God has given us everything, yet we request more instead of being satisfied, grateful, and content for the unmeasurable blessings He has already given us. Again, He has given EVERYTHING! Yet we are not satisfied and want more, more, and more. We want more house, more money, more clothes, more cars, more respect, more promotions, more individualism, more friends, more, more, and more. He has given us everything to spiritually sustain us, yet we feast our eyes on the same corruptible things that many in the world want. I am convinced that there is nothing under the sun that you and I need if we truly have God front and center within our lives. We will never have enough money so let’s stop wasting our time ruminating, pondering, or even meditating about it.
Believe me, He knows what we need more then we believe we know our needs and wants. We must stop fooling ourselves by thinking that we know more than God when it comes to our needs. What we need to be seeking are those things above. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ possessed no worldly possessions, yet He had everything. “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4: 8)
What has changed? Nothing, absolutely nothing! Do our possessions gain us exclusive access to Christ? No! Do we gain a special entrance into heaven? No! Does it aid us in doing the Father’s business? No! We must focus on doing His will and not ours. We must seek Him above anything else. We must put on the whole armor of God to resist the devil in prayer and in word and be about persuading people to repent and receive Jesus, who is the Prince of Peace by sharing and living His word according to all scriptures. “And He said unto them, How is it that ye sought Me? Wist ye not that I must be about My Father’s business.” (Luke 2: 29)
One of the most awesome requirements of God made upon men and women is that we be righteous. That is, conform to His ethical and moral standards. Since God is holy, He cannot allow sinners into His presence. Since all persons are sinners, we cannot be saved apart from the supernatural intervention of God. The righteous demands of God coupled with the inability of man to save himself might present an insoluble dilemma. God Himself, however, has graciously solved the problem. He sent Christ, who never sinned, to die for our sins and thus satisfy His own wrath towards us. Simply put, it means that God at the cross treated Jesus as though He had committed our sins even though He was righteous.
On the other hand, when we believe in Christ, He treats us as though we were as righteous as Christ. The Bible calls this type of righteousness “imputed righteousness.” “Even as David also describeth the the blessedeness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works.” (Romans 4:6) That simply means that God puts to our spiritual account the very worth of Christ, much as though He were a banker adding an inexhaustible deposit to our bank account. There are, sadly, many people who still refuse to believe such an abundant blessing can be theirs as a free gift. Nevertheless, the Bible clearly urges all men to trust in Jesus Christ as Saviour and thus be reckoned as righteous by God.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in My name, I will do it. If ye love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth Me no more; but ye see Me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in Me, and I in you. He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.” (John 14: 12-21)
He has given us everything! Just think about that for a moment, how literally everything that we see, smell, touch, taste, hear, and feel comes from no one or nothing but God. He is the Creator of the universe, the King of kings, the Lord of lords. There is nothing He cannot do according to His will, there is nothing He does not understand about us. He knows where we are at all times and knows exactly what we need at all times yet we continue to question Him about our needs and wants outside of spiritual blessings.
The world seeks silver and gold, name recognition, titles, happiness, followers, and so on. But we, dear ones, have no desire for such things as we have much more in heavenly places. The Word warns us to be careful where we store our treasures. “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5: 8) We have everything! Oh, Job said it best after bellyaching and complaining to God about his circumstances, which provoked God to respond out of a whirlwind saying; “Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou Me. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding.” (Job 38 2-4) After God finished speaking and putting Job in his place, Job regretfully answered, “I know that Thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be withholden from Thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? Therefore, have I uttered that I understand not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.” (Job 42: 2-3).
God knows all about it. He is not asleep at the wheel and sincerely wants what’s best for you and me in this world and in heaven. One might even say, “He’s got our back, Jack.” He desires us to have everything and that everything, brothers and sisters, is Him. Let’s not be confused by comparing our situation with those in the world. It might appear as they have it going on with lots of money, fame, fun, no worries, personal trainers, etc. We do not look down on people who are successful so please do not misunderstand the intent of this message but, without Jesus they are poor and have nothing. We on the other hand brothers and sisters have been given the fruit of the Spirit. Yes, I am talking about the sweet spirit of Jesus Christ. Now what compares to that? “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.” (Galatians 5: 22-26)
We don’t want or need what the world is offering if it does not edify the Lord and prevents us from sincerely doing His business. They need what we possess, but they don’t want this narrow way of life because they’d have to give up what they think is too much. Brothers and sisters, please know that you and I have the best hand in this game called life. “I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall find Me. Riches and honour are with Me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and My revenue than choice silver. I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: That I may cause those that love Me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures. The LORD possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth, when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: While as yet He had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When He prepared the heavens, I was there: when He set a compass upon the face of the depth: When He established the clouds above: when He strengthened the fountains of the deep: When He gave to the sea His decree, that the waters should not pass His commandment: when He appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him; Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth; and My delights were with the sons of men.” (Proverbs 8:17-31)
We have become His sons and daughters because we believed on His name. Even when we mess up, He goes before the Father on our behalf. “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (1 John 3: 1) We have freedom because Christ has set us free. We are saved by grace and that is not of our selves but a gift from God. Brothers and sisters, we lack nothing and when we seek the kingdom of heaven, oh my, what blessings we receive. I get ecstatic just thinking about it that I just want to shout. We are blessed with spiritual blessings here on earth and heavenly realms. We are no longer servants but His friend because we know what He commands of us, and He has shared His plans with us. 2 Peter 3: 1 tells us that “According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that called us to glory and virtue.” He tells us to take His right hand and not to fear, for He is with us. He will strengthen us and hold us up when we can no longer stand on our own.
Dear ones, I love each and every one of you and pray that you continue to allow God to be the centerpiece of your life. What miserable people we are without Him. Our measure of success is different than what the world considers successful. We want to be a doer of the Word and not just a hearer. We want to walk by faith, hearing and believing the Word of God. We must continue to lift our eyes unto the hills, for our Waymaker knows what is best for us as He has already given us everything to be successful. “This is the day which the Lord hath made, We will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118: 24) “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6: 19-21)
“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore, take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (Matthew 6: 25-34)
Dear ones, I have said nothing that you have not heard before and I thank the Lord Jesus Christ that you have heard. But we are still human. We are not perfect and things of this world still bothers every one of us in different ways. We are helpers of one another, hoping and praying we all make it in. “Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.” (Romans 12: 16) He has given us everything and our only desire is to see and live with Him forevermore when that time comes. That is my prayer for the church, the children, and loved ones that we have been blessed to have in our lives while here on earth.
But this is not our home, and we must finish this race until He calls us home. Let’s not waste time on desiring the same things worldly people desire. For we know better and are held accountable for what we have heard and learned throughout the years. Therefore we have no excuse. “I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for My name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” (Revelation 2: 2-5)