Satisfying Yourself with what Lasts

It is that time of year where we are overloaded with all kinds of advertisements for things that excite our senses that you must have these things to be happy. It is not that having things are wrong, but it is how we want things so bad that we love and value having these things so bad we ignore whether God is telling us to stay away from it. It happens all through life, as we get older it is important to be accepted in school. Then we all want to be loved, and we think that diamond, new car, or home shows that we have prestige and power. Many times, the burning desire to acquire these things are tempting us to go against what God is trying to warn us.

Have you ever had that small voice inside telling you to stay away from that desire. Maybe it is not the right timing or God is telling that this thing is taking you down a dangerous path. That small voice is the Holy Spirit, and He cares for us. God knows we are going up against a skilled opponent that has schemes that have worked against men such as Abraham, Jacob, Sampson, David, and Peter.

1 Peter 5:8

8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

What is our defense? Drawing close to God is our defense. As our relationship to God is nurtured then we will be less drawn to the desires that this world has to offer. One of the things that will happen as we nurture our relationship; we will develop a thirst that we want to draw closer to God.

Psalm 63: 1

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.

What do you long for? Love, wealth, acceptance, prestige, power, or something else? If you search after these things apart from God’s will; you will end up with a feeling that will be disappointing and empty.

Instead trust God and be holy for He is holy. Resist the temptations of following the desires of your heart in your own strength. God with provide the best for you if you trust and obey him.

Jeremiah 17:7

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.

Message in Chinese

“满足于那些永恒之物”

每到这一年的时候，我们都会被各种广告淹没。这些广告刺激我们的感官，让我们心里产生“渴望拥有”的冲动，好像只有得到这些东西才能快乐。我们到底在渴望什么？爱、财富、接纳、名望、权力，还是别的？如果我们离开了神的旨意去追求这些事，最后只会感到失望与空虚。

并不是说拥有这些东西是坏的，而是我们对这些东西所怀的“爱”可能出了问题。我们可能过度看重这些，使我们忽略了神是否正在告诉我们远离它。生命中处处如此——成长过程中，为了在学校被接纳，我们会努力讨好别人；我们都渴望被爱；我们以为钻石、新车或房子能证明我们有地位、有能力。然而，我们强烈想得到这一切的欲望，常常会诱惑我们违背神的警告。

你是否曾听见内心里那个微小的声音叫你远离某个欲望？也许那不是正确的时机，或者神在提醒你：这件事会把你带上一条危险的道路。那个微小的声音，就是圣灵。神知道我们正面对一个极其老练的对手，他的诡计曾成功对付过亚伯拉罕、雅各、参孙、大卫和彼得。

彼得前书 5:88 务要谨守、儆醒。因为你们的仇敌魔鬼，如同吼叫的狮子，遍地游行，寻找可吞吃的人。

我们的防备是什么？亲近神就是我们的防备。随着我们与神的关系不断成长，我们就会越不被世界的欲望所吸引。当我们培养与神的关系时，我们心中会开始产生渴慕——渴望更亲近祂。

诗篇 63:1神啊，你是我的神，我要切切地寻求你；我的心渴想你，我的肉体切慕你；在干旱疲乏无水之地，我如此渴求你。

信靠神，并成为圣洁，因为祂是圣洁的。不要凭自己的力量追随心中的欲望。若你信靠并顺服祂，神必为你预备最好的。

耶利米书 17:7“倚靠耶和华、以耶和华为可靠的，那人有福了。

Satisfied