6/3/21- WHEN HIS HEART IS MORE APPEALING THAN HIS HANDS...

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:33‬ ‭CSB‬‬

“Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, you are looking for Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Don’t work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set his seal of approval on Him.”

‭‭John‬ ‭6:26-27‬ ‭CSB‬‬

What’s the attraction? What’s the pull? What draws you to Him? What’s the appeal? Why do you serve Him? Why do you seek Him? Great questions right? But even better are the answers of your hearts. People do things for many reasons, one of the most popular reason is; it’s tradition or it’s just the right thing to do. When we give our hearts to Jesus, it wasn’t solely for the benefits, and they are extensive, it was a merging of two hearts becoming one after we came into agreement with Him concerning our sinful condition. He came to be Savior and Lord.

The people in John chapter 6, wanted the benefits before the marriage. No different than the young prodigal who demanded his inheritance before his father’s death. Jesus called them out. He was offering spiritual bread for their souls, but all they wanted was what His hands could provide. It’s no different today. The sermons being preached today, have created a ‘gimme church’ instead of a seeking church. People tithe for the benefits more than for the joy of being obedient to His Word. I think we’re forgetting a very important fact: God knows hearts, and searches motives.

“But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”Jeremiah‬ ‭17:10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

How did you answer the questions I posed? Be honest with yourself, repent if you need to, and serve the Lord from pure motives. Seeking Him as your only true riches, will release Him to give you what He knows won’t take your heart away from Him. We are not like the world. It’s not about His hands, it’s about Him. Of a certainty, He can do abundantly more than we can ever ask or imagine. But everything we ask for is temporal, He is eternal. His desire is to bless us here with every spiritual and material blessings. Only that which is good and perfect comes from Him. James 1:17. But He’s the greatest gift of all.

In the first text, we’re told to seek FIRST. That suggests that there’s a second seeking. The first and most important is seeking His Kingdom and His righteousness. Everything else has to flow from that place. When He’s our everything, He releases everything else that’s secondary. He told me this years ago, and I live by it. “Whatever I give you, will never take your heart away from Me” that’s your way of testing who or what comes into your life. Would you give up your integrity and soul for “whatever” it is? Would you be willing to offer it/him/her back to the Lord? Or would you compromise your fellowship just to have what you’ve always wanted?

Don’t forget Satan also parades like an Angel of light. He also gives gifts. But the testing of the giver and gift is tied to who has your heart. Seek first. Lay every gift on the altar of the One who sees. Allow His fire to prove what the gift is made of: Wood, hay or stubble. Gold never burns, it’s purified by the fire. Don’t just listen to the words, hear them. Don’t succumb to neediness as the people were in Jesus’ story. Desire more, He’s more than bread that perishes. He’s the True Bread, the Bread that leads to life, eternal life. Don’t settle for earthly desires, discovering His heart leads to that which never perishes.

He wants to bless you with heavenly riches in unimaginable ways. Place your desires at His feet and walk away confident that He sees you. Seek His face, trust His heart when you can’t see His hands. When His heart becomes more appealing than His hands, you’ll discover that they have been opened all along. He alone is our sufficiency. Nothing we desire compares with Him. Find that place of completeness and you’ll discover heaven on earth.

I found the one I adore! I caught Him and fastened myself to Him, refusing to be feeble in my heart again. I have found Him whom my soul loves.

Written by permission of the Holy Spirit

W. Tennant

June 3, 2021