WOULD YOU SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD ? WILL YOU FOLLOW JESUS ?

Life is truly a Journey. The older I become, the more I am able to relish the sweetness of TIME. Life is in so many ways a GIFT OF TIME. Time spent with those we love; time spent in adventure and pursuit of so many things we hold dear. Beauty, Joy, Accomplishment, and Purpose. It is so easy to “Seek” the things that we are told are valuable by the world. Fortune, Fame, Riches, Power, ….a worldly need to Have It All. Good things, and not so good things. Should we count on Ourselves, and put our needs first ? Should we Trust in ourselves and Set our own Path ? What should we Value, and what should we SEEK ? Will our Minds rule us, or will our Heart be our guide ? What will be the plumb line that we hold to Direct Us In Our Journey ? Is there a Higher Power we should notice and give Creedence to ? If so, WHY ? The world tells me to count on myself and listen to other people and their ideas to formulate a path. Even if I am “Religious”, is my best source of Wisdom and Truth a Pastor’s Sermon on Sunday ? TIME. WHERE WILL I INVEST MY TIME ? I heard once that it takes “Ten Thousand Hours” to master a skill….with deliberate effort and practice. TIME. If we are investing time, what is our Goal and Purpose for a desired Outcome ? The thing about Time, besides being Precious, is that It Is Easy To Waste ! The truth is that Clarity Of Time truly comes in to focus with the realization that It Is Slipping Away. Getting Older brings that nugget into a Crystal Clear Focus. Sickness and Loss also bring it into focus. Time isn’t Forever….Or, IS IT ? AS A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST, I BELIEVE THAT LIFE IS ETERNAL ! THE KEY TO LIFE IS NOT ABOUT A HIGHER MYSTICAL POWER; IT IS FOUND IN A CLOSE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST ! It is not about Religion, Position, or Supposition. It is all about Seeking God’s Kingdom, And Following Jesus. GOD IS REAL ! GOD IS OUR FATHER ! GOD IS LOVING, RIGHTEOUS, AND JUST ! HIS KINGDOM IS Real AND ETERNAL. Sin separated us from God, but through and in Jesus, we are able to RETURN IN RELATIONSHIP TO GOD; becoming a New Creation through Jesus and His Grace. GOD makes a choice to pursue a relationship with us. WE choose to embrace Him, or reject him and go our own way…..

BUT SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE PROVIDED FOR YOU. Matthew 6:33

FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NOT A MATTER OF EATING AND DRINKING, BUT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND PEACE AND JOY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT. Romans 14:17

AND THE KINGDOM AND THE DOMINION AND THE GREATNESS OF THE KINGDOMS UNDER THE WHOLE HEAVEN SHALL BE GIVEN TO THE PEOPLE OF THE SAINTS OF THE MOST HIGH; HIS KINGDOM SHALL BE AN EVERLASTING KINGDOM, AND ALL DOMINIONS SHALL SERVE AND OBEY HIM. Daniel 7:27

AND THE LORD WILL BE KING OVER ALL THE EARTH. ON THAT DAY THE LORD WILL BE ONE AND HIS NAME ONE. Zechariah 14:9

WILL YOU FOLLOW JESUS ? Many years ago, I gave my Life To Him. That was the start of a lot of years of Growing Pains ! It has taken me a Long Time to SEE AND HEAR HIS INSTRUCTIONS AND PURPOSE FOR MY LIFE ! BELIEF is just the beginning. FOLLOWING HIM is where the real Journey finds its FOUNDATION ! To “Seek The Kingdom”, one has to strive to LIVE IN GOD’S WAYS AND INSTRUCTION. Obedience and Devotion to His Word and His Commandments. NOT FOR SALVATION, BUT FOR ABUNDANT LIFE. AND COMPLETION ! Simply calling yourself a “Christian”, but living a life and behavior outside of His Ways is simply NOT SEEKING HIM, NOR HIS KINGDOM. Jesus calls us to be “A New Creation” :) Different and “Set Apart”. On our own without Jesus, WE WILL FAIL ! The Law in itself gains a person nothing other than understanding SIN. Expecting GRACE, once received, to excuse a continued life of Sin is simply irrational and flat Incorrect ! A Life In Christ is a TOTAL COMPLETION of God’s Purpose for Our Lives. Jesus made it clear to those who would listen that HE was the Kingdom Of God, in their midst. He called His Disciples to Follow Him and they did. THEY MADE A CHOICE ! Their lives and purpose changed drastically….Will Yours ? Some people struggle with what it means to have a Personal Relationship with Jesus. I like to portray it as a 24/7 time commitment; communication effort; learning and listening engagement; a loving and vulnerable trust in every possible way RELATIONSHIP. Not just Knowledge; Not just Belief; but INTIMACY AND TRUST WITH DEVOTION:) So simple, and yet difficult for some, because the world promises SELF SUPREMACY AND ENLIGHTENMENT. Really ? It doesn’t take much to see just how ridiculous the “wisdom” of man is, does it !

“ REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND “ Matthew 3:2

HE HAS DELIVERED US FROM THE DOMAIN OF DARKNESS AND TRANSFERRED US TO THE KINGDOM OF HIS BELOVED SON. Colossians 1:13

JESUS ANSWERED, “ TRULY, TRULY, I SAY TO YOU, UNLESS ONE IS BORN OF WATER AND THE SPIRIT, HE CANNOT ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD. “ John 3:5

Where do YOU stand in your Journey ? ARE YOU seeking the Kingdom Of God FIRST in your life ? Where is your FOCUS ? How about your viewpoint and priorities ? Worldly, or Godly ? Are you Living In God’s Ways, or are you coasting in Comfort and Seeking Pleasure while making excuses for incorrect behavior ? Do YOU know Jesus in an Intimate Relationship, or is your relationship distant and more “knowledge” based ? It is said that “ The Mind will Justify what the Heart Desires “What are your desires ? Are they pure ? When they are not, will you Confess and Repent, no matter how many times it takes ? Scripture tells us 2 critical things : GOD WILL NOT BE MOCKED; and WHOEVER DENIES CHRIST BEFORE MEN, WILL BE DENIED BY CHRIST TO THE FATHER. Our Relationship and efforts toward God are SERIOUS and they are also FULL of MERCY AND GRACE ! TIME ! Take a look at your clock and think about your effort and time spent with God. Set Kingdom Goals and Purpose for Growth and Maturity. SPEND TEN THOUSAND HOURS OR MORE IN GOD”S WORD AND PRESENCE. Thirst and Hunger for that Intimate Relationship with Jesus. Figure It Out ! No More Excuses ! YOUR ETERNAL LIFE DEPENDS UPON IT ! SEEK AND FOLLOW/JAA

“ I THE LORD SEARCH THE HEART AND TEST THE MIND, TO GIVE EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS WAYS, ACCORDING TO THE FRUIT OF HIS DEEDS “. Jeremiah 17:10