First of all, I was going through our lists of posts Thursday and realized that last Friday morning's post did not publish OR maybe it did publish and then "unpublished" for some reason. This is the third or fourth time that has happened in the last month but the other times I caught the glitch later in the same day and corrected the error. We were busy all day Friday and I completely missed it.
When I wrote Sunday's View Out The Window post I thought it was short on links for the week but I did not take time to investigate. It is up now and I included it in Sunday's links too. HERE it is. Keep in mind that it is dated material but not much I can do about that.
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Hungry For God
I started revival Wednesday night at West Harrison with a subject that I find myself going back to time and time again. Not just in my preaching but in my personal devotions and prayer time. I desire an abiding and overwhelming hunger for more of God. If we are hungry for God then God has obligated himself to truly satisfy that hunger.
If we hunger for God, If we thirst for God, If a craving for righteousness consumes us, God has promised to feed us and to satisfy us. It really is true that "We have as much of God as we want."
Joel Hemphill's old song tells the story.
I searched for Him
And I knew not what I searched for
I longed for Him
And I knew not what I longed for
Till I found Jesus
And I knew that I would search no more
He filled that longing
Down in my soul
God will satisfy our craving IF we crave Him more than all the other things available!
There are so many things in life that are easily substituted for more of God. When we consume them we may be satisfied for a while. We may feel content. We may feel full and happy. We may not even realize that we have neglected to hunger after God and spiritual things because we feel satisfied and the hunger pains are gone.
Feeding on the world is like feasting on junk food. Gobbling the imitations the flesh supplies is like filling up on fast food. It tastes good. It satisfies our cravings. It is easily accessible. You can eat it on the go without much preparation or forethought.
But it will kill you in the end. It is temporarily terrific but finally fatal.
Inside of every man is a void. Look around you. Pay attention to all humanity running to and fro trying to satisfy the void inside of them. We fill that void with relationships, drugs, alcohol, vacations, friendships, houses, lands, cars, the latest fad or craze and a million other things. We fill the void but we are never completely satisfied. The world is always looking for "the next big thing."
Here is the reason for that. I believe the void inside every person is a God shaped void and only God can fill it completely. If you hunger for Him, He will fill you. If you thirst for Him, He will satisfy. If you search for Him with your whole heart, He will come to you.
Isaiah 55:1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
Hunger for God. Thirst after God. Search for Him. Listen for His voice. Eat what He provides. Follow where He leads. And let your soul delight itself in fatness!
You may live for 80 years on cheeseburgers, pizza, french fries, macaroni and cheese, lasagna, ice cream and candy bars. You may escape clogged arteries, diabetes and high blood pressure. You may be the exception to the rule. They may have to beat your healthy heart to death with a stick when you die.
But spiritual junk food will kill you dead. If you live to be 120 years old and die without a real experience with God, you will regret your spiritual diet for all of eternity.
God, please give us an astounding and breathtaking craving for you and nothing else!
When we sincerely hunger for God and crave the things of God, we will never be satisfied with imitations. We will never be content with the world. We will never be appeased by spiritual junk food. When you are hungry for a real move of God, only a real move of God will do!
Are you hungry for God? If not, ask God right now to give you an appetite for a genuine experience with God. Make it a daily part of your prayer life. Put it up at the top of your prayer list. I will make you a promise that I found in God's word. God will satisfy the longing in your soul when you direct it toward Him.
Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Psalms 107:9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
I am going to keep praying for more hunger. I am going to keep asking God for more of Him. I am going to keep preaching to encourage others to do the same. That hunger will change our lives. I believe that.
Thanks for reading today.
Davy
