a reminder that you are as dependent on Him as a baby is on its mother. If you get that right, you will be making a huge stride towards the intimacy with the Father that He longs for you to initiate.