Matthew 13:45-46 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

If you understood heaven, you would sell all that you had in order to obtain it. If you understood heaven, there is nothing on this earth that could prevent you from pursuing it. If you understood heaven, there is nothing that could distract you from putting the things of God first in your life.

In this passage, Christ likens the kingdom of heaven to that of a pearl. The man who finds this pearl of great price will sell all that he has in order to obtain it. A merchant man is in the business of buying and selling. A merchant will buy low and then sell high in order to make a profit. If a merchant sees that an item has the potential for great profit, the merchant will sell things of less value in order to obtain the item that is of most value to him.

We live in a world where no one would think twice of a man selling all of his possessions in order to strike it rich. However, these same people think that a missionary is crazy for quitting their job in order to move to some place that no one has ever heard of in order to preach the gospel to people who have never heard of Jesus.

We live in a world where no one would think twice of a man quitting his job in order to start his own business so that he could be his own boss. However, these same people think that a pastor is crazy for being willing to work for such low wages so that the kingdom of heaven might be advanced.

We live in a world where no one would think twice of a man spending years obtaining a higher education so that they can receive a large salary. However, these same people think that a person who spends hours every day translating the scriptures so that someone in some foreign country could have a copy of the scripture is crazy and wasting their time.

We live in a world where you are normal if you will make sacrifices so that your financial well being is taken care of. However, no one seems to care of about their spiritual condition. The things of God are much more important than all the things of this world that money can buy. While money can buy you great jewels, it will never purchase eternal life.

There are many wonderful truths hidden from those who never look for them. All you have to do is spend time drawing closer to God. The things of God are obtainable, but you must make it a priority to seek first the kingdom of heaven. As you change your mind set to search for the hidden treasures of God, God will reward you by allowing you to find those truths that will sustain you in life. How many treasures have you missed out on because you never looked for them to begin with?

Just because you want to find the hidden truths that God has for you, it does not mean that you find them when you want to find them. The merchant who looked for the priceless pearl had to expend great effort to find the pearl of great price. So likewise, you will have to exercise patience in order to obtain the hidden treasures that God has in store for you. Learn to put the things of God first in your life and in God’s perfect timing, HE will direct your paths in a way that you never imagined possible. If you will just change your priorities, you will discover so many wonderful things that you never thought possible.

Matthew 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath , and buyeth that field.

In this passage, Jesus is teaching us about what heaven is like. Jesus uses the example of a treasure hid in a field. This treasure is so great that the man sells everything that he hath in order to purchase the land so that the treasure now belongs to him.

How many of us treasure heaven so much that we would give up everything that we have in order to obtain it? We do not understand the value of heaven because we have not first taken the time to seek out the value of heaven. Until we search for the hidden treasure, we will not find it. Until we find it, we do not understand its value.

God does not automatically show us the value of heaven. Jesus hid a lot of truths about the ways of God in parables. HE did this because HE understood that not everyone was ready for the truth. Those who desired that which is right will be diligent to search out the truth while those who were more concerned with the things of this world would continue on their way.

When was the last time you sought out the things of God? When was the last time you focused upon the things of God and refused to pay any attention to the things going on around you until you obtained a word from God? In this passage, we are told that the treasure is hidden. That means that the man had to be searching for the treasure. This man had to be looking in places where others had not looked before him. This man was patient in that he looked in more places where the treasure was not before he actually found that which had great value.

How much time do you spend picking a stock that you are going to buy? Some people will spend hours each day studying the market so that when the time comes, they can make the right purchase. They see the value of spending time studying the market and the financial rewards that they can receive.

Most people will have no problem investing hours of their time into the pursuit of money, but they will not spend hours studying the word of God trying to obtain the true riches of heaven. The treasures of heaven are there for those who will patiently seek the truth.

How many times have you had a problem that you did not know how to solve? What did you do to solve the problem? Did you rely upon your own strength or did you fall on your face before God and ask HIM to open up your eyes to the things of God. If you put the things of God first in your life, you will find the answers you need for even the most difficult problem. You know the problem that you have. You know the difficult decision that you need to make. You may not know God’s perfect will for that decision, but if you take the time to seek the ways of God, God will be faithful to reveal to you that which you seek.

It is important that we set aside enough time each day to seek the paths of God. It is important that we patiently wait upon the things of God and allow HIM to reveal to us the treasures in heaven. The man would not find the treasure if he was not first looking for it. So likewise, we will not find all that God has in store for us if we do not set aside time to find it. Imagine all the things that you are missing out upon because you have not been diligent in seeking the hidden treasures of God?

Proverbs 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.

Do you really understand that apart from God, you will never find HIS perfect will for your life? It does not matter all the things that you have done, you need God in order to find HIS direction for your life.

Proverbs 19:14 states A prudent wife is from the Lord. If you desire to marry the individual that God has for you, then you need to be patient and learn to rely upon God. It will not be of your own strength that you can go out and find the perfect spouse. If you were to rely upon your own strength to find a spouse, then you will quickly find just how ignorant you are of the perfect will of God for your life. Yes, you may find someone and you may live the rest of your life together, but the real question is, did you miss out on anything because you failed to marry the one that God had for you?

Proverbs 18:22 states Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing. There is to be some seeking on your part. Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:7, Seek and you shall find. Jesus continues and states in Matthew 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

If you are single, you should be seeking a wife. However, this does not mean that you should be going to all the happening places in order to find a wife. This does not mean that you should be subscribing to all the dating services in order to find someone who might be compatible.

Instead, your focus should be upon adding knowledge of the ways of God. You should spend the time learning the heart of God so that HE may direct you in the way that you are to go. The more time you spend seeking the Lord, the more HE can open your eyes to the one that HE created for you to make you complete. It sounds counterproductive but if you desire the perfect will of God, you need to spend time understanding the desires of God. You of your own strength cannot find the perfect will of God; you need God to open your eyes and show you the way.

Solomon was not very wise when it came to picking his wife. As king, he was more concerned about what other kings thought about him so he ended up marrying many foreign women. Solomon was not looking for a virtuous woman and as a result, the women that he married ended up turning his heart away from God. Solomon did not seek to find the perfect will of God when it came to marriage and as a result, the impact of his life was greatly diminished.

It does not matter whether you are seeking a wife or seeking direction as to where your next job is to be; you need to take the time to seek the perfect will of God. Your timing is not always the timing of God so you need to be patient and you need to allow God to direct you. If you are seeking the Lord, as opportunities come your way, you can spend the time in prayer talking to God about the decisions that you are facing. As you seek God, God will direct your paths and give you the desires of your heart.

If there is something that you really want, most people would naturally go out there and just do it. However, God desires that you spend the time adding knowledge of HIS ways. When you take the time to seek HIM and to ask HIM for the good things that you desire; in HIS perfect timing, you will find HIS perfect will. However, when you rely upon your own strength, you may find what you want but you may find trouble with it.

Proverbs 28:5 Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things.

Seek and you shall find. It is not always easy to seek the Lord, but the rewards of understanding the will of God will always be worth the effort. Just as a gold miner must actively seek for gold in order to find it, so too must you actively seek God if you desire to find HIM.

Daniel was living in Babylon as one of the advisors of king Nebuchadnezzar. One night Nebuchadnezzar had a dream and he desired to hear the interpretation. Because his immediate advisors could not tell him both the dream and then the interpretation, king Nebuchadnezzar ordered that all his wise men be put to death. When Daniel heard the news that he was to be killed, he asked to speak to the king where he requested that he be given one night to seek God so that he could understand both the dream and the interpretation.

Daniel and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah spent the night in prayer seeking to understand those things that Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed about. God blessed these men and HE gave them the understanding that they needed. Once Nebuchadnezzar heard both the dream and the interpretation, he knew that these men had a special relationship with God.

One of the most important aspects of this story is that Daniel did not seek the praises of the king after he interpreted the dream. Instead, Daniel from the very beginning was telling the king that his ability to know what the king dreamed was a gift from God. Daniel tried to point king Nebuchadnezzar to the one true God. Nonetheless, Nebuchadnezzar kept serving himself.

Joseph was another man in the Bible who was given great understanding in interpreting dreams. Joseph like Daniel did not take credit for this ability. Joseph always acknowledged God and that it was God who gave him the ability to interpret dreams.

Both Daniel and Joseph were two men who rose to great power because they had great understanding from God. These men were faithful to God and strived to not live their lives in a way that was displeasing to God. Daniel first had to pass the test of refusing to eat the food that the king had given to him that was contrary to the laws of God. Joseph had to refuse to sleep with the wife of his master.

Daniel and Joseph both sought the Lord and desired to put HIM first in their life. Daniel and Joseph faced many difficult times, but they were faithful to the Lord and the Lord blessed them. The lessons from the lives of these two men are not just a fairy tale. God gave us these stories and put them in the Bible to motivate us in being faithful to doing the will of God.

You must take the time to seek the Lord. If you do not seek the Lord, how do you expect God to give you the understanding that you need in order to live your life. You are not going to find God by spending all your time enjoying worldly entertainment.

Take the time to seek the Lord. Spend your time adding knowledge of the ways of God to your life. As you seek to put God first in your life, you will find that which you need. As you seek the Lord, HIS understanding will place you in a position where others come to you in order to obtain your counsel. If you do not seek the Lord, do not expect others to be impressed with your wisdom. It all starts with you taking the time to seek the Lord.

Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.

It is a part of the plan of God to hide from you HIS perfect will. God does not hide HIS perfect will so you cannot find it; God conceals his perfect will so that you have to take time to seek HIM. It is the glory of a man to discover the will of God for his life. It is great honor for a man to have found the will of God in how HE is supposed to minister unto others.

God desires that we learn to seek HIM. God will do things in our life to conceal HIS perfect plan so that we have no choice but to set aside time to discover what God desires us to do. A lazy man will not put out much effort to discover what God has not made clear. However, a wise man, a man who God desires to use to do great good in HIS kingdom, will take the time that is necessary to see what God desires of him.

Ask and it will be given unto you, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be open unto you. How come so many Christians are afraid to seek the will of God? Do they not understand that the will of God is obtainable if they put aside the cares of this world and start pursuing the things of God? God desires to have sweet fellowship with man, but HE also desires that we long to have fellowship with HIM.

When God created this world and HE placed Adam and Eve into the garden, HE had daily fellowship with Adam and Eve and made his plan clear to them. However, God gave man a free-will and Adam and Eve decided to exercise that free will and do that which is right in their own eyes. God desires that you return to the garden. God desires that you take the time to seek HIM so that HE can make your path straight.

We love to sing the praises of Joseph, Elijah, Daniel and all the other great men and women in the Bible who do great things for God. What did these men do that set them apart from the millions of other individuals who lived during the same time period? These men took the time to understand the calling of God upon their life. Because they understood what God desired them to do and they did it, God blessed them in a way that we only dream about.

God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The same God who revealed to Joseph in a dream that he would be a great ruler is the same God who desires to show you the way that you are to go. The same God who revealed to Elijah that he was to go to the house of a widow for his substance is the same God who desires to provide for your daily needs. The same God who gave Daniel the confidence to not worship man regardless of the consequences is the same God who desires to protect you from the evils that man desires to do to you.

God desires to direct, provide, and protect you. God desires to make HIS will perfectly clear to you. However, God hides the perfect will so that you must come and find HIM. Whether you find HIM in the mountains, by the sea, or in a crowded subway, God desires that you put HIM first in your life and that you put aside the cares of this world to find HIM.

You must take the time to add knowledge of the ways of God to your life. God desires you to find HIM but you still must look. It is a part of the plan of God to cause you to take the time to find HIM. Are you ready to live your life according to the will of God? Are you ready to see how God can use you if only you take the time to understand who HE is?

Proverbs 24:14 So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.

Seek and you shall find. Are you seeking for knowledge of the ways of God? Are you like Solomon who asked God for wisdom to do that which God had given him to do? Solomon understood his calling in life and as such, Solomon sought wisdom from God.

What is your calling in life? Who has God brought into your life so that you might serve them? Have you figured out how God desires you to do your job, or are you simply trying to do the job your own way. If you continue to try to do the will of God in your own strength, you will quickly discover that your actions are futile. However, when you proceed to do the will of God following the direction of God, then the Lord shall bless your actions.

David desired to bring the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. However, David did not do it according to the law of God; instead he put the Ark on an ox cart. As a result of trying to do the will of God by his own strength, Uzzah was killed. It was not until David obeyed the instructions of God and put the Ark upon the shoulders of four priests that the Ark made it into Jerusalem.

As long as David was trying to do the will of God by his own strength, he was frustrated and did not see any success. However, once David sought the Lord and decided to do the will of the Lord by following the direction of God, then he found success and his expectation was no longer cut off.

The wisdom of God is an important thing. Solomon understood the importance of having the wisdom of God. Rather than asking for wealth, long life, or health, Solomon asked for wisdom. As a reward for asking for wisdom, Solomon not only got what he asked for, but he also was promised the other things as long as he remained faithful to God.

What is your expectation? What are the desires of your heart? What is the one thing that you faithfully ask God for during your time of prayer? As you go to bed each night and as you wake up in the morning, what are you thinking about? If you seek after the wisdom of God, God will be able to guide you in the way that you are to go. By following the direction of God, you will be blessed with the peace that passeth all understanding.

You must seek for that which you do not have. Just as a miner forsook everything that he had in order to pursue the gold that he deems so valuable, so too, must you forsake everything that you hold dear in order to obtain that which God deems valuable in your life. You must forsake any expectation that you can do the will of God in your own strength. Those who rely upon their own strength will always be disappointed. Those who learn to understand the ways of God and do them will receive that which God desires to give them.

You must take the time to add knowledge of the ways of God to your life. The more time you spend drawing closer to God, the easier it will be for you to understand the will of God, the timing of God, but also the way God desires that HIS will be accomplished. You say that God is number one in your life, but does your life really prove it. Do you spend time every day seeking how God desires you to live your life? Do you spend time every day seeking the wisdom of God to make even the simplest decisions? Until you seek and receive the wisdom of God, God is not the center of your life.

Proverbs 15:19 The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.

The slothful man does not want to work and as such, will find himself trapped by the circumstances of his life. The righteous man is diligent in seeking the direction that the Lord would have him to go and as such, God will always reveal the way. Jesus taught us that if we seek, we shall find.

Imagine a slothful man and a righteous man in a maze. The walls of this maze are a hedge of thorns. The slothful man will say that there is no way he is going to find his way out of the maze and thus he just sits down and does nothing. The righteous man understands that there is a way out of the maze and thus he will seek until he finds the way out.

God does not always immediately reveal HIS perfect will for your life. Instead, God desires that you spend time seeking the direction that HE would have you to go. One little prayer will not be sufficient to satisfy God that you are seeking HIM for direction for your life. Seeking will requires that you spend time on your knees talking to HIM. Seeking will require that you spend some time going out knocking on doors to see if some of the opportunities you see might be the way that God desires to lead you.

Isaac was a righteous man sojourning in the Promise Land. There was a time when Isaac was re-digging the wells that his father Abraham had once opened. However, every time the wells were reopened, someone seemed to come along and insist that the wells were theirs. Eventually, Isaac found a place that no one troubled him and that is where he knew God desired him to be. Isaac did not find the place where he was to dwell on the very first time. The servants of Isaac had to do some serious work only to find out once the job was completed that this is not where God desired them to be. However, Isaac did not allow this to discourage HIM and he kept pursuing until God made his ways plain.

Hannah was a woman who knew that the desire of her heart was to have a child. Hannah was not content with the love of her husband and as such, she spent much time praying to God asking HIM to give her the desires of her heart. Because of how much time Hannah spent in persistent prayer, when she learned that God was going to give her the desires of her heart, she had no trouble committing to give Samuel back to the Lord. It was plain to Hannah that the child that she spent so much time praying for had to be special. Satan did not want her to conceive of this child and she was required to spend so much time praying that this child surely belonged to God.

Samuel never had to wonder what the way of the Lord was for his life. From the first day of his life, you can imagine that Hannah taught him just how special he was and how God had a great purpose. God did use Samuel to lead the nation of Israel. It was clear to so many people just how special Samuel was, but it all started with the persistent prayers of his mother.

If you desire to discover the ways of the Lord, then you need to first spend time seeking the Lord. You need to take the time to add knowledge of the ways of God so that you can discern HIS perfect path for your life. If you are not persistent in your prayers, you will quickly grow discouraged and you will find that you do not go anywhere in life. Seek the Lord and you will find HIM. Seek the Lord and HE will make your ways plain.

Proverbs 14:6 A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.

Your attitude towards God is important. If you have chosen to live your own life according to your own standards, then the things of God will be too complex for you. However, if you have the faith of a little child, then the ways of God are easily comprehended.

We live in a society that simply out thinks itself. We are too smart for our own good. In our attempt to rationalize everything, we have created in our own minds a world without God. This world without God is a figment of our own imaginations that cannot be proven. In our attempt to be accepted by the world, we in blind faith believe a lie.

God does not want you to be wise in your own eyes. Instead, if you seek the Lord surely you will find HIM. You must be willing to put the Lord first in your life. You must daily add knowledge of the will of God to your life.

If you are building a structure, one of the first things you do is ensure that you have a proper foundation. If you have a solid foundation, and you build upon that foundation, then the building will go up easier and last longer. Imagine someone trying to build a house without a foundation. Everyone who was working on that house would be very frustrated as they try to create a solid structure.

A scorner is one who has rejected the Rock. If that scorner tries to be a good person and build a house absent the Rock that is Jesus, he will have nothing and the storms of life will quickly wash away anything that was present. A scorner thinks that he will get to heaven if his good works out weigh his bad works. As such, he will attempt to put on an appearance of just how good he is. However, because he has rejected Christ, all his righteousness is as filthy rags.

Both Cain and Abel made sacrifices unto the Lord. God accepted the sacrifice of Abel but the sacrifice of Cain was not accepted. Both Saul and David made sacrifices unto the Lord. God accepted the sacrifices of David but rejected the sacrifices of Saul. Both Abel and David had a proper relationship with God. Because of their relationship with God, the things that they did naturally pleased the Lord. Cain and Saul did not have the same relationship with the Lord, thus when they prepared their sacrifices, they found that they were not acceptable in the sight of God.

The choice is yours whether or not you accept Christ as your Savior. The choice is yours whether you are going to live your life according to HIS principles. Do not be surprised when the choices you make affect your life. If you reject God, why should you be able to understand the wisdom of God? How can you expect to understand the mysteries of the world if you have rejected the Creator of that world?

Jesus promised that if we seek we shall find. Nonetheless, we must always maintain a right attitude towards God. God is not going to allow the world to find the knowledge of the ways of God just because they are looking. However, if you have a right relationship with God and you are seeking HIS ways, HE will make HIS ways known unto you.

Proverbs 8:9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.

In this passage we are hearing the voice of wisdom. Wisdom declares that the words that she speaks are truth and that there is no wickedness or abomination that comes out of her lips. Wisdom declares that her words are righteous and that there is nothing forward or perverse in them. Finally, we see that the words of wisdom will seem right for the individual who finds knowledge.

Just because you think it would be good to obtain knowledge, it does not mean that you obtain it. Knowledge of the ways of God comes when you take the time to seek after knowledge. Christ commanded us in the Sermon on the Mount that if we seek we should find. If we seek after knowledge of the ways of God we shall surely find it. Once we find knowledge, one of the rewards is that we will understand the voice of wisdom.

The world does not understand wisdom because the world naturally thinks about perverse things. The world is quick to take the name of the Lord in vain and to spew out of its mouth that which is an abomination unto the Lord. When you find the knowledge of the ways of God, you learn what God considers an abomination. Because you chose to live your life to a higher standard, you do not do those things that you know are displeasing unto the Lord your God and Creator.

The more time you take to add knowledge of the ways of God to your life, the deeper truths that you will discover. The world simply does not understand wisdom because everything about wisdom is pure and perfect. It is like the tower of Babel when God confused the tongues. Those who did not speak the same language could not understand one another. Until you learn to find knowledge, you will not understand the wisdom of God.

In James 3:17 that the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, and without partiality, and without hypocrisy. The world cries out for peace, however, the world does not really understand what God means when HE says that the wisdom is peaceable. However, one who has taken the time to find knowledge will have taken the time to study what God means in this passage. The Bible can be taken out of context by any individual who desires to use it to justify their actions; it takes a Christian willing to do what is right in the eyes of God to carefully study the scripture to understand how God desires them to live.

Wisdom is speaking but the question is, are you listening? Can you even understand wisdom? If you have not taken the time to add knowledge of the ways of God to your life, then you are not going to hear the voice of wisdom, let alone understand what it is saying. You need to start setting aside time to find knowledge of the ways of God.

Ask God where HE desires you to start looking for knowledge. God will show you where you should start your study. As you seek HIM, you will find HIM. You not only will find the ways of God, but God will reveal to you wisdom. What are you waiting for? God has shown you what you must do, it is up to you to start seeking so that you can find.

Proverbs 4:22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
In this passage, we see the benefits of those who attend unto the words of God and who incline their ears to the sayings of God. Those who seek after the words of God shall find fulfilling life. When you seek after the things of the world, it is real easy to be distracted by worldly things and not experience the joys of life.
You must seek first the kingdom of God if you are going to learn to say like Paul said that no matter what circumstances he found himself in, he had learned to be content. Paul did not talk about contentment when he was on some fancy vacation on a beach soaking up the sunshine; Paul was speaking about contentment when he was in prison. Paul had taken the time to put the Lord Jesus Christ first in HIS life and as a result, Paul understood what life was really all about.
The words of God will give you life; they help you see what God desires you to do. God will allow you to face difficult times; it is during these times that you need the strength to rely upon God and the direction that HE has shown you. If you have not sought the words of God for your life, when you hit the storms of life, the storms will make your life miserable.
In order to find the words of God, you must seek after them. You must understand the treasure that you have when you obtain that which God has promised you. If you do not understand the value that the words of God has upon your life, you are not going to seek after hearing the voice of God with the diligence necessary in order to find it. If you do not diligently seek to find the voice of God for your life, then you will not truly experience the life that God has for you.
If you seek for life you will not find it. If you seek after the things of God, you will find life. When Solomon was seeking to please God, he received wisdom and life. However, when he started allowing his foreign wives to pull him away from seeking God, the people whom God had given him to guide no longer appreciated his leadership.
There are going to be times in your life where God speaks very clear to you like he did with Samuel. Samuel was so busy serving Eli that he almost missed the voice of God. However, God was patient with Samuel and through Eli, Samuel learned to hear the voice of God. From a very young age, Samuel was used of God to draw the attention of the people back to HIM. The true purpose of the life of Samuel was not to serve Eli but was to have a close personal relationship with God and to use that relationship to bring others to HIM.
When was the last time that you sat down and asked God to speak to you? Did you tell God that you were not going to leave until HE showed HIMSELF strong in your life? You need to seek after God. You need to add to your life the knowledge of the ways of God. As you seek to put God first, that knowledge will give you life. However, if you are looking for the world to please you, life will be hallow and you will always be chasing the next rainbow. There are great benefits to losing your life for the cause of Christ. If you lose yourself for God, you will find the life worth living.

Proverbs 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

Wisdom and understanding will not be the easiest thing in the world to obtain – it will cost you something to obtain them. When Solomon was asked of God to ask for whatever he desired, Solomon had just made 1,000 burnt offerings to God. 1,000 burnt offerings was not a cheap gift to God, it demonstrated to God that Solomon desired to please the Lord first and foremost.

When David sinned and numbered the people, he made a sacrifice to God in order to stop the plague that God had sent across the land. One of the subjects of David, Araunah was willing to give to David the land, the wood, and the oxen. However, David told Araunah that he would not offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. (2 Samuel 24:24). David was not going to worship God at the expense of another.

What are you willing to sacrifice in order to obtain the favor of the Lord? God desires to show HIMSELF strong in your life, but you must first desire to draw closer to God. You live in a world that is constantly trying to draw you away from God, and God longs for you to forsake the things of this world and come unto HIM. As you make sacrifices away from worldly things, God is able to bless you in ways that you could never imagine.

You have probably memorized Psalms 37:4-5, Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. In order to obtain the desires of your heart, you need to learn to first start delighting in HIM, you need to start committing your way unto HIM. You must make the sacrifices that are necessary to put God first in your life.

You will never make the sacrifices necessary to obtain wisdom and knowledge if you do not see the value in obtaining these gifts from God. Just as an Olympic athlete understands the prize that is available to the one who finishes first, so too must you understand the spiritual benefit of obtaining wisdom and knowledge. An Olympic athlete will make great sacrifices in order to become the best in their discipline. They will put the rest of their life on hold in order to obtain a gold medal and a few minutes of fame and praises of man. Why should you not be willing to make some sacrifices in order to those gifts from God that are eternal?

Jesus commanded us in the Sermon on the Mount that we are to ask so that we shall receive, seek so that we shall find, knock so that it shall be open unto us. Just because we have asked Jesus to be our personal Lord and Savior, it does not mean that we do not have an obligation to obtain a closer walk with God. Every day we must prepare our heart to love the Lord with all our heart and to put HIM first in our lives. Every day the world will try to distract you with the things of this world, but by the grace of God, you can overcome. You must learn the value of the things of God and then you must make an effort in order to obtain those things.

Knowledge of the ways of God is an important part of your Christian life. We are told that we are supposed to add knowledge to our faith and virtue. Unless we take the time to understand the value of knowledge, we will never pursue it as we should. We need to purse wisdom and knowledge just as a dog pursues a ball that you threw to it – the dog will run as fast as he can until the ball is his. What are you going to do today in order to obtain wisdom and knowledge?

Proverbs 3:13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

You live in a world where people talk about the importance of being happy. People do things because they desire to be happy. People purchase possessions because they think possessions will make them happy. People get married because they think that a spouse will make them happy. People have hobbies because they think those activities will make them happy.

Nonetheless, in this passage we see that happiness can be found for those who find wisdom and gain understanding. Solomon goes on to show us that gaining wisdom and understanding is better than gold, more precious than rubies, long life, riches and honor all do not compare with the obtaining of wisdom and understanding. The understanding that Solomon is talking about here is the understanding that comes from the mouth of God, (Proverbs 2:6).

You can pursue after riches, honor, and long life, but these things cannot compare with the blessings that you will receive if you hear the voice of God. Think about it, God desires to talk with you and show you the way that you are to go. However, we crowd out our lives with the things of this world. We are more concerned with making money, making new friends, or doing acts of service for those who are in our lives, that those things can never bring true happiness if you are not in the center of the will of God.

Think about the stories found in the Bible. Most of them are about individuals who heard directly from God and the benefits that occurred in their lives. You probably grew up admiring the faith of David and Abraham, admiring the courage of Moses and Daniel, and impressed with the purity of Joseph and Ruth. The Bible is full of individuals who were ordinary, but when God called, they did extraordinary things. Gideon was just a farmer until God called him to be a great warrior, Elisha was just a farmer until God called him to be a prophet, David was just a shepherd boy until God called him to be king.

Hearing God is an important part of your life if you desire to find true happiness. God is speaking to you, but the question is whether you have removed the distractions from your life so that you can hear HIM. There are many people out there who claim to love God, but they treat God worse than they would every treat a close friend. In the same way that you make time for your friends so that you can develop the relationship, you also need to make time for God so that you can hear HIM talking to you. If you cannot hear the voice of God, how do you expect to obtain knowledge of the ways of God and how HE desires you to live?

God will speak to you in many ways. God spoke to Samuel in an auditable voice while he spoke to Esther through her uncle. God desires to have daily communion with you like HE had with Adam and Eve before they chose to do that which was right in their own eyes rather than follow the direction of God. God love you so much that HE sent HIS only Son to die for your sins so that the fellowship HE had with Adam and Eve can be restored with you. God desires to have fellowship with you, but do you desire to have fellowship with HIM?

Many Christians are afraid of the unknown. As such, they think that they are content living their lives under their own control and simply acknowledging God. However, there is great happiness and joy that belongs to those who are willing to seek the perfect will of God. As you do that which is right in the eyes of God, God can bless you and cause HIS face to shine upon you.

Proverbs 2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

In this passage, Solomon is listing the things you need to do in order to understand the fear of the Lord and find knowledge of God. First you need to receive the word of God, then you need to hide HIS commandments in your heart. Next you set both your heart and mind towards the things of God. After that you must set your communication with God to be asking for wisdom and knowledge. The final thing you must do in order to understand the fear of the Lord and find knowledge of God is to seek for it.

Christ commanded us in the Sermon on the Mount that if we ask, it shall be given to us, if we seek, we shall find. In this passage, Solomon is laying out much the same principle, if you desire to obtain the knowledge of God, you must ask for it and you must be active in trying to find it. However, before you ask or seek for knowledge of God, you must make sure you are looking in the right place and you must examine yourself to ensure that you really desire to obtain that which you are about to ask God for and take the time to seek.

You would not go looking for pearls high on a mountain; instead, you would look for them at a place in the ocean where you have been informed there is an oyster bed. If you are going to go seeking for knowledge of God, you must understand that you will only find it if you are looking for that knowledge by reading and meditating upon the scriptures. Seeking is not an easy process, we live in a society today where we desire instant gratification. We desire to receive that what we are looking for immediately. Seeking requires patience, Jesus promised that if we seek, we shall find, but HE did not promise you that the second you started looking you would find it.

In Matthew 13:44-46, Jesus gives us two teachings as to what the kingdom of heaven is like unto. The first is about a man who finds a treasure hid in a field, that man sold all that he had in order to obtain the field and the treasure that lay within. The second example Jesus used is like a merchant man who saw a goodly pearl. That man also sold all that he had so he could purchase the pearl of great price. In both of these examples, the men understood what they were looking for, and that they were looking in the right places in order to find it. This took effort on their part, and upon finding what they were looking for, they made a huge sacrifice in order to obtain it.

If you desire to obey God, then you need to add knowledge of the ways of God to your life. This means that you need to make a decision to put the things of God first in your life. Do not allow yourself to be distracted by the things of this world. Do not be discouraged when you do not immediately find the knowledge of God. Instead, you must understand that there will be times where it feels like you are in the valley of the shadow of death, but God is still with you.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. In order to understand the fear of the Lord, you must seek for it. If you do not desire the fear of the Lord, it will not accidently fall upon you. You must make God a priority in your life, you must know where to look for it, you must change your mindset, and then you must ask and seek after it. If you do that, then God has promised you that you will understand the fear of the Lord.

The decision is yours, do you want to do the right thing and obtain knowledge of God, or do you think that the rewards of obtaining the knowledge of God are not worth the sacrifices? Do not let Satan persuade you to give up before you obtain that which God has promised you.

Acts 27:12 And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter;

Paul was a prisoner being taken to Rome. Along the way, he advised Julius, the centurion who was in charge of him, that they should not proceed because if they did, there would be much damage, not only to the ship but also to those on board. Julius chose to follow the advice of the master of the ship because his arguments seemed logical. The ship was not in a protected port, and if they hurried, they could reach a protected port where it would be easier to spend the winter.

Paul may have had a close relationship with God, but it was logic that drove Julius to make the decision that he made. It appears that Julius did not have a personal relationship with God. Why should he listen to an illogical argument of Paul compared to the perfectly logical answer of the one who makes his living sailing the seas? They say hindsight is always 20/20. Because Julius and the master of the ship chose to follow a perfectly logical solution, there was much destruction to the ship and the cargo.

How often in your life do you follow the example of Julius and the master of the ship? How often do you allow yourself to be guided by logic? You have a decision to make, and you do not understand the will of God so you simply make the most logical decision. Just because one choice is logical, it does not mean that it is the best option or the option that God desires you to take.

You must remember that God desires to be involved in every aspect of your life. This is why HE tells us to seek HIM and we shall find HIM. Julius was not even asking for direction from God, but the direction God desired Julius to go was made clear to him. However, Julius did not understand how to hear and respond to the voice of God and as such, he made a wrong decision.

When the servant of Abraham was commissioned to find a wife for Isaac, he turned to God. Before he started seeking, he prayed to God to direct his steps. God heard the prayer of the servant of Abraham and sent Rebekah. This servant understood that God directed the steps of man. He had seen God work in the life of his master Abraham and thus when he was on his own, he turned to God to show him the perfect woman for Isaac.

God directs in many ways. When you do not know which way to go, do not chose the most logical path and proceed. If you are faced with a choice and you do not know the will of God, stop and pray. Let God direct your path. What if the servant of Abraham had not prayed? What if he just went into town and looked for the girl whom he thought was the prettiest or the girl from the wealthiest family in town. If the servant had done this, it is very possible that the girl would have rejected moving to a strange land to marry a man who had no home. The servant would have been very frustrated and would have come home with no wife for Isaac.

You cannot live your life on this earth simply by logic. Instead, you must take the time to add knowledge of the ways of God. Do not be quick to make decisions, instead, be willing to stop and pray and seek God and the direction HE would have you to go. Logic is not the tool that will save you. Instead, the only thing that will help you make the right decisions in life is a close relationship with God and your ability to hear HIS still small voice.

Acts 16:7 After they were come to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.

Paul was obeying the calling of God upon his life by going city to city preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. However, when Paul desired to go to Asia, the Holy Ghost stopped him. In addition, when Paul attempted to go into Bithynia, again the Lord made it very clear to him that he was not to go. This is the second time in a row that Paul was trying to obey the calling of God and God stopped him from going forward.

Just because God said no to Paul about going to Asia, it did not mean that Paul stopped seeking the Lord as to where he was to go next. Paul understood that if he was going to live according to the perfect will of God, he was to seek. Jesus told us that seek and we shall find. However, Jesus did not say that if we seek, we shall find it the first time. Paul understood this principle and when the Lord shut the door for him to go to Asia, this simply meant that Asia was not the place where Paul would find the perfect will of God. Paul then sought the perfect will of God by exploring whether the Lord desired him to go to Bithynia. However, once again, the Lord shut that opportunity which meant Paul needed to keep seeking the Lord.

Imagine if a very trustworthy individual told you that they hid a one hundred dollar bill somewhere in the room that you are sitting at. You get up and go look in the first place that you think it might be hidden and it is not there. Would you stop looking? Would you claim that the person is a liar because you did not find it the first place you looked? Most likely you would continue to look until you found that hundred dollar bill.

The same is true regarding your spiritual walk. God does not always reveal HIS perfect will the first second that you go looking for it. Instead, God desires that you learn to desire to find HIS perfect will. This means that you must make it a priority to seek the perfect will of God. This means that you do not give up if the first thing you think about God rejects as not HIS perfect will for your life.

Seeking is not the easiest thing in the world. However, it is an important part of the Christian life. Paul understood what God desired him to do, but he just did not know where. Paul twice faced rejection by God but he continued to seek until the Lord revealed to him where he was to go. You need to follow the example of Paul in that you understand that God does not always tell us yes. When you add knowledge of the ways of God to your life, you understand that seeking the perfect will of God will take time and can include disappointment and discouragement as you seek the Lord and allow HIM to reveal the path that HE has for you.

There is nothing in the bible that says God must show you HIS perfect will the first time you ask. You need to learn to be like the widow who had to continually come before the judge until the judge finally gave her the justice that she required. We need to learn to be persistent in prayer until the Lord reveals to you that which you are seeking.

Seeking the will of God will not be easy and can be full of disappointment. However, as you learn to be persistent in seeking the will of God, God will reward you by giving you the desires of your heart. Understand that it could take days, months, or even years to find the perfect will of God, but there is nothing better than finding that which you seek.

Psalms 121:1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

Where is your expectation when trouble comes? When you need help, do you rely upon your own strength, or do you turn your eyes upon God? The psalmist understood that his help comes from God. When he was in trouble, he turned his eyes upon God and allowed God to direct his paths.

King Hezekiah was faced with a difficult situation; the king of Assyria attacked him. The king of Assyria sent Rab-shakeh to disheartened the men of Judah. Rab-shakeh spoke in the Hebrew tongue and tried to convince the men not to trust in God because the gods of other nation did not protect them from the king of Assyria.

Hezekiah commanded his men to not answer Rab-shakeh and he went before the Lord and humbled himself and cried out to God for help. Hezekiah went to the house of the Lord. He knew where he could find the Lord and he diligently sought the Lord knowing that God was the only one who could save them. Hezekiah sought the Lord and the Lord sent Isaiah to Hezekiah to let him know that God was going to show HIMSELF strong and deliver them from their enemies.

The psalmist knew how to find God, he saw God in the hills, a part of God’s creation. When trouble came, he took the time that was necessary to set himself apart from the distractions of this world and focus his attention fully upon God. The psalmist would seek God and he would find HIM.

When a little child hurts themselves, what is usually the first thing they will do? They will run to their mommy so that she can take care of them. The child knows that mommy can take care of them and they know how to find their mommy. The child is not disappointed as mommy will show her love to her child and cause her child to be reassured that she has taken care of the problem.

God is your help. God does not care how big or how small your problem is. God’s love is so great that HE loves to demonstrate it to you when you seek HIM. Just as a mother will not belittle her child who only has a small scratch, so too will God not withhold HIS love from you because you only have a minor problem. It does not matter what size your problem is, God desires that you fully trust HIM and that you turn to HIM for your help.

Nothing is to little for God. God desires to be a part of every aspect of your life. God longs to show HIMSELF strong in your life and HE desires to create in you a testimony that you can share with the world letting them know of the power of the God whom you serve. When something difficult comes your way, stop, seek the Lord, allow God to show you the way in which you are to go.

You must change your thinking. No longer can you make all the small decisions and turn to God to make the big decisions. Instead, you must fill your mind with the things of God. You must understand that God desires to be your help regardless of the difficult situation you face. As you fill your mind with virtue, you naturally will seek God when you are in a difficult situation. The more you lean on God, the more HE will be able to show HIMSELF strong in your life, and the greater your testimony for HIM will be.

Psalms 70:4 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified.

Do you seek the Lord? Do you understand what you seek? God is great. HE has done many wondrous things for you. If you really understood who you seek, then you would be rejoicing in the Lord and you would continually sing forth HIS’ praises.

Jesus tells us “seek, and ye shall find”. God wants you to seek HIM. HE desires for you to seek a closer relationship with HIM. If you take the time to seek God, then you will find HIM. Jesus taught that “the kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.” (Matthew 13:44). The man who found the treasure had joy and the sacrifices of selling his possessions was nothing in comparison to the joy in receiving the valuable treasure.

God is worth finding. It is worth every second that you spend trying to find God. When God reveals HIMSELF to you, you need to take the time to rejoice in what HE has done for you. Do not take it for granted that you have a personal relationship with God. Instead, you must value the treasure. As you learn to value the treasure of your relationship with God, your appreciation for what God has done for you will increase. The more you treasure God, the more valuable HE becomes; you cannot out give God.

God deserves your praise. Take the time to recognize the good things HE has done for you. As you list the things that HE has done, joy should fill your heart and you should start to see the value of your relationship with HIM. The more you seek God, the greater your joy shall be as you find HIM.

Your relationship with God is similar to a man’s relationship with his’ wife. If the man is looking for things his wife has done right and praises her for it, his admiration for his wife will grow and he will be happy. However, if the man seeks to find all the things his wife has done wrong, he will find them, but as a result of finding the faults in his wife, he will damage his relationship with his wife and he will no longer treasure her the way he is supposed to treasure her.

God has not done you any wrong, but Satan will love to bring to your attention injustices that you have seen. If you concentrate your attention upon the injustices, you will lose track of all the good things that God has done and you will lose your appetite to seek God. The more you concentrate on God’s goodness, the more joy you will have in your life and the greater the treasure you will find.

In the same way that a husband will treasure his wife when he seeks to find the good in her, so also will you treasure your relationship with God if you seek to find the goodness of God. The more the husband seeks good, the more good he will find and the deeper their relationship will be. Just as the husband must change his mindset to find good in his wife, so too must you change your mindset to seek the goodness of God. As you fill your mind with the importance of God’s goodness, virtue will fill your life and you will be rewarded with the joy of the Lord.

Psalms 27:8 When thou sadist, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.

God has promised you that if you draw near unto HIM HE would draw near unto you. It is God’s desire that you put aside the ways of the world and take the time to draw near unto HIM. God desires that you seek HIS face. The question becomes, what is your response to God going to be? Are you going to be like David who desired to put the Lord first in his life or will you be like the children of Israel who without righteous leaders did that which was right in their own eyes?

Jesus taught a couple of parables about seeking. The first parable deals with a man who finds a treasure in a field and he goes and sells all that he has in order to obtain the field with the treasure. The second parable deals with a merchant who is seeking goodly pearls. When this merchant finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has in order to obtain the valuable pearl. (Matthew 13:44-46).

Neither the man in the field nor the merchant would have ever found the treasure had they not first been looking for it. God is a great treasure and HE promises that if you will but seek HIM, you will find HIM. However, in order to seek God and find HIM, you must be willing to give up the things of this world. You must be willing to give up anything that will hinder your ability to obtain a closer relationship with God.

What sacrifices are you willing to make to seek the face of God? Are you willing to deal with the scorn of those around you because they do not understand the high calling God has placed upon your life? Are you willing to give up all that is important to you in order to have the time to spend with God?

You cannot develop a close relationship with another person if you are not willing to take the time to get to know them. It is when you make the relationship a priority that you will gain the true benefits of that relationship. So is it likewise true with God. If you are going to have a true relationship with HIM, then you must first be willing to make the sacrifices necessary in your own life so that you can seek a close relationship with God.

How much does your relationship with God mean to you? When God tells you to seek HIM, are you going to willingly put aside the things of this world in order to seek HIS face? When you add virtue to your life, you must learn to think upon the things of God. You must put God first in your life. The reward of putting aside the things of the world in order to think upon the things of God is that you will find God. Not only will you find God, but also, God will make HIS way for your life abundantly clear.

How much time do you spend trying to obtain the things of this world? How much time do you spend trying to seek the face of God? You must make a change in your life. Your life should reveal to others just how important God is to you. Rather than trying to make time for God in your busy schedule, you should be trying to find time to do other things because of God’s busy schedule for your life. Seeking God requires that you first understand the significance of God in your life and then you expending the energy necessary to obtain that which God promised you would be a great blessing to you.

Matthew 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

All around you people are trying to find purpose for their life. They are looking for happiness in relationships, in material possessions and in occupations. However, the harder they try, the more they fail to find true peace for their lives. It does not matter what they do they are never content.

Those who are of the world fail to realize that as long as they are a slave to sin, they will never find the true meaning for their life. However, all they have to do is accept Christ’s gift of salvation and they can be freed from the chains that enslave them. By accepting Christ’s gift of salvation, you no longer were a slave to sin but became a servant of God. It is your choice to do that which is right in the eyes of God.

The old man that you replaced when you became a servant of God is constantly trying to entangle you. As long as he can cause you to live for yourself, you will not have the time to seek the things of God. The old man will never stop trying to cause you to sin and fall short of the glory of God.

The harder you are tempted to live your life for yourself, the more you need to turn to God and relinquish your right to control your own life. In order to truly find life, you must realize that you must lose your life and follow Jesus. It is only when you choose to be a servant of God and to do HIS will that you find the true meaning of life which will give you peace, happiness and contentment.

It sounds so counterintuitive that you must give up your life in order to find it. However, Jesus demonstrated this principle when HE revealed to us that it was not HIS desire to die on the cross. Nonetheless, Jesus was willing to do the will of the Father and by relinquishing HIS right to do what HE wanted the true purpose of HIS life was fulfilled.

A child is naturally selfish and desires to do what he wants when he wants. However, a good parent understands that if their child is going to become a productive member of society, then they must train him to do things that she would rather not do. The child must learn to give up his free time in order to do chores. The child must learn that manners are important in a polite society. Unless the child is willing to trust his parents and do what they say, the child will never be prepared to live life in the world and as a result will never have real life. Just as a child must learn to trust his parents and lay aside his desires in order to do the will of his parents, so too must you trust God and lay aside your own desires for your life in order to do the will of God so that you will be prepared for life in eternity with HIM.

You must understand that you do not know it all. You do not know what God has in store for you. Until you are willing to relinquish control over your life, your sin nature will ensure that you never have life. You must add virtue to your life and change your perspective. Just as a parent will often control the life of their child in order to ensure that their child lives a productive life, so too you must choose to follow God’s will for your life and trust in HIM so that in the end you will find your purpose in life.

Matthew 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

What is the most important thing to you? Your answer should be your relationship with God. Jesus commands you that you are to forsake all and follow HIM. You must yield your life to HIM and follow HIM. Until you are willing to yield your desires and passions to HIM, you will not find contentment and the true meaning of your life.

If you are looking after yourself and ensuring that you are number one, than you will soon find that you have lost your life. The things of this world will not bring contentment. The more you seek to pursue the things you want first, the further away from God’s will you will get. The further away from God’s will you get, the more you will find that the things of this world do not satisfy.

Jonah understood God’s will for his life. Jonah decided he was going to run away from God’s will and pursue his own will. All Jonah found was trouble. Even when Jonah did the will of God, he did it for the wrong reasons and you see that God still had to reprimand Jonah because he was more concerned about his shelter than he was about the people who God desired to turn unto HIM.

Elisha was a rich man. However, when God called Elisha when Elijah placed his mantle over him, Elisha did not hesitate to forsake his riches in order to do the things of God. Elisha never would have performed all the miracles that he did had he decided that the riches his family had obtained were more important to him than becoming a great prophet. No one reads about the family of Elisha and all the wealth that they obtained but we do all know about how God used Elisha.

The things of this world should not hold you back from pursuing God’s will for your life. Jesus commanded you to seek first the kingdom of God and HIS’ righteousness. It is your obligation to God to listen to HIS still small voice and to obey. Have you ever met a pot that was capable of forming itself? This world did not happen by accident. God created this world and there is no one who understands you better than HE does. God understands HIS purpose for your life even when you cannot see where HE is leading you. Until you are willing to yield up your life to HIS capable hands, you will never really find your life.

Jesus’ life demonstrates this verse perfectly Jesus had to lose HIS life in order to fulfill God’s purpose for HIS life. In dieing to self and coming to this earth and then dieing again upon the cross, the purposes of Jesus’ life was found. Had Jesus refused to come to this earth, or had HE refused to die upon the cross, while Jesus would have done that which seemed expedient at the time, the whole purpose for HIS life would have been lost and all the things Jesus’ did would have been in vain.

You must be willing to lay aside your own goals and ambitions in order to obtain the desires of your heart. As backwards as it sounds, God’s will must be the most important thing to you. As you change your perspective by adding virtue to your life, you will learn the true meaning of life and enable God to give back to you the things that you gave up in order to do HIS perfect will. Change your focus so that God can use you.