How are Your Eyes?

"The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.

"But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."

                        Matthew 6:22-24 NASB

It is a fact that you cannot focus on two different things at once. If your eyes are focused on one object the rest of the things in a room are not as sharp, and if far enough apart, not even in view. 

Jesus uses this to make a point. Just as our eyes in the natural cannot focus on two separate things at the same time, likewise, our focus spiritually cannot be on two objects simultaneously either. That is why He states, "You cannot serve two masters."

God demands our full allegiance, therefore we must look to Him with singleness of purpose. In Hebrews 12:1-2 the Christian life is portrayed as a runner who eliminates everything that hinders him so that he has the endurance to finish the race. Not only do we need to cast of sin and every thing that might slow us down, but our eyes must be fixed firmly upon Jesus.

The NASB 2020 puts it like this,

Looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

And the Amplified version states,

Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus...

The idea is to have a single eye to the glory of God. Our eyes, Spiritually speaking, must be turned away from every distracting thing, and placed on Christ alone. Just like the old hymn reads, 

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Look full in his wonderful face.

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,

In the light of his glory and grace."

Our hearts go out to what we love; what we are devoted to. We are told to set our minds (KJV uses the term affections) on things above.

If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

This in not merely a mental exercise where we think about heavenly things all day, but a going after these things, drawn by a passion for them, born out of an ultimate passion for Jesus Himself. Where once we were consumed by earthly pursuits, now as those who have "died" to living for self and sin, and have been raised up by the quickening of the Holy Spirit, we now have new life with new passions and pursuits, all flowing out of a devotion to Jesus Christ.

The apostle Paul seemed to be a fairly busy man, missionary trips, planting churches, writing scriptures, among other things. The truth is all of this flowed out of one thing, the pursuit of the upward call of God in Jesus Christ.

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

                       Philippians 3:13-14 ESV

This is how "seeking first the kingdom of God" should look. Paul was not "beating the air" with a lot of activities, but was disciplined, focused, driven on by a love for Jesus, and a desire to someday stand before Him (1 Cor 9:26). In his pursuit, missionary trips were taken, churches were planted, scriptures were written, along with hardship and suffering, but even this he counted as joy in serving Christ. Paul's focus was on Christ. He didn't dwell in past victories or failures, but always pushed forward. How many of us are defeated by failure? And even more subtle than that, the temptation to relish in the mountain top experiences can sidetrack our pursuit of God as well. We can easily fall into a comfortable complacency if we are not constantly looking forward to the prize. We must move on, the race isn't over yet.

So how are your eyes? How is your focus? The image of Jesus should be sharp and clear, everything else should be fading into the background. If this is not the case for you, it's time to repent, and fix your eyes upon Jesus once again. There is a race to finish, and we need to stay focused.

To Dwell in the Presence of God.

LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill?

He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. 

He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor.

In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

                                   Psalm 15:1-5 KJV 

Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who shall stand  in his holy place?

He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.

                                   Psalm 24:3-6 KJV 

Obedience in the presence of almighty God go hand in hand. This can be seen in the example of Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, who offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, as priests. Fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them. God has an eternal standard for all who would approach Him. God will be sanctified or shown as Holy in all who would draw near to Him. He must be glorified before men (see Leviticus 10:1-3).

Again, when Moses struck the rock in anger, he, along with his brother Aaron, were denied entry into the land of promise. Why? Because they did not treat the LORD as holy in front of the congregation of Israel. God was sanctified in the midst of Israel now, through Judgement. That was a steep price to pay for a moment of anger (see Numbers 20:1-13).

This is not an Old Testament thing, where God is an angry God, but now under the New Testament he is living and forgiving. Just ask Ananias and Sapphira, who were struck dead when confronted by Peter for their hypocrisy. This had a cleansing,  purifying effect upon the early Church, as "great fear came upon the Church" (Acts 5:1-11).

Jesus tells us that it is the pure in heart who will see God (Matt 5:8). We fool ourselves if we think that we can enjoy intimate fellowship with the Holy God, while indulging our sinful desires.

Yet many professing believers, who were once passionately pursuing Jesus, have grown cold. They are unaware that the presence of God is absent from their lives. It's like the proverbial frog in the kettle of water. The water heated up slowly, the frog unaware, until it was boiling. A backsliding Christian grows colder and colder, until like Sampson, one day wakes up to the realization that God has left them ( see Judges 16:1-20).

There is a remedy however. When one has come to the realization of their backslidden condition, the only thing one can, and must do is to repent and return to God. 

Evan Roberts, the man mightily used by God during the Welsh revival of 1904-05, consistently emphasized these four points. 

1. Confess all known sin.

     Your past sins that remain           unconfessed must be dealt with.       Confess them to God, and forsake them. Confess them to those you have wronged, and do what is in your power to make it right.

2. Prompt obedience to the leading of the Spirit.

     Obedience must be prompt. To hold back our obedience to the promoting of the Holy Spirit is to grieve the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30), and to quench the Spirit (1 Thess 5:19). In Acts 5:32 we read that the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey Him.

3. Get rid of all doubtful habits.

     Are there things in your life that you are uncertain of? Are you doing things that you are not sure if they are right or wrong? Remove them from your life. There are actions that are not specifically addressed in scripture. Our conscience then becomes our guide. Romans 14 explains this. We must not allow our liberty to become an occasion to cause a brother to stumble (Romans 14:13-15). We also must be convinced in our own mind, and abide by our conviction, because to act contrary to this is to sin, because our actions do not flow out of faith (Romans 14:20-24).

4. Confess Christ openly.

     If we desire the presence of Christ in our lives we must openly confess Him before men. If we are ashamed of Him in this sinful world; if we deny Him, He will deny us before the angels of God. The Holy Spirit comes to empower us to be witnesses. As above, we quench the Spirit when we do not obey Him. How can one expect the presence of God while being ashamed of Him?

During this time period Wales was transformed. A sleeping Church was wakened, and while there is no exact count, they agree that well  over 100,000 souls were saved in this move of God. Bars were shut down, Judges had no cases to try in court. The mules used in the coal mines had to be retrained. They were used to being cursed at. They didn't know what to do now that the miners' language had been cleaned up. This is what happens when God draws near, and it begins with one individual who seeks after Him.

As we read above in Psalm 24:4-6, it is the one who has clean hands and a pure heart who receives the blessing from the LORD. This is the generation, or people who seek after Him. In a allusion to the story of Jacob, who wrestled with the LORD until the break of day, we also must tenaciously go after God with the same attitude, "I will not let you go until you bless me!"

The term "selah" at the end of this verse literally means "stop and think about that "

The story of Jacob does not start well. He deceives his Father and steals the birthright and blessing from his brother Esau. Forced to flee, he ends up working for his uncle Laban, who takes advantage of him, just like Jacob once took advantage of others.

God was with Jacob however, and when Jacob finally leaves Laban to return to back to Isaac, his father, he was a different man. Fearing Esau, he prays for God to deliver him. This is the point where he wrestles with a man, who turns out to be the LORD, and prevails (see Genesis 32:1-30).

Are we like that? Is our hunger for the presence of the LORD such that we can also say, "I will not let you go until you bless me." And is it temporal blessing that we seek, no matter how important that may be, or is it God Himself who we desperately desire?

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Focus

     If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Col 3:1-3 ESV)

     I have run across a saying that goes something like this. "He is so heavenly minded, that he is of no earthly good." Immediately we think of an individual with his or her head in the clouds, dreamily going through life with heavenly thoughts, but unable to function much in the everyday affairs of life. But is this saying biblical? 

     The passage quoted above mentions several important aspects of the Christian life. First, the Christian has died. When we come to Christ in repentance and faith, we renounce ourselves, our sin and selfishness, and die to it. Paul, in Romans 6:1-13, paints a picture of the believer's uniting with Christ's death through baptism, and consequently uniting with Him in His resurrection, resulting in newness of life. We have forsaken our old life, to live a new one. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin (Romans 6:6-7 ESV).

     Paul writes that he has been crucified with Christ (Gal 2:20). As a result, it is no longer he who lives, but by faith, Christ lives in him. Jesus tells us that one must renounce all to become His disciple (Luke 14:33), he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Him. We must lose our lives for Christ's sake (Matt 16:24-26). 

     To tell the truth, I often find myself caught up with earthly affairs. I worry about making ends meet. I can get caught up with my job, or hobbies. I'm sure many of us can relate to this. Life can be hard at times, and it is so easy to let our focus settle there. But what does Jesus say? He tells us to make His kingdom our priority! He knows our needs, and tells us not to worry, to be consumed by them. These are the things we need, clothing, food, the essentials of life. These are also the things the world is consumed with (Matt 6:25-33). He encourages us to pursue His interests, not ours, and what we need, He will provide.

     Now I am not saying we must all quit our jobs and go sit on a rooftop somewhere waiting for God to do something. We all have gifts and callings that God has given us, and we must walk in them. It might mean a radical change of direction in our lives. At the very least our focus must change. We are not our own, we have been purchased by Jesus Christ, to live for His glory (1 Cor 6:19-20). How will that fact affect my job choices, my interests, my pursuits? Can I glorify God in these areas of my life, or must I make a change? One who has died in this sense of the word has given up himself.

     We have also been made alive in Christ Jesus. Not only have we died, but now, as Jesus has been raised from the dead, so we also have been raised up to newness of life (Romans 6:4).

     Newness of life entails everything of one's life. We have renounced all for the sake of Christ, so now we use all for the glory of God. To set our minds on the things above means to focus on the interests of Christ. It means that we are consumed by the advancement of His kingdom. It is our priority. The things that hinder, that get in the way, must go. We cannot serve two masters, one or the other must go. You can only focus on one thing in the natural, and so it is in the spiritual as well (Matt 6:22-24). We must ever be careful to keep the things of eternity in sharp focus.

     Let us have the same attitude as that of Paul, who counted all things loss for the sake of Christ, who forgot the former things to press on towards the goal (Phil 3:8-15). He said he did one thing (verse 13). We know that Paul traveled as an Apostle planting churches and preaching the gospel. He wrote under inspiration a large portion of the New Testament. He suffered persecution and stood before kings. He did many things, but his life with all of its experiences and accomplishments flowed out of one thing. Paul was passionate for Jesus Christ. He had renounced all, he had been crucified with Christ, and was merely living out the life of Christ by faith.

      

      

 

Longing for God.

      Throughout the scriptures we find instances of individuals with a hunger for God. Read David's words, "One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple" (Psalm 27:4) It is the presence of the LORD that David desires above all things, and that which he determines to seek. 

     Consider the longing for God portrayed in verses like these,

     As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? (Psalm 42:1-2)

     O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. ( Psalm 63:1-2)

     How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. (Psalm 84:1-2)

     A common theme in these verses is that of the tabernacle. It was here under the old covenant, that the presence of God "tabernacled", or dwelled. These psalms tell of instances such as David's flight from king Saul, or his fleeing from Absalom, where access to the tabernacle was impossible. Later on it was a similar thing during the Babylonian captivity when the temple was destroyed and the nation was carried away, far from the sacrifices and offerings prescribed in the law. Part of Daniel's prayer of repentance (Daniel 9:1-19), is a plea for God to shine His face once more upon His sanctuary that lies desolate (Daniel 9:17).

     Ultimately, God does not live in man made temples (Isaiah 66:1-2), but dwells within those who are surrendered to Him. Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19). We can carry His presence with us no matter what we face in life. And, like the examples old the old covenant saints, we are called to be strangers and aliens on this earth (Heb 11:9-10, 13-16).  To live this way, seeking nothing in this world, but looking to that which is to come should sharpen our hunger, increase our thirst, our longings after God. We are warned not to lay up material treasures in this life, but rather treasure in heaven. To pursue material things, and yet attempt to serve God is an impossibility. One pursuit must eliminate the other (see Matthew 6:19-33).  Much like a child "spoiling" their supper by sneaking an afternoon snack, we too can destroy our hunger for God by focusing on material things. 

     Picture a husband and wife, who through some circumstance find themselves absent from each other. If they are truly in love, they will long for each other, counting the days until they are reunited. Every letter, phone call, message, will be precious, giving them encouragement and hope until they see each other once again. What about our relationship with Christ? We are in this world, absent from His physical presence. It is true that by the Spirit we have fellowship with Him now. We can sense in a very real way His presence in our lives, but someday we will see Him face to face. The bible states that someday Jesus will return for those who love His appearing (2 Tim 4:8), and for those who eagerly await Him (Hebrews 9:28). 

     So do we long for His appearing like a wife longing for her husband to return from an extended trip? Are we eagerly awaiting His return? I do not mean in some abstract way, such as agreeing to the fact of Jesus' return someday and how wonderful it will be, but an actual longing for Him, an ardent desire to see Him face to face.

     I fear so many of us are going through life busily wrapped up in our day to day lives. Our jobs, hobbies, pursuits and possessions are taking up the space in our lives, and "spoiling our spiritual hunger for Jesus. Can we say with an honest heart that we are eagerly awaiting Him, longing for His second coming? Do our hearts and flesh cry out for the living God? Can we agree with the sons of Korah that a day in thy courts is better than a thousand (Psalm 84:10)? Or, has life treated us so well that we are no longer strangers here, but have settled in?  

     

The Cross As A Barrier.

     But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world (Gal 6:14 KJV)

     The cross has become a barrier between the Christian and the world. We read in Paul's epistle to the Romans that our old man is crucified with him (Jesus), that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin (Rom 6:6 KJV).

     I heard a minister recently put it this way. As we go through this life, we continually bump up against the cross. We must ask ourselves this question in every circumstance we face, in every choice we intend to make; "How will this choice affect my relationship with Christ?" We are living in an age when so many professing Christians seem to flirt with sin, trying to get as close to it without "losing their salvation." Instead of this "carnality" we should follow the example of Paul who counted all things loss for the sake of knowing Christ (Phil 3:7-8).

     Our relationship with Christ should be the one great thing in our lives. The one thing that encompasses all others. Everything else should pale in comparison to Christ in us. We dare not allow anything to come between us and our Lord, to hinder the fellowship that we share with Him. This is what it means to live the crucified life.

A Word of Encouragement.

     And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end,
     so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
                            Hebrews 6:11-12 NASB

     As this year draws to a close, and we face the dawning of a new year, I would like to encourage you to hold fast your commitment to Christ Jesus.
     Many of you desire to know God in a deeper way, and I would encourage you, like Paul, to pursue Him with a renewed passion (Philippians 3:7-17). As the above passage in Hebrews states, it takes diligence, faith, and patience (perseverance). At times it can seem so easy to just give in, as the world seeks to gain our attention with all of it's attractions.
     Hold fast your confidence firm until the end (Hebrews 10:23, 35-36). Serving Jesus is far better than anything that this world can offer us. Knowing Him intimately is the greatest reward that one can find. Don't lose it!
     The scriptures tell us to not grow weary in well doing, for in the end we will reap the reward of eternal life (Galatians 6:8-9). This is eternity, face to face with our Savior.
     So in the coming days and months, be diligent. It takes effort, commitment. But through faith we overcome and gain the victory (1 John 5:4).

Selfishness or Love.

     I have seen many people debating the issue of eternal security. While some are indeed honest seekers of truth, many appear to have selfish motives at heart.
     Sadly many individuals who claim to be Christians seem to be interested in how much sin the can be involved in, and yet remain saved. This only shows that these individuals are selfish at heart. They have had a "legal" experience with Christ, but not one that has changed the ruling preference of the heart.
     The individual who loves Christ is not concerned with how much he or she can get away with and not lose their salvation, they are concerned with staying as far away as they can from anything that would grieve the heart of the Savior, and bring reproach to His name.
     The issue with them is not self, but devotion to Christ. Love is not self seeking (1 Cor 13:5), but chooses the highest interest of Christ for His sake
     What kind of salvation do you have? A legal one that concerns itself with your own interests, or are you poured out for Christ?

     

Heavenly Minded.

     There is a saying that one can be so heavenly minded, that they are of no earthly good. It seems that if someone gets passionate about Jesus, gets serious about living for Him, they are shut down by some professed believer who is a little uncomfortable with their zeal.
     However, this is what God calls us to as followers of Christ,

     Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
     Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on the earth.
     For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
                                    Colossians 3:1-3 NASB

     As followers of Christ, our life does not consist in the abundance of the  earthly things we possess (Luke 12:15). Our life is not about all of our temporal, earthly pursuits (2 Tim 2:4). Jesus teaches us that even the necessities of life are not to become the end all of our existence here in this life (Matt 6:25-34).
     Sadly, too many professed believers spend their lives in the hustle and bustle of this world. Days are filled with jobs, daycare, after school activities, and so on. There are too few hours in a day to juggle everything that we try to pursue. In the eyes of the world, this is wonderful, as we climb the ladder to success.
     But at what cost? What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, only to lose his soul (Mark 8:36). While we chase the temporal things of this life our prayer life dwindles, our hunger for the word diminishes, and our love for the presence of Jesus Christ grows cold.
     To be earthly minded causes us to be ineffective for the kingdom of God. While we pursue temporal things, the eternal things slip away. We wonder why our unsaved loved ones never get saved, but how can we expect them to when we are too wrapped up with ourselves to make an honest effort to reach them? Jesus teaches us to lay up treasure in heaven, not on this earth (Matt 6:19-21).
     Consider the Apostle Paul. He claimed to do only one thing. That was to pursue Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:7-14). Out of that one thing however, flowed missionary trips, church planting, the writing of 2/3 of the new testament, and a multitude of other exploits that advanced the kingdom of God in a way that no other man has probably equaled in the history of the Church.
     Paul was a dead man, crucified with Christ, yet Christ lived through Him (Gal 2:20). In other words, he had no personal plans of his own. His mind was not on the temporal things of this life, he was focused on Jesus, and doing those things that Christ called him to do.
     Imagine what we could do if we had this same attitude. What if we would forget about material success, and only live for the kingdom of God. We would have to adjust our standard of living quite a bit, but in the eyes of eternity it would make a great difference. Imagine what would happen if we were empty of self and full of the Spirit? Think of the souls we could reach with the power and presence of God.
     Set your mind on the things above! This is where your life is, if you truly belong to the kingdom of God.
    
    

The Importance of Prayer.

     The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.
                                1 Peter 4:7 NASB

     Prayer is one of those things that seem so easy, yet are so hard to actually put into practice. We tend to get so busy with our lives and the things around us, and neglect prayer.
     To be sure, we offer up quick little prayers when faced with troubles, we may even allow time for "devotions" and prayer, but to really pray with earnestness, we know little of.
     The above text calls us to be of sound judgment and sober spirit. We may not realize it, but we are in a spiritual war, facing foes that are of a spiritual nature, that cannot be defeated by human wisdom or means (2 Cor 10:3-4; Ephesians 6:12). We must not underestimate them, but realize that only through Christ can we overcome them. It is fatal to our souls to be so filled with the things of this life, that we fail to pray with the earnestness that is required of us.
     Look at the example of Elijah. He was a man like us, but accomplished much through earnest prayer. We are encouraged by this, to pray earnestly and effectually as well (James 5:16-18).
     The King James text calls it fervent prayer. This is an intense white hot effort. It is not speaking of quick prayers, lacking faith, while our minds wander to other things. This is focused prayer inspired and breathed through us by the Holy Spirit.
     This is what is meant when we are called to pray in the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 6:18; Jude 1:20). It takes work. We must be committed to the cause with all our being. We cannot be filled with the things of this life, or we will have no room for the things of the Spirit!
     Yield up your lives to the control of the Holy Spirit, and let Him empower you to pray with the earnestness that gets the answer! Be of sound judgment and sober minds, because the end is near, the days are evil, and only the presence and power of God in our lives can make the difference!
    
    

The Word of God is A Treasure.

     There are many things that we can see are lacking in the lives of many professed believers. Things that if they were changed would bring revolution to the body of Christ.
      Today I would like to look at the word of God, and how it should be valued by we who believe in Jesus Christ.

     Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against you.
                                 Psalm 119:11 NASB

     My soul is crushed with longing after Your ordinances at all times.
                                 Psalm 119:20 NASB

     I shall delight in Your commandments, which I love.
                                  Psalm 119:47 NASB

     Therefore I love your commandments above gold, yes, above fine gold.
                                   Psalm 119:127 NASB

     To treasure something is to place a high value upon it. Thing of the things that you value. Think about how much you are willing to spend on something, how desperate you are to get something, how carefully you keep and protect the things that you treasure.
     Now ask yourself this. Do I treat the word of God in this same way? Do I highly esteem it? Do I long for it in the same way I long for things, do I spend as much time in it and meditating on it as I do other things that I love?
      I would dare to say that many if not most of us would find that our televisions, computers, homes and vehicles, hobbies, and entertainment hold a higher place of value in our hearts than the word of God! It is no wonder that we see so much weakness and compromise within the professing body of Christ today!
     If we do not value God's word above the things of this world, I would venture to say that we also do  not value God above all either!
     To place a proper value upon the word, we must first esteem God above all. The psalmist said " With all my heart I have sought You. Do not let me wander from your commandments"  (Psalm 119:10 NASB). If we love God, truly love Him as our highest treasure, we will naturally love and cherish His word. It is His revelation of Himself to us. By it we learn how We can be reconciled to Him, how we can please Him, and how we can avoid offending Him.
     This is worth so much more than gold or material possessions. It is worth so much more than our hobbies and entertainment. If we can spend hours watching Hollywood entertainers, and sports figures, who are embroiled in scandals, but cannot spend more than a few minutes in the Bible, something is wrong with our love for Christ. It is growing cold, if not dead!
     Repent, and return to how it was when you first trusted Christ (Rev 2:5). We must make Christ our all, and value His word accordingly! Put aside all that hinders, and pursue Him! Get into the word of God, and treat it as the word of God. It is to be taken in, meditated upon, and obeyed. It is worth more than anything else you possess. Time spent in it is far more valuable than time wasted in vain pursuits.
    
    

Longing For the Presence of God.

     Are you stuck in a spiritual rut? Are you tired of the same old religious way of doing things? Is your Christianity empty? Does it leave you with an aching void?
     I believe countless numbers of people can relate to questions like these. They believe in Christ, they go to church, they call themselves Christians, but they are empty.
     Look at the very beginning. Adam and Eve fellowshipped with God. It was sin, their disobedience that caused them to hide from His presence (Genesis 3:8). God's presence was with the nation of Israel in a pillar of fire by night, and a cloud by day (Exodus 13:21). He met with Moses at the tent of meeting (Exodus 33:9-11).
     When the Israelites made the golden calf and worshipped it, God was angered and threatened to destroy them. Moses intervened on their behalf and God spared them, however He would not go with them any longer. His presence meant so much to Moses, that if God would not go with them, it was over! They would not go (Exodus 33:15-16).
     Throughout the history of Israel God's presence was with them, symbolized by the ark of testimony, which was placed in the most holy place. It was only when they turned from God to worship idols that He departed from them (Ezekiel 10:18-19). The glory of God filled the tent of meeting in the wilderness. It also filled the temple in the days of Solomon (2 Chronicles 7:1-2).
     This is what was important! This is what really mattered. The presence of God, the manifestation of His glory, in the midst of His people. Without this everything else was really meaningless. Worship was empty. The rituals were only rituals.
    This is what we need today! Worship is empty, sermons are dry, religious things are meaningless without the presence of God in our midst!
     We need to get back to the worship of God in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24). The way to the most holy place has been opened for us (Hebrews 10:19-25). We can enter into the very presence of God. We can daily live in His presence as we live each moment of every day in His strength and for His glory. 
     Knowing and serving Christ was never meant to be empty and dry. It is a vibrant life full of purpose and joy, as we go on in the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

Determination.

     The account of Elijah and Elisha in 2 Kings 2:1-14 contains a great lesson for us. Look at the determination of Elisha as he follows Elijah from place to place. At each stop Elijah asks him to stay, but Elisha is determined to go on with him.
     We see why when Elijah asks what he could do for him before God took him. Elisha wanted a double portion of the anointing of God that rested upon Elijah. If he was not persistent in his pursuit of God's anointing, he would have never received it!
     This is the same principle that Jesus taught us through the example of the Syrophoenician woman's persistent faith (Matthew 15:21-28).
     If we would prevail with God, if we would receive the blessing, if we would see God pour out His Spirit upon us, upon our churches and communities, we must come with a bold determination that will not let go until the blessing comes (Genesis 32:26).

Living For The Glory Of God.

     What would our lives look like if we took the admonition to do all for the glory of God (1 Cor 10:31), literally?
      I believe that most of us would find that our lives would become much simpler. We would find ourselves eliminating much of what clutters our time, much of what stresses us out, and the things that waste our time.
     Our lives would be lived with purpose. We would be better employees, better spouses, better parents, better children.
     Our lives would reflect Christ to the world around us. We would have a powerful witness. The concerns of Christ and His kingdom would be our utmost priority. We would be consumed, poured out like the Apostle Paul, in the service of Christ, instead of being consumed in the pursuits of everyday life.
     We are worn out, burned out, stressed out, as we live our lives for the temporal things that do not truly matter. We need a change of purpose, we need to live for Christ alone.

Contending for the Faith: Entire consecration.

Contending for the Faith: Entire consecration.:      I would like to share an excerpt from the book Sanctification, by B. Carridine D.D. written in 1890. He is writing to Christians, encou...

David Wilkerson - Seeking Gods Face

Are You Really Thirsty?

      O God, Thou art my God; I shall seek Thee earnestly; My soul thirsts for Thee, my flesh yearns for Thee, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
      Psalm 63:1 NASB

     Imagine you are lost in a vast desert. You have used up all of your water, and have searched in vain for a stream, pool, or well. There is absolutely no water anywhere. 
     Now you are thirsty. Your mouth is dry, your tongue sticks to the roof of your mouth. Your lips crack, your dehydrating body is screaming for water. You must have water or you will die!
     God wants us to thirst after Him with the same intensity of desire! Do you really long for His presence? Many people say they want revival, they desire God's presence in their lives, but do they really? Do you want God so badly that you will give anything for a taste of His presence? Will you do whatever it takes to see revival come to your heart, your church, your community? Will you give all, do all, whatever it takes? If not, I dare say you do not really want it. God is looking for those who seek after Him with all their heart. He is looking for those who are searching with a holy desperation. He honors those who want Him with an all consuming passion. 
    Are you really thirsty? Do you really want God's glory to fill this land once again? Is it just a nice idea in your mind, or is it as serious as an individual dying of thirst in the desert? 
     Do you want it?

Longing for The Presence of God.

     One thing I have asked from the Lord. that shall I seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, and behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple.
                                                      Psalm 27:4 NASB

     David here has one consuming passion that swallows up all other desires. He is not longing to spend the rest of his days living in the temple, his one desire is to live in the presence of the Lord. I like how the Amplified Bible puts it.
     One thing I have asked of the Lord, that will I seek,inquire for, and {insistantly} require: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord {in His presence} all the days of my life, to behold and gaze upon the beauty {the sweet attractiveness and delightful loveliness} of the Lord and to meditate, consider, and inquire in His temple.
     It is God that he desired above all else. He longed for God's presence, he desired intimate fellowship with the one he loved and longed for above all else. He wanted to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, and to meditate upon Him and His ways. It was all about The Lord.  
     This was the same passion that drove Paul to abandon all and to pursue Christ (Philippians 3:7-14). To be sure, these men had prayer requests and asked God for different things, but unlike most of us, they really sought God for Himself alone!
     May God ignite a like passion in our hearts as well!

Awake Daughter of Zion.

This message on revival must be heard! Here is the link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaa1N13rwW8&feature=youtu.be

A heavenly mindset.

     Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
     Col 3:2,3 NASB

     We need to keep our eyes on Christ. We must be about His business. We tend to get bogged down with the affairs of life. If we seek first the Kingdom of God, really make it our priority, live for it with an all consuming passion, He will take care of our needs and concerns.

The manifest presence of God.

One thing I have asked from the Lord, that shall I seek: That I shall dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple.
     Psalm 27:4 NASB