Chasing After What?

By: Richard Mirpuri

 

All our life, even before we reach the age of accountability, we are all chasing after something. Young children are chasing after all kinds of toys. Older children are chasing after the latest signature shoes, video games that their parents can’t afford. Youth are chasing after every new release of electronic gadgets, tablets and smart phones that their parents can’t afford. Young people old enough to drive are chasing after luxury cars that their parents can’t afford. College-age boys and girls are chasing after romance, excitement, pleasures of life believing that this will give them happiness. People who are working are chasing after houses, cars and things that their salaries can’t afford. People are always chasing after something at every stage of life and, unfortunately, investing life, time and money on things that are of no eternal value. The Bible, in the Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 2, vs 4 – 11, we read these words by King Solomon: “I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem as well—the delights of a man’s heart. I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me. I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.” Hosea 8:7 sums it up this way – “For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.” The message of King Solomon, as written in the Book of Ecclesiastes, is that humans cannot by all their striving achieve anything of ultimate or enduring significance. Nothing appears to be going anywhere (1:5-11), and people cannot by all their efforts break out of this caged treadmill (1:2-4;2:1-11); they cannot fundamentally change anything (1:12- 15;6:10;7:13). Hence they often toil foolishly (4:4,7-8;5:10-17;6:7-9). All their striving “under the sun” (1:3) after unreal goals leads only to disillusionment. God has an itinerary for each of us, a course that we must run (Acts 20:24; 2 Tim 4:7). Our life is already charted in the councils of heaven according to the sovereign purposes, will and wisdom of God. Yet our choices in this life are not irrelevant. We make decisions every day, large and small, and some of them can have life-altering consequences, whether for good or bad in our lives. Always, there are more goals to reach, more dreams to fulfill, more thirsts to quench. That attitude is part of what life is. The question is “What Are We Now Chasing After At This Point in our Lives?” now that we belong to the Lord as His people – His disciples – His children. In an article that I read recently – it points out 2 categories of things that people chase after in their lives. James, the brother of Jesus, warns us in James 4:1 about “lusts” or “passions” that war within us. Under this category, we ask ourselves some questions: • In our life, are we chasing after Pleasure? Do we like to show others what we have? Do we need to have the latest gadget, the newest car, the nicest office? Do we boast about things that will someday all be left behind? • Or could it be power that we are after? Do we like being “in charge”? Do we fight to get our way? Do we struggle admitting when we’re wrong? Do we prefer not to serve on a team, whether it be in the workplace or in the church, if we’re not the leader? Do we get frustrated when we’re not included in any undertaking? • Or maybe, we’re chasing after recognition? Do we get frustrated (that is, jealous) when others get recognized instead of us? • Or are we chasing after wealth? There is absolutely nothing wrong about seeking to be prosperous especially if your heart’s desire is to use wealth as an instrument to serve God! But are we stingy with the dollars we earn? Do we wrestle with God when we sense He wants us to give more toward His work – perhaps even decreasing our hard earned savings? Do we tithe only to the penny, and then begrudgingly and not cheerfully? Do we use your wealth only to acquire things and stuff that we are chasing after just for ourselves and our family? • Or is there unresolved bitterness in our hearts? Are we angry with someone to the point that we choose not to let it go? Do we quietly want God to get revenge on someone on our behalf? Do we refuse even to entertain the thought that we might have been wrong in a particular situation? These are some of the “lusts” that wars within us that James is referring to – decisions that we make – things that we chase after that could have lifealtering consequences for the worse in our lives. On the other hand, the Bible speaks of “longings” – chasing after things that really do matter in life and what they bring into our lives are the Presence of God, His purpose being fulfilled in His power in our circumstances – His blessings of peace, protection and provision, even His prosperity and promotion, being our companions in life. 1. Longing for God. Do you want God as much as a thirsty deer that pants for water (Psalm 42)? Do you desire God so much you cannot make it through the day without spending time with Him? If God were to absent Himself from your life, would it change much? 2. Longing for Salvation of Others. Would you, like the Apostle Paul, be willing to be accursed so others might get saved (Rom. 9:3)? Is it your heart’s desire and prayer for others to know Jesus (Rom. 10:1)? Does your life show evidence of such a burden? Are you willing to go anywhere so all people groups might know Christ (Matt. 28:18-20, Rom. 15:20-21)? 3. Longing for Eternity. Do you long for Jesus to return? Can you pray with John, “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20)? Are you living faithfully in “the meantime,” desiring most to be with Jesus while understanding your call to be here now? Are you living for the temporary or the eternal (1 Cor. 3:10-15)? So – what is it that you are chasing after in your life? Is it “lusts” or is it “longings”? This is how King Solomon concludes in Ecclesiastes 12: 13-14: 13 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter:Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, GOD’S ECONOMICS (The Biblical Principles of true prosperity) Rev. Richard Mirpuri including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. As we move forward to the remaining days, weeks and months of this year – may we chase not after “lusts” but “longings” that matter – the longing for God and His will and works in our lives. The longing for the salvation of the lost and our participation in the program of God and the longing for eternity – that which has eternal value in our lives. Let us all chase after those things that have eternal value in the eyes and in the heart of God and in the remainder of our days, as King Solomon declares, let us “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.”

WORD OF GRACE BIBLE TOURS TO VISIT THE 7 CHURCHES OF REVELATION AND TO FOLLOW THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL

Dr. Richard Mirpuri, Founder & Spiritual Director of the Word of Grace Family Christian Fellowship (C&MA) in Chicago, will be leading a group on a Bible Tour to Turkey and Greece with a 2-day Mediterranean Cruise to visit the 7 Churches of Revelations and the Island of Patmos. The group will depart from Chicago on October 11 and return on October 21st for an 11-day tour. In 2015, two Bible tours are scheduled. One leaves Chicago on April 15 for Greece for 9 days to follow the footsteps of the Apostle Paul during one of his missionary journeys. Another Bible tour is scheduled for March 2015 to Israel. All tours are open to participants both from the Philippines and from the U.S. Interested parties may email Dr Mirpuri at dick_mirpuri@yahoo.com or call 1-773- 226-9062 for more details. The photo above shows the Dr Mirpuri teaching from the Bible in Israel during one of the Prayer Pilgrimages and Bible Tours to the Holy Land that he led with participants both from the Philippines and the U.S.