The alarm just went off…time to get up…time to start your day…
When we actively seek God FIRST, each day, the Bible tells us in Matthew 6:33 that “all these things will be given to you as well.” What are “these things” Jesus is referring to in this verse? I believe they are the many different “nuggets of knowledge” that God chooses to give us as we move through the journey of life. Another word for these nuggets might be just plain old experience.
To clarify from personal experience, I have learned a better understanding of the humility necessary to seek God. In James 4:10 we are told to “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up”. When we are truly humble before God, we have as I call it, a “condition of the heart” necessary to seek Him.
We cannot approach God with pride or arrogancs. It will not work, I know, I have tried it. Just about the time we think we are so very good, God knocks us down a few notches and reminds us who He is and that pride goeth before the fall.
He will lift us up but that requires true humility, something that we are taught in today’s society really isn’t necessary. Take a look at Proverbs 22:4 where it says “Humility and the fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life”…that kind of sums things up.
A consequence of that “condition of the heart” I referred to earlier is recognizing the necessity of fearing God. Not the sheer horror frightening type of fear they show us at a haunted house during Halloween, but rather a glimpse of how incredibly amazing the creator of our universe is. That is the kind of reverent fear God requires of us.
We are told in Proverbs 14:27 “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.” This may seem like a contradiction but the fear of God I spoke about earlier is the key to this verse. By keeping our eyes focused on Him…First, we receive a Fountain of Life, which can be interpreted in many positive ways for a Christian man and secondly, the fear of God turns a man away from the snares of death because true Holy Fear…frankly…keeps us from sinning.
Take a look at Exodus 20:20 where Moses said to the children of Israel, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning”…
Guys, this was not meant to be complex at all, it’s God’s word, simply meant to encourage you by reminding us that God requires humility from us everyday and with humility comes the Fear of God which will keep us from sinning and save us from the snares of death.
That, my friends, is your ticket to heaven…
Until next time guys-
