seek

Request

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Esther 5:2-3
“So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter. And the king said to her, “What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you—up to half the kingdom!”

Esther was given access to the king. She was allowed to make a single request that seemed to be limitless. With all the wealth of the Persian kingdom at her disposal, her request was for the salvation of her people. Imagine if you had access to a wealthy and powerful king, who allowed you to ask for anything up to half of all he possessed. What would your request be? Now stop imagining. If you have received Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, the Bible promises you have access to the King of Kings. You can make constant requests before God. You have continual access to God and are exhorted to come regularly to His throne.

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Whatever our needs are, we are invited to come to the throne of grace and receive. The Apostle James declared, one reason we find ourselves in want, is because we simply fail to come to the throne and ask. Jesus explained, we should ask consistently and persistently, until our requests are answered. If your need is physical, spiritual, emotional, if it has to do with provision, strength, guidance, comfort or anything else, the answer will be found at the Throne of Grace.

When Esther approached the throne, her request was for something bigger than any personal problem she was facing. Her request was for the salvation of her people. While it is necessary to spend time at the Throne of Grace praying for our personal needs, it is also important that we spend time praying on behalf of those who have not yet received Christ. Make a list of people that you know personally; people from your family, work, neighborhood, and places of recreation. Pray daily for their salvation. Pray for their hearts to soften to Christ, and pray for opportunities to share Christ with them, and invite them to church.

Pastor Jim

 

Hide And Seek 

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1 Corinthians 2:9
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

The things God has planned for each of us are better than anything we could ever imagine. Rather than leaving us to our imagination, Paul declares these things are revealed to us by the Spirit of God. It is the desire of God that we know Him, and we understand the things He has planned for each of us.

When my oldest son was a toddler, I introduced him to one of my favorite childhood games, hide and seek. While he loved to play, he did not quite grasp the concept. I would hide in an obvious spot, where he could easily find me. When he did, I would act surprised, then he would turn excitedly and say, “I am going to hide under my bed and you try to find me.” For him the exciting thing about the game was not hiding, but rather being found. The same is true of God, He wants us to know who He is, and to understand the things He has planned for our lives. Paul declares that the hidden mysteries of God are revealed to us by the Spirit. In other words, we can know God because the Spirit of God makes Him known. “For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:11

At times we hide things from others, not because we do not want them to know, but because we do not know how to express them. This is especially true in relationships. Experts say, one of the most common factors that lead to marriage problems is failed communication. Thankfully, God is not limited in His ability to communicate to us. Paul explains that the Spirit reveals God through both the person of Christ, and His written Word.

One of the terms used in Scripture for Jesus is, “The Word”. This term is used because Jesus is the perfect expression of God. If we want to know what God is like, and what He desires from us, we must look carefully at Christ. Every encounter He had with others reveals something about the way God feels about us, and the things He desires out of us. The more familiar we become with Jesus, the better we will understand who God is, and what He desires from us. In addition to the person of Christ, God has also given us His written Word. Page, after page, reveals the unknowable. The hidden things of God are made known in His Word. Had God left creation alone to reveal His nature, we would have a skewed and limited understanding of Him. We would understand His power, but be very limited in knowing about His love. Since it is the desire of God for us to know Him, He reveals Himself in the Word. It is as if God said, “I am going to hide in My Word and you try to find me.”

Will you take Him up on the challenge? Or will the mysteries of God remain a hidden enigma to you, as you wander about, attempting to discover God with imagination and personal experience.

Pastor Jim

 

Costs 

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Nehemiah 11:2
“And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem.”

Years before these events, Zerubbabel led a host of people from captivity, to begin rebuilding the temple. His ministry was followed up by Ezra, who led the people to recommit themselves to the Lord. Then Nehemiah came with the intent of rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem, for the security and safety of the people, and the work of God. Now that the temple stood and the walls were erected, people were needed to maintain the work of the Lord. This chapter gives us a list of those who gave themselves to the work, at great personal cost. For many choosing to be involved in the service of God meant giving up other ambitions, and even relocating into the city.

Ministry always costs. If we desire to be involved in furthering the work of Christ, it will mean we must invest time, energy, talents, and resources. When these investments are made into the kingdom of God, it means they are no longer available for other things.

The question we must answer is, “Are we willing to make personal sacrifices to further the work of God?” While I am sure that many of us revere those who willingly give themselves to the work of God, I wonder how we have let that affect us personally. We may love to hear the stories of missionaries who sacrifice so much for the cause of Christ, but have we allowed that to stir us, to make our own sacrifices?

Paul explained that we are living sacrifices and that it is reasonable for us to offer ourselves to the work of the Lord (Romans12:1). In what way will you give yourself to the furtherance of the kingdom this week?

Pastor Jim

 

A Terrible Thing To Waste 

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Nehemiah 5:7
“After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said…”

Nehemiah serves as an example of godly leadership. He mobilized the people to finish a seemingly impossible task, and did it in record time. He was a man of the Word, as well as a man of prayer, but those things did not mean he wasn’t also a man of careful thought. This is perhaps one of the most neglected weapons in the arsenal of the Christian. It is wise for us not to forget, Jesus told us to love Him with all our minds.

Over the years I have encountered many Christians who make big, life altering decisions based entirely upon their emotions. When asked for justification for these choices, they will often claim it is “the Lord”; almost as if that was a trump card overriding all other considerations. While I am not in any way suggesting the Lord does not speak to His people, I am saying not everything God receives blame for, is actually His fault. I think many bad decisions could be avoided if we were to slow down and use our minds. Consider what His Word already declares about the subject.

If you are in the midst of the decision making process, allow me to make a few suggestions. First, take time to pray. Ask God to speak clearly to you and to direct you. Ask Him to make His plan apparent, so you might follow it. Second, keep in mind, God answers prayer through the counsel of His Word. Prayer was not designed to be exercised apart from the Word of God, but in line with it. The proper model would be to pray and search out the Scripture for direction.

It is high time we began to use our minds to love the Lord.

Pastor Jim

 

Desperation 

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Ezra 8:23
“So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer.”

Ezra and his company were traveling hundreds of miles without a military escort and carrying the equivalent of hundreds of thousands of dollars in gold, silver and bronze. Had word got out of their precious cargo, they would no doubt be the target of thieves, and their lives would be at risk. Caravans have been attacked and lives taken for far less than they were carrying. In their desperation, Ezra made a calculated decision not to ask the king for protection, but to gather the people, proclaim a fast and seek the Lord. In the end, they not only made it safely to their destination, but they were able to see God accomplish the miraculous. This story reminds me of a statement made by Gideon when he was hiding in a cave from the Midianotes. He said,

“…where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about?” Judges 6:13

We hear this sentiment repeated over and over today. Perhaps we have even thought it ourselves. We read the Bible and see God doing things for people, and we look at our own lives and wonder where the hand of the Lord is in our circumstances. Allow me to suggest that part of the reason we do not see God intervening, is that we do not ever want to find ourselves in a position where we are desperate for Him. We do everything we can to not have to depend on God. If we were making the journey from Babylon to Jerusalem, carrying a boat load of cash, wouldn’t we do everything in our power to ensure our own safety, and the safety of our cargo? Or would we gather the people, proclaim a fast and seek the Lord? I wonder if a fraction of the time we spend ensuring that we are not dependent on God was spent seeking after God, what miraculous stories we might have of His intervention in our lives?

We are all facing something that occupies a great deal of our thought life, and that we struggle not to worry over. Whatever this current issue is, why not follow the example of Ezra and dedicate it to God. Determine that you are going to seek Jesus to intervene, no matter how long it takes. Perhaps it is time to make ourselves more dependent upon Him so that we can see His hand intervene in our story.

Pastor Jim

 

Oh, Gravity! 

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2 Chronicles 24:20
“Thus says God: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, He also has forsaken you. ’”

Isaac Newton is credited with discovering certain laws governing the natural world. These laws cannot be broken. The law of gravity simply states, what goes up must come down. We prove that to be true each time we toss something into the air and watch as it lands back on the ground. Just as there are natural laws determining the course of nature, so there are spiritual laws that will determine the course of our lives. One of those laws is expressed here.

“Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper?”

To prosper means succeed, flourish or get ahead. Zechariah essentially declares, it is impossible to ignore or trample over the commands of God, and succeed in life. You might be able to gain much in life apart from God, but in the end, the only thing which will truly matter is what has been laid up for you in heaven. Jesus told a story of a man who acquired great wealth in this life, only to find torment in the next. All of his luxury was of no benefit to him when he stepped into eternity.

Some, who have trusted Christ for salvation and been freed from eternal punishment, still live in disobedience. They transgress many of the commands of God, and wonder why their lives seem to be filled with so much turmoil and confusion. Keep in mind, if we break the laws of God, there are always consequences. If you choose to ignore Him and do things your own way, you cannot prosper. If you choose to look into the pages of His Word and live obediently, you cannot fail.

Pastor Jim

 

Confused 

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2 Chronicles 20:12
“O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”

I have often found myself in circumstances similar to that of Jehoshaphat. I am not saying the Moabites have ever tried to attack my house, but I often feel as though I do not know what to do, and my only recourse is to keep my eyes on the Lord. While it is obvious Jehoshaphat did not know how to defeat the swelling armies of his enemies, he was not without direction while he awaited the Lord’s instruction. We see three key ingredients that should be part of our lives when we do not know what to do.

First, we read, that while confused, Jehoshaphat gathered the congregation of Judah, and they began to worship. Instead of scheming how they might change their circumstances, they got their eyes on the Lord. Seeing life in the light of who God is, will always bring clarity to an otherwise cloudy situation. Worship was so important, they used it to lead the armies.

Second, we read, “Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel.” It is clear, when confused, Jehoshaphat knew enough to allow himself to be led by the Spirit. Paul contrasted walking after the flesh with walking after the Spirit (Romans 8:1-14). Simply put, to walk after the flesh is to let our emotions and circumstances guide us along the way, while walking after the Spirit, is to allow the Spirit to use the Word of God to light a path for our feet. The first step to walking when we don’t know what to do, is to let the Sprit direct us through the Word.

Finally, we read, Jehoshaphat bowed before the Lord. He was willing to admit, not only did he not know what to do, but God’s ways were better than his. Too often, the real issue behind our confusion is we are not willing to do what God wants. We are in a state of confusion because we are wrestling against God. The key to knowing the will of God, is being willing to do what God wants.

At the end of the day, after trusting in the ways of God, Jehoshaphat and all Judah were delivered from the threat of the Moabites. We will find, when we trust in the ways of God, He will lead us out of traged, and into triumph.

Pastor Jim

 

Seeking First 

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Psalm 143:1
“Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications!”


In Matthew 6:33 Jesus told us, in the difficulties of life, we should seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

In Verse 1 of this Psalm, David cries out to the Lord and we see a very clear example of what seeking the Lord actually looks like. “In Your faithfulness answer me, and in Your righteousness.” First, notice the basis of coming to the Lord was not his righteousness, but God’s faithfulness. One thing that keeps us from seeking the Lord, is our feelings of unworthiness. Those feelings are warranted; on our own we are not worthy. The word ‘righteous’ speaks of our best accomplishments, but even those are not enough to provide access to God. Our access is always based upon the work of God, not our own works. The cross gives us access to God on our best day, and on our worst.

In Verse 5 David states, “I meditate on all Your works; I muse on the work of Your hands.” Second, seeking the Lord involves getting my attention off the circumstances I am facing, and onto the Lord. Both words, ‘meditate’ and ‘muse’, speak of filling the mind with thoughts of God. David could do this in two ways. First, he could think back to the stories that filled the pages of his Bible. Stories of God parting seas, providing manna from heaven, causing rain in the wilderness, or knocking down the walls of Jericho. Second, he could think back upon his own life, to the times when he faced obstacles greater than himself, and God had been faithful to help. Like a movie reel, his mind could play back for him the bear, the lion, the giant, and countless other untold stories of the faithfulness of God. Seeking the Lord involves looking back at His faithfulness in order to find assurance that He will deliver in the present.

Verse 6, “I spread out my hands to You; my soul longs for You like a thirsty land.” Next, we see David with his hands lifted high, calling out to the Lord. Notice, there is a sense of desperation as he realizes that his hope resides in the Lord alone. He describes himself as one longing for the Lord, like a thirsty land longs for rainfall. David may be describing his posture in private worship, but this is something that should affect our corporate worship as well. Too often, we allow ourselves to be affected by the style of music, or concerned with what the people around us might be thinking, instead of simply realizing that we need God, and we need to go after Him with all our hearts. It is hard for me to imagine David, under these circumstances, looking around the room, continually checking his watch, or thumbing through the bulletin for the fourteenth time.

“Answer me speedily, O Lord; my spirit fails!” (Verse 7) Finally, as David seeks the Lord, he brings his personal needs before the throne of grace. In the final verses of the Psalm, he lists a series of personal requests. Obviously, he is pleading for deliverance from these trying times, but his petitions go much deeper. He cries out for a better understanding of the nature of God, the will of God, and the ways of God. Our difficulties are often designed by God to help us see that His ways are different from our ways. Often, as we seek the Lord, the first thing we begin to realize is, there are some changes that need to take place in our lives. Our priorities might be out-of-order, or we may be neglecting to make the necessary spiritual investments in our daily lives. Seeking the Lord will always result in taking inventory of our lives, in light of the ways of God. Instead of crawling our way through the present condition of our lives, let’s follow the example of King David and seek first the kingdom of God.

Pastor Jim

 

It’s That Simple 

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2 Chronicles 15:2
“And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: ‘Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.’”

Sometimes we come across passages of Scripture that are difficult to interpret. The imagery is something we do not quite understand, or we feel as though not enough information is given to really explain what the text means. THIS IS NOT one of those times. This passage could not be more clear. There is no doubt left in the mind of the reader as to what we are being told. Two contrasting truths are presented.

First, if you seek God you will find Him. When my children were little we would often play hide and seek. For them, the pleasure of the game was not in hiding, but in being found. On one occasion, my son declared, “Dad I am going to hide under my bed, you try to find me.” When I think of that, I think of the Lord. He is hidden in the open. When we will take the time to look into His Word, we will find Him to be there, and He will reveal Himself to us.

Second, if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. If you choose to turn away from God and pursue your own desires, He will let you. Just as the father did not arrest and imprison the prodigal, but allowed him to wander, so too, will God let you go, if you choose to walk away. But remember, if you walk away from Him, when you turn for His aid, He may not be there. At one point in Israel’s history, after turning from God and worshipping idols, they cried out to God. His response was for them to cry out to their idols. It is not as though God is saying He will not forgive the penitent heart, but we may very well have to suffer the consequences of wandering from the Lord.

Let’s be sure to respond appropriately to the Word today. Take some time right now to seek the Lord while He may be found, and call upon Him while He is near.

Pastor Jim

 

Recipe For Success 

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Psalm 141:1 “Lord, I cry out to You; make haste to me! Give ear to my voice when I cry out to You.”

Psalm 141:2 “Let my prayer be set before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.”

Psalm 141:8 “But my eyes are upon You, O God the Lord; in You I take refuge; do not leave my soul destitute.”

Without giving the details of the particular trial he is facing, David writes a recipe for success when overcome with opposition. The recipe includes three key ingredients.

First, he speaks of crying out to the Lord. Obviously, David is referring to prayer, but by using the term ‘cry’, he is drawing a picture of those times when we are driven to intense prayer. It is the cry of desperation, birthed from a realization that our hope rests in God alone.

Second, he reminds us of the way God feels about prayer. To Him it is like sweet incense filling the heavenlies. God delights in the prayers of His people, because of the benefits prayer brings to the crying heart. James reminds us that we often lack, only because we have not asked (James 4:2 b). Jesus told us that we should ask with persistence. Adding, asking diligently, seeking and knocking until the Lord provides the remedy (Luke 11:8).

Finally, the third ingredient in his recipe for success, is having our eyes looking upward to the Lord. Since the eyes are the primary way information gets into our minds, where we look will have a heavy impact upon what we pursue. When our eyes are fixed upon the Lord, we will find that our thoughts follow. Soon the fear, anxiety and hopelessness, is replaced with a confident assurance that God is on His throne, and will run to the aid of His children. Hebrews 12:2 advises us to be, “. . . looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, . . . .”

The recipe David wrote is one that has been used by God’s people down through the ages. Countless men and women have faced difficulties that could have been their end, only to find, after seeking the Lord, they were delivered.

2 Chronicles 20 tells the story of one such occasion. The people of God were under attack from the combined forces of Syria, Ammon, and other unnamed enemies. They were greatly outnumbered, and defeat was certain; until King Jehoshaphat resorted to David’s recipe for success. Instead of gathering the generals in the board room to discuss strategy, he called the people together to seek the Lord. As a nation, they began to fast, pray, and call upon the Lord. People congregated from all over the nation to seek God. We read that Jehoshaphat cried out to the Lord, “O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.” (2 Chronicles 20:12) What a statement and what a statesman! Rather than standing before the people, pretending his party had developed a remedy for the national crisis, he confidently pronounced, that while he was without a solution, they would fix their eyes upon the Lord; knowing that He alone could deliver them. God responds to his cry with one of the sweetest promises found in Scripture, 2 Chronicles 20:17, “You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.”

Once the people turned their eyes to the Lord and began to cry out to Him, their victory was certain. It was only a matter of time; the enemies turned on one another, and Judah was saved. What battle are you facing today? The secret of your success will be found when you remember the great value of prayer. Fix your gaze upon Jesus, and cry out to Him. You may not know what else to do, but keep your eyes upon the Lord, for He will deliver you.

Pastor Jim