Seek First the Kingdom of God

Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever (2 Peter 3:18).

We want to mature in Christ. We need our growth in Christ to abound. Three essentials must be present in our lives and taking priority over everything else: prayer/communion with God, the study of the Word of God and fellowship with other believers.

First of all, prayer is our time with Jesus. If we know that we can come to Him anytime and receive from Him His grace and forgiveness and lovingkindness, we will be seeking Him everyday. This time with the Lord, through His Holy Spirit in our lives, is so sweet and empowering. Lay your burdens at His feet and trust that He knows everything happening in your life. Just spend some time with Jesus, away from everything else. Don’t leave His presence until you’ve heard from Him and have His comfort and peace. Many times the Lord speaks through our worship and through His Word, so use your Bible and worship in prayer.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).

Secondly, reading and contemplating God’s Word is what helps us to be sure that our beliefs and views of Him and Scripture are founded on His truth. We are also able to hear from God more easily and accurately. We must be born again by faith in Jesus Christ to fully understand the Bible and to hear His voice in our hearts because “the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14).” Pray that the Holy Spirit Himself will teach you His Word. The amount of growth and the rate of maturity will be directly linked to the amount of time we spend in God’s Word learning from Him.

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).



Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious (1 Peter 2:1-3).

Finally, fellowship with other children of God in the Lord and in His love. Along with our time with the Lord in prayer and study of His Word, fellowship in Christ helps us to grow in grace and knowledge. We receive encouragement and strength as Christ reaches out to us through His body.

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God (Ephesians 5:18-21).

But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord (Colossians 3:14-16).

By doing these three things first in your life, every day and every week, before all else, you will begin to experience new and powerful growth in your walk with the Lord like never before. Jesus said, “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things (your needs) shall be added to you (Matthew 6:33).”

A Mind Set On Jesus

We do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

The Lord is faithful to complete the work He has begun in us. He is completing His work of daily changing us into His image. And one day, when I die or He returns, whichever comes first, I “shall see Him as He is” and “I will know, just as I also am known.” Whatever is happening around us, whatever is happening to us, we know that we are in our Father’s hands as He completes His will for our lives. Whatever afflictions come, they are light and but for a moment in the light of eternity and God’s work in us. So Paul says, “don’t focus on the things which are seen, they are only temporary. But focus on the things which are not seen, they are eternal.”

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory (Colossians 3:1-4).

…we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7).

Now the just shall live by faith…faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 10:38, 11:1).

I am saved by God’s grace alone, justified through faith in Jesus Christ. I am born again, a new creation in Christ. I am righteous in Christ alone. This is a gift from my Father, through my Lord Jesus Christ. So, I will rely on the Holy Spirit to fill me and empower me to press on in faith, no matter the outside circumstances. I know He will be with me and strengthen me in all things.

Oh, Lord, help me to stay focused on You and the work you are accomplishing in me now, and the eternal things to come. Help me to see with the eyes of faith. Help me to trust in You alone. Help me to keep my mind set on You, Jesus.

...looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12)...

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).

…being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6).

Thank you, Father. In Jesus name, amen.

Always Victorious In Christ

"Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this (2 Cor 2:14-16)?"

Sometimes I am discouraged when I meet people that are opposed to Christ. Some people are so open and ready, but others are just blinded and angry. I want to just be giving out the Word of God, faithfully and accurately, and letting it do its work. These verses in 2 Corinthians are so comforting. Walking in His will in our lives, guided and filled with the Holy Spirit, God always leads us in triumph in Christ.

Isaiah 55:11 says, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”

When we speak God’s Word to others, His Word will not come back empty. It will accomplish His will in their lives, wherever they are and whatever that will is. To some, our lives and His Word has the fragrance of death, but to those being saved we are a life-giving perfume!

Follow His leading, walk in the Spirit, preach the Word (2 Tim 4:2), and His Word will accomplish what God pleases. When we do that, we triumph no matter the outside circumstances! We are more than conquerors (Rom 8:37), we are His children doing His will, already victorious in Christ.

"But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you." (Matthew 5:44)

“Without Me, You Will Die In Your Sins” -Jesus

Jesus said, “if you’re not a Christian, then it’s really simple; you do not know God!” “Whoa, Brian,” you might say, “where’s that in the Bible?” Well, check out John 8 for one place.

In John 8:12 Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” But, some in the crowd didn’t believe Him. They wouldn’t put their faith in Him. They chose not to follow Him.

Jesus answers them in John 8:19: “since you don't know who I am, you don't know who My Father is. If you knew Me, then you would know My Father, too.” He also said, “unless you believe that I AM (who I say I am), you will die in your sins (John 8:24).”

There are so many people in the world that say they love God, that they pray to and know the Creator, our Father. They reject Christ/Christianity as being the only way to know God and to be forgiven of sin and receive eternal life. Many of these people say Jesus was good or even a prophet. But pay attention to what Jesus Himself is saying. He isn’t leaving room for that. According to Jesus, you either put your faith in Him or you do not know God and will die in your sins (which means you will go to hell for rejecting the true and living God).

A Christian is someone that has confessed their belief that Jesus is the Eternal Son of God, that He died for their personal sin on the cross, and that He rose from the dead bodily three days later. To be a Christian, you must be born-again, indwelt by the very Spirit of God (John 3). You actually come into a personal, loving relationship with our personal and loving Creator, and only by faith in Jesus!

Some in the crowd that were rejecting Christ in John 8 said, “God Himself is our true Father!” But Jesus told them in John 8:42, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but He sent Me.”

To not believe in all that Jesus has said and done, who He is and what He has done is, according to Jesus, to reject God Himself. So, for Jesus, this issue is really cut and dry and black and white. It’s really simple and really straightforward and very easy to understand: to not put your faith in Christ and follow Him is to not know God at all. And if you die not “believing in Him” (His words), “you will die in your sins (John 8:24).”

The good news, which is what “gospel” means, is that God loves you so much that He does not want you to die in your sins. If you die in your sins you will be eternally separated from God, and that’s Hell. But God has made a way for all. God loves the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Surrender your heart to God once and for all and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Eternal life is a gift that cannot be earned, but you must turn from sin and you must believe in Jesus alone for eternal life. There is only one God, one truth and one reality. God is good, and He loves everyone, including you. But, Jesus said, “I AM The Way, The Truth and The Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:6).”

Have you made that confession? Have you admitted to yourself and to God that you are a sinner and need forgiveness? Have you asked Him for forgiveness? Do you believe in God’s way, Jesus Christ? The first step can be so hard, but it is also very simple. The Apostle Paul put it this way,

“if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9).” May He freely give you repentance and salvation, in Jesus' name, Amen.

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, the Bible says you are a new creation. The old things have passed away and the new has come! You have been freed from the dominion of sin and death and given eternal life with the all loving and all powerful true and living God, the Creator of the universe and everything in it! Find a good Bible teaching church, find some Christians to share your new faith with (not people that just say they are Christians, but people that are obviously living their lives for Jesus). And ask God to teach you His word in the Bible. God is good and you are now His child through faith in Jesus. May He richly bless you with His love and presence.

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him (1 John 3:1).”

Bite-Sized Bible Studies: Our Guarantee of Salvation

“...God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee (2 Cor 1:21-22).”

The strengthening of our faith is a process over time. As I've come to know the Lord and the Word more and more over the years, His assurance of my salvation has become clear and immovable in my heart. So, keep seeking Him with your whole heart and asking for that assurance. You will receive that confirmation by the Spirit Himself in your heart more and more everyday, until it is clear and sure. The Holy Spirit Himself is our guarantee of salvation.

If you have been born again by God's grace through faith in Jesus alone, then you have this promise to stand on:

“being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Phil 1:6).”

Sojourners, Waiting for the City Built by God

Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD! And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (Joshua 24:14-15)

Joshua tells Israel to serve God in sincerity and truth. I have found that I must keep myself very close to Jesus in prayer and worship to continue serving Him faithfully and with a sincere heart of love for others. And, I must stay in His Word to know and to speak His truth. I know there are many times that I am lacking in one, if not all four of these imperatives given in Joshua. Fear the LORD, serve, serve in sincerity, serve in truth. The justice of God is severe, but the grace of God abounds more. Lord, may we walk in your love, in the sincerity of a changed heart. May we know and speak the truth in love. Jesus said to love one another and that the Holy Spirit would lead us into all truth, comforting and teaching us as we walk with Him. May our hearts be comforted, so that we may comfort those in need. And may we be led and taught by the Lord, so that we may teach those in darkness.

Joshua also exhorted the children of Israel to put away the gods which their fathers served on the other side of the Jordan and in Egypt. Let us not fall back to our old life before Christ, still walking in the ways of this world. Let us not slide back into the old ways, in which we lived in sin without the light of Christ. Empower me to love and serve You with all of my heart, soul and mind, Lord. Joshua said to choose this day who you will serve.

Peter says we are sojourners here on earth. Our home is with our God. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love (Colossians 1:13). Whatever country we live in is not our home. This world is not our home. God bless America and the freedom we have everyday to worship and serve Him. But America is not our home and it is not the best nation that will ever exist. Under David and Solomon, Israel was as close to a Theocracy as they would ever get. But a Theocracy is the government we are waiting for, the one that God describes through Isaiah.

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)

Like Abraham, who waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. (Hebrews 11:10)

Sojourner, do you feel at home? We are not at home here in this world. We are looking for a New City, the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2), whose builder and maker is God. But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel (Hebrews 12:22-24).

The Equipping of the Saints

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— (Eph. 4:11-15).

I've noticed this tendency in many churches today: an overly exhortative attempt to move Christians (or even just church attendees) into action without the balance of regular, in-depth Bible teaching. While the motive seems genuine, this strategy to bring about real and lasting change is ineffective. In fact, I would argue that pressuring people into good works that are not led of the Spirit is detrimental to a Christian's growth in their relationship with Jesus Christ. This false, fleshly exhortation amounts to nothing more than moral cheer-leading or motivational like hoopla. If solid Bible teaching and the moving of the Holy Spirit is lacking, exhortation is lowered from its Spirit led heights to the slums of personal understanding, will, strength and ability. While Christ has given some the gift of exhortation (1 Cor. 14:3), we must be careful to use it exclusively at the Holy Spirit's prompting, and only in love and to build each other up, not to tear each other down (see 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14). And how can we expect people to change if we just keep telling them to change without equipping them? Exhortation is an aspect of prophecy, which also includes encouragement and comfort. But Paul lists three other ministries within the church that need to go hand-in-hand with prophecy; apostleship, evangelism and teaching.

In Ephesians 4:11-15, Paul tells us how the saints of God (all believers) are to be equipped, and for what purpose. The Apostle Paul tells us that apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers have been given to the Church by Christ Himself for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying (the building up) of the body of Christ, the Church. If missing one or more of these aspects, how well is a church going to build up the body of Christ? And how well will we do on our own, without the Holy Spirit?

To bring real change in the heart of the Church, we must teach God's word by His Spirit, consistently and with depth- verse by verse and chapter by chapter, week in and week out. We must exhort each other to spend more time with the Lord in our daily prayer and personal study of the Scripture. We must allow the Holy Spirit to lead us and teach us, to guide and empower us in our lives. This kind of day in and day out relationship with Jesus, in His Word, is the only way to bring about lasting and biblical change in any of us. As Peter, we exhort you to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” This “growing” is a progressive process that takes place over our lifetimes if we, “as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby (1 Peter 2:1).” The decision to stay planted at Jesus’ feet, taking in His presence and Word like Mary, is one that we must make several times a day. And, as we are connected to each other in our churches, we are ministered to by Christ’s apostles, prophets and pastor/teachers. According to 1 Corinthians 14:3, “he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort...” And all of God’s servants are to serve by the gifts of the Holy Spirit and “as He wills (1 Cor. 12:11).” The ministry of the church must include teaching and prophecy. And, the apostleship, prophecy, evangelism and teaching must be by the giving of Christ Himself.

Instead of beating each other up about what we think someone else should be doing, let us build each other up in God's love and in truth, in His word and by His Spirit, that we may grow up in all things into Him who is the head- Christ. Let’s allow the Spirit of God Himself, through His Word and His gifts to the Church, to teach and guide each of us personally in our unique and Spirit gifted service.