Participants: Jason Sliger
Series Code: FC
Program Code: FC000213
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00:31 I'd like to welcome you to another "Faith Chapel,"
00:34 another time where we can spend some time 00:35 studying the Word of God together. 00:37 Today we have another exciting subject 00:39 that we're gonna be taking a look at. 00:40 I've entitled our study today 00:42 "All These Things Shall Be Added Unto You." 00:46 We're gonna be taking a look at the Bible 00:47 and see what else we can learn 00:48 from some of these important passages of scripture here. 00:51 My name is Jason Sliger, 00:53 I'm an evangelist with Amazing Facts Ministries 00:55 and I have a tremendous joy sharing the Bible 00:58 with those people that I meet across the countries. 01:01 Today we're gonna look at this subject 01:02 and see what else we can learn 01:04 from God's word as we continue our quest 01:07 and our pursuit for Bible truth and Bible knowledge. 01:09 I would like to begin our study today 01:11 by taking a look at a story 01:12 that Jesus was relating to some of his followers 01:15 in Luke Chapter 12, we're gonna begin in verse 16. 01:18 The Bible tells us here, 01:19 "And he spoke a parable unto them, saying, 01:22 the ground of a certain rich man 01:25 brought forth plentifully. 01:27 And he thought within himself, saying, what shall I do, 01:30 because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 01:34 And he said, this will I do, I will pull down my barns, 01:38 and build greater and there will I bestow 01:41 all my fruits and my goods. 01:43 And I will say to my soul, 01:45 Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years, 01:50 take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry." 01:55 Jesus is sharing a parable here with some of His followers. 01:59 He's sharing with them a story, this parable, 02:01 and He's saying that there was this man 02:03 that had a lot of wealth. 02:05 He had a lot of prosperity. 02:07 He was a man 02:08 that was a high ranking official in society 02:10 because of his status quo and his wealth. 02:16 And Jesus says that this man, 02:17 he had all of the modern conveniences 02:19 and he had so much stuff that the Bible says 02:22 that he actually said to himself, 02:24 man, what am I gonna do with all the things 02:25 that I have? 02:26 My barns can no longer hold all of the great things 02:29 that I have achieved in my life, 02:31 all the things that I've been able to buy. 02:33 He says, well, what I'll do is I'll pull down my old barns, 02:37 I'll destroy them and I'll build bigger ones 02:39 and greater ones that can hold my wealth, 02:42 that I have built here in my kingdom on this earth. 02:47 Jesus here is showing us an example 02:49 of what a lot of people in this world are like. 02:51 You know, my friends, 02:52 as I travel around and I go around doing, 02:55 sharing the Word of God with my friends 02:58 that I meet in place by place, 03:00 it's interesting that time and time again 03:02 I meet people that are interested 03:05 and focused upon the things in this world. 03:07 Now, I also meet people who are interested 03:09 and focused on following God 03:11 and doing what God would have them to do. 03:14 But, you know, there are people all across the world 03:17 whose goals and achievements in life 03:19 is to see how high they can get in society. 03:22 To see how high they can get in the eyes of other people. 03:25 To see how high they can become in the eyes of the society. 03:29 To see where they can get in this life 03:33 by building up their kingdom here in this world. 03:35 And Jesus is showing us an example of this 03:37 here during His time about this man 03:39 who had built his kingdom here on this earth 03:41 with all the modern conveniences 03:43 that he could possibly want. 03:45 It goes on in this passage of scripture 03:47 and we will continue to read. 03:49 It goes on and it says this. 03:51 "But God spake unto him, Thou fool," 03:55 notice what God calls him. 03:56 He calls him a fool. 03:57 "This night thy soul shall be required of thee. 04:00 Then whose shall those things be, 04:03 which thou hast provided? 04:04 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, 04:08 and is not rich toward God." 04:11 The Bible tells us here that this man 04:13 who had received all this wealth and prosperity, 04:16 this man who said eat, drink and be merry, 04:19 live your life the way you want to, 04:21 enjoy the times that you have here in this world. 04:23 This man who is seeking after all the modern conveniences 04:26 and the wealth and prosperity of this world, 04:29 Jesus the-- Jesus says that God calls him a fool. 04:34 And you know, friends, 04:35 unfortunately I believe that God would say the same thing 04:37 about those people in the world today 04:39 who seek after the things here in this world, 04:41 that have their kingdom building here 04:43 and not in heaven. 04:45 That God would unfortunately have to look down 04:47 and call them as He did this man here in this story. 04:51 He would call them and say what, what are you achieving 04:54 by gaining all of these things in this world? 04:57 What is it gonna do for you? 04:58 What have you achieved 05:00 by becoming the most wealthy person in the world? 05:02 What have you achieved by having the biggest barns, 05:04 by having the biggest house, by having the best cars, 05:07 by having the best paid job? 05:09 What have you achieved 05:10 by seeking after the things in this world? 05:12 What good has it done you? 05:15 And, friends, I want to ask you a question. 05:17 What is number one in your life? 05:19 What is number one in your mind? 05:21 What is the first thing you think about 05:22 when you wake up in the morning? 05:24 When you roll out of your bed? 05:25 When your alarm clock sounds 05:27 or when the birds start chirping 05:29 or when the sun rises and you get out of your bed, 05:31 what is the first thing that runs through your thoughts? 05:33 What is the first thing that comes into your mind? 05:35 Is the first thing that comes into your mind 05:37 when you wake up your job, your family, your prosperity, 05:42 the deadlines you need to meet? 05:43 What is the first thing that rolls through your mind 05:45 when you wake up in the morning? 05:46 When you wake up, is the first thing 05:47 that comes through your thoughts, 05:49 how can I get to know God better today? 05:51 How can I serve Him in a more effective way? 05:54 How can I dedicate my life completely over to Him? 05:57 How can I serve God today? 05:59 God, I want to get to know you better today. 06:01 God, I want to surrender my life completely to You. 06:03 What is the first thing that goes through your mind 06:05 when you wake up in the morning? 06:06 Unfortunately, a lot of the people 06:08 in this world today, 06:09 the first thing that rolls through their minds is, 06:12 how can I become more popular, 06:16 have a better prestige? 06:17 How can I get more money? How can I get a better house? 06:20 How can I get a better job? How can I get a better this? 06:23 How can I get a better that? 06:24 How can I make ends meet? How can I do this? 06:26 And God is the very last thing 06:27 that goes through their thoughts 06:28 as they go throughout the course of the day. 06:30 They continue through the course of the day-- 06:32 their day in the hustle and bustle, 06:33 in the busyness of life 06:35 and God doesn't even come into their thoughts. 06:37 God isn't even mentioned in their mind. 06:39 God is not even a word that they-- 06:40 that they speak out of their mouth 06:42 except for sometimes using it in a profane way. 06:45 And, friends, I ask you today, 06:46 what is the first thing that goes through your mind 06:49 when you wake up in the morning? 06:50 I want to share a story with you 06:52 in Revelation Chapter 2. 06:54 Here Jesus is talking to one of the seven churches. 06:56 Revelation 2 and 3 are dedicated to the seven churches 06:59 and Jesus is talking to the second church here 07:01 in Revelation Chapter 2 07:03 and we're gonna begin in verse 8 and 9. 07:05 The Bible says this, 07:07 "And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna 07:10 write, these things saith the first and the last, 07:13 which was dead, and is alive. 07:15 I know thy works, and tribulation, 07:19 and poverty, but thou art rich 07:23 and I know the blasphemy of them 07:25 which say they are Jews, and are not, 07:28 but are the synagogue of Satan." 07:32 The Bible tells us here 07:33 that Jesus is talking about a church, one of the churches, 07:36 it's called the church of Smyrna. 07:38 And he says to the church of Smyrna, 07:40 I know thy works, that you have done 07:42 all of these great things that you are-- 07:45 That you are poor, the Bible says, 07:47 that you have poverty. 07:48 You're not a-- you're not a physically rich church. 07:51 But it's interesting, the Bible says here. 07:53 He says, I know thy works and thy poverty 07:55 but it says, it says, but thou art rich. 07:58 Now, I ask myself the question, how can a group of people, 08:02 how can a church be poor but be rich at the same time? 08:05 Well, Jesus says here, 08:07 that the church of Smyrna was poor but it was also rich. 08:10 I ask myself, what were they rich in? 08:12 Were they rich in physical things? 08:14 Did they have a large bank account? 08:16 Were they-- were they above the higher echelons of society? 08:20 How were they rich? 08:22 That's the question I ask myself. 08:23 Well, the passage goes on in verse 11, 08:25 and it says this, "He that hath an ear, let him hear 08:30 what the Spirit saith unto the churches. 08:33 He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death." 08:40 Jesus here is writing about the church of Smyrna 08:43 and He's saying, he that overcometh, 08:45 and I can almost imagine in my mind 08:46 that the church of Smyrna, 08:48 it may not have been a physically wealthy church, 08:50 it may not have a had a lot of physical prosperity, 08:53 it may not have had a large amount of money 08:55 in its bank account, 08:56 it may not have had the-- the most rich people 08:59 in its attendance there at the church. 09:01 They probably didn't have doctors and lawyers 09:03 and all of those kind of things 09:04 giving large donations to the church 09:06 but the Bible says that they were probably, 09:10 most likely, they were a group of people 09:12 that experienced victory in their life. 09:14 They were a group of people 09:15 that the Bible says were overcomers. 09:18 They weren't rich in physical things 09:20 but they were rich in victory. 09:21 They were rich in an experience with God. 09:23 They were rich in obtaining the things 09:26 that we should be looking for as Christians here today. 09:30 The Bible tells us about this church, 09:31 this church called Smyrna 09:33 and I believe that God has given us this church 09:35 as an example to point us in the right direction 09:38 of what God would have us to be seeking after. 09:40 Not seeking after wealth, not seeking after prosperity, 09:43 although we do need to make ends meet 09:45 and we do need to have financial 09:47 help to help make our ends meet. 09:49 But, friends, that should not be the first thing 09:51 that goes through our minds. 09:52 That should not be the first thing 09:53 that we seek after 09:54 but we should first seek after God as the Bible tells us 09:57 and we are going to look at this passage of scripture 09:59 in Matthew 6:33. 10:02 The Bible tells us, 10:03 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, 10:05 and his righteousness 10:07 all these things shall be added unto you." 10:13 The Bible tells us here that we as Christians, 10:16 the first thing that we should seek after, 10:18 is the kingdom of heaven. 10:19 Now, not only does the Bible say 10:21 that we should seek after the kingdom of heaven 10:23 but it also goes on and it says 10:24 that the kingdom of heaven should be the first thing 10:27 that we seek after. 10:28 And again I ask you the question, 10:29 when you wake up in the morning, 10:30 what's the first thing that goes through your mind? 10:32 What is the thing that you are wanting 10:34 to achieve in your life? 10:35 What are the goals that you have? 10:36 Are your goals that you've set to achieve worldly prosperity, 10:40 worldly honor, worldly glory or are the things 10:43 that you seek after first in your life 10:45 is the kingdom of heaven? 10:46 Is that the first thing you seek after? 10:48 The Bible says that we are to seek 10:49 first the kingdom of heaven and His righteousness 10:52 and that all these things will be added unto us. 10:56 Well, I ask myself the question. 10:58 Okay, God, if I seek after the kingdom of heaven first, 11:01 if I dedicate my life to You 11:02 and I seek after the kingdom of heaven first, 11:04 what does it mean all these things 11:07 shall be added unto you? 11:09 Notice what the Bible says 11:10 in the preceding text in verse 32. 11:13 It tells us here, "For after all these things 11:17 do the Gentiles seek. 11:20 For your heavenly Father knoweth 11:21 that ye have need of all these things." 11:26 The Bible tells us here, interestingly enough, 11:28 that the gentiles-- Now, you have to understand 11:31 who the gentiles were in the Jewish mindset. 11:33 In the Jewish mindset, 11:34 the gentiles were unclean people. 11:36 They were heathen people. 11:37 They were people that-- 11:38 that were godless and served pagan gods. 11:41 They were people that the Jewish people 11:43 did not want to associate with. 11:45 But the Bible says here 11:46 that after all these things do the gentiles seek. 11:51 Now, the Bible says that 11:52 the gentiles seek after all these things. 11:54 So it's probably safe to say 11:56 that if we seek after all of these things 11:59 that the Bible would be defining us as gentiles, 12:03 people that seek after things in this world 12:05 before they seek after God. 12:06 Now, again, we ask ourselves this question, 12:08 what are all these things? 12:09 Notice what the Bible says in verse 31, it says this. 12:13 "Therefore take no thought, saying, what shall we eat? 12:16 Or, what shall we drink? 12:18 Or, wherewithal shall we be clothed?" 12:21 And then the passage goes on, it says, 12:23 "For after all these things do the gentiles seek." 12:25 So the things that the gentiles seek 12:26 are the things in this world, 12:27 money, food, clothing and all those modern things, 12:31 the conveniences of life. 12:33 That is the first thing that they seek after, 12:35 not seeking after the kingdom of heaven. 12:37 So, the Bible is telling us here 12:39 that gentiles seek after the things in this world 12:42 before they seek after the kingdom of heaven. 12:44 I don't know about you, my friends, 12:45 but I don't want to be 12:46 what the Bible defines here as a gentile. 12:49 I want to be what the-- 12:50 what the Bible defines as a person 12:52 that seeks after the kingdom of heaven first. 12:54 As a person whose first thought 12:55 when they wake up in the morning is, 12:57 God, how can I better honor You today? 12:59 How can I better serve You today? 13:01 How can I better live my life for You? 13:03 Friends, I don't want to be a gentile 13:04 that seeks after all these things first. 13:06 And then may be... 13:08 seek after the kingdom of heaven. 13:10 But rather seek after the kingdom of heaven first. 13:12 Now, let me share with you an interesting thought. 13:14 If we seek after the kingdom of heaven first, 13:19 the Bible tells us 13:20 all these things shall be added unto us. 13:22 All of the things that we need, food, clothing 13:25 and all of that-- all of that stuff. 13:27 The Bible says, if we seek after that kingdom first 13:29 and those things will be given to us. 13:31 Now, on the flip side, 13:32 if we seek after all these things first, 13:34 all of the things in this world, 13:35 unfortunately the Bible does not say, 13:38 if we seek the things in this world first 13:39 then the kingdom of heaven will be added unto you. 13:41 So, those people who seek the kingdom of heaven 13:44 number one in their lives, 13:45 they get the best of both worlds. 13:47 But those people who seek after all of those things, 13:49 all other things in this world, 13:51 they only have what they may think 13:54 as the best things in this life 13:56 and not the best things in the life to come. 14:00 So, I don't know about you 14:01 but it seems like a better deal. 14:02 It seems like a better idea 14:03 to seek after the kingdom of heaven first 14:06 and then be able to obtain all of these things 14:09 that we need to keep us alive in this world. 14:12 Now, let's go on in our study 14:13 and look at verse 19 and 20 of Matthew Chapter 6. 14:16 Verse 19 it says this, 14:18 "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, 14:21 where moth and rust doth corrupt, 14:24 and where thieves break through and steal." 14:27 It's interesting if you look at this Bible passage, 14:30 Jesus here is appealing to His people 14:33 and He's making an appeal and He's saying, listen, 14:35 don't set up your kingdom here on this earth. 14:38 Don't look after worldly prosperity. 14:40 Don't look after the things in this world 14:42 but don't-- But rather look after Me 14:44 and set up a kingdom in heaven 14:46 as we're gonna continue to seek. 14:48 Jesus says here, 14:49 don't set up your kingdom here on this earth. 14:51 He says, don't search after the treasures 14:53 of this earth the moth, 14:55 and the rust and the thieves will destroy 14:57 those things here in this world. 14:59 It's interesting if you look at this passage, 15:01 the Bible tells us that the moth, 15:03 and the rust, and the thieves 15:05 that break through and they steal. 15:06 You know, if you look at everything in this world, 15:08 it can be destroyed or stolen 15:10 or taken by one of those three things. 15:12 If the moth doesn't destroy it and eat it, 15:14 then the rust will corrupt it and destroy it. 15:16 And if the rust and the moth doesn't destroy it, 15:19 the thieves will break through and steal it. 15:21 So, friends, nothing in this world has any security. 15:24 No matter how much you may have, 15:26 no matter how much money you may spend 15:29 on making your life secure here in this life, 15:32 it's not secure, my friends, 15:33 because things here in this world 15:35 are subject to being stolen 15:37 and being taken away and being destroyed. 15:39 We cannot have security here in this life 15:42 but we can have security in the life to come, amen? 15:44 That's what the Bible tells us, 15:46 that we are not to set up our treasures 15:48 here in this earth. 15:50 The Bible goes on to say in verse 20 15:52 of Matthew Chapter 6, 15:54 something interesting, it says this. 15:56 "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, 15:59 where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, 16:02 and where thieves do not break through nor steal." 16:07 The Bible tells us here, 16:08 that we are to lay up our treasures where? 16:11 That's right, in heaven. 16:12 Not here on this earth, not here in this kingdom 16:15 but to lay up our treasures in the heavenly kingdom, 16:18 the kingdom to come. 16:19 Now, that's not gonna be a physically laying up 16:22 of our money and our bank accounts 16:25 and the physical things here in this life, 16:27 it's not that kind of thing 16:28 but laying up our treasures in heaven 16:30 looking forward to that heaven to come. 16:32 Looking forward to that kingdom 16:33 that God has prepared for you and for me, 16:35 that is the true treasure of a Christian. 16:37 Now, listen, I'm not preaching against 16:39 having prosperity here in this life 16:41 and having things in this life, that's not what I'm saying. 16:44 What I'm preaching here today 16:46 is that we need to get our priorities straight. 16:49 Not seeking after the things in this world 16:51 but seeking after the kingdom of heaven first. 16:54 That's the message that I'm trying to get across today. 16:56 And asking you the question, 16:57 what do you seek after first, my friends? 16:59 I pray that your answer to that question is that 17:01 I seek after the kingdom of heaven. 17:03 I seek after God. I want to know God better. 17:06 I want to give my life to God 17:07 and God is the all consuming thought of my mind 17:10 and everything else in this world falls behind God 17:13 and God is number one in everything that I do 17:16 and in everything that I say. 17:19 Friends, that is the way we are to be as Gods children, 17:22 as God's people, here in the world today. 17:25 You know, it's interesting when you look at the story 17:28 of Jesus in the wilderness in Matthew Chapter 4 17:31 and how He was being tempted by Satan 17:34 to transgress God's law. 17:38 Satan came to Jesus and he said, 17:40 command that these stones be made bread. 17:42 He knew Jesus was hungry after all of that time 17:45 fasting in the wilderness and Jesus turned to Satan 17:48 and He says, it is written, 17:50 "Man shall not live by bread alone, 17:51 but by every word that proceeded 17:52 out of the mouth of Lord doth man live." 17:55 And then Satan comes to Him again 17:57 and he says, cast yourself down from this temple. 18:00 Because the Bible says 18:02 that He will give His angels charge over thee, 18:03 concerning thee and they will bear you up, 18:04 lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 18:06 And Jesus says, 18:07 Thou shall not tempt the Lord thy God. 18:09 Jesus met Satan's every temptation of Satan, 18:13 He met Satan's temptations with a "Thus saith the Lord." 18:16 He says, it is written. It is written. 18:18 And then Satan came to Him the third time 18:20 and he says, Jesus, if you bow down and worship me, 18:23 if You bow down and give Your homage to me, 18:25 if You bow down and say that I'm the ruler of the world, 18:29 I'll give You all of these things. 18:31 I'll give You the world and all the things 18:33 that you are seeking after, 18:34 all of the things that You want, 18:36 I'll give you the people that You are wanting to save. 18:38 I'll give You the cities of the world 18:39 and all the things that come with those cities. 18:43 And Jesus met him again and He said, it is written. 18:47 To get behind him, He said, get behind me, Satan. 18:50 And again He quoted passages of scripture. 18:52 You see, it's interesting when you look at the story, 18:54 again Jesus was an overcomer but not only that, 18:57 that's an important point, 18:58 but not only that the Bible reveals to us 19:00 in this illustration that Jesus was seeking 19:03 after the kingdom of heaven first. 19:07 He was seeking after the things in heaven. 19:09 He was seeking to follow the will of His father 19:12 rather than following the desires of His heart, 19:14 rather than following the desires of His stomach, 19:17 the desires of His pride, 19:18 the desires of obtaining the things in this world. 19:21 Jesus sought after the Kingdom of God first. 19:25 And the Bible tells us 19:26 that Jesus is our example in all things. 19:28 Again, friends, I ask you, 19:30 what is the all consuming thought in your mind? 19:33 Do you seek God's kingdom first 19:35 or do you seek after the things in this world first? 19:37 Do you seek God? 19:38 Is He number one, 19:40 or are you seeking after all of these things? 19:41 The appeal that's coming from the Bible today, 19:44 the theme that's coming from the Bible 19:46 is not that it's wrong to have worldly prosperity 19:50 but that it's wrong to seek those things before God. 19:53 That we as God's people need to put Jesus and God 19:57 number one in our lives and nothing else, 19:59 everything else must fall underneath God, 20:02 God must be number one. 20:04 Is God number one in your life? 20:06 I ask you that question today in all sincerity. 20:09 It's interesting when you go back to Matthew Chapter 6, 20:13 it's interesting this theme that keeps recurring 20:15 over and over again in Matthew Chapter 6. 20:18 It tells us in verse 25 that-- it says, 20:20 "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought." 20:23 Now, it's interesting, the Bible is telling us here, 20:25 don't take any thought, take no thought. 20:26 It goes on, it says in verse 28, 20:28 "And why take ye thought." 20:29 Now, we're seeing a theme recurring here. 20:32 First He says, take no thought, 20:33 then He says again take no thought. 20:34 In verse 31, it says, "Therefore take no thought." 20:38 And then in verse-- 20:39 in verse 34 it closes out and it says, 20:41 "Take therefore no thought." 20:43 What is Jesus trying to teach us? 20:45 What is it that God is trying to get across to us? 20:47 What is it that God is appealing to us? 20:50 He is appealing to us, don't concern yourself 20:53 with all of these things in the world. 20:55 Don't concern yourself with worldly prosperity. 20:57 Don't make that thing number one in your mind 20:59 as the all consuming thought but seek My kingdom first 21:03 and that's what He says in verse 33. 21:05 "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness 21:07 and all these things shall be added unto you." 21:10 Again, friends, are you taking thought? 21:12 Are you-- are you burdened with the cares of life? 21:15 Are you burdened with the cares of your job 21:17 and meeting your financial security? 21:20 Are you-- are you burdened with the things in this world? 21:22 Friends, don't worry about them, 21:23 seek the kingdom of heaven first 21:25 and everything else will fall in line right behind 21:27 that seeking of the kingdom of heaven, number one. 21:31 I want to share with you an interesting connection here, 21:34 in Revelation Chapter 13. 21:36 The Bible tells us in Revelation 13:16, 17 21:39 it says this. 21:41 "And he causeth all, both small and great, 21:43 rich and poor, free and bond, 21:45 to receive a mark in their right hand, 21:47 or in their foreheads, 21:50 and that no man might buy or sell, 21:52 save he that had the mark, 21:55 or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." 21:58 The Bible tells us here that in the end times 22:02 right before Jesus comes back, 22:03 that if you don't receive this thing, 22:05 the so called thing called the mark of the beast, 22:07 that you will not be able to buy or sell. 22:10 That you will not be able to go down 22:12 to your local grocery store and buy the produce. 22:14 That you will not be able to go down to your local market 22:16 and buy things there. 22:17 You will not be able to go down to the stores 22:19 and to the places and buy and sell and trade. 22:21 You will not be able to do that 22:23 unless you receive the mark of the beast. 22:24 Now you may ask the question, 22:26 why are you bringing this Bible text up? 22:28 This is the reason why. 22:30 The Bible tells us that 22:31 we are to seek the kingdom of heaven first. 22:33 That's what the Bible says, 22:34 "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness." 22:37 Now, friends, listen to me, 22:38 if we don't seek after the kingdom of heaven first, 22:41 if we seek after the things in this world first, 22:45 if the things in this world are what consume our thoughts, 22:47 if the things in this world are what we think about 22:49 all day long when we wake up in the morning 22:51 as we go throughout the day, 22:52 if we seek after these things first 22:54 and not the kingdom of heaven first, 22:56 listen to me, now, this is a very important point. 22:58 You are setting yourself up to receive 23:01 what the Bible calls the mark of the beast. 23:04 We are setting ourselves up to receive 23:06 that mark of the beast 23:07 if we're seeking after the things of the world 23:09 before the Kingdom of God. 23:10 Because when it comes down to it 23:12 and that mark of beast time is-- 23:14 is getting ready to enforce that mark 23:16 and you'll have to make a decision 23:17 between worshiping God and receiving 23:19 and being able to buy and sell 23:21 and receiving the things in this world, 23:22 if you love the things in the world 23:24 before you love God, 23:25 if you love the things in this world first, 23:27 you'll be more inclined to take that mark of the beast. 23:30 You'll say yes, please, give me that mark 23:32 and so that I can be able to buy and sell, 23:35 so that I can be able to go down to the stores 23:36 and trade and buy and do all these things. 23:38 You will be setting yourself up to receive that mark. 23:42 But, friends, listen if we as God's people 23:44 seek after the kingdom of heaven first, 23:46 if God's kingdom is the thing 23:48 that is the consuming thought in our mind 23:50 and worshiping God and following God 23:51 and doing what God asks us to do, 23:53 if that is the first thing that is in our thoughts, 23:56 when it comes down to that decision, 23:58 obedience to God or receiving the mark of the beast 24:00 and all of the pleasurable things in this world, 24:03 we will say within our hearts 24:04 God, I want to serve You, God, I want to receive Your seal, 24:07 God, I don't care about this mark of the beast. 24:09 I don't want to receive the mark of the beast. 24:11 I want to follow You, 24:12 I want to seek Your kingdom first. 24:14 I'm not after the things in this world. 24:16 I'm not setting up a kingdom here in this earth. 24:18 I'm setting up a kingdom somewhere beyond the blue, 24:20 so that I can be with You 24:22 throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. 24:24 Friends, I ask you the question once again, 24:25 what is the thing that you seek after first? 24:27 What is the all consuming thought in your mind? 24:29 What is the thing that you seek after number one in your life? 24:32 Is it the kingdom of heaven 24:34 or is it all of the things in this world? 24:37 There was a story that was told about a lady 24:39 and her husband that lived in a small community 24:43 in the state of Pennsylvania 24:45 in the United States of America. 24:47 And as they lived in that small community, 24:48 it was a small logging community. 24:50 There they would cut trees down and make logs. 24:53 And they-- the logging company 24:54 had just recently built this big dam 24:57 to help in their production of logs and lumber 24:59 and they told the people that 25:01 lived in the small little community 25:02 where this husband and wife lived, they said, 25:04 you will live in this city for years to come, 25:07 you won't have to worry about this dam. 25:08 You don't have to worry about the dam breaking 25:10 because it is a sturdy, strong dam, 25:13 you don't have to worry about that. 25:14 Well, one day, the husband and wife 25:15 they were in their house, they were in their home 25:19 and they were enjoying the day 25:20 when all of a sudden they heard that sound 25:22 that they thought they'd never hear. 25:23 It was the siren that announced to the people in that city 25:28 that the dam had broken 25:29 and the water was on its way down the valley. 25:32 The husband, when he heard that alarm 25:35 he knew it wasn't a test, he got his wits together 25:38 and he ran out of the house as fast as he could 25:40 and he ran to higher ground and when he got there, 25:42 in the hustle and bustle of the excitement 25:44 of what was taking place, 25:45 he realized that his wife was not with him. 25:47 So, he ran back down into that community, 25:49 he ran back into his house, 25:50 he shouted up the stairs, he said, wife, honey, 25:53 please hurry up, the water is getting ready to come. 25:56 She shouted down the stairs she said, 25:57 you go right ahead, honey, I'll be right behind you. 26:00 So he left the house, 26:01 he went back up to higher ground 26:02 and he realized once again, my wife is not with me, 26:04 I need to go get her so that she's not destroyed. 26:07 He runs back down into the house, 26:08 he runs into the house, he shouts up the stairs. 26:10 He says, honey, please hurry up, the water is coming. 26:13 He could hear the clapping of thunder of the water 26:15 as it was rolling down that valley 26:17 and see the mist of the water as it sprayed up into the air 26:20 and the wife shouted down the stairs, 26:22 you go right ahead, I'll be right behind you. 26:24 So, he ran out of the house 26:25 and as he ran out of that house, 26:27 the water-- that wall of water caught him 26:30 and was carrying him down the valley. 26:33 Well, he grabbed on to some piece of drift wood 26:35 or some bucket or whatever it might have been 26:37 and he rode that thing like some surfer 26:40 in Hawaii riding a wave. 26:42 And all of a sudden there were some people 26:44 on a vantage ground and they saw this man 26:46 and they reached down and pulled him out. 26:49 Few days later, they found the wife 26:51 with a mud caked mouth 26:53 but she was clenching on to two bags in her hands. 26:57 Later on, it was revealed that 26:58 what she was holding onto in her hands. 27:00 She was holding into one hand, 27:02 she was holding on to a bag of money. 27:05 In the other hand, she was holding on to some jewels 27:07 that she had, some jewels that maybe were passed down 27:10 from her family members to her. 27:11 She was holding on to the things of the world 27:13 and as a result of holding onto the things of the world, 27:15 her life was taken from her. 27:16 And, friends, if we hold on to the things in this world, 27:18 if we cling to things in this world, 27:19 if we hold on to the materialistic things 27:22 in this world and not the Word of God, 27:23 the same thing will happen to you and to me 27:25 if we hold on to the things in this world. 27:27 Our lives will be destroyed. 27:28 And I plead with you today, 27:30 follow the Bible and seek after the kingdom of heaven first. 27:34 If that's your desire, if it is your desire to say, 27:37 God, I want to seek Your kingdom first, 27:38 God, I want to dedicate my life completely to You 27:41 and have all these things added unto me. 27:43 I would just ask that as you're sitting in your chair 27:45 that you would bow your heads and that you would pray to God 27:48 as this comes to a close and say, 27:50 God, I want to be with You, 27:52 I want to seek your kingdom first. 27:54 May God bless you as you do this commitment. |
Revised 2014-12-17