Seeking The Kingdom

Pace of our Lives

We are always going at break neck speeds.

We are trying to fill our lives with purpose.

We want our lives to have meaning and purpose but are we going about it the correct way?

1. What are you seeking after to give your live meaning and purpose?

Meaning refers to what is meant or conveyed by an action, word of concept.

Purpose refers to the reason for which something is done.

More Stuff? There are people that try to define their joy and happiness but how much stuff they have or don’t have but they are usually some of the most miserable people int eh world.

Work? Work is a wonderful thing especially when you find a job or career that fits with who you are. You can get some meaning and purpose out of our jobs.

Family? This is probably were most of us try to find meaning and purpose in our lives.

But is this where we are to the greatest purpose and meaning for our lives or should we be looking somewhere else?

2. Where are we to find meaning and purpose?

a. The Westminster Shorter Catechism from 1648 has 107 questions in it.

Q. 98. What is prayer?

A. Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God [a], for things agreeable to his will [b], in the name of Christ [c], with confession of our sins [d], and thankful acknowledgement of his mercies. [e]

Q. 89. How is the Word made effectual to salvation?

A. The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but especially the preaching of the Word, an effectual means of convincing and converting sinners, and of building them up in holiness and comfort, through faith, unto salvation [a].

But my favorite is the first question and it is this

Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?

A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.

https://www.apuritansmind.com/westminster-standards/shorter-catechism/

Let me ask the question again. Where are we to find meaning and purpose?

According to the Westminster Shorter Catechism we are to find our meaning and purpose in glorifying God and enjoying Him forever.

Do you enjoy God? When you make up in the morning do you ask yourself, “How will I glorify God today?”

How do Glorifying and enjoy him

I believe that the way

1. We Glorifying God by obeying

all that he has shown us and taught us especially what we have looked at so far in the sermon on the mount.

We glorify Him through poor in spirit, by hungering and thirsting after righteousness, by being salt and light, by realizing we still have to keep the moral law. we have to keep our anger in check. We can lust after the opposite sex. We should do everything we can to avoid divorce. We shouldn’t retaliate when someone does us wrong in fact we are to love our enemies. We should give to the needy but don’t make a big deal about it. We should learn to pray and fast. We need to be laying up our treasures in heaven. These are just some of the way we can Glorify and Enjoy the Lord.

2. We Enjoy God By Being Still

Psalm 46:10 ESV

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

Psalm 46 is a declaration that in a time of battle that God is refuge and strength. The psalm goes on to tells us that if we want to win the battle then all we have to do is be still and know that He is God.

1 Kings 19:9–12 ESV

There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.

In other words, we need to slow our pace down so that we can listen for and hear the sound of low whisper or a still small voice of the Holy Spirit.

What You Need To Know

I can almost here some of the people saying, “You want me to do all that and your telling me that I can’t serve God and money? Well God I have to be honest that cause some great fear and anxiety in my life.”

1 . Know that God already knows what you have need of before you even ask.

The gentiles going around seeking after these things. God tells us we don’t have to like the gentiles. We don’t have to seek after the things of this world because the Father already knows what you need.

2. Know that you can’t do all the things the God requires of you.

You cant’....

The only way that you or I can do any of those things or anything for God for that matter is by first seeking him and his righteousness. If I want to live a life for God, I have to seek His kingdom. I have to seek Him. I have to learn how to glorify Him. I have to learn how to enjoy Him because that is what heaven is going to be about.

But what about all other stuff?

Oh you mean like loving your enemy, not repaying people evil for evil, learning to pray, having clothes to wear, and stuff to eat and drink? Jesus said, if we seek His kingdom and the His righteousness all these things would be added to you.

They are icing on the cake. Not only do you get to glorify God and enjoy Him but he will supply all our needs as well.

This is Good News!!

We can have meaning and purpose in our lives because

God taught us how to glorify God and enjoy Him forever and we get to start now!!