“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” {Matthew 6:33}
“And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” {Luke 12:15}
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” {Mark 8:36}
Sometimes I think we forget we’re supposed to be seeking God first instead of the things of this world. We forget that the things of this world are temporary and that the things of God are eternal. Nothing we gain in this life is going with us when we die. Nothing. The only thing that we’re going to take with us is our relationship with Jesus Christ and what we’ve done for His name’s sake. We spend so much time aspiring for success in this life and forget there’s so much more to come. Heaven is not just playing our harps and singing songs to God. Heaven is so much more. The Bible states that there is actually a kingdom that we’re going to end up ruling. Jesus Christ told John the Beloved in Revelation:
And he that overcometh and keepth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. {Revelation 26:27}
We get so caught up thinking heaven is just sitting down and chatting with God and with one another forever and ever. Heaven is going to be so much more. The life we have after this is so much more. Don’t get caught up spending your whole entire life towards this world that is passing and will be over when you’re eighty or ninety years old – that is if you even last that long. Spend it being ambitious towards God because the things you do for Him on this earth are going to reap such benefits that you’ve never even dreamed are possible in heaven. And when you get there, where life is forever, you’re going to be thankful you did not waste your time pursuing something so trivial and so temporary towards this world, but something eternal.
Our relationship with Christ however, determines how much we’re going to have in heaven. If we’re successful in doing what the Lord wants us to do here on this earth, we are going to be successful too in heaven. If we are close to Jesus Christ here on this earth, we are going to be close too there in heaven with Him.
It is important that He knows who we are. Doing His work alone is not enough. We must also know Him. He must also know us. God knows everybody but that doesn’t mean He won’t make a distinction of who belongs to Him. If we know Him, we will not only do His work but we will also do His will. Doing His will means knowing His voice, following His voice, and abiding in His word everyday, every moment. Remember what He said in His parable of the people that did wonderful things for Him but were actually workers of iniquity. He said regarding them:
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. {Matthew 7:22-23}
So be very careful about doing His work and being so busy for Him, but you don’t know who He is because you’re not spending enough time talking to Him and abiding in His presence everyday – seeking His word, seeking His face, and seeking to know who He is. He said, “Learn of Me.” {Matthew 11:29} He wants us to know who He is. He wants us to seek Him first. Don’t get caught up thinking that’s all He wants us to do – His work, and then forget to spend time with Jesus.
The church at Ephesus was really good at doing God’s work and even Jesus commended them for doing His work. But yet He warned them and told them they’re not right with Him anymore – that they have forgotten Him and have neglected the first work – which is spending time with Him, loving Him. He is their First love and yet they have forgotten Him. He said to the church at Ephesus:
I know thy works and thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles and are not and has found them liars: And hast borne and hast patience and for my name’s sake hast labored and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place except thou repent.” {Revelation 2:2-5}
There are levels of nearness to God in heaven. Not everyone is going to be a part of the twelve apostles or the twenty-four elders that sit on the seats around the throne of God. Remember what Jesus said to James and John when they wished for Him to have them sit at His right hand or His left hand when He sits at His throne. He told them,
“But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.” {Mark 10:40}
Apostle Paul talked about meeting a man who experienced going to the third heaven. Paul said that is where he wants to glory in. Here is how Paul described it:
“I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth.) How that he was caught up into paradise and heard unspeakable words which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.” {2 Corinthians 12:2-5}
There are so many things to look forward to when we leave this world behind. The Bible cannot possibly describe everything that’s going to happen there. It is an eternal place after all. John the Beloved said that if we were to record everything that God has done (and will yet do), this world couldn’t contain all the books that will be written about Him. All we know is that there is definitely going to be a new world that is coming. We’re not just going to be playing harps in the clouds and singing forever and ever. Certainly we will be worshiping God forever and ever, and if you’re in love with Him that’s what you’re going to want too. Because worshiping God is the greatest experience of happiness we will ever experience now and in eternity. But there’s so much more in worshiping God. To gaze at His face, to be in His presence, to love Him, to be filled through and through with His love, is all a part of worship.
So many of us don’t know the Lord enough that we get so easily discouraged about the prospect of denying ourselves and picking up our cross and following Him. We think we are getting cheated somehow or are missing something in the activity of life when we actually take the time to talk to Him. We need to start recognizing and realizing that talking to Jesus everyday and every moment is our key to how high and how close we will get to the Lord when we get to heaven. It is our way to having more of God and more of heaven. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to just get to the first heaven. If there is a heaven higher than the third heaven Apostle Paul described I want to be in it. I want to be as close to Jesus Christ as I can get. I also want to reign with Him. I want to have a nation if He is bestowing them on the select whom he prepared. I want everything that God can give me there. This life I have on this earth is but a moment. I don’t want to spend another moment seeking for earthly treasures or aspiring for worldly success that’s going to end up being taken away from me when my life is over. I want to do things that’s going to last. If I’m going to be successful at all, I want to be successful at knowing who God is because I know this is going to last forever. I want to seek Him first and His kingdom so that all these things that He has promised to give me I will have.
“And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.” {Matthew 19:29}
“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” {1 Corinthians 2:9}
Prayer
Lord Jesus, our gracious Father in heaven, You are holy and worthy of all praise. I love You and I give You all the praise and worship. You are my God and You are my King, there is no one else like You.
Father, I pray Your will to be done in my life. I pray for a closer walk with You here on this earth that I may reap the benefits of how it would be like to be close to You in heaven. I want to do Your work here and not waste time pursuing the things of this world that is passing. You have said that heaven and earth are going to pass away but Your word will never pass away. I want to do Your work and I want to do Your will, please help me. Help me everyday to deny myself, pick up my cross and follow You. Help me to know who You are. I ask and pray all this in Your most wonderful and awesome name, Jesus. Thank You, Father. Amen.
{A repost from June 2017: Seek Ye First}
