All of us are searching for the same thing, almost all the time. We are looking for someone or something to fulfill us. What we don't realize, however, is that there is one and only 1 who can really fulfill us. His name is Jesus Christ, the Messiah.
This summer, I haven't really had a lot on my mind. I haven't been keeping very busy as of late. It seems I am always looking for something new to spend my time on. What I don't realize (or, maybe I do realize it but just don't want to take note of), is that these things won't really fulfill me.
Whatever you have been using to try and find fulfillment in, I'd wager that you didn't get exactly what you were hoping for. There is nothing that can get rid of the empty feeling that we have when we get done with whatever it is we were doing.
On the flip side of that, there is no better feeling we can experience then when we let Christ have complete control in our lives. This fulfillment is Awesome! I experienced this for the first time in a while last night. I had just gotten done with VBS preparation and was in my car on my way home. I turned on the radio to my favorite christian radio station and just sat there, silently, worshipping God. This truly was an amazing thing. God really touched my heart. I experienced an inner peace unlike anything I have ever felt before. All my worries had simply drifted away, and I truly felt like I was right there in God's arms.
My challenge to you tonight, is to let God have complete control of your life. Let Him rule. Stop trying to find fulfillment in other things, because I will guarantee you, it will never happen. The only place where you will find real, true fulfillment is in the hands of God.
Psalm 24:3-5 "Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holly place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation."
James 4:7-8 "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Thursday, 23 June 2011
Thursday, 2 June 2011
Searching: The Scriptures
Alright, before reading this, you should take a look at the first 11 verses of Acts chapter 17.
This is an interesting story. First of all, in this chapter, we are following Paul and Silas as they travel. They end up at Thessalonica after traveling through Amphipolis and Apollonia (verse 1). While there they start preaching the word, and Jesus as Christ, and they persuaded some (verse 4). But then trouble comes. The Jews see this and they get jealous and they form a mob. Things are starting to get a little ugly. They go in search for Paul and Silas and since they can't find them they decide to go after Jason. Eventually they end up releasing Jason; however, Paul and Silas slip away by night and head out for Berea.
A very brief background. Anyhow, the key verse for this post is verse 11. The people of Berea accepted the message. "Now these were more noble-minded than those in Tessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so."
First of all, they received the word with "great eagerness". They were thrilled, excited about hearing the word. How many times do we wake up Sunday morning and thing to ourselves "man, the last thing I want to do today is get up and go to Church this morning, I just want to sleep." I'd wager it happens quite often.
Second, they examined the scriptures, or in some other versions, they SEARCHED the scriptures. Not only did they search the scriptures, but they did so daily. Every day, or any new thing that Paul and Silas would preach they went straight back to the Word of God to see if what thy were saying lined up with Scripture. Are we doing this? If not, we need to be, and I greatly encourage you to start.
So many times our thoughts and views aren't based on what they should be. We have our viewpoints, or we allow other people to persuade our viewpoints, and we just accept them for the truth. Even our pastors can be wrong, they are only human after all.
We need to be like the people in Berea, we need to be searching the scriptures all the time. Not just when we hear something to go and check it out, to make sure that it lines up with what God says but, also everyday to see if our thoughts and actions are pleasing to God.
So, next time you are reading a spiritual book, go back to the Bible, and see if what the author is saying is correct. Next time you go to youth group, turn back to Scripture and make sure that it is right. Next Sunday when you go to Church, make sure that the pastor is speaking from the Word of God, and not just his own thoughts.
It's not what our friends, family, teachers, or pastors say that matters, it is the ever Holy, ever pure, ever right, ever sweet words of the one and only most awesome, eternal God.
Psalm 119:103 "How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth!"
This is an interesting story. First of all, in this chapter, we are following Paul and Silas as they travel. They end up at Thessalonica after traveling through Amphipolis and Apollonia (verse 1). While there they start preaching the word, and Jesus as Christ, and they persuaded some (verse 4). But then trouble comes. The Jews see this and they get jealous and they form a mob. Things are starting to get a little ugly. They go in search for Paul and Silas and since they can't find them they decide to go after Jason. Eventually they end up releasing Jason; however, Paul and Silas slip away by night and head out for Berea.
A very brief background. Anyhow, the key verse for this post is verse 11. The people of Berea accepted the message. "Now these were more noble-minded than those in Tessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so."
First of all, they received the word with "great eagerness". They were thrilled, excited about hearing the word. How many times do we wake up Sunday morning and thing to ourselves "man, the last thing I want to do today is get up and go to Church this morning, I just want to sleep." I'd wager it happens quite often.
Second, they examined the scriptures, or in some other versions, they SEARCHED the scriptures. Not only did they search the scriptures, but they did so daily. Every day, or any new thing that Paul and Silas would preach they went straight back to the Word of God to see if what thy were saying lined up with Scripture. Are we doing this? If not, we need to be, and I greatly encourage you to start.
So many times our thoughts and views aren't based on what they should be. We have our viewpoints, or we allow other people to persuade our viewpoints, and we just accept them for the truth. Even our pastors can be wrong, they are only human after all.
We need to be like the people in Berea, we need to be searching the scriptures all the time. Not just when we hear something to go and check it out, to make sure that it lines up with what God says but, also everyday to see if our thoughts and actions are pleasing to God.
So, next time you are reading a spiritual book, go back to the Bible, and see if what the author is saying is correct. Next time you go to youth group, turn back to Scripture and make sure that it is right. Next Sunday when you go to Church, make sure that the pastor is speaking from the Word of God, and not just his own thoughts.
It's not what our friends, family, teachers, or pastors say that matters, it is the ever Holy, ever pure, ever right, ever sweet words of the one and only most awesome, eternal God.
Psalm 119:103 "How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth!"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)