There are other hindrances to seeking God. Unfortunately, society in which we live corrupts us. These corruptions keep us from seeking God. Some of more obvious corruptions are: television (violent or sexually oriented movies, soap operas, etc.), magazines, pleasure seeking, and materialism. Some less obvious may be work schedules, family duties, leadership (community, business, church) duties, etc. There are other things as well, it is not always same for each person. The point is things we have to contend with in life corrupts our seeking God.

When I was growing up in 50's and early 60's, you never heard profanity on television. Now we see homosexuality, abortion, and extra-material affairs all promoted on television every week, not to mention a host of vulgar and profane language and violence beyond compare. These things are wrong and they corrupt our seeking God.

In all of this, however, there is good news. Jesus tells us in sixth chapter of Matthew to "seek first kingdom of God." Then in chapter seven he says, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." (Matthew 7:7,8)

You may feel that you are so far away from a true relationship with God that it is impossible to seek and to find Him. But that just isn't true! If you are not a Christian, then you must seek God through giving your life to Jesus Christ. You must believe that Jesus is Christ, Son of living God. You must repent of your sins, confess to your fellow man that you believe, and be baptized in watery grave of baptism. Then you are ready for a life-long journey of seeking God.

If you are now a Christian, and haven't been living as close to God as you should, now is time to start that journey. The Apostle John tells us in his first epistle, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) Confess your unfaithfulness now, and start that life-long journey of constantly seeking and finding God.

Seeking and finding God is a wonderful experience. I've noticed in my life that when I truly seek God and His righteousness, I find Him. I am so excited and joyous that I seek Him more, then I find Him. That, in turn, makes me happy and I want to seek Him more, and then I find Him. The more I seek Him, more I find Him. Jesus told us in His word, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." (Matthew 5:6) What a wonderful promise, to know that if we hunger and thirst for righteous-ness, that if we seek God, we will find Him.

Don't let things of this world keep you from seeking and finding God. Jesus tells us in His word, "For what will it profit a man if he gains whole world, and loses his own soul?" (Mark 8:36) Don't let world corrupt you and keep you from seeking God. Don't let world cause you to lose you own soul.

I know that some teach doctrine of "Once saved, always saved." But this is not what Bible teaches. We are all in danger of losing our soul if we do not seek God.

So remember brothers and sisters, "Seek first kingdom of God and His righteousness..." (Matthew 6:33)

Favorite Scriptures

I have many favorite scriptures that help me make it through this world and live each day in Christ Jesus. Here are just a few.

"For God so loved world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

"And if it seems evil to you to serve LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether gods which your fathers served that were on other side of River, or gods of Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve LORD." (Joshua 24:15)

All scriptures quoted are from New King James Version, unless otherwise noted.

Stephen Kingery is an author, preacher, teacher and founder of The Home Bible Study Institute.

Visit our site at http://www.james1-22.org

It may be a good idea here to revisit our monograph titled "A Scriptural Look at Sin." In that monograph I stated that it is impossible for us to live a life which is completely without sin. As John said, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8) Am I teaching contradictory doctrine here? Or worse yet, is Bible? Absolutely not! We are called to righteousness and holiness. We are expected to live a life indicative of that righteousness. Were we capable of a sinless life we would be expected to live such. However, admonitions above are given so that we can take control over sin and not have sin control us. In other words, as I said in other monograph, we must have victory over sin.

"Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward goal for prize of upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13,14) We should do as Paul says. Forget things of past. This includes those sins of past which we may look back on and remember "fun" we had at that time. Let's forget those. It also includes those failures that we have had as Christians trying to overcome sin. I'm sure that each one of us can look back at failures; times when we let sin have upper hand. WE need to forget those times as well. We should have learned from them, but let us not dwell in failures.

Let us rather look to future with boldness, knowing that with strength of Christ and Word of God on our side we can "press toward goal for prize."

Are we going to sin in future? In all likelihood, yes. But John tells us this, "My little children, these things I write to you, that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with Father, Jesus Christ righteous. And He Himself is propitiation for our sins, and not ours only but also for whole world." (1 John 2:1,2) If we are striving to overcome sin, and still sin, then Jesus will be our Advocate for us to Father. Jesus substituted Himself for our sins.

On other hand, if we do not strive to overcome sin but sin willfully, then there is no further sacrifice for those sins. "For if we sin willfully after we have received knowledge of truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins." (Hebrews 10:26)

Are we expected to live a life of sinlessness? No! Are we expected to live a life which is constantly fighting against sin in our lives, a life which is striving to overcome sin, a life which is pressing toward goal? The answer is YES!

Finally, what should our attitude toward sin be? Is it just an irritation which we have to put up with? No, I think it is much more than that. We should have a deep hatred for sin of all sorts.

We are called to be like Christ. Well, He hated sin, and so should we. We should hate sin because our Lord and Savior does. But we should also hate sin because we can see what it does to ourselves, our loved ones and others as well. It destroys families and wrecks marriages. It causes people to become addicted to drugs and alcohol and thus destroy their lives. It causes distrust among people, even fellow Christians. It has caused America to change from a righteous nation to one wallowing in mire of drug abuse, homosexuality, abortion on demand and a crime wave beyond compare. I do not really understand how Christians in this nation can stand idly by and watch what is happening and not take a stand against sin, both in our own lives and nation as well.

We should hate sin because we desire to do will of God. Sin is in direct opposition to will of God. Often times it is sin that keeps us from doing will of God. Let us not give in to temptations of sin, but rather strive earnestly to do will of Father.

Be Strong Maltbie D. Babcock August 3, 1858 - May 18, 1901)

Be strong! We are not here to play, to dream, to drift; We have hard work to do, and loads to lift; Shun not struggle - face it; 'tis God's gift.

Be strong! Say not, "The days are evil. Who's to blame?" And fold hands and acquiesce - oh shame! Stand up, speak out, and bravely in God's name.

Be strong! It matters not how deep entrenched wrong, How hard battle goes, day how long; Faint not - fight on! To-morrow comes song.

All Scriptures quoted are from New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Stephen Kingery is an author, preacher, teacher and founder of The Home Bible Study Institute.

Visit our site at http://www.james1-22.org