Addicted to Jesus!

 

 

James 4:3 3  Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

How do we ask amiss?

Guess you cannot get around this verse, so I’m going to preach it. God’s desires are people to get saved, instructed and grown up in the word of God, ministry to the poor, healing, prosperity, missions, caring for orphans, building Bible schools, churches, and just about every other good thing.

When we come to the place that we honestly want what He wants, He will give it to us, but so many of us say we will do great things with our money when we get some, but how well we discover that we fail miserably, when we actually have some in our pockets.

God is determined to prosper us, and His prosperity includes much more than money. A life full of purpose, love, joy, selfless giving, abundance, evangelism, and serving in the myriad ministries in His kingdom, will include money, but is not defined by it.

Want to ask for something worth giving every ounce of your life for? Ask Him for the purpose He created you, and press into that. You will then stop having to ask for His blessings and discover that His plan is already blessed.

Movies, expensive vacations, video games, the newest tacky gadget, fancy homes and gardens are all good things, but cannot define us.

1Ti 6:17  Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

God loves us, and gives us richly, wonderful things to enjoy, just because He loves us!

Yet, unless those things are received in union with Him, for His plan and purposes for your life, they become a waste of your time.

How much stuff is enough?

Solomon, the richest king that ever lived, thought through some of the typical worldly pursuits, we all find ourselves entertaining in our minds from time to time:

Ecc 2:4  I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:

5  I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:

6  I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:

7  I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:

8  I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.

9  So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

10  And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.

11  Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

12 ¶  And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.

13  Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

14  The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.

15  Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.

The whole book is about the search of a once wise king, that had been radically blessed by God, to discover something that I can tell you right now, for a fact.

Without Jesus, it is empty, hollow, and vain, and of no eternal consequence.

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

The old king James word ‘quickeneth’ used here, means ‘to make alive’.

Those of us who have been around the movings of God for awhile, are worse in some respects, than the worst case hard core drug addict on the face of the planet.

We’ve found a drug that truly satisfies, and we want MORE! Holy Spirit is a life giving spirit, and one of the incredible privileges is to have Him flow through you, like now, bringing His Word, or delivering a miracle, or in any of the other myriad ways His rivers flow up out of us, to meet the needs of those around us.

I’m an addict, and a pusher!

I pray you get addicted to this life flow like I am.

Solomon eventually figured it out, that nothing here on this earth can truly satisfy, apart from Him.

With Him though, all the vacations, toys, money, buildings, projects, and pursuits, can be a wonderfully fulfilling journey, full of love, life, and joy.

Solomon figured it out, at the end of His life, after trying about everything he could pursue to try to find satisfaction.

So if Jesus is the author of all life, and the sole purpose of passionate pursuit, what should we ask Him for?

Wisdom?

Obviously, as great as wisdom is, it is not enough to keep a man holy.

Solomon was the wisest man that ever walked the earth apart from Jesus, and he found that all the riches, wealth, projects, and women produced, did not satisfy his deepest hungers.

God has designed us, that only He can do that.

Proverbs 9:10

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding..

There is knowledge of holiness, a hunger for purity, for we recognize it is only the pure in heart that can see God…

He Himself becomes the object of our desire, to be found in the beauty of His holiness, and we desire to become vessals of honor, people of holiness, renown, purity, truth, walking in true love and power with God.

Then, we stumble upon this verse:

2 Timothy 2:21

If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

We see it! The pearl of great price! Every earthly accolade of men, treasure, pursuit, finds true purpose and meaning only in light of eternity, and we embark, even as ‘Christian’ did in the epic tale entitled ‘Pilgrims Progress’, on a journey with Jesus, on a straight and narrow walk called the highway of holiness.

Suddenly, the end of Solomon’s wisdom, becomes our beginning:

Ec 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

To know Him, and to see Him, afresh an anew, in the beauty of His holiness…Like a moth to a flame, and addict seeking his next fix, we run, our lives encircling His throne, moving from strength to strength and glory to glory, and the nations come to see the brightness of our rising!

All of this is in Jesus, our wonderful Lord!

Let’s pray:

‘Father, bring your fire to my heart again, the fire of your holiness, and purity, the passion of Your love! Burn away my games, my lies, my sin, and teach me Your ways of holiness, love, truth, and power towards the people of this generation. Use me Lord Jesus for your glory, as I remain hungry for what only You can truly give. Amen!

I like watching this video with my children: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB6ydNSI6Sw

Why Go to Church?

 

My three thoughts on why I need to go to church are:

1. God commands it.
2. Be the church
3. It should be a place to serve, give, worship, and meet with Jesus!

• God Commands it:  

1. So, the first reason we should attend a local church is found here:Well, the first commandment in the Bible, is to love God with all of our hearts, minds, souls and strength. Jesus said, that if we love Him, we will obey His commandments.

Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Novel concept this: we go to church, simply because God commands it! Doesn’t mean we always like it, just like when I am instructing a child on a new level of responsibility, and they do not like to do dishes, clean their room, or homework, it is good for them, and I am instructing them because I love them, and want them to be a responsible adult. (I would never want their future spouses to arrive at my door some day, and say: Why did you not raise your child better? Living with them is incredibly difficult!) So, there may be seasons in the house of the Lord, where we do not particularly like attending our local place of worship, as seasons of our life in Jesus change, but it is the faithful man that abounds with God’s blessing. Sometimes the best we can hope for is to be faithful…

Psalm 122:1

[ The Joy of Going to the House of the Lord ] [ A Song of Ascents. Of David. ] I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.”

2.    Be the Church –

Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it

Acts 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

1 Corinthians 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

I used to think, that because I hold one of these gifts, that I needed to use it in the local church, yet I see that there are other battlefields Jesus has called me to, outside of the church walls. I attend my local church, but I am not called presently to serve there, as I am often travelling, writing, or creating something out of nothing, as Holy Spirit speaks and flows through me. Yet, everything I do, is to build the kingdom of God, and strong local churches wherever possible. Generally though, you will find your place of purpose and service, in the local church, before God sends you out….

Luke 16:12

And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?

Knowing and flowing in your particular gift and calling is critical to finding peace with God and people, but there comes a point where we grow in our local church to the point where we attend to give, not merely to receive.

Colossians 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Psalm 92:13

Those who are planted in the house of the Lord Shall flourish in the courts of our God.

It is all about Jesus, He is Lord, Head of the church, and whatever He says, do it, no matter what your particular denomination or local assembly may say about it. If He truly speaks, what He says will be Biblical, though people may think you are out of your mind, going half way across the world to feed the poor, preach the gospel, or perform some Biblical act of love and kindness, you may not be out of your mind, just out of theirs! We have the mind of Christ! 1 Timothy 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth

• Church should be a place to worship, serve, give, fellowship, pray and build a vision far greater than any one of us could build individually!

One of the ways we worship God is serving the people that He loves.   See here, the Final Judgment of God, no appeals, no lawyers in each of our lives, the final court case. Matt 25:31 ¶ When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32  And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33  And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

One of the ways we worship God is serving the people that He loves.   Notice in this portion of Scripture, that Jesus says that one of the ways we will be accountable to God, eternally, is in our treatment of the poor and less fortunate in our midst. Saying we care, will not get us past this verse.

No, to obey it requires action, and these actions constitute worship acceptable to God. Here’s another James 1: 27  Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. Want to walk pure before God?

Here’s something you can do that He will accept. Visit some single mom, and help out there, then stay clean before God. Love her children, help her with her responsibilities, then make sure you remain free from all of the games and sin that would try to drag you into the mess there. You are to be an agent of change there, for good, and God’s glory, not part of the problem.

Of course, people living and serving Jesus together in the love of God, make a fun place to hang out: Acts 2:42 ⁴² And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. ⁴³ Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, ⁴⁵ and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

⁴⁶ So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,

Christian community, experienced in the love and power of God, is a wonder to behold

2 Corinthians 8:4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin

Serving Jesus should be a joyful experience, not a burden, but an eternal blessing. One third of the kingdom of God is joy, so let us say with the psalmist:

Psalm 122 [Full Chapter] I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together: God really is good, and Jesus really does love you!

Deuteronomy 28:47 Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; Seeking first Jesus, and aligning our lives with His Word, will produce the abundance of all things…

Here’s a great quote: Yet membership in a confessing body is fundamental to the faithful Christian life. Failure to do so defies the explicit warning not to forsake “our assembling together.” His understanding of this prompted Martin Luther to say, “Apart from the church, salvation is impossible.” Not that the church provides salvation; God does. But because the “saved” one can’t fulfill what it means to be a Christian apart from the church, membership becomes the indispensable mark of salvation. “So highly does the Lord esteem the communion of His church,” Calvin wrote,” that He considers everyone a traitor and apostate from religion who perversely withdraws himself from any Christian society which preserves the true ministry of the word and sacraments.” Charles W. Colson, The Body, 1992, Word Publishing, p. 70. Like Nike says: Just Do it!

Let’s pray: Father God, I choose to attend church, to worship You, to serve Your people, to give unto You, and to hear a living Word of power from Your throne. Show me where to become plugged into Your Body Lord Jesus, Amen;

Victory Daily Bible Study

Jan 29th, 2014

Acts 1 and Gen 17, 18 are today’s readings!

Listen here: http://easterlingtribe.com/audiobible

Get the whole year schedule, here: https://www.victory.com/assets/v6/resources/brp/BibleReadingPlan.pdf

Victory Daily Bible Reading

Jan 28th, 2014

WORD OF GOD SPEAK!

Pr 6:20 ¶ My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
21 Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.
22 When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, IT SHALL TALK TO THEE!

If you give yourself to the Word of God, it will lead you, protect you, and each morning when you awake, the Holy Spirit will illuminate the particular verses you need to hear, and the WORD OF GOD WILL BECOME FLESH, ALIVE IN YOU!

Matt 28, Gen 15, 16 and Proverbs 6 are today’s readings!

Listen here: http://easterlingtribe.com/audiobible

Get the whole year schedule, here: https://www.victory.com/assets/v6/resources/brp/BibleReadingPlan.pdf