THE CHASE

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Colossians 3:2

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

I was sitting with a young man and his mentor yesterday at breakfast. 17 years old and just “unhappy.” He was already tired of “the world”. He had tried its system for happiness. Dope, partying, you know the "usuals, but he wasn’t finding it. He was anxious and was desperate to find some peace, some contentment.

Yet that verse from Colossians gives some insight as to “what to do” when we feel that way right? Because I am certain my young man in not alone in his anxiousness and discontentment.

GOD tells us to set our sights on Him and not the earthy stuff. It is pretty clear. But we do get caught up in trying to resolve our discontentment and anxiousness with things down here don’t we?

We chase the next thing; the newest technology the next “wows-it”and “whiz-bang”.

We pursue it with great fervor!

We say things like

“If I only could get this _____________then I would be satisfied.”

“If I could pull together the cash for _________________ then I would be fat dumb and happy.”

“Maybe if I get… (high, drunk, blasted, fried, baked, hammered, stoned, sloshed, mauled or tweaked)…things will improve.”

Truth is the world with all of its glitz, glamour, shiny and slick never delivers on its promises.

Galatians 5:19-21

It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time (the world’s way): …all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants...

But boy we do chase it.

I know I did.

Vegas, first class flights, complimentary this and that, prime steaks and top shelf cognac. I chased it all; even caught some of it for a minute. But it didn’t deliver. It never delivers.

Proverbs 21:17

You’re addicted to thrills? What an empty life! The pursuit of pleasure is never satisfied.

Contentment and real happiness can only be found when our sights are on the things above, on the things of GOD.

Now I know that is very elementary and sophomoric statement but we get it wrong so often. We bank on this world, its system and its promises to fulfill us and bring us contentment and it is just not capable of “carrying the mail” so to speak.

So can I encourage you today just as I did the young man yesterday?

Stop the chase. Pause and look skyward. Lift your eyes and find what you have been looking for!

Philippians 4:19

...my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

I love you all.

Have a blessed weekend!

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney