My soul thirsteth for the living God-— Psalm 42:2

The age old question is, “What is the chief end of man?”. The answer is,”To glorify God and to enjoy Him forever”. However, it is at this very point that we find man’s greatest failure. Sadly the first thing is the last thing that most people care about. They have 1001 things that interest them more than this. They spend their lives pursuing pleasures rather than pleasing God. They seek to gratify the flesh rather than glorify God. They waste their lives majoring on minors. How wicked is that? Is it not horrible that that they long for their lusts more than love the Lord? Is it not terrible that they worship and enjoy the creature more than the Creator?

Such people worship the evil trinity — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, rather than the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thomas Watson wrote: Lust is an inordinate desire or impulse, provoking the soul to that which is evil. Lust, like a feverish heat, puts the soul into a flame. Aristotle calls sensual lusts, brutish,because, when any lust is violent—reason and conscience cannot be heard. These lusts besot and brutalize the man.

How many make it their chief end, not to enjoy God—but to enjoy their lusts! Lust first bewitches with pleasure—and then comes the fatal dart! This should be a flaming sword to stop men in the way of their carnal delights—Who, for a drop of pleasure, would drink a sea of wrath?

Now you know why we call it an “Upside-down-world”. Man gives the least attention to the thing of greatest importance. He fails at that which is first! Think about it!

Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages– Ephesians 3:21

The goal of the church is the glory of God. Although our attention and efforts are so easily distracted toward building programs, political games, or personal relationships, none of these can substitute as a foundation or motivation for the church. The church exists to glorify God in the world.

But we cannot do this in our own strength. That is why Paul prays that this glory will come by Christ Jesus. The more we rely on our own ingenuity, business savvy, or personality for the success of the church, the less God is glorified in the church.

Any organization can thrive through careful business models or market research. But Christ’s church dies without Christ. God is glorified in the church only as Christ as looked to as the sole source of strength and motivation and direction for the church.

Thank God, though, He has not left the church merely to the inventions and power of any person or earthly organization. He has purposed that glory will be given Him, by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages.

What about you? Are you part of God’s plan for glorifying Himself? If you are not actively involved in a local church then you cannot take part in this great purpose.( From “A Good Thing”)

An old song says.”He did it all for me”. The Bible tells us that although Christ was rich He became poor for our sakes, even to the giving of His life at Calvary. Have you ever given much serious thought to what all Christ sacrificed for you? John Flavel put it like this:

The condition of Jesus Christ before his incarnation was a state of the highest and most unspeakable delight and pleasure, in the enjoyment of his Father.

He was not liable to any of those sorrowful consequences of that frail and feeble state of humanity, which he afterwards assumed. He was unacquainted with griefs; there was no sorrowing or sighing in that bosom where he lay.

He never underwent reproach and shame in that bosom, there was nothing but glory and honour reflected upon him by his Father, though afterwards he was despised, and rejected of men. His holy heart was never offended with an impure suggestion or temptation of the Devil. There were no hidings or withdrawings of his Father from him; there was not a cloud from eternity upon the face of God, till Jesus Christ had left that bosom.

All these things were new things to Christ; he was above them all — till for our sakes he voluntarily subjected himself unto them.

Contentment is the unknown “X” in life’s equation. It is as strange to most of us as living in an igloo or eating fried worms or raising a live gorilla in our backyard.

Face it. You and I are afraid that if we open the door of contentment, two uninvited guests will rush in: loss of prestige and laziness. We really believe that “getting to the top” is worth any sacrifice. To proud Americans, contentment is something to be enjoyed between birth and kindergarten . . . retirement and the rest home . . . or (and this will hurt) among those who have no ambition.

Stop and think. A young man with keen mechanical skills is often counseled against being contented to “settle” for a trade right out of high school. A teacher who is competent, contented, and fulfilled in the classroom is frowned upon if she turns down an offer to become a principal. The owner of Super-Duper Hamburgers on the corner has a packed-out joint every day and is content. But chances are selfish ambition won’t let him rest until he opens ten other joints and gets rich—leaving contentment behind. A man or woman who serves as an assistant or in any kind of support position in a ministry, company, or the military frequently wrestles with feelings of discontentment until he or she is promoted to the so-called “top rung.” This applies to homemakers and nuclear scientists . . . plumbers and cops . . . engineers and seminary students . . . caretakers and carpet layers . . . artists and waitresses.

It’s a curious fact that when people are free to do as they please, they usually imitate each other. As a result, we are rapidly becoming a nation of discontented, incompetent marionettes, dangling from strings manipulated by the same, stupid puppeteer.

Now, listen to John the Baptist: “Be content with your wages” (Luke 3:14). Hear Paul: “I am well content with weaknesses,” and, “If we have food and covering . . . be content.” (2 Corinthians 12:10; 1 Timothy 6:8). And hear another apostle: “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have–” (Hebrews 13:5).

I warn you: this isn’t easy to implement. You’ll be outnumbered and outvoted. You’ll have to fight the urge to conform. Even the greatest of all the apostles admitted, “I have learned to be content” (Philippians 4:11, emphasis added). It’s a learning process . . . and it isn’t very enjoyable marching out of step until you are convinced you’re listening to the right drummer.

When you’re fully convinced, however, two things will happen: Your strings will be cut and you’ll be free, indeed!   –Charles Swindoll

When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple– Jonah 2:7

Someone said,”Prayer can take us from hell to heaven in the blink of an eye.” Strictly speaking, that isn’t true. Those in hell won’t be getting out, and we aren’t saved by prayer any more than we are saved by good works. But it is a fact that God can and does provide things we need through prayer. And we generally feel it is most needed when we are most troubled. The daily devotional,”A Good Thing” gives us this example:

—Jonah had run away from God, disobeying His command to preach to Israel’s enemies in the city of Nineveh. Jonah’s ship was therefore caught in the midst of a great storm that God brought his way. Jonah was famously thrown from the ship and swallowed by a great fish.

As he languishes in the unimaginable discomfort and horror of the fish’s belly, Jonah describes himself as being in “the belly of hell” (2:2). Jonah was in this predicament because of his own disobedience and rebellion. He felt as though he had been cast away from the presence and watch care of God (2:4). Yet, he says, “I will look again toward thy holy temple.”

When we find ourselves suffering for our own sins, we are sometimes tempted to avoid God. Out of a sense of guilt, or pride, or embarrassment we turn away from God rather than turning to Him in prayer.

But, as Jonah observed, afflictions are sometimes sent to draw us to God, to deliver us from our sinful path: “I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD.” The very affliction is what brought Jonah to cry out to God.

God has never yet turned away any sinner who prayed to Him in repentance. Jonah found that, even as he suffered “in the belly of hell” he was able, through prayer, to come to God in His holy temple.

If you find yourself far away from God today, rush into His presence through prayer and bask in the glow of His abundant forgiveness and love.

My dear friend if you are running from the Lord like Jonah you are headed for trouble. It’s my prayer that you will turn to God in prayer before you are afflicted. If you are already suffering from God’s rod of chastisement fall on your knees and confess your sins. God will forgive and restore you to a place of useful service and great joy. Don’t delay!