WHAT DO YOU PURSUE, OR

WHAT ARE YOU RUNNING AFTER?

 

John.1:35-39 NLT

35 “The next day John was there again with two of his disciples.
36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"
37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"
39 "Come," he replied, "and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.

Jesus asked, what do you want? He knew they wanted something because they were following, pursuing him.

Let me quickly tell you a story: - There once was a man who had money, was young and full of energy and time. He was free to pursue because there was nothing or no one who could restrain what he wanted to do. He left a record of this for us to read. It is Ecclesiastes and his name was Solomon of whom the Lord gave wisdom such as no other man has had. He starts by telling what his life has brought.

Ecclesiates.1:2 (KJV) “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity”.

 

Ecclesiastes 2:20-21 (KJV)

²⁰ Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.

²¹ For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

 

Ecclesiastes 5:13-20

The Message (MSG)

^13-17 Here’s a piece of bad luck I’ve seen happen:
A man hoards far more wealth than is good for him
And then loses it all in a bad business deal.
He fathered a child but hasn’t a cent left to give him.
He arrived naked from the womb of his mother;
He’ll leave in the same condition—with nothing.
This is bad luck, for sure—naked he came, naked he went.
So what was the point of working for a salary of smoke?
All for a miserable life spent in the dark?

 

When we look at the above, we can found two sets of case that dealt with pursuit. In the book of John, those that were recorded in that scripture were pursuing Jesus whom is the only source of life.

John 14:6 (KJV)

⁶ Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

We can only get access unto God through Him (JESUS)

John 1:1-5 (KJV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

² The same was in the beginning with God.

³ All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

⁴ In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

⁵ And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Now let us look at the second case study in Ecclesiastes, he was busy pursuing wealth and later found out that all were VANITY.

I need to ask you this question once again, WHAT DO YOU PURSUE?

Do you want real satisfaction in life? This will only come as you have an up-to-date relationship with God. Look at what Solomon now finally arrived at in the last statement that he made all of his writing;

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

King James Version (KJV)

¹³ Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

¹⁴ For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Note that Elisha sought for double portion of anointing in Elijah’s life, this can be seen in:-

2 Kings 2:9 (KJV)

⁹ And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.

 

 While Gehazi pursued Elisha’s wealth.

2 Kings 5:20-27 (KJV)

²⁰ But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.

²¹ So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?

²² And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.

²³ And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.

²⁴ And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.

²⁵ But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.

²⁶ And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and olive yards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?

²⁷ The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed forever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

I need to leave you with this taught: -

Mark 8:36 (KJV)

³⁶ For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?