Seeking the Kingdom and His righteousness…
I have a message that I believe the Lord has put on my heart having to do with our approach to the New Year. It has to do with Seeking the Kingdom and His righteousness.
But before that let me tell you about some changes we are making here at the ministry.
- To all those who listen to my podcast I want to make you aware of two things:
- Downloads of the audio mp3 file and the transcript documents are available at my website pastorvic.com or pastorvicsnuggets.com
- The numbering of the podcast will jump from 55 to 110 in order to be in sync with the video blogs.
- Something brand new that is being offered for free downloads are what I call “Sermon Helps”. These are sermon outlines and notes that you can use for your own study and preparation. They cover 8 areas:
- Gospel Sermon Helps
- Christ Centered Life Sermon Helps
- Discipleship Sermon Helps
- Holy Spirit Sermon Helps
- Faith Sermon Helps
- Finding Purpose Sermon Helps
- Stewardship Sermon Helps
- Miscellaneous Sermon Helps
New Sermon Helps will be added every two weeks or so.
The Message: Seeking the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness…
As we begin to enter a new year, I think we can all agree that the last year has been a challenging year in every respect. The Covid 19 pandemic has affected all of us. Some more dramatically than others. However, if we “get stuck” at looking at the past we will miss our future. It would be like driving a car and only looking at the rear-view mirror. We would see where we have been but miss out on what is ahead. Life is the same, it is dangerous to focus on the past for we shall surely miss something important in front of us.
Our God is the God of the present as He prepares us for the future. The present is the only thing we have influence over and if we prepare rightly, we will impact our future. We don’t have to operate in fear wondering what tomorrow brings, but we can operate in the assurance that God is with us and for us. His word says that He will never leave us nor forsake us. His Word also says if He is for us, who can be against us.
- Hebrews 13:5b, … For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
- Romans 8:31, What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Fear is the enemy of Faith
Fear is a natural emotion and is appropriate in certain circumstances, but we should not have the “spirit of fear”. The spirit of fear arises when we start to believe the lies of the Devil and it causes paralysis which prevents us from acting in the wisdom of God.
Paul the apostle wrote to Timothy his son in the Lord, that God has not given us the spirit of fear, this statement alone makes it clear that it is a wrong spirit. However, what God has given us is the ability to substitute that spirit of fear with the spirit of love, Power and a sound mind.
- 2 Timothy 1:6, Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Love is a powerful antidote to fear and our focus is to love God first and then others. Power is the power of the Holy Spirit and the spirit’s ability to destroy the works of the enemy, Finally, a sound mind so that we don’t make judgements and decisions based upon fear, but judgments and decisions based upon the mind of Christ.
So, how should we approach the coming year.? We must go back to the basics and place our focus on the correct goals and outcomes based upon what God has said in His Word. In other words what should we be seeking, remember, we are told to ask, knock and seek. The promise is that if we ask, seek and knock correctly the Lord will make the provision available.
- Luke 11:9, “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
Resolutions:
The beginning of a new year is often a time when we make all kinds or resolutions to change. It is in fact a good time to examine where you are and where you want to be in the coming year. For most of us life is about seeing the opportunities or doors the lord opens in our journey through life. If we are looking to the past, we will miss what He is doing right now. If we look to ourselves to accomplish a better life, then we miss out on the opportunity for the holy Spirit power and authority that has been purchased for us through the Cross of Jesus.
Most of the time resolution to change have to do with,
- Losing weight
- Exercising to become more physically fit
- Improving our education, trade or skill
- Making more money
- Finding a wife or husband
- Being a better husband or wife
- Being a better mother or father
And, the list goes on. Making resolutions to change, only to break that resolution in a short time.
So, what is the problem? The problem is that the focus is upon “you”. These resolutions have to do with what you want and your ability to attain the goals you set for yourself.
The question we should be asking ourselves is, “Lord, what would you have me do? What should I focus on what should I be seeking?” Fortunately, the answer can be found in the scriptures.
What should I seek?
- Matthew 6:31, “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.”
- Seeking the kingdom means that you are to seek the King, King Jesus!
What should I seek to do:
- Micah 6:8, He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?
Seek to fulfill the Two commandments
- Matthew 22:36, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
Feed a man a fish.
I am sure you have heard the saying, “Feed a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime!” In the same way if you seek the hand of God, what He can give you, then you satisfy for the moment. However, if you seek the face of God you will be satisfied for a lifetime!
If you have Him or I should say if He has you, you will have access to everything in the Kingdom of God!
- Proverbs 8: 17, I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me. 18 Riches and honor are with me, Enduring riches and righteousness. 19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold
- Psalms 27: 8, (David) When You said, “Seek My face,”My heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.”
This is the real challenge for the coming year, to seek the face of the Lord and to trust Him that He will fulfill His Word to take care of all of our needs.
