CLOTHING

Fads in the clothing industry are nothing new. We are driven by mass media and marketing to purchase new styles so others will not think we are “behind the times.” There is clothing that will never go out of style and those who accept Christ as their Savior will be the only ones to have it. Not only will it always be “in”, it will never wear out!

For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, ³inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. ⁴For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. ⁵Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. 2 Corinthians 5:2 - 5 (NASB)

We may have to wait for heaven to be clothed with our new body, but meantime we have “clothing” that is awesome if we pay attention.

Christ is our Clothing…

For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:27 - 28 (NASB)

We are told to take off the old and put on the new…

Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, ¹⁰and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— Colossians 3:9 - 10 (NASB)

We have the clothing of humility that we are to wear…

…and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another 1 Peter 5:5b (NASB)

Then there is the awesome promise of our heavenly clothing…

‘He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. Revelation 3:5 (NASB)

We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us for apart from Him we can do nothing. If we hold to these Biblical truths and trust in the One who created us…we shall overcome.

SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD

ETERNALLY

People look at me funny when I tell them that I am a pastor of worship and youth. “Does it pay well?” they ask. My response may be something like, “Well, I’m making less now than when I finished my Master’s Degree in 1983.” Their response is usually something between “Don’t you want to succeed in life?” to “Why don’t you get a real job?”

What a perfect opportunity to share Jesus with them. For those of us that know Him, and the future that we look forward to with Him, this is a no-brainer. After all, once these physical bodies of ours die, we get new ones that will never wear out.

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 Corinthians 5:1 (KJV)

We also know that it doesn’t matter what you’ve accumulated down here on earth. We could have millions of dollars stashed away, but when it’s time to face the judgment of God, that won’t mean a thing. The saying “You can’t take it with you” is well known even among non-Christians, but I don’t think the full meaning is grasped.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; ²¹for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19 - 21 (NASB)

My treasures are the souls of those who have accepted the Lord because of my prayers and sharing the Lord. My treasures are seeing those who have accepted the Lord, follow Him and lead others to a saving knowledge of Him as well.

“Ok, but you’ll never have all the ‘good things’ of life,” some might say. “You’re wrong” is my response. I have the ONLY good thing of life, Jesus Christ. He is not only LIFE, but also the Truth and the Way to happiness. I have never wanted for anything that I needed since I have been with Him.

SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD

PARALLEL

This WORD is somewhat different, though directly from the book of Nehemiah. The Lord brought to my mind this morning the parallel between the rebuilding of the wall in Jerusalem and our project of The SPRING Student Center. I know it was from Him for I had not been reading the book, nor had I for some time.

Nehemiah (NKJV)

Chapter 1

³And they said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”

The mechanism to bring people to Christ is broken down. The youth center’s that existed in the past are no more. The churches are experiencing in-fighting, splitting and growth by movement, not salvation.

⁴So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

Our Bible study has prayed for over a year for this problem.

Chapter 2

…So I prayed to the God of heaven. ⁵And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.”

We prayed to God and went to the City for a building permit to build a House of Ministry for teens called The SPRING.

¹⁶And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I had done; I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, or the others who did the work.

God was moving along so quickly that I only shared with the people in the Bible study. I had not as of yet shared with the “official” ministers in the town.

¹⁸And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me.

So they said, “Let us rise up and build.” Then they set their hands to this good work.

Then we were able to share the plans with a larger group including two of the “official” ministers in the town, and they saw it was good.

Chapter 4

¹But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews.

News came that one of the “official” ministers was upset because that was their dream.

¹⁵And it happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work.

God’s work continued on, bathed in prayer.

Chapter 6

¹⁵So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days. ¹⁶And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God.

Other attacks will come (6:1-14), but by prayer and perseverance, it will be accomplished. I wouldn’t be surprised if we finished in 52 days!

SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD

PRAISE

Praise the LORD!

Praise the name of the LORD;

Praise Him, O servants of the LORD,

Psalm 135:1

Last night people from seven churches came together to praise the Lord.

Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name;

Make known His deeds among the peoples.

² Sing to Him, sing praises to Him;

Speak of all His wonders.

³ Glory in His holy name;

Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.

Psalm 105:1-3

God was glorified through the message of His Word. He is the common denominator in every church that follows Christ.

Sing for joy to God our strength;

Shout joyfully to the God of Jacob.

Psalm 81:1

People sang outside their comfort zones as they sought to praise the Almighty.

Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!

For He has done marvelous things;

His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.

² The Lord has made known His salvation;

His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.

Psalm 98:1-2

The victory is indeed the Lord’s, for apart from Him we can do nothing. He has revealed Himself through the workings in the hearts of His people.

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

Philippians 4:4

Have a blessed Lord’s Day and remember…

SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD