Tag: "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus"

Can We Give Any Timely Answer: What About the Kingdom of God? Mark 1:14-15

Mark 1:14-15 Common English Bible

Jesus’ message

14 After John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee announcing God’s good news, 15 saying, “Now is the time! Here comes God’s kingdom! Change your hearts and lives, and trust this good news!”

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

Your Kingdom Come

Mark 1:15 Amplified Bible

15 and saying, “The [appointed period of] time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life] and believe [with a deep, abiding trust] in the good news [regarding salvation].”

Jesus was the greatest preacher who ever lived.

Do we know the main topic of his sermons?

Jesus’ most important theme, undoubtedly His most important message, was to announce the good news of the kingdom of God.

This declaration captured the core of his teaching.

He boldly announced God had broken into the affairs of human history, that through Jesus himself God’s rightful reign over creation, human history, and every human being had arrived – and was now ready to be personally engaged.

All of Jesus’ sermons, talks, and healings revolved around this good news of God’s kingdom coming.

When we pray the second petition of the Lord’s Prayer, “Your kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10), we long for God’s rule to be more fully realized in our world.

As Jesus Himself taught us – we pray, we plead, we cry out, we ask, God to show everyone who He is through his Word and through his Holy Spirit.

We ask that the Body of Christ, His church in the World, His children spread throughout the world, may prosper and grow.

We ask God to push away and protect against any power that works against his good and perfect will.

Jesus announced that the kingdom has come, but we are still waiting for the kingdom to come fully.

How do we know that will happen?

We know because Jesus has risen from the dead, has ascended to rule in heaven, and will come again to bring his kingdom fully on the earth (Revelation 21-22).

In all our work and prayer today, the longing for God’s kingdom should be in our hearts and on our lips as we pray, “Your kingdom come.”

Can We Give Any Timely Answer to the Question: What About the Kingdom of God?

What is the Kingdom of God really?

Where will it be established?

When will it come?

How can we prepare for the Kingdom of God and enter into it?

Is the Kingdom of God a literal place?

Yes!

The Kingdom of God is an actual Kingdom that will be established on the earth after Christ’s second coming.

What is the Kingdom of God in the Bible?

In short, the Kingdom of God is the central theme of Jesus’ teaching and the fundamental message of the Church founded by Him through His disciples.

As Mark explains in his Gospel account,

“Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.’”

The Gospel of the Kingdom of God

Matthew and Luke likewise record that Jesus’ message was the “gospel,” or “glad tidings,” of the Kingdom (Matthew 4:23; Luke 8:1).

Even though Matthew referred to it as “the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 4:17; Matthew 5:3, 10, 19-20) and Paul once called it “the kingdom of Christ and God” (Ephesians 5:5), the predominant name in Scripture is “the kingdom of God.”

Jesus consistently taught this same message of hope—“gospel” means good news—of the Kingdom throughout His ministry.

His parables—stories with spiritual lessons—often dealt with this Kingdom, which God the Father and His Son had prepared prior to the existence of man at “the foundation of the world’” (Matthew 25:34).

Preaching the Kingdom of God

After training His 12 disciples, Jesus sent them out “to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick” (Luke 9:2).

After His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus appeared before His disciples and continued “speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3).

Later, the apostle Paul likewise many times described his ministry as preaching “the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22; Acts 19:8; Acts 20:25; Acts 28:31; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 1 Corinthians 15:24) and referred to his fellow ministers as “workers for the kingdom of God” (Colossians 4:11).

Kingdom of God a Literal or a Figurative Kingdom?

What is the real meaning of the Kingdom of God?

Is it a literal or a figurative kingdom?

Since Jesus came preaching the Kingdom was “at hand” (Mark 1:15), some think it is literally here on earth through the Church or figuratively in our hearts.

Others, recognizing that “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 15:50), say it is not yet here.

“And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever” (Daniel 2:44).

The Kingdom of God will thus replace the governments of this earth. Jesus himself termed it a “mystery.”

Mark 4:11-12 Amplified Bible

11 He said to them, “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you [who have teachable hearts], but those who are outside [the unbelievers, the spiritually blind] get everything in parables, 12 so that they will continually look but not see, and they will continually hear but not understand, otherwise they might turn [from their rejection of the truth] and be forgiven.”

So what did the disciples understand?

What did Jesus and the prophets foretell?

The Bible answers the question, What is the Kingdom of God?

The Kingdom of God is a literal kingdom. 

God gave King Nebuchadnezzar a dream of an image of a man with a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron and feet partly of iron and partly of clay.

God revealed the meaning of the dream through Daniel, showing that there would be four world-ruling empires (Daniel 2:31-43).

History has shown these to be the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greco-Macedonian and Roman empires.

Concluding this explanation, Daniel wrote: “And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever” (verse 44).

The Kingdom of God is a real government that will thus replace the governments of this earth.

The Kingdom of God will be established on earth when Jesus returns. 

The time that the Kingdom is established will be after Christ’s return to earth. Revelation 11:15 states: “Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!’”

Jesus told His disciples that when the Kingdom is established, they will

“sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28, also compare Luke 22:30).

We prepare for the Kingdom by living according to the rules of the Kingdom now. 

Explaining how one might enter the Kingdom of God, Jesus told Nicodemus that one must be “born again” (John 3:1-8).

This process begins with baptism, which signifies the death of the former sinful man and the beginning of a new life dedicated to Christ (Romans 6:1-4).

It culminates in a change from mortal flesh and blood to immortal spirit at Christ’s return (1 Corinthians 15:50-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

Once we embark on this process, we are symbolically “conveyed” into the Kingdom (Colossians 1:13), and our “citizenship” is now described as being in heaven (Philippians 3:20).

At the completion of the process of being born again, we will be changed into immortal beings and become kings and priests serving in God’s Kingdom on earth (Revelation 1:6; Revelation 5:10).

What is the Kingdom of God like?  

An insightful overview of Christ’s rule in the coming Kingdom of God is found in Isaiah 2:2-4:

“Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it.

“Many people shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

“He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”

This prophecy—also repeated in Micah 4:1-3—describes a time when God’s laws will be the standard of conduct for all peoples.

People will want to learn God’s ways because they will see the many benefits of doing so.

Peaceful Kingdom

The world will truly be at peace; human sicknesses and ailments will be healed (Isaiah 35:5-6); and the ground will become abundantly productive (Isaiah 35:1-2; Amos 9:13).

More importantly, Christ’s rule on earth will offer all humans the opportunity to receive God’s Spirit and have a relationship with Him leading to eternal life (Jeremiah 31:31-34).

Worship of God in the Kingdom of God

Worship of God during this 1,000-year period will include the same basic practices God expects of people today.

God states the seventh day of the week, the Sabbath will be the weekly day of worship.

Speaking of this time, God says, “And it shall come to pass … from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me” (Isaiah 66:23).

God’s annual holy days, the ones given to ancient Israel and the ones observed by Jesus and His apostles, will also be observed.

As Zechariah notes, “And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles” (Zechariah 14:16).

How To Enter The Kingdom of God

In the Kingdom parables of the Bible (ones that often begin, “The kingdom of heaven is like …”), Jesus explained what the Kingdom will be like and what we must do to enter the Kingdom.

Some of the lessons include understanding the universal rule of God’s coming Kingdom (Matthew 13:33) and the importance of valuing one’s invitation to be in that Kingdom (verses 44-46).

Believing and following Jesus’ instructions about how to live is our pathway to eternal life (John 3:15-16; 14:15; Matthew 19:17).

Our understanding this point is critically important in terms of entering the Kingdom of God because “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 15:50).

Even though Jesus will establish the Kingdom of God on earth and rule over physical human beings, only those who have been changed into spirit will be able to actually inherit His Kingdom.

Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God

Now that we prayerfully have an expanded knowledge of what the Kingdom of God is, we need to come to understand how to follow Jesus’ command to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33).

Your task is to learn what God’s laws are and then to begin living in accordance with the rules of His Kingdom.

Faith—How We Look At Things

In the atrium of our church one Sunday, I noticed one of our senior members standing quietly just off to the side, all alone and obviously, deep in thought.

His face wasn’t happy, but it was welcoming.

I understood the look of tiredness and concern he showed.

His wife was now permanent resident in a long term memory-care center.

He had taken care of her for several years, but now, he no longer could.

His own health was not robust having had at least two heart attacks.

And yet he was there, at church fellowshipping among the worshipers.

I reached out to shake his hand and asked, “How are you doing?”

His less-than-enthusiastic response: “Okay, I guess.”

After a pause he stated bluntly,

“I don’t really believe I care about anything anymore as much as I did my wife.”

Surprised, I asked, “Nothing?”

He shifted a bit and then said,

“There was a time when we liked boats, sailing and cars and randomly traveling anywhere a tank of gas would take us and lots and lots of things. We got excited about them. But right now, they do not mean anything to me or her anymore.”

I began to understand.

Material things no longer grabbed his attention.

Desire for stuff no longer preoccupied him.

As his wife of 65 years lost her ability to relate to others, and as she increasingly depended on others to care for her most basic needs, he realized he had grown used to her memory loss, feeling the wearing, weary­ing effects of caring for her.

His perspective on life had changed.

Outside of caring for her, things decreased in importance, and relationships—with God, with family, with church—slowly, achingly became his new priority.

This brother in Christ was learning more deeply the meaning of seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

Even in his obvious weariness, His quiet strength was felt, was a heartwarming testimony to those of us who had grown to know him and his wife’s zest for life.

Then he bowed his head and quietly broke into song,

O soul are you weary and troubled
No light in the darkness you see
There’s light for a look at the Savior
And life more abundant and free

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace

Mark wanted us to see that Jesus’ baptism by John, Jesus’ temptations in the wilderness, John’s arrest immediately led to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.

Jesus went to Galilee, the place of ministry in Mark’s Gospel.

He began to preach “God’s Good News” about the nearness of God’s Kingdom.

This nearness of the Kingdom and this presentation of Good News means that people must respond by their repenting, and the turning away from their sins.

God’s will must reign in our hearts if we are to receive this Kingdom.

God’s Good News must call us from our sin if we are to experience the power of this Kingdom in our own lives.

So the question comes to you and to me: Have I welcomed Jesus and the Good News of eternal salvation and turned from my sins?

Perhaps it is time we each considered our own search for the Kingdom of God.

For the Kingdom of God has come near to us.

For the Kingdom of God is always very near to us.

“Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus …”

“Turn Your Ears Upon Jesus …”

“Turn Your Hearts Upon Jesus …”

“Release Your Souls Upon Jesus …”

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Holy and righteous Father, God of mercy and grace, I believe that your Son has brought to my ears the message of your Good News. I believe you want to have the power of your Kingdom reign in my heart and be seen in the fruit of righteousness produced in my life. I gladly offer you my heart, soul, strength, and mind to show you my love for you and for others and show you my desire to honor you. In Jesus’ name.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

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Jesus Christ is Able to Save Completely Because He Has Permanent Priesthood. Hebrews 7:23-25

Hebrews 7:23-25 Amplified Bible

23 The [former successive line of] priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were each prevented by death from continuing [perpetually in office]; 24 but, on the other hand, Jesus holds His priesthood permanently and without change, because He lives on forever. 25 Therefore He is able also to save forever (completely, perfectly, for eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede and intervene on their behalf [with God].

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fidelis. Venite Adoremus. Dominum

Gloria. In Excelsis Deo. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

Daylight Savings time is here which means Spring is just around the corner.

A time of freshly blooming flowers and the appearance of green leaves on trees.

Which means for those with a taste for something and someplace other than the insides of their homes after a cold winter – a new fresh taste for being outdoors.

During a nature hike, it can be exciting, refreshing and rewarding to follow side trails that veer away from the main trail looking for the signs of the new Spring.

Finding hidden parts of freshly leaved trees and patches of wild flowers, forests or meadows, valley’s, mountains that few have seen before can be exhilarating.

But traveling in unmarked territory can sometimes be dangerous.

Authorities put up boundary signs for good reasons – [Poison Ivy anyone?].

We should obey those signs because they are usually posted to help keep us safe.

Unfortunately, we will sometimes hear about people who were hurt or killed because they ignored warning signs and went into the places of great danger.

Warning signs also exist in our spiritual life.

In particular, Scripture points us to Jesus Christ as “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6).

In our reading from Hebrews 7 today we see that through Jesus we have access to God.

He is not any temporary Savior; He continually intercedes for us—that is, He continues to mark a clear and 100% safe trail for us in this life and into the next.

Our pilgrimage as Christians is not simply for a period in this life.

It is a journey that stretches forward into the joys and exciting discoveries God has prepared for us with him in eternity.

Are you walking safely today—that is, with God?

Completely Safe

Hebrews 7:23-25New American Standard Bible

23 [a]The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing; 24 [b]Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. 25 Therefore He is also able to save [c]forever those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

One of the most amazing truths in the Bible is Jesus is able to save completely, perfectly, to the uttermost because of His resurrection from the dead.

In fact our entire belief system hinges on this truth.

Without the resurrection we would die in our sin, shame and guilt.

Apostle Paul said in Romans 4, “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (Romans 4:25), 

meaning that His resurrection is the positive proof that we have been restored to a state as if we had never sinned in the first place. 

The payment for sin was satisfied once for all when Jesus was delivered over to death to make atonement.

Since it was satisfied and all debts forgiven, death no longer had claim on Jesus and had to release him from the grave.

This has incredible implications for us, because through Jesus, the grave has no claim on us either. 

Jesus has been appointed by God as our High Priest on oath that He would remain as such eternally.

Before this time, death had been a problem in the Levitical priesthood because it continually interrupted this office.

The position of High Priest was a lifetime position (Numbers 35:25).

So it was like starting over every time a new High Priest was appointed following the death of the previous High Priest. 

However, since death has no claim on Jesus (Romans 6:9), His priesthood cannot be interrupted, therefore He is able to complete the work assigned to Him as High Priest.

The High Priest’s job was to make atonement for the people once a year.

He was mankind’s representative before God in all things.

The problem was that he first had to sacrifice for his own sins, disqualifying him from approaching God to make atonement in the first place.

Jesus on the other hand was sinless so His sacrifice for sin, when offering himself as payment, was more than enough to permanently wipe out the debt that sin created. 

In fact the writer of Hebrews has stated over and over that our sins are paid for, forgiven and forgotten (Hebrews 9:12, Hebrews 9:14, Hebrews 9:26, Hebrews 9:28, Hebrews 10:10, Hebrews 10:12, Hebrews 10:14, Hebrews 10:18, Hebrews 10:22).

Which means Jesus’ atonement as High Priest worked the first and only time it was given.

And if it worked, then by no means does it need to be made again (Hebrews 10:10-14).

In fact, Jesus now sits at the right hand of God the Father because His work is finished and complete (Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 10:12).

Since this work is finished and death has no claim on Jesus, he resides as High Priest forever.

And if He lives forever with this office, He is also able to save for all time and eternity those who come to Him by faith.

In fact, God promised Jesus on oath this would always be the case which is why he promised Him He would provide a High Priest, not after the Levitical line perpetuated by death, but after Melchizedek who had no such record of death.

(Hebrews 7:1-3 NASB)

Melchizedek’s Priesthood like Christ’s

7 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace. 3 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.

This is incredible news and very important to know because it assures our hearts before God.

In fact these things have been written to give us insight and confidence in approaching God by faith (John 20:31, 1 John 5:13).

Knowing we have been saved, forgiven and restored to a state where we are justified and righteous before God should give us boldness in approaching Him without the consciousness of sin and resulting guilt (Hebrews 4:16, 10:22 ).

Then knowing Jesus lives forever to assure this relationship, making petitions and intercession on our behalf, should prayerfully usher each and every single one of us into a state of heart peace and empower us to live a life like no other.

These blessed and unyielding truths have been written for our eternal benefit; so that we may all understand all we have access to is only through Christ Jesus.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Father in heaven,
You made humanity in Your image
that we might show forth who You are to the world.
Thank You that although we fell into sin
and failed in our created calling,
You sent Your Son, Jesus, to redeem us
as both the once-for-all Sacrifice
and the Eternal Priest who offers that great gift.
Our lives have been bought with a price –
they are Yours, our God –
so fill us with Your Holy Spirit
that we might live in the fullness of Your power
and display the fullness of Your character
to the far reaches of this world
until the fullness of Your kingdom.

All this we pray, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord
to whom, with You and the Holy Spirit
be honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.

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Matthew 5:6, Blessed Are Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness

Understanding the fourth beatitude turns on the readers understanding what Jesus meant by righteousness. In ancient Judaism, righteousness meant “to acquit, vindicate, restore to a right relationship.” The righteous are those who maintain right relationships—with God and with the people around them. On the basis of right relationships, those who commit infractions are acquitted of guilt provided If your hearts were genuinely in the right relationship with God.

Have you received the blessing of being filled with right relationships? It flows from meekness (the third beatitude) because we can only form genuinely right relationships with others when we cease making all our actions revolve around ourselves. Do you hunger and thirst for right relationships—with God, with your co-workers, with your family, and your community? Hunger is a sign of life. We are genuinely hungry for good relationships if we yearn for others for their own sake, not just as candy or snack food for meeting our own needs. If we see we have God’s grace for this, we will hunger, thirst for right relationships, not only with God, but with the people, neighbors, with whom we work or live.

When you’re really hungry or thirsty, you’ll do anything you can to get food or drink. In fact, it becomes all you can think about. When you are desperate for a drink, you don’t want to chat with a friend for two hours about your neighbors’ best recipes. Instead, you want to do whatever you can to quench your thirst.

This is a lot like what today’s Bible verse is challenging us with. It’s telling us that we should be hungry and thirsty for righteousness. Doing the right things for God’s Kingdom. It should be something that we’re going after and wanting.

Challenge yourself today to zealously pursue after righteousness. Don’t become so used to your friends and what’s going on around you that you forget that you should be hungering and thirsting to get to know God better, to become .001% more like Him every day. Determine to hunger and thirst after righteousness.

Matthew 5:6 The Message

6 “You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

We each understand the concept of hunger quite differently. You might be hungry, even desperately starving for the want of a bowl of rice right now. I do not know what hunger feels like to other people, but I can only tell you what it feels like to me. What usually starts out as a mild feeling of discomfort from the stomach turns into a growing and maturing hunger that affects my entire body.

I know that if I allow my hunger to go on long enough, I get a big headache and experience dizziness. My body is screaming into my mind to tell my feet and my hands to get into the kitchen and do something fast! I am told that other people do not feel this way. That is why they will eat a later dinner at 8pm at night. The hunger pangs in my body would become so great I could never wait that long.

Thirst operates in the same way. When you are thirsty you can hardly think of anything else. Your mind becomes consumed with needing water to drink. There is nothing better than a cold glass of water when you are truly thirst.

After working outside noon day heat, you do not want anything else to drink than water. Nothing else will satisfy the needs of the body more. You do not want to do anything else – just drink. Hunger and thirst will become so great that you cannot do anything else. When our desperate hunger and thirst kick in, life not so subtly stops, and we drink, quench our thirst and eat, fill our hunger.

This has become a metaphor for a having a strong desire. When a sports team wins a game, the coaches and athletes will often talk about being hungry for being and becoming a champion. The idea is that of a driving pursuit and a growing and maturing passion that comes from deep within the soul of that person. Another word which may help us to understand the idea is ambition.

Hunger and Thirst

With this in mind, let us listen to the words of Jesus as he continues to teach the crowds which have now come and gathered to hear him speak on the mountain. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” (Matthew 5:6 ESV)

Therefore, hungering and thirsting is not any one person’s mild desire. To say that you are hungry for something does not mean that you do not really care if you have it or not. To say that you are thirsting for something does not mean that you are presently content or satisfied. Hungering and thirsting speaks of having a deep craving, a zealous yearning, and wildly passionate pursuit. The scriptures speak of having this brand of hunger and thirst in a number of places.

As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? (Psalm 42:1–2 ESV)

Like a deer panting and thirsting for flowing streams of water is the thirst that David and his whole entire being has for the living God. Listen to David again:

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. (Psalm 63:1 ESV)

We are reading these so we can have a sense of what the scriptures mean to hunger or thirst for the things of God. David does not speak of being mildly interested in God. He earnestly seeks the Lord. His souls’ thirsts for the Lord.

His flesh faints for the Lord. Do you hear the passion? Do you hear the desire dripping from his words? Now let us turn our attention back to Matthew 5:6, notice what Jesus says those who belong to his kingdom hunger and thirst for.

For Righteousness

Notice that Jesus says that our passionate pursuit is not simply for the Lord but for righteousness. Righteousness is used a few different ways in the scriptures.

When we read the writings of the apostle Paul, righteousness refers to the idea of justification. Paul will often write about how we are not righteous, but God makes us righteous through the cross of Jesus.

Justification is the word that we typically use to describe this.

Is Jesus saying the kingdom of heaven belongs to the people who desire to be justified, by God? While we could argue that this is true, in Matthew’s gospel the word righteousness is never used in this way like the Apostle Paul uses it.

To see how Matthew uses the word righteousness in his gospel, we can look a few sentences down the page and understand the meaning. Look further into the Sermon on the Mount.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10 ESV)

For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20 ESV)

Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 6:1 ESV)

We will examine the meaning of these teachings in later lessons.

For now, it is enough for us to observe Matthew is not using righteousness in these places to describe God justifying us or declaring us righteous.

Rather, righteousness is here used in Matthew’s gospel in terms of personal righteousness by doing God’s will.

God’s people are those who passionately, zealously desire to do God’s will and equally pursue to keep God’s requirements. They look at God’s laws and ways as spiritual necessities to be desired just as food and drink are physical necessities for physical life. Covenanting to, conforming to God’s will be the highest desire.

The character of God’s people is that deep inside their souls they long so much for a godly life and relationship with God as much as a starving person long for his next meal or as a parched tongue longs for drops of water. God’s people are desperate for the things of God. All which we desire is to be right with our God.

It is an interesting and sad to note how modern Christianity seems to have no concern for right living or holiness. Right living appears to be inconsequential in these days. People think that they are Christians or that they serve the Lord while their desires are for any and everything else but God. Their desire for God is mild curiosity and not a burning passion or raging hunger. We cannot think that a luke warm, mild interest in God is what Jesus is calling for in today’s text. Listen very carefully to what Jesus said unto the Samaritan woman at the well.

“If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” (John 4:10 ESV)

Just slow down over those words, “If you knew the gift of God” and if you knew who is speaking to you, you would have asked him for the drink and received Living water. Those who know the gift of God and comprehend who Jesus is and what he is offering hunger and thirst for righteousness. Right living becomes as passionately, zealously important to them as food and drink. These are the ones who can never get enough of feasting and thirsting God’s word. They see their relationship with God as Isaiah pictured it: the eating of rich food (Isaiah 55:1).

Satisfied

Looking for satisfaction is the pursuit and goal of our culture.

All magazine headlines and television advertisements suggest that what they offer you will truly satisfy. Everyone wants to be satisfied. We try to fill our hunger and thirst with what will only eventually rust and be thrown away.

It is sad how often we desire lesser things. The prophet Jeremiah pictured this problem in the second chapter of his book where the people are described as having broken cisterns that do not hold water.

The reason it is so foolish is because God is offering flowing, clean, clear water. Yet we try to drink old, stale water thinking we will be satisfied in this way.

This is why the scriptures so often tell us to be godly and pursue righteousness and holiness decisively, exactly and exactingly like our lives depended on them. Satisfaction can only come through living such a lifestyle. Those in the kingdom understand that only filling and satisfaction is Christ. Listen to Jesus again:

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35 ESV)

The more we are satisfied with God, the more we are dissatisfied with “rust worthy” substitutes. What Jesus has done is create in us a hunger for God. The pursuit of His righteousness destroys our own self-righteousness because the pursuit reinforces our poverty of spirit, insufficiency, and need for repentance.

What Jesus says challenges each and every one of us to ask ourselves what we hunger and thirst for. Salvation comes only to those who truly and deeply want every last ounce and scrap of it. Our spiritual poverty and mourning over our sins should compel us to 100% desire salvation, restoration, reconciliation, and righteousness. Those who hunger for God desire to conform to the will of God.

I am going to say this another way I hope will make us a little uncomfortable so that we clearly get Jesus’ message. Jesus is calling for starving believers. We are fanatical about eating and drinking. We never miss meals and very regimented in our eating, drinking throughout the day. We absolutely must eat and drink!

Now we have read all of these passages that tell us that Jesus is to be our food and drink. We want Jesus and we do not want any substitute. We want time with him, and nothing can change us from that effort and passionate pursuit. Jesus is zealously upon our minds like food and drink are when we all hunger and thirst. We are called to be 1000% consumed with Jesus and desire his ways in our lives.

What is your passionate pursuit in life? What satisfies you? What do you hunger and thirst for? Your hungry heart, Your thirsty soul, Your time, your money will reveal those answers to you. Only Jesus can satisfy. Give your life to him today.

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

Helen Howarth Lemmel, 1922

O soul are you weary and troubled
No light in the darkness you see
There’s light for a look at the Savior
And life more abundant and free

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace

His word shall not fail you he promised
Believe him and all will be well
Then go to a world that is dying
His perfect salvation to tell

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace

O soul are you weary and troubled
No light in the darkness you see
There’s light for a look at the Savior
And life more abundant and free

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Father, my Guide, illuminate my mind so I can understand how you want me to live. Your word tells me that people of integrity who follow your instructions are joyful. You have said that those who obey your laws and search for you with all their hearts are blessed and happy. I want that joy! Holy Spirit, please guard me against allowing evil to influence what I believe and do. Help me walk only in your paths. May my actions consistently reflect what you have said is right and good. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.

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Turn your Eyes upon Jesus. Look Full into His Wonderful Face. The Things of this Earth will Grow Strangely Dim in the Light of His Glory and Grace.

Colossians 3:1-4 New American Standard Bible

Put On the New Self

3 Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 [a]Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

Human beings will all tend to agree that different people have different styles. Different style for our dressing, our getting work done, schedules, you name it.

The daily routine for the average adult is sleep, eat, work, exercise and relax and occasionally a minute or two when they remember to pray. Is this how God expects us to live? This is the world’s prescription that promises to improve your live style but is this really true. If not, why do we even continue doing it?

Why do we not accept God’s prescription to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33) Seeking first the kingdom of God is what really benefits the soul, and the human soul is a priceless treasure that is more valuable than the whole world. “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26)

Unfortunately, many today are more concerned about the world than about their souls. Is that not the reason why a person would swallow cocaine pellets knowing that it could lead to death? Is that not the reason why a person would risk his or her life to steal a pair of sneakers or a mobile phone? These people give God little place or visible identity in their daily lives, are more concerned about pleasing themselves rather than pleasing God. They set their hearts on “lethal” earthly temporal things rather than “set their hearts on things above”.

Lifestyles will certainly go a long way to define a person, because other people can watch that person in action. Clearly the lifestyle of worldly values would be different from that of Christian values. Does wearing a necklace with cross on it, make you a person with Christian lifestyle? Instead of asking the question, what is the lifestyle of any particular Christian denomination, it would most certainly be far better for us to ask ourselves the question, what is the lifestyle of faith?

God has not called you and Me to live just for ourselves. Rather, God has called you and me to be some measure of blessing to others. God wants you and me to sacrificially use our hands and feet and gifts and talents to point others to Him.

So, if you’re good at music, begin to look for ways to use that gift to show others the grace, mercy, forgiveness of Jesus. If you’re good at baking, make cupcakes, sell them and use the money to give to missions. Do not let your life be simply all about yourself. Instead, look for any opportunity to be a blessing to others.

You might not feel like you have anything of any worth or value to give. Perhaps you even feel like you are going through something really hard and can’t help someone else in this moment. However true, don’t let those things be excuses. Pray! Strive to not allow your perceived “limitations and challenges” limit God! Beyond “yourself” You are infinitely more powerful than you can ever imagine!

Instead, purpose each day to look to opportunities. All around you, there are people who are in need of comfort. You can take two minutes out of your day and quietly pray for someone. God has placed opportunities all around you. Believe in yourself with the same measure of passion and purpose you believe in God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit as they believe in you!

Determine today to be the day you refocus your priorities and your mindset and deliberately see all the opportunities around you. As you begin to look for them, you will undoubtedly be surprised how many genuinely exist. Pick one and then choose to quietly act on it today. See God doing something great through you!

I am reminded, The Hymn “Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus” was written by Helen Lemmel, but the real story is about two remarkable women who had much in common; they were contemporaries; both with amazing artistic talents that merged to create one of the most loved spiritual songs of the 19th century. The other woman, her contemporary, was named Fannie Crosby, the blind hymnist.

In 1907, at the age of 43, Helen went to Germany for four years of intensive vocal training, where she met and married her husband. They moved back to the United States in 1911 and she continued singing in the gospel music circuits. Eventually, she became the vocal music teacher at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois.

But then tragedy struck. She developed an affliction that resulted in blindness. Her husband could not cope with the thought of a blind wife, so he abandoned her. She had nowhere to turn but to wholly trust her whole life unto the Lord.

She retired from Moody Bible Institute and then moved to Seattle, Washington where she continued to spend her time to write poems and set them to music. In complete blindness, she would pick out the notes on a small keyboard and call on friends come to her home to record her melodies before she forgot them.

Along the whole long concourse of her years, whenever her friends asked how she was, her frequent reply was, “I am fine in all of the things that count.”

She continued eyes on Him who was sent from heaven, inspired to write her poems until she died at age of 97 years. In all, she authored about 500 hymns.

There are some fascinating similarities between Helen H. Lemmel and Fanny Crosby. Both ladies were very prolific hymn writers and, being totally blind, both used the imagery of looking at and seeing their Savior through the eyes of faith. They could both literally no longer see the world except through Jesus!

Pease pray over living a lifestyle of faith over a lifestyle of “It is no big deal!” Please pray over loving a lifestyle of faith over a lifestyle of “It is no big deal!”

Please pray over living a lifestyle of faith over a lifestyle of “I am no big deal!” Please pray over loving a lifestyle of faith over a lifestyle of “I am no big deal!”

O soul are you weary and troubled
No light in the darkness you see
There’s light for a look at the Savior
And life more abundant and free.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace. Helen Howarth. Lemmel, 1922

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us pray,

Loving Father, help me to understand the precious relationship I have with Christ and what it means to be in Christ and to be seated with Him in heavenly places. Help me to set my heart on the wonderful things that You have prepared for those that love You, and, more and more, may I be a visual and visualized reflection of Savior Christ to all those I meet today. In His name I pray, AMEN.

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