Shalom,
In Psalm 63:1 says this:
1O GOD, You are my God, earnestly will I seek You; my inner self thirsts for You, my flesh longs and is faint for You, in a dry and weary land where no water is.
The KJV Bible says "early" here. I learned a long time ago that the best time for me to spend in fellowship with Jesus is early in the morning. We see here that David thought so, too! The word "early" here is the Hebrew word, "shachar", which means: to seek, to seek early, to seek diligently, to seek earnestly! Earnestly, according to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, means: "Characterized by or proceeding from an intense and serious state of mind". Both are accurate in describing what David was saying here! Seek Him early and with your whole heart! Do you know what the Bible says about those who seek Him early? Check out Proverbs 8:17:
17I love those who love me, and those who seek me early and diligently shall find me.
Now those are the results I'm looking for! How about you?
In Mark 7 we see one of my favorite stories in all of the New Testament! We find it in verses 25-30:
25Instead, at once, a woman whose little daughter had (was under the control of) an unclean spirit heard about Him and came and flung herself down at His feet.
26Now the woman was a Greek (Gentile), a Syrophoenician by nationality. And she kept begging Him to drive the demon out of her little daughter.
27And He said to her, First let the children be fed, for it is not becoming or proper or right to take the children's bread and throw it to the [little house] dogs.
28But she answered Him, Yes, Lord, yet even the small pups under the table eat the little children's scraps of food.
29And He said to her, Because of this saying, you may go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter [permanently].
30And she went home and found the child thrown on the couch, and the demon departed.
Yesterday we saw how the people who watched Jesus grow up had a very hard time accepting Who He was and had no faith in Him. Here we see a Gentile woman, who had no right to expect anything from Jesus in the natural, who had more faith in Him than even members of His own family! Because of her great faith, her daughter was set free! She believed that Jesus operated in so much power that even the leftovers would be enough to set her daughter free! And she got exactly what she believed! What do YOU believe that God and His Word will do for you?
In Exodus 35-36 we see the phrases "willing hearted" and "wise hearted" used many times! Are you wise hearted? The word "wise" here is the Hebrew word, "chakam", which means: wise, intelligent, skillful, artful and cunning. Use the gifts and talents that God has given you to fulfill His plan for your life and you ARE wise hearted! The word "willing" here is the Hebrew word, "nadab", which means: to present spontaneously, to give freely, to volunteer. What resulted when the people gave in this way? Look at Exodus 36: 6-7:
6So Moses commanded and it was proclaimed in all the camp, Let no man or woman do anything more for the sanctuary offering. So the people were restrained from bringing,
7For the stuff they had was sufficient to do all the work and more.
When we all do what we are able to do, and do it willingly, there is more than enough to get the job done! And what are the results in OUR lives? Look ate Luke 6:38:
38Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
We can't EVER out give God! But it sure is fun to try! Hallelujah!
Shalom in Him!
