Psalm 27

4 One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.

What is the one thing you truly desire? David knew what it was, and it was to dwell in God’s presence and to behold God’s beauty.

Now you may say, “I can’t stay in that state forever, as we have to work in the real world.” But there is a real sense that we can dwell in God’s presence. David wanted an ongoing minute by minute communion with his Lord and Creator.

Matthew Henry Comments

With what a gracious earnestness he prays for a constant communion with God in holy ordinances.  It greatly encouraged his confidence in God that he was conscious to himself of an entire affection to God and to his ordinances, and that he was in his element when in the way of his duty and in the way of increasing his acquaintance with him.

Look at the words David is using here: seek after, enquire, behold. He is in earnest here; it is in the middle of a busy life for David, but he wanted God more than anything else. He wanted to know God’s word, and he wanted to see God’s beauty.

Is this your one desire Christian above everything else?

PHILIPPIANS 3

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

So, you think you know it all? If anyone knew it all, it would have been the apostle, Paul! He wrote the amazing epistles, but what’s Paul saying here?

He writes in earlier verses of apprehending something, of attaining something, and the concept of apprehending is one of earnestly seeking after something. Paul hasn’t found it yet, but is still seeking to know what it says in verse 10, and what a verse that is!!

10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.

To apprehend this, he must do one thing and that is to let go of his past. He totally let’s go of everything in his past, his achievements, his life, and more, because it was a hindrance. You cannot reach forth if you are carrying the chains of your past!

Have you tried to reach up to the top shelf of a cupboard with a lead weight around your leg? You can’t do it. You have to take the lead weight off to reach up to get the cookies. Likewise, in the Christian life, if you wish to reach forth, you must get rid of the sin and guilt which is holding you back. Anything that is holding you back must be cast off.

Do you want to win the prize? In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Paul uses the analogy of a runner. Do you see a runner going round the track in his tracksuit carrying his sports bag? Of course not! He lays it to one side so he can compete effectively in the race.

Christian, you need to get rid of any hindrance in your life; anything that stops you from reaching forth to win the prize. Maybe it is sin, maybe it an idol, or maybe it’s something that has taken the place of Christ on the throne of your life.

You need to do one thing and forget your past and move forward to win the prize.

2 Peter 3

8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

We end on a note of absolute joy, because if you aren’t excited by the return of Jesus, then as a Christian you need to wake up!

This verse is in the middle of Peter refuting people who say, “Jesus will never return… show us the evidence.”

Peter gives the reasons in the early verses of this chapter and reminds believers that God is completely above our heads. He doesn’t think about time like we do, thankfully.

We have to live in the light of Christ’s return, looking for that blessed hope.

In verse 9, Peter says that God does not forget His promises; He is not like man, who breaks his promises, but He is waiting until everyone has had a chance to hear the gospel and for everything to be fulfilled.

We are not to worry about when Jesus will come back, but be ready and live as holy people in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, anticipating His return.

God knows the times and seasons; He has all things in His hands.  This verse should give us so much confidence…

One thing to remember: God is still in charge and one day we will be taken home!

Let us live in the light of that amazing fact!

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

To complete this study, I must finish by saying ONE LAST THING.

The final words of Jesus in Matthew 28 should be etched on our mind. They are OUR commission, our charter, and our motivation.

Our Lord has given us our orders. These are not options; they are commands. So why aren’t we obeying them?

When was the last time you?

Led someone to Christ.

Led someone deeper in their faith.

Shared the gospel with someone.

Gave out a gospel tract.

Showed the love of Christ in practical ways.

God is watching us all, me included. Before you say how difficult it is, remember I know it is! I live in China and my Chinese is so limited. But I can and do share with the Chinese and have been privileged to share with many foreigners that God has led me to.

It is scary! Believe me, but we do this because we know the love and terror of the Lord. We have to share, because we know the consequences of millions going to a Christ-less eternity.

It is not enough to go to church on Sunday and Wednesday nights! Have you little/no concern for sharing your faith? Spurgeon put it like this, “If you have no concern for the lost, then you aren’t saved yourself”. 

Believe me… you cannot share something that isn’t a reality in your own life.

We have a twofold purpose in this world:

TO KNOW GOD AND TO MAKE HIM KNOWN

May this ONE THING be our consuming passion!

God bless you,

Keith