In Pursuit Of God: Understanding The Pursuit…
Deuteronomy 4:1-10 (Amplified Bible)
1NOW LISTEN and give heed, O Israel, to the statutes and ordinances which I teach you, and do them, that you may live and go in and possess the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, gives you. 2You shall not add to the word which I command you, neither shall you diminish it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you 3Your eyes still see what the Lord did because of Baal-peor; for all the men who followed the Baal of Peor the Lord your God has destroyed from among you,4But you who clung fast to the Lord your God are alive, every one of you, this day.5Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land which you are entering to possess.6So keep them and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.7For what great nation is there who has a god so near to them as the Lord our God is to us in all things for which we call upon Him? 8And what large and important nation has statutes and ordinances so upright and just as all this law which I set before you today? 9Only take heed, and guard your life diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes have seen and lest they depart from your [mind and] heart all the days of your life. Teach them to your children and your children's children--10Especially how on the day that you stood before the Lord your God in Horeb, the Lord said to me, Gather the people together to Me and I will make them hear My words, that they may learn [reverently] to fear Me all the days they live upon the earth and that they may teach their children.
Earlier in this week I took a class at our church called Train the Trainer. I had received training in this area many times on a secular and military level because I have been employed as a training manager, trainer and instructor. One of the most interesting things that always seem to come up in these classes is that you will always have people within the learning environment that want to challenge you, challenge your beliefs and they may even want to antagonize the instructor or others attending the class. Their reason for attending class and what they may be in pursuit of is not necessarily what you may be there to teach and what the others may be there to receive. People can get affixed on many things in their pursuit to find salvation, God and inner peace. They can become inundated with outside elements, religious affiliations, things they have heard, allegiances they have formed, and doctrines that have exposed themselves to, or that they have been exposed to. No matter what becomes the focus, if it is not God, through Jesus and the Holy Spirit as teacher, guide and Spirit of truth, the pursuit then becomes a different than God intended one and the journey does as well.
I have friends and associates from all over the world. I have been blessed and privileged to have encountered and talk with people that have many different beliefs and are immersed in different cultures and religions. But my pursuit has not been to allow myself to be impacted by them, but for them to see someone or something out of my life that they could gain from, and be impacted by. Although I may look at and hear them talk about peace, community and acceptance, I realize that by really pursuing God and embracing Him I embrace not one aspect of who he is but ALL aspects. The Bible says in Matthew 5:16“In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” I have been told that there is something in me that draws people…I am happy to say it is God alone, nothing in me at all (meaning nothing birthed of the flesh). I get approached in pursuit of relationship often and I have had to clarify that it is really not me that they are drawn to but the God in me, for I am difficult at best and I know that. Immersion in pursuing God through intimacy and time in His presence, through a healthy devotional time in study of His Word, meditation and prayer time, will yield us having relationship with God. But loving God and pursuing Him is not a matter of head, but truly it is a matter of the heart. It is allowing God residence within our heart, to be able to feel His very existence within us.
What is it that you are really seeking after? Are you seeking parts of the whole, for if you are this will never give you the fulfillment necessary to see His full glory. Are seeking to gain from what is around you or the human condition? It is only through true immersion can one pursues God and obtains the elements of His glory and majesty that brings satisfaction and life. There is truly no God like Jehovah!
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