But God is invisible!

In the present hour, only the strongest Christians could live in a materialistic culture like America and not give a thought to the necessities of life. Yet, we know that the Lord Jesus is faithful. God will take care of us when we are endeavoring to please Him.

When the Lord Jesus appears and sets up His Kingdom, it may be true that money will not be used to transfer goods and services. If that proves to be the case, it may be easier to believe that the Father will provide the necessities of life for us. But even then there may be a challenge of some sort or another.

As I have stated previously, dependence on the Lord Jesus Christ for all we need and desire is one of the foremost virtues of a member of the Body of Christ. This is why the Memorial Jar of Manna was placed in the Ark of the Covenant, which is a type of Christ—Head and Body.

To live on the earth in the present hour without worrying about the basics of physical life is quite difficult. But we can do so by praying continually and obeying Christ. Perhaps this is why we have been placed in this situation of dependence on God. Maybe this is how we learn faith in God's faithfulness!

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)

Instead of making our physical survival, and that of our family, our first priority, we may turn our attention to God's Kingdom and His righteousness. We then have the promise that our physical needs shall be provided.

What is "God's Kingdom"? God's Kingdom is not preached very often, I believe. "Heaven" is preached a great deal, perhaps in the belief that God's Kingdom and Heaven are the same thing or the same place.

However God's Kingdom is not a place. God's Kingdom is God in Christ in the saints governing the creation of God. It is a state of being, not a place. That fact alone warrants more emphasis in our preaching.

But what is "God's righteousness"? It is not human righteousness, although human righteousness is more important than one would think, given current preaching.

God's righteousness is a virtue that belongs to God.

Every action of God is controlled by His standard of right and wrong. Sometimes it is not easy to understand God's way of behaving. I mentioned before about God permitting Satan to inspire King David to number the people.

You may hear someone say, "If God were righteous He would not allow children to suffer." Or, "God would not permit people to starve to death." Have you ever heard someone say that? How would a good God permit people to experience agonizing pain?

A minister of the Gospel whose child died became very angry at God. "How could He let my child die?"

A Christian lady was heard to say, "If I thought God would let me suffer I would not serve Him!"

All of this judging of God's righteousness and goodness come about because we are ignorant of God's purposes and because we doubt His love and faithfulness.

In the first place, when someone dies they go to a better world than this shadow of death in which we are endeavoring to survive. This is not true of a basically wicked person; but most people, especially children, are not basically wicked.

So to become infuriated at God because He takes our child home to a better world is selfishness, and reveals an ignorance of God and of the spirit world.

God is righteous. If He were to explain all He is doing we would understand that He always is righteous. The first two people on the earth disobeyed Him. Since then He has been working to perfect a Kingdom that will restore and maintain Paradise for eternity.

In the process of doing this, people often suffer. Sometimes they bring the suffering on themselves, but not always. If we will cease doubting God, and look to Him to help us in our suffering, we will grow in righteousness, love, joy, and peace. But we cannot have everything the way we want it, when we want it.

So let us have faith in God and lay hold on His righteousness. We gain God's righteousness as we follow the Lord Jesus Christ carefully at all times. When we do this, God delivers us from idolatry. That which we thought was unnecessary suffering turned out to be the very thing that brought to us the desires of our heart.

Let us have faith in God and be patient with Him. In this manner we will become a partaker of His Kingdom and His righteousness.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:34)

Blessed is that individual who learns to live one day at a time, putting one foot in front of the other. So much of our mental pain and worrying is based on future situations that never take place; or if they do take place, God gives us wisdom and peace so that what we dreaded does not occur.

Have you found this to be true?

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Matthew 7:1,2)

It is difficult to keep from judging other people, but we absolutely must cease doing this. Christ will help us to cease judging others if we ask Him to.

We judge other people by our standards. But the Lord says whatever standard we apply will be applied to us. Do we really want this to happen?

Christ will cleanse our heart from judging others if we ask Him to. It is of great importance in the Kingdom of God that we keep our heart free from negative attitudes toward other people. This is an evidence of spiritual maturity in Christ!

We can forgive others through the power to forgive that is in the blood of the Lord Jesus.

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. (Matthew 7:3-5)

Have you noticed in the Sermon on the Mount how many exhortations there are concerning personal relationships?

Most of us have one or more planks in our eye. These prevent us from seeing clearly why our brother is acting as he is. If we truly understood why he did as he did, we might be more forgiving.

It is unusual for someone to injure us deliberately with malice. This sometimes happens. But most of the time the other individual did not mean to offend us, or did not even know that he or she had offended us.

Rather than have this injury smolder in our thinking, we might go to the person and tell him or her of the offense. However, I think it usually is best to just let it go. The other person has enough problems of his own. He probably was not aware he had offended you, and if you tell him how offended you are, all you may accomplish will be to give him more problems to cope with.

God desires that we be kind, loving and considerate with all people. Life on earth is difficult at best, and anything we can do to make the journey easier for someone else is greatly appreciated by the Lord Jesus.

Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. (Matthew 7:6)

When God gives you a pearl, cherish it and hide it in your heart. No one is asking you to display your treasures. God will tell you when it is time to use your Divine gift. If you feel obliged to tell people about everything God has given you, ask Jesus why you have a desire to do this.

Showing off your treasure may result in harm to you, as happened to Joseph with his new coat.

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:7,8)

The above is a promise that should bring back to life the most spiritually dead among us.

Everyone who asks receives .

The one who seeks finds.

To the one who knocks, the door shall be opened.

How long should you ask? Your entire life.

How long should you seek? Your entire life.

How long should you knock? Your entire life.

Is it possible that asking, seeking, and knocking could continue after our death? I do not see why not. Do you?

The point is, God has made these promises. Therefore unless He sees that what we are seeking is not what we truly want, we shall receive. Such has to take place because it is according to God's unchanging Word.

If we are persistent, God will check to see if the answer really will bring us righteousness, love, joy, and peace. If it will, God will honor His Word. If it will not, God will modify our request until the answer is what we truly desire.

Perhaps there are not many people who want something from the Lord who will persevere until they receive their desire. But God cannot lie. There is nothing that constrained Him to make such a promise. Our answer will come in God's time, or God will show us why not, or else will modify our request.

Why don't you take God up on it? I have.

Remember one thing: All things are possible with God. Ask for what you really desire, even though you cannot see how it possibly could come to pass.

Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:9-11)

I think sometimes people are afraid to determinedly pursue God. Perhaps they believe they will become insane if they are intense in their pursuit of God and somehow Satan will take advantage of them. We need to remember that God has given us power, love, and a sound mind!

If we have an honest and good heart, are willing to accept God's will, and consistently, firmly, and politely, keep reminding God of what we desire, the answer will come or the Lord will tell us why not.

More often it is true that we do not tell the Lord what we want, or else we do and then give up too quickly. Perhaps we do not spend enough time in prayer to discover what it is we truly desire.

Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. (James 4:2–KJV)

Next Part "We have not because we ask not"!

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