What Do You Seek?

John 1:38-39 Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).

What do we seek? Why do we follow Jesus? What is our motive? Throughout the Gospels we see that people had different motives for seeking Jesus. He did not ask the question for His sake, for the Lord already knows man and what is in man's heart. The question should make us take a step back and consider why we seek the Lord. God's desire is that we seek to have an intimate relationship with Him; a relationship that drives us to seek him with the same desire expressed in the Psalms, "As the deer pants for the water, so my soul pants for You." (Psalms 42) Our desire and motivation for seeking the Lord should be, first and foremost, intimacy. Out of that intimacy will come worship, obedience, and service. Even though these two disciples walked after Jesus, in response to John the Baptist's words, "Behold the Lamb of God", it was Jesus who first engaged them. God has a desire to engage us, but He first wants us to put our eyes on Him. He promised that if we seek Him, we will find Him. In the "burning bush" account, God did not engage Moses until he put his eyes on the bush and drew closer. God promised that if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. Today, are we hearing from the Lord? Is He engaging us or is He waiting for us to take our eyes off the things the world is using to distract us? Where is our attention? What is stirring our desires? Let us stop right now, and consider that maybe the silence we are experiencing from God has to do with the fact that we have put our attention on everything and everyone, except the Lord Himself. Let us truly reconsider why we are seeking after Him, and be ready to give an honest answer when Jesus asks, "What do you seek?"

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Romans 10:13)

The Symbol vs. The Savior

John 1:33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom you shall see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, the same is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.

John the Baptist realized and proclaimed the truth that without Jesus, all baptism does is get you wet. He spoke a very important truth, as Jesus was beginning His ministry. Baptism, in and of itself, does nothing to save us. Salvation comes from Jesus, and Jesus alone. When we call upon Jesus' Name, by faith, with repentance, believing that He is God, that He gave His life for us and rose from the dead, paying the penalty for our sins, only then do we receive eternal life. At that moment the Holy Spirit comes upon us to seal us, but also takes up residence in us by indwelling us. Our first step of obedience is then physical baptism, which is our public proclamation that we are saved. We are now dead to sin, the old man is buried, and we are risen in the newness of life, having been declared "not guilty" by our Heavenly Father because of Jesus' sacrifice and righteousness imputed on us. There is nothing we can do, and there is no act of goodness we can perform that will give us what only Jesus can give us. We must not be deceived into thinking that we can get such a wonderful and undeserved gift from something symbolic, when it can only come from the Savior. Trust in Jesus alone, but seek to be obedient to do that which proclaims to those who witness it, that we belong to Him. Trust in the Savior and not in the symbol.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Romans 10:13)

For His Glory, Honor, and Praise

1 Peter 5:10-11 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

God is not ignorant of the fact that we are being hunted down by the devils. As a matter of fact, in the Book of Job, God was the One who set the boundaries that Satan was allowed to work in, in his attempts to cause Job to curse God. Regardless of what attacks the devils launch against us, it is God who determines which ones He will allow to touch us. Peter reminds us that each one that God allows, He allows with purpose. Each one serves to benefit us, when it is all said and done. Each period of suffering, if we allow it to, serves to mature us, and equip us to live a God-honoring life of worship; especially in the way we respond to God and others. Each trial serves to ultimately strengthen our faith, and our walk with God; allowing us to stand firmly in the power of God's might. In the end, it helps us realize that the enemy really is powerless against the God who indwells us and walks with us. God never promised that we would not suffer, but He did promise never to leave us nor forsake us. Let us go forward, enduring, and learning from the difficult times, knowing that the overall purpose in suffering is not just for our benefit, but ultimately for the glory, honor, and praise of our wonderful Savior and Lord.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Romans 10:13)

The Lion Is Just A Kitten

1 Peter 5:8-9 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Have a clear mind that is watchful and always anticipating the dangers that exist when the enemy is on the prowl. This does not mean that we have to be paranoid. As a former law enforcement officer, when I was on patrol, I was always aware of my surroundings. I did not drive around worried and paranoid, but I knew there was always a potential for danger because there is evil in the world, and because there were many out there who hated what I represented and what I stood for. As born again followers of Jesus, it is no different. We have an enemy who leads an army of demons, who desires to have us and sift us as wheat. He desires to make us and our testimonies as useless as chaff (the dry, scaly casing of wheat grain). Peter reminds us of what the devil told God in the Book of Job, that he goes about to and fro on the earth. However, Peter expounds on this fact and warns us that our enemy is going to and fro for the purpose of seeking to devour us. Like the lion, the devil crouches, lurks, and hunts; seeking those that stray, are spiritually sick, and weak. Like a thief and a murderer, he seeks those who are oblivious to the dangers that exist, and walk about carelessly, forsaking the things of God. Peter tells us that we are not alone in this fight for survival. The enemy and his minions seek out all who believe and are followers of Jesus, our brethren. This is the reason it is so important to meet with God every single day in prayer, reading and studying His Word; and why it is important not to forsake gathering with other believers. We were not meant to fight this battle alone, because alone we will face defeat. However, in Christ, by the power of His might, and standing together, Jesus can give us victory over this enemy who is no match for the One who indwells us, seals us, comforts us, and guides us. So, draw near to God, stay calm, be watchful, and pray for and encourage one another. With God, the lion is just a kitten.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Romans 10:13)

Humility Is One of Our Greatest Weapons

1 Peter 5:5-7 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace the humble.” 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.

Submitting to one another does not mean that we care more about what man thinks or wants, in comparison to what God expects and desires of us. How do we submit to God, when we are not willing to submit, in love, to one another? 1 John 4:20 tells us, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” This applies to this area of submission and humility. How will we submit to God when we are not even willing to submit to one another, as God has commanded? God’s command to stand in unity is a serious command. It is by our love for one another, the unity that is supposed to exist amongst us, that the unsaved will see the evidence that proves we belong to the Lord. In times of persecution and tribulation, how will God exalt us if we insist on holding on to our prideful attitudes? How will God tend to our cares, if we continue to insist that we know better than He does? It is difficult to love our enemies when they are the ones we see, with our physical eyes, causing us, or our loved ones, pain. Yet, we are able to love them, as God commands, when we humbly cast our cares upon our God, who cares for us. God knows every intimate detail of our lives, and He cares about every single thing that happens to us. It takes great courage and strength not to lash out. It takes great courage, strength, and faith to turn it over to God. This is not impossible when we have Jesus, because to have Jesus is to have the Holy Spirit and the favor of our Heavenly Father. If we humble ourselves under His mighty authority, He will give us the strength, and courage, to endure and submit to His Word, and to one another. Humility, my brothers and sisters, is one of the greatest weapons we have to fight against the enemy; because humility gives us the ability to hand the fight over to Jesus, the One who has already overcome the world (John 16:33).

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Romans 10:13).

Let Us Not Stand Against God

1 Peter 5:5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace the humble.”

As we look around today, we see a lot of rebellion, disobedience, and a lack of submission. There is a great lack of respect for authority and for those who are older than we are. We see the young and the old at odds. The young mock the old and the old refuse to show respect to the young. The young use the indiscretions and poor choices of the elder, “back in the day”, as an excuse to do whatever they want today, because after all, “You all did it too!” Such a sad state that we are in, and I am only talking about the church here. What is truly sad is that what was once unacceptable in the unsaved world, when it comes to relationships, is now acceptable amongst Christians. As the world begins to accept more and more of society’s debauchery, we (the church) begin to compromise and accept more also. We excuse it by comparing the level of evil we are accepting with the current level of evil in the world, and proclaim that we are still okay because we are not as bad as the world. Peter gets right to the heart of the matter when it comes to unity and respect in the church. He makes it clear that we are to have a humble attitude toward one another, and submit to one another. The younger people are supposed to submit themselves to the elders, not as a dictatorship, or as if the elders always have the answers; because, after all, we are all flawed and imperfect. However, that does not excuse the elders from the responsibility we have to be a good example to the younger people. In chapter two of this Book, Peter reminded us, in verse 17, that we are supposed to “Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Honor the king.” He did not say pick and choose who we will honor, and honor only those who are ruling in a way that pleases us. This kind of attitude requires much humility; more than we are often capable of on our own. For this reason we must allow Christ to work in us and through us by His Holy Spirit. Romans 12:10 reminds us, “Be tender loving one to another, with brotherly love, in honor preferring one another.” Philippians 2:3 goes on to say, “Let nothing be done through strife and vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves.” The greatest reason we should have for practicing humility is that when we choose pride, we choose to stand against God Himself. The word “resists” that Peter uses means “to range in battle against” and “to oppose one’s self”. When we refuse to humbly submit to one another, we choose to stand against God and work against ourselves. Let us stop behaving like the world, and let us start modeling the behavior of the One who gave His life for us; for the furtherance of the Gospel, and the honor of the One we are supposed to represent both in the church building and out amongst the unsaved.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Romans 10:13).

When He Appears

1 Peter 5:1-4 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being Lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

There is a real danger of forgetting Who it is that we serve when difficult times arise. It is during times of persecution and suffering that we must be mindful of the fact that we serve the Lord; and that a big part of this service is serving others. We can become caught up, very easily, in focusing on self and how hard times are affecting us personally. Peter begins by reminding those whom God called to be leaders to remember that when they serve they are to do it with the right perspective and motivation. Peter himself suffered for the cause of Christ and was an eyewitness to Jesus' suffering. He counted it an honor to suffer for the Lord because He had hope in the glory of what Jesus promised was to come. We have this same hope. We too are eyewitnesses of Jesus' suffering, by faith, through the Scriptures, and we should count it an honor to suffer for the cause of Christ. With this as a foundation, we who serve are to do it for the glory of God. That means that we lead by example. It means that we lead as Jesus leads us, following His example, and obeying His Word. It means that we take extra care to properly study God's Word, so we teach it correctly, by the leading of the Spirit, for the glory of Jesus and not our own. We are to do all of this willingly, as one who is called by God, and not as one who does it as if it were a burden we are being forced to carry. To those of us who serve as lay-people, we have the same responsibility to serve for the glory of God, and not our own. Whatever area God chooses for us to serve, we need to do it as an example to others, and with the joy of knowing that we have an opportunity to glorify Jesus, regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in. Ultimately, we do it, not for what we can gain in this world, at this time, but for the eternal rewards that the Lord has reserved for us when He appears.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Suffering Has Its Place and Purpose

1 Peter 4:17-19 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.

Our time is now. What do I mean by that? Well, let me start by using these illustrations. If a doctor, who is supposed to be a professional in his/her field, is careless and negligent in caring for their patients, should they not be held accountable? Not only held accountable, but also to a higher standard than someone who is not a doctor. If a police officer carelessly and intentionally breaks the law, should they not also be held to a higher standard, and be punished accordingly? That should apply to anyone who represents themselves as professionals and experts in whatever field or career they are in. In these verses, Peter is simply saying that judgment, and accountability needs to begin with God's people. Why? Because we know the Lord, have the Spirit within us, and possess the ability, through the Spirit, to understand God's Word and live by it. Oftentimes, God allows suffering as a way to wake up His people. He sometimes allows suffering to turn a wayward Christian back to Himself. He may even use it to draw an unbeliever to a saving knowledge of Jesus. The fact of the matter is that the believer's time of suffering and correction is now. Another time is coming when this life and this time will end. We, as born again followers of Jesus, will stand before the Lord to give an account for how we lived for Him and His glory; and we will either lose or gain rewards. However, Peter also points out a very important truth. That truth is that a day of judgement is coming for unbelievers, and if God is willing to allow His own children to suffer, for our own good, then the suffering that is coming for those who reject Jesus is going to be unbearable! This should cause us, first, to live a God-honoring life, for the glory of the Lord; but it should also light a fire under us and get us out there telling others of the coming judgment and what Jesus did to save us all from that sad and terrible day. Suffering has its place and purpose in the life of the believer. In the end it is always worth the outcome, if we allow the Lord to use it to grow our faith, trust Him, and walk a more intimate walk with Him.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).