Seek Ye First

- I Didn’t Know

Have you ever done something that you didn't think was wrong?

For instance, about thirteen or fourteen years ago, before I rededicated myself to the service of the Lord.

Tell the story about how if I’d known about the consequences I wouldn’t have committed this act.

It's like getting grounded for something stupid the week of your big plans with your friends.

How many times have we thought to ourselves, “If I knew I would get in this much trouble, I wouldn't have done it.”

Jails are full of people claiming the same mistake, banks are full of people with loans they can't pay back, and hospitals are full of people who didn't know that what they were doing what was so dangerous.

Then again there are even more people who are going on about their lives not even the slightest bit inclined about how they affect other people, or God.

But you know what the worst part about this is? Many of these people claim to be Christian, and I would say that none of them actually "know" that what they are doing or how they are living is wrong.

And that the way they are living goes directly against scripture.

For instance,

Tell the story of Passports:

I heard a story of a new Christian who used to be a muslim and made false passports in Iraq for Saddam Hussein’s government.

Hi, how you doing, how what did you do before receiving Christ?

I worked for the Saddam’s government, and I made passports

After becoming introduced to Christ and being converted, he later wanted to get back in to the country to evangelize.

Someone asked him how he planned to get back into the country.

He said, " I make passports”

It is very easy to get tripped up by sinful habits.

Even more so, when you don’t know what the Lord has to say about it.

- I Didn’t Think It Was Wrong

Its been said, that it is very possible to be 100% sincere, but it is also possible to be 100% wrong at the same time.

CS said this about mankind and his inner sense of right and wrong, or a in his essay on The Law of Humans Nature or what we call a "moral law""

The Law of Human Nature, CS Lewis,

"As an organism, he is subjected to various biological laws which he cannot disobey anymore than an animal can. That is, he cannot disobey those laws which he shares with other things; but the laws which is peculiar to his human nature, the law he does not share with animals or vegetables or anything organic, is the one he can disobey if he chooses. This is called the "Law of Nature" because people thought that everyone knew it by "nature" and did need to be taught it. It seems, then we are forced to believe in a real right and real wrong. People may be sometimes mistaken about them, just as people sometimes get their sums wrong; but they are not a matter of mere taste and opinion anymore than the multiplication table. Now if we are agreed about that. I go to my next point, which is this, None of us are really keeping the Law of Nature"

I have to agree here with this statement.

None of us are really keeping this law of wright and wrong.

But that is why we need a savior like Jesus Christ. Amen! And we should consult with Him first on everything we do

- Consult First With God

Matthew 6:33 (CSB)

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.

The problem here is that though none of us are successful in always choosing right, most of us don't know that what we are choosing as right is actually wrong.

Though you may be well intentioned, your lack of better wisdom becomes our downfall. Not only that, but living that way distorts the example of the true Christian life, and could lead others astray as well. In which case, you would be partly to blame for others to suffer through the example you lead in your own life, while claiming to be a follower of Christ. Though well intentioned, you fail to do what is right in The sight of the Lord

Hosea 4:6

You know when I decided to follow Jesus, and entered into the service of our Lord; I learned a valuable lesson within the first few days of my undergraduate studies. That is, the majority of the learning comes through reading the assigned lessons. That might be sound very elementary but its very true. The professors are there to "grade" your progress,

and to help you understand lessons you have trouble understanding The gaining of wisdom doesn't come through just listening to the professor speak at the podium but through reading the words and absorbing the lesson by seeking the answers It's by learning the difference between what is right And what is wrong. Winston Churchill said it best

- The More We Know The Better

"The more knowledge we possess of the opposite point of view, the less puzzling it is to know what to do”

But if your Christian life and how you behave is dependent on whatever we pastors can give you, you're sadly mistaken. You see Christianity isn't just something you try out on a weekly basis. For instance, if you don't like a conviction you got about how you have been treating someone You brush it off thinking you'll wait until next Sundays sermon and try extra hard on that one. You try on every sermon as if it were a piece of clothing, "if it don't match your likings, throw it out

and try on the next one. NO friend! Christianity is not a week to week lesson; It is a way of life! Amen! So whats wrong with the way we are living our lives? I don't know, but "Seek Ye First" the word of the Lord Its a different area of weakness or need for each of us But where we are going wrong many times escapes us because we don't know what the

Lord says about them. If we read the Bible as our daily influence like most of us read the paper, magazine, watched movies, or surf the net, I am convinced we would be more successful at living a true Christian life. Seek Ye First the kingdom of the Lord. Read the Bible, not as a novel, but as instruction. If you don't understand it, get a version you can understand, read it again, read it always After you read it, and you have questions, come to

church on Sunday and have it explained to you Ask Jesus to open up your mind to absorb it, He wont let you down Read the story masters illustrations pg. 37 Why are the churches in once oppressed countries thriving these days? Because their people now have the liberty to read What God's word says about following Him. And they are starting to do it. We have had years of religious liberties, and resources beyond measure for decades,

but our people are dropping out of church why? The pews are empty in churches all across the country, why? Because we haven't been faithful in reading God's word, we are lacking wisdom The once oppressed people get their hands on a few fragments of scripture, and they become committed followers of Christ, why? Because by reading the Bible they gained wisdom in

how to live a Christian life, and they become fruitful, for the kingdom of God, Now these countries are sending missionaries here. For God's word will not come back void. He uses all things for good, Amen!

- Be Able To Lead By Example

Slide 7

Isaiah 55:11

You should proclaim your faith "Leading by example" if you learn what the Bible says, then live by what it says, God promises it wont be in vain.

You need to read it for yourselves. It's all about Jesus anyway right?

Slide 8

Colossians 2:3

It seems that the Lord takes the learning of His word very serious.

So serious even that He allows people to perish

because they don't have it What do we need in order to truly begin to understand what it means to live a Christian life? You have made a decision to follow Jesus, now what?

- Informed decisions

You need wisdom Amen!

Slide 9

Proverbs 4:7

Don't count on this world for wisdom, because if you read the Bible, you would find that this world's wisdom is anything but wisdom

Slide 10

1 Corinthians 1:20

All this talk about wisdom must mean that its a pretty important ingredient for living a true Christian lifestyle.

But wait a minute pastor you say; isn't faith all that really matters? I mean, Jesus said that if we believe in Him, and picked up our cross and followed Him, we would be saved? Let me ask you all here, are you following Him? How do you know? I can tell you this; if you rely only on what we give you on Sunday to explain all you need to know to follow Jesus, your mistaken I want you to know that the Bible puts more emphasis

on wisdom than of faith I did a little word study on this and compared four different translations.

Slide 11

I found that the Bible mentions wisdom an average of 214 vs.163 times for the word faith

thats a difference of 51 times more for the issue of wisdom I take that as pretty significant

Slide Read Job 28

Let's hear what Job had to say about it in the 28th

chapter of Job. Listen friends, the only way we can get this wisdom is by reading the Bible for ourselves. This way, you won't be turned aside to the left or to the right. But will continue on the straight and narrow without fail.