Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Be Hungry for God!



"But let your first care be for his kingdom and his righteousness; and all these other things will be given to you in addition." Matthew 6:33

www.bibletourwithjoline.com
www.bibletourwithjoline.blogspot.com
www.bibletouravecjoline.blogspot.com

Jesus says how we spend our times tell Him how much we love Him. Every day another 24 hours or 1,440 minutes or 86,400 seconds and Jesus says how we spend it is a good indication of where our heart is. Some of us spend a majority of our time looking for riches, getting an education, running around after our mate and children without any thoughts of the kingdom of God. Considering what Jesus says earlier in Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

"Kingdom building" is a life style and according to Jesus, God's Kingdom and His righteousness are the very top priorities in all of life. Going to church or even starting a private study group is simply not enough. Seeking God's righteousness is that important. The devil knows this and he try to blind us (those who let him), with complicated situations to keep us away from kingdom work. Our focus should be toward the end result and that is why you and I need to seek the kingdom despite our needs. Will life end in the Kingdom of God or in the Lake of Fire? That is a choice people make. There is no middle ground. God wants His people to relate those daily experiences to their goal, the Kingdom of God. Since you and I have no doubts of our salvation, we have to work hard in helping others.


I recently went to a difficult time after I walk away from a long term job. I was consumed by the hunt for a new one. I am a determined person, so my focus on a new job took me away from accomplishing other things. We have to be careful. God should be the only force in our lives and nothing else ought to take precedence over us. We have to be very careful when focusing on material thing. Always make time for God and His Kingdom. Be vigilant; make sure to keep the big picture in front of you. Be anxious for nothing. Let God lead you. Be hungry for Him. Be Hungry for His word and His Kingdom and watch all other situations fall under His control and experience His Glory.

Praise the Lord!

God Will not Forget about YOU



Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are those who wait on Him (Isaiah 30:18).

www.bibletourwithjoline.com
www.bibletourwithjoline.blogspot.com
www.bibletouravecjoline.blogspot.com

Waiting can be painful. Have you ever waited for something important? One minute seems an eternity. When Isaiah pronounced a blessing upon those who wait for the Lord God, he was speaking to the people of Israel during one of the darkest hours in their history. He talks about their receiving "the bread of adversity and the water of affliction." Trouble and adversity and affliction was their way of life for a long while (some may agree that it sill is ). If you're satisfy with your life, if things are going just about as smooth as you wish, then the call to wait is not relevant; but if you waited in the lobby of a hospital, or for test results at the doctor's office or at the airport after a plane crash than you understand the painful reality of waiting and that is why it isn't for everyone.


Waiting is for that person that the doctors can no longer help. It is for that wife with no academic skills and resources who is forced to suffer silently in an abusive marriage. It is for that child who's been abused, and abandoned and wondering where God is. Waiting is for the single person who has been rejected multiple times by members of the opposite sex. Waiting is for those who put their trust in the Lord. They wait because they know that God is able and will deliver them in appointed time. Hallelujah! It may not be when they want Him to do it but it will be when the time is right.

Believers view pain and suffering as a way to grow closer to God and to experience is glory. I recently heard the story of the man who lost his wife and all 4 of his children in a flood while driving back from a wedding in 2003. He is an inspiration.He still trust God's divine plan for his life. He understands that God purpose is much higher than ours. Waiting is for the believer who knows that God always keeps his promises. Waiting is for the person with so many symptoms that they cannot be explained or described. It does not matter how long it's been or how impossible it seems, he/she understands God will do what He says, amen!

Contrary to public opinion, waiting is not a passive act. It is an act of faith. Waiting is doing your part no matter how small. You hope, you pray, you believe and most importantly you trust as you wait and before you know it God comes through. Isaiah says, as we wait on God, He also wait for us and at the right moment He will deliver us for He is a just and merciful God.

I know it's been a long time but hang on a little longer in Jesus name.

Be blessed, be fortified, be encouraged. You are not alone. You are loved. God will not forget about your pain, your struggles and your healing. God will not forget that you are single and ready. God will not forget His promises. God is the Father who honors and rewards faith.

Praise the Lord!