What do you seek after?

What do you seek after? What do you love? What you are currently spending your time and money on is a good indicator of what you seek and love! Some people seek fame, prestige, etc. . . . through Facebook, blogs, looks, social engagements, etc. Some people seek love, so they have a bunch a babies. Some people seek companionship so they go out with friends. Some people seek things and they work to be able to buy those things. Whatever you seek, God tells us to seek Him!

I was reading in I Chronicles 28:8, 9 today. David is literally at the end of his life. He has handed the reigns over to Solomon and he's giving him a charge in front of the nation. He tells Solomon in verse 8 to "...keep and seek for all the commandments of the LORD your God:". We are not only to keep God's rules, but we are to be seeking them. That's kind of encouraging in a way. Think about it. When you were a young christian there were things you didn't know to do or not to do but as we seek God He continually reveals more of Himself to us enabling us, if we will submit, to become more like Him! I told a brand new christian just Sunday, "Baby Steps". That's what we desire in the christian life from every believer. You cannot change everything all at once, nor should you, because those decisions probably won't stick! Baby Steps! Little by Little. Etc.

David didn't stop there. He went on in verse 9 to give Solomon some instructions that if we were to heed it would do well! He says, "And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of the; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee of for ever." David gives Solomon some great words, that if we modeled our life after would never go wrong.

First, David tells Solomon to know God. How do we get to know God? ONLY one way, through His word! We must be in God's word daily! What are some ways we can get God's word? The obvious one is in our daily devotions. Every day, on our own, we open God's word and let Him speak to us. Another way is through the preaching of God's word. A warning here, if you only get God's words when you are church you will be spiritually weak. How else can we get God's word into our lives? Through godly books, NO "christian" romance novels are not godly! That's like saying there is "christian" rock music or "christian" drugs! Another way we can get God's word into our life is by making and developing christian friends! Be friendly to the world, but don't let them influence you. Seek out people who will challenge you with the Bible. Be friends with people who talk about the Bible, God, the things of God, as an everyday thing. Look for people who aren't afraid to tell others about Christ! We need to get to know God. The first and best way is personally through His word, if we don't do that, none of these other things will have much impact on our life!

Then David tells Solomon to serve God with two things. Look at those two things He mentions: "a perfect heart" and "a willing mind". Wouldn't you think if you have the one you would automatically have the other? The more I've been in the ministry the more I realize you can have one and not have the other. I have seen people who had a willing mind to serve God but they did not have a perfect heart, nor were they willing to make that right and visa versa. God requires BOTH! He wants our minds and our hearts! If He has that, He WILL have EVERYTHING else! Determine today to let God be God of your heart and mind. Give God your emotions, your intellect, your will and desires. Let God rule your life, the things He will be able to accomplish will never stop amazing you! But if you hold back, well, it's like having a $100 bill. You tell someone you are going to give it to them, but you tear off just one side of it. When that $100 has been ripped apart how much is it worth? Say you got 20% of it, does that mean you have $20? NO, YOU have nothing and neither does the other party! Give God EVERYTHING, you will never regret it!

As we go further in verse 9 we see that David tells Solomon that it is God that tries the hearts! and only He understands our thoughts and imaginations! Then there is a wonderful promise in the end of that verse: IF we seek God He will be found! This conditional promise comes with a warning. If we don't seek God but forsake Him, He will cast us off for ever! Now you are responsible for the truth you have read, choose to seek God! Again, I can't reiterate enough that you will NEVER regret it!

The New Testament put it this way: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."