Teen Tuesday: What are you Hungering for?

What are you Hungering for?

Pastor Jayme Jackson

Matthew 5: 6  “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”

What is it that you have a taste for, spiritually speaking that is? Do you hunger after the things of the world or after righteousness?What is the first thing you want to do in the morning when you crawl out of bed?Do you take time to pray and read your Bible or do you hunger for Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter?

     In our family, everyone loves coffee except me. My wife and kids love it, they have to have it! Why don’t I drink coffee? I never acquired a taste for it. Perhaps, that is what has happened to most Christians. They have acquired a taste for social media, but never for church or the Bible. There is a constant Battle that rages between the old man and the new. The Apostle Paul put it this way: Romans 7:15 “For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.”

     The following four things will help you acquire a taste for righteousness:

• Worship

When I say worship I am speaking of your Church attendance. The Bible commands that we attend church.(Hebrews 10:25) In the Book of Acts, after people got saved, they joined up with a church. (Acts 2:41) People tell me, “I tried church once or twice and it just didn’t do anything for me.”

 Not only am I a preacher, I am a preacher’s kid.  I have been to a lot of church services in my life. Thinking back on them, I really can’t think of one that really made the difference. It was the continual act of going to church that has made a difference. A good example is washing your hands. You cannot look to a single drop of water and say, “This is the drop of water that cleaned my hands.” No, it is the continual flow of water that did the job. You want to hunger for righteousness. Go to church!

•  Word

Let us be honest! Reading in 1 Chronicles can be as dry as cracker juice! If you do not agree, stop reading this article now, because you have arrived at spiritual greatness! However, for those of us who aren’t excited to read 1 Chronicles, we do not crave the Word of God like we should.

Job 23: 12 “Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.”

How is it that we can be like Job? Several years ago, I had some problems with my throat and was advised to try carrot juice. The thoughts of carrot juice triggered my gag reflex, but I gave it a try! After two weeks an amazing thing happened. I began to crave carrot juice! Start reading the Bible and stay with it.

• Work

Proverbs 16:3 “Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.”

Psalms 100: 2 “Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.”

The Greatest work on earth is the Lord’s Work! No matter what occupation you have in life you should put the word “Christian” in front of it. Christian Fireman, Christian Nurse, etc. Everything we do is spiritual, not secular!

1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”  We need people who will labor for the Lord through the local church. Ask your Pastor or Youth Pastor for some place to serve in your church. You will be amazed at the appetite you will have, when you work!

• Watch

Watch what you eat!  Sometimes when I am thirsty, I will crave a Mountain Dew. Mountain Dew will quench my thirst for a little while. But, I am soon thirsty again. Water is what I really need to quench my thirst!

Hebrews 11: 25 “Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;”

According to the Bible, there is pleasure in sin for a while. Christian, nothing is going to satisfy and give you joy like spiritual things! Be careful what you put in your body. Sin will poison your spiritual appetite.

The reason America was such a great nation in her earlier years, was because our forefathers came here in search of God. They were not looking for gold as the Spaniards were. They were looking for freedom to worship God. The Bible clearly tells us that “Righteousness exalteth a nation.”

Do you want your life to count for something?

Then hunger for righteousness!