Yet I will praise the LORD

Recently in my Quiet Time I felt God ask would I still seek Him, regardless of whether my breakthrough comes, regardless of the feelings (even peace) I get from being with Him and would seek Him above and beyond my calling?

You see we are all waiting for some kind of breakthrough, for some it's marriage, for others health, for others children, a job etc. And we may have even received word from God and confirmation from others, but will we seek the God who is the giver, more than His gifts? 

And we know that being with God brings peace, He is prince of peace (Isa 9:6) and at times His presence can flood our emotions and we feel satisfied, for He alone is the living water (John 4:10). Yet we should seek God above the feelings that He brings (see Exodus 33).

And the last one calling, this is something that God wants us to do for Him that brings Him glory. But you see as soon as I seek my calling above God, it becomes an idol. Would I still seek God even if I don't get to do what I'm called to? This one is hard since God is the one who has created us with the gifts and given us the calling; so to disrespect this could show disrespect for God. But if the only time I come to God is to hear what to do next, to get open doors I become like a wife only intrested in her husband's credit card, not his heart.

Let's look at the some Scriptures. In the story of  Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego they refused to bow to any idol, and they were confident of God's rescue from the firey furnace. They said, ".... the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods" Daniel 3:17-18 (emphasis added). They said even if God would not rescue them (give them a breakthrough) they would still worship God. Habakuk 3:17-18 says "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior." Let's have the type of faith that says no matter what I will praise and keeping seeking the LORD.

May the LORD bless you with this type of faith

May He keep you rejoicing in Him

May He make His face shine upon you

And give you peace as you continue to seek Him

Add on Christianity

I've moved into an upper class area, and I've seen that Jesus easily becomes an add on to an already full life. I'm not judging, becuase even in my own life I've seen how easily one can slip from Jesus being my "all in all' to a 'nice to have'.

We are called to give Him everything, and we need to realize without Him we are truly empty and naked and even wretched (see Rev 3:14-22). But as I have seen this happen in my own heart, I ask how can we prevent our hearts from hardening and forgetting we need Jesus for our every breath.

The Bible says to seek God with all our hearts. Jer 29:13 says, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." James 4:8 "Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." But if I'm honest I fill my heart with add ones. Because if I'm brutley honest it's easier to turn on the T.V. then it is to seek God (ouch!). You see T.V. has an instant reward and I feel better, because for that little bit I forget my problems. And that's the thing with all things we gravitate to, whether it be drugs, people, busyness, possessions etc., they fill the hole. But the problem with these things is it only fills the hole for 5 seconds. Coming to God is harder, takes longer and sometime more painful since it means facing our problems, facing the pain and not escaping it; long enough for Him to make us whole.

You see seeking God takes time and effort (I'm talking about really knowing His heart), and there are no five steps, even though it be easier since we humans prefer religion over true relationship. You see sometimes when we seek Him there is nothing, sometimes there's pain we need to face, things He asks us to do which are hard, other times there's a quiet peace and every now and then God shows up with His manifest (seen) presence & it is GLORIOUS!!! But it is hard work, and means seeking Him and keep on pressing on, as well as laying aside our idols.

So my challenge for us all, let's put aside the add ons, switch off the TV and make Jesus central again, no matter the cost.

May the LORD bless you as you seek Him

May He keep you from being satisfied by idols

May He make His face shine upon you Gloriously

And may He give you peace in the in between.