Pursue
Pursue what God has for you. God has a plan for your life (Jeremiah 29:11) says
“for I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord Yahweh, thoughts of
peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end”. But you have to pursue it, to
walk in it. Pursue means to run after, to follow after, to chase.
III John 2 says “beloved I will above all things that you may prosper and be in health,
even as your soul prospers”. Our part is to get our mind, will and emotion to
prosper. You do this by feeding yourself on a steady diet of the word of God (I Peter
2:2) tells us to “desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby”.
God told Joshua how in Joshua 1:8, which says “this book of the law shall not depart
out of your mouth, but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may
observe to do according to all that is written therein, for then you shall make your
way prosperous and then you shall have good success”. Focus on His vision for
your life. Dream big dreams; see yourself doing what God called you to do.
Ephesians 3:20 says “now to Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all
that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us”. What are you asking
and thinking?
First to pursue His plan, you should pray. Paul prayed a pray in Ephesians 1:17-19
which is a good pray for all to pray over their lives; it says “that the God of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation
in the knowledge of Him. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that
you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His
inheritance, in the saints. And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-
ward who believe according to the working of His mighty power”. When you pray it
for yourself, we have to make it personal. That goes along with what James 1:5 says
“if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all men liberally, and
upbraids not; and it shall be given him”.
Use your words as seeds to plant God’s will in your life. As you speak God’s word, it
gives the Holy Spirit room to work in your life. Psalms 68:11 says “the Lord Yahweh
gave the word; great was the company of those that published it”. Remember that
Jesus said “I only speak what I have heard My Father speak”
James 4:7-8a says “submit yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil, and he will
flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you”. Have you drawn
near to God? Do you spend time with Him? Do you value your time with Him? The
Bible says “and you shall seek Me and find Me when you shall search for Me with all
your heart. And I will be found of you, says the Lord Yahweh; and I will turn away
your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations” (Jeremiah 29:13-14a).
Jesus says “but seek you first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all
these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33); but unfortunately people are
pursuing the blessings, the things that they desire, but if they would pursue the One
who brings blesses, the things will come.
Jesus said “abide in Me, and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except
it abide in the vine; no more can you except you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are
the branches, he that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for
without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:4-5). And “he that has My commandments,
and keeps them, he it is that loves Me, and he that loves Me shall be loved of My
Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him” (John 14:21).
We have to exercise our faith, Hebrews 11:6 says “but without faith, it is impossible to
please Him, for he that comes to God, must believe that He is, and that He is a
rewarder of them that diligently seek Him”; we must believe the word of God and then
speak it and we will see it.
When God gives you a vision, it is much bigger than what you can do; God has
called you and He will provide. Paul writes “being confident of this very thing that He
which has begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”
(Philippians 1:6). But you can start moving from where you are. The Bible tells us
not to despise small beginnings”.
We know that God has a plan for all our lives, so we have to pursue His vision for our
lives. Proverbs 29:18 says “where there is no vision, the people perish, but he that
keeps the law, happy is he”. In other words without a vision, they don’t know which
way to go. When you pursue God, you get creative. It causes you to be diligent with
an attitude of not giving up.
David encouraged himself in the Lord Yahweh, and David asked God what he should
do (I Samuel 30); verse 8 says “and David enquired at the Lord Yahweh saying, shall
I pursue after this troop? Shall I overtake them? And He answered him; pursue for
you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all”.
Praise God for the things He have brought you through. David rehearsed the
victories he received from God (I Samuel 17:34-37) “and David said to King Saul,
your servant kept his father’s sheep and there came a lion, and a bear; and took a
lamb out of the flock. And I went out after him, and mote it, and delivered it out of its
mouth, and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and smote it, and slew
it. Your servant slew both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine
shall be as one of them, seeking he has defied the armies of the living God. David
said moreover, the Lord Yahweh delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of
the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine”.
David is called “a man after God’s own heart”. As you read through the Psalms you
see where David wrote “as the dear pants after the water brooks, so pants my soul
after you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God, when shall I come and
appear before God”? As we pursue God as David did, we will have a strong
relationship with God as he did.
Psalms 100 says “make a joyful noise to the Lord Yahweh all you lands. Serve the
Lord Yahweh with gladness, come before His presence with singing. Know you that
the Lord Yahweh, He is God, it is He that has made us, and not we ourselves, we are
His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and
into His courts with praise, be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord
Yahweh is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations”.
And Ephesians 5:18-20 says “and be not drunk with wine, where is excess; but be
filled with the Spirit. Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Giving thanks always
for all things to God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”.
The Bible as our guide tells us what we should pursue (Romans 14:19) “let us
therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may
edify another”. Also I Peter 3:11-13 says “let him turn from evil, and do good, let him
seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His
ears are open to their prayers, but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
And who is he that will harm you, if you be followers of that which is good”?
Again I Corinthians 14:1 says “follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather
that you may prophesy”. Remember that “faith works by love”. Then I Thessalonians
5:15-18 says “see that none render evil for evil to any man, but ever follow that which
is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray with
ceasing. In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus
concerning you”.
I Timothy 6:11-12 says “but you, O man of God, flee these things, and follow after
righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good flight of
faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereto you are also called and have professed a good
profession before many witnesses”. Also II Timothy 2:22 which says “flee also
youthful lusts, but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace with them that call on the
Lord out of a pure heart”. Hebrews 12:14 says “follow peace with all men, and
holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord”. This should ring loud in our
hearts, because we all want to hear Jesus say “well done My good and faithful
servant”.
Let us follow the Bible’s guide and pursue God and His word. Remember in the
presence of God there is liberty.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: October 17, 2008
Pursue what God has for you. God has a plan for your life (Jeremiah 29:11) says
“for I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord Yahweh, thoughts of
peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end”. But you have to pursue it, to
walk in it. Pursue means to run after, to follow after, to chase.
III John 2 says “beloved I will above all things that you may prosper and be in health,
even as your soul prospers”. Our part is to get our mind, will and emotion to
prosper. You do this by feeding yourself on a steady diet of the word of God (I Peter
2:2) tells us to “desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby”.
God told Joshua how in Joshua 1:8, which says “this book of the law shall not depart
out of your mouth, but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may
observe to do according to all that is written therein, for then you shall make your
way prosperous and then you shall have good success”. Focus on His vision for
your life. Dream big dreams; see yourself doing what God called you to do.
Ephesians 3:20 says “now to Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all
that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us”. What are you asking
and thinking?
First to pursue His plan, you should pray. Paul prayed a pray in Ephesians 1:17-19
which is a good pray for all to pray over their lives; it says “that the God of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation
in the knowledge of Him. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that
you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His
inheritance, in the saints. And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-
ward who believe according to the working of His mighty power”. When you pray it
for yourself, we have to make it personal. That goes along with what James 1:5 says
“if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all men liberally, and
upbraids not; and it shall be given him”.
Use your words as seeds to plant God’s will in your life. As you speak God’s word, it
gives the Holy Spirit room to work in your life. Psalms 68:11 says “the Lord Yahweh
gave the word; great was the company of those that published it”. Remember that
Jesus said “I only speak what I have heard My Father speak”
James 4:7-8a says “submit yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil, and he will
flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you”. Have you drawn
near to God? Do you spend time with Him? Do you value your time with Him? The
Bible says “and you shall seek Me and find Me when you shall search for Me with all
your heart. And I will be found of you, says the Lord Yahweh; and I will turn away
your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations” (Jeremiah 29:13-14a).
Jesus says “but seek you first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all
these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33); but unfortunately people are
pursuing the blessings, the things that they desire, but if they would pursue the One
who brings blesses, the things will come.
Jesus said “abide in Me, and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except
it abide in the vine; no more can you except you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are
the branches, he that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for
without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:4-5). And “he that has My commandments,
and keeps them, he it is that loves Me, and he that loves Me shall be loved of My
Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him” (John 14:21).
We have to exercise our faith, Hebrews 11:6 says “but without faith, it is impossible to
please Him, for he that comes to God, must believe that He is, and that He is a
rewarder of them that diligently seek Him”; we must believe the word of God and then
speak it and we will see it.
When God gives you a vision, it is much bigger than what you can do; God has
called you and He will provide. Paul writes “being confident of this very thing that He
which has begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”
(Philippians 1:6). But you can start moving from where you are. The Bible tells us
not to despise small beginnings”.
We know that God has a plan for all our lives, so we have to pursue His vision for our
lives. Proverbs 29:18 says “where there is no vision, the people perish, but he that
keeps the law, happy is he”. In other words without a vision, they don’t know which
way to go. When you pursue God, you get creative. It causes you to be diligent with
an attitude of not giving up.
David encouraged himself in the Lord Yahweh, and David asked God what he should
do (I Samuel 30); verse 8 says “and David enquired at the Lord Yahweh saying, shall
I pursue after this troop? Shall I overtake them? And He answered him; pursue for
you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all”.
Praise God for the things He have brought you through. David rehearsed the
victories he received from God (I Samuel 17:34-37) “and David said to King Saul,
your servant kept his father’s sheep and there came a lion, and a bear; and took a
lamb out of the flock. And I went out after him, and mote it, and delivered it out of its
mouth, and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and smote it, and slew
it. Your servant slew both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine
shall be as one of them, seeking he has defied the armies of the living God. David
said moreover, the Lord Yahweh delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of
the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine”.
David is called “a man after God’s own heart”. As you read through the Psalms you
see where David wrote “as the dear pants after the water brooks, so pants my soul
after you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God, when shall I come and
appear before God”? As we pursue God as David did, we will have a strong
relationship with God as he did.
Psalms 100 says “make a joyful noise to the Lord Yahweh all you lands. Serve the
Lord Yahweh with gladness, come before His presence with singing. Know you that
the Lord Yahweh, He is God, it is He that has made us, and not we ourselves, we are
His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and
into His courts with praise, be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord
Yahweh is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations”.
And Ephesians 5:18-20 says “and be not drunk with wine, where is excess; but be
filled with the Spirit. Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Giving thanks always
for all things to God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”.
The Bible as our guide tells us what we should pursue (Romans 14:19) “let us
therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may
edify another”. Also I Peter 3:11-13 says “let him turn from evil, and do good, let him
seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His
ears are open to their prayers, but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
And who is he that will harm you, if you be followers of that which is good”?
Again I Corinthians 14:1 says “follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather
that you may prophesy”. Remember that “faith works by love”. Then I Thessalonians
5:15-18 says “see that none render evil for evil to any man, but ever follow that which
is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray with
ceasing. In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus
concerning you”.
I Timothy 6:11-12 says “but you, O man of God, flee these things, and follow after
righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good flight of
faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereto you are also called and have professed a good
profession before many witnesses”. Also II Timothy 2:22 which says “flee also
youthful lusts, but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace with them that call on the
Lord out of a pure heart”. Hebrews 12:14 says “follow peace with all men, and
holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord”. This should ring loud in our
hearts, because we all want to hear Jesus say “well done My good and faithful
servant”.
Let us follow the Bible’s guide and pursue God and His word. Remember in the
presence of God there is liberty.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: October 17, 2008
