Seek First CLC

10/03/2026

Sitting in the woods this morning, the weather is rainy and foggy. Things are unusually quiet, and with the lack of wildlife moving, they almost seem lifeless.

Yet everything around me is still vibrant green.
It made me think about how often life can feel the same way.

When we have time to reflect, our minds can easily wander toward the things we regret. The poor decisions we wish we could take back, the opportunities we wish we had pursued differently, and the dreams we thought would have happened by now.

Sometimes, we find ourselves wondering, “Why hasn’t God allowed this to happen yet?”

I opened up the Bible and went straight to the writings of Paul. Romans was first, so I just started there.

In chapter 1 Paul wrote:
“For I want very much to see you, so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, that is, to be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.”
“Now I don’t want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I often planned to come to you, but was prevented until now, in order that I might have a fruitful ministry among you, just as I have had among the rest of the Gentiles. I am obligated both to Greeks and barbarians, both to the wise and the foolish. So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.”
Romans 1:11-15 CSB

Paul had the calling, the experience and he had the desire. Yet Rome still hadn’t happened.
And I think that’s something we sometimes miss.

Just because God has placed a desire in our heart doesn’t mean it will happen on our timeline.

Paul later explains toward the end of his letter that his desire still remains and that he may finally be getting closer to seeing that dream become a reality.

In chapter 15, he writes
“That is why I have been prevented many times from coming to you. But now I no longer have any work to do in these regions, and I have strongly desired for many years to come to you whenever I travel to Spain. For I hope to see you when I pass through and to be assisted by you for my journey there, once I have first enjoyed your company for a while.”
Romans 15:22-24 CSB

“Many Years”

I know what it’s like to believe God has called you toward something, only to find yourself waiting. I know the disappointment of watching something you hoped would happen remain just out of reach.

And probably the biggest lie I continually ask myself is “did I I misunderstand God altogether?”

But I know that the waiting doesn’t mean the calling was wrong.

It simply means it isn’t time yet.

I believe that’s also true for you.

This morning, the woods may look lifeless because of the fog, rain, and stillness. But honestly, the stillness has rewarded me with some much-needed quietness.

A quietness that has given me some rest from all of the negative feelings that can come with reflection.

I know that things will wake up soon!

09/30/2026

Recently, I was working on some property that we have access to. As I approached a small stream that I was crossing in our UTV, I was struck by how clear my reflection was in the water. I could also see everything underneath the surface.

Then I crossed it.
The water became muddy, and suddenly I could no longer see what was underneath.

That image has stayed with me because, in many ways, it feels like what life has been like over the last few months.

Recently, I have found myself in a place where difficult things from my past have crept back into my mind in what feels like a never-ending cycle. Honestly, it has had a negative influence on my physical, mental, and spiritual health.

Those recurring thoughts and the challenges that have come with them have also influenced the questions I have been asking God.
I have asked a lot of “why” questions over the last few months.

I am still waiting for some of those answers.
In the absence of answers, I have found myself fighting bitterness in a way that I don't believe I have ever experienced before.

I often talk with people who find themselves in similar places. My heart aches when people begin to question who God is and why He seems so distant in times of need. I think it also hurts because I just want to fix it.

I understand why it is difficult.
When we have a firm belief in God, we sometimes feel like we shouldn't have to continue suffering through some of the painful situations life brings. We believe that he is a God of healing and restoration.

I also understand that when we are hurting, it can become difficult to even pray.
How do we ask God for the desires of our hearts when we feel like He is distant?

How do we pray for God to bless someone else when we don’t see our prayers being answered?

As I was reading this week, I came to Habakkuk 3.

What struck me was a worship song brought before God in a time of despair.

Habakkuk wasn't writing from a place where everything had worked out.

He also had questions.

He witnessed things he didn't understand.

He also knew that there were difficult circumstances on the horizon.

He had wrestled with God and with what God was doing.
And yet, he worshiped.

Habakkuk 3:17–19 says:
“Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
GOD, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like the deer’s;
he makes me tread on my high places.”

There are two words in this passage that are easy to overlook.

Though.
Yet.

“Though” acknowledges the reality of what is happening.
Though the fig tree doesn't blossom.
Though the fields yield no food.
Though the flock is gone.

Though the circumstances are painful.
Though I don't understand.
Though I have prayed and the answer hasn't come.
Though I am hurting.
Though.

Habakkuk doesn't pretend that hard things aren't happening.
His faith isn't built on denying his circumstances.
He acknowledges them fully.

And then comes the word:
Yet.

“Yet I will rejoice in the LORD.”

The “yet” doesn't erase the “though.”
It doesn't mean the pain isn't real.
It doesn't mean the questions don't matter.
It doesn't mean I suddenly understand why these things are happening.

Sometimes, the questions of “why” reveal something about God that we would never have experienced without walking through them.

Habakkuk didn't suddenly understand everything God was doing.

He simply chose to worship God in the middle of what he didn't understand.

As I crossed that small creek, the water didn't suddenly become clear again. It took time before the water settled and everything underneath became clearly visible.

And honestly, I think that is where I am right now.

I'm standing in muddy water.

I can't see everything underneath.

I don’t know all the answers

But I do know this:
God has not changed simply because I can't see clearly.
The water may be muddy, but God is still there.
Eventually, the water will clear.
Eventually, I will be able to see what was underneath.
And until then, I will remember the steps that God has led me through already

I trust that God will bring healing.
I trust that He will provide what I need.

I trust that He will guide me to the next step, even when I can't see the path clearly.

And until I can see clearly again, I want to live a life of worship.

Not because I understand everything.
Not because everything has worked out.
Not because the pain isn't real.

But because He is still God.

09/23/2026

Jubilee

I've been reading Leviticus 25, where God gives Moses instructions concerning the Year of Jubilee.

Every 50th year was to be a year of liberty, restoration, and return. Property that had been lost because of poverty was to return to its original family.

Those who had fallen into servitude were to be released.

God's people were commanded not to take advantage of one another, and those who became poor were to be helped rather than exploited.

But there is something in this passage that really challenged me.

For years, I’ve longed to have a large section of property, and when I read this, I wondered what it would be like to buy that knowing that in 5 decades it would have to be returned, but verse 23 brings some perspective.

God says in Leviticus 25:23
“The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine. For you are strangers and sojourners with me.”

The land was God's.
Not the rich man's.
Not the poor man's.
Not the government's.
But God's.

The Israelites could possess it, work it, steward it, and benefit from it, but ultimately, it belonged to God.

The year of Jubilee sounds great for the person who had become a servant or slave due to accumulated debt, or the person who had lost what once belonged to their family.

But, what about the person who had accumulated the wealth and property over those 50 years?

This brings us to a question that is much deeper than economics.

Do I treat what I have as mine, or does it belong to God?

My money.
My property.
My possessions.

What would change if we genuinely believed that what we possess has been entrusted to us by God for a specific amount of time rather than simply acquiring it for ourselves?

In the western world, we often attribute those in poverty as a consequence of their actions, or a lack of work ethic to overcome it. This is based on our view of justice and someone getting what they deserve.

Leviticus 25 gives us a picture of justice that is bigger than punishment and consequences. It’s what we are blessed to receive as followers of Christ.

When someone became poor, there were mechanisms for redemption. They were not to be exploited because of their desperation. They were not to be charged interest in a way that profited from their poverty.

Ultimately, Jubilee provided a means for those who had lost their inheritance to return to it.

Recently while teaching my community health class we discussed the term generational poverty.

Generational poverty generally refers to poverty that persists across multiple generations of the same family. Some definitions specifically use three or more generations as the threshold. In other words, poverty isn't simply a temporary circumstance that one person experiences. It becomes a cycle that is passed from one generation to the next.

Think about that for a moment.

A grandfather grows up poor.
His children grow up poor.
His grandchildren grow up poor.
And now the great-grandchildren are born into the same cycle.

That doesn't mean every person born into poverty will remain there, nor does it mean personal decisions and responsibility don't matter.
But it does mean that poverty can become more than an individual circumstance. It can become a generational reality, this has a negative outcome on health and education.

This makes the principles in Leviticus 25 important as we view what it’s like to steward wealth appropriately.

God established a system in which poverty was not supposed to become an opportunity for one person to permanently gain control over another person's inheritance.

His people were not to exploit their brother's desperation.

They were told to help.

Deuteronomy 15 says:
“You shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother.”

We can become so focused on building our own kingdom that we forget we are living in God's.

We can celebrate what we have accumulated while ignoring the person struggling beside us, often attributing our lack of help as something they deserve.

I don't believe Scripture teaches us that possessions are inherently evil, or that we are called to abandon everything we own.

However, I do believe Scripture challenges our ownership mentality.

Jesus confronted this same heart issue when He encountered the rich young ruler.

The issue wasn't simply that the man possessed wealth. The issue was that his possessions possessed him.

So what if we ask this question
“What has God entrusted to me, and how does He want me to use it for the good of others?”

Jubilee reminds us that God's economy is not simply about accumulation.

It is about stewardship.
It is about mercy.
It is about restoration.

I don't see this as an argument for replacing biblical responsibility with a government program.

I believe God's people have a personal responsibility to care for those around them.

at the same time, as a tax payer I can certainly ask whether those resources are being used in ways that genuinely serve the common good ror simply the interest of certain groups of people. I think this is a legitimate question for citizens to ask.

Today I’m asking:

How would God's people live if we actually believed that everything belongs to Him?

How would we live differently if we understood that what we possess is temporary stewardship rather than permanent ownership?

How would we teach our children differently?

Would we teach them simply to accumulate as much as possible?
Or would we teach them to steward what they have so well that it can bless generations beyond their own?

Would we teach them to consume every resource for themselves?
Or would we teach them to leave something behind for someone else to steward?

Jesus didn't call us to build our own kingdoms.
He called us to seek His Kingdom.
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness...”
Matthew 6:33

Drive a little slower today, and take a look around at the beauty of the area we get to call home and remember,

“The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.”
Psalm 24:1

09/15/2026

Fear Verses Gratitude

“So all the elders of Israel gathered together and went to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Therefore, appoint a king to judge us the same as all the other nations have.” When they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” Samuel considered their demand wrong, so he prayed to the LORD. But the LORD told him, “Listen to the people and everything they say to you. They have not rejected you; they have rejected me as their king. They are doing the same thing to you that they have done to me, since the day I brought them out of Egypt until this day, abandoning me and worshiping other gods.

Samuel told all the LORD’s words to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, “These are the rights of the king who will reign over you:
Verses 12-18 tells of all the rights, materialism, land, animals, and family they could have to give up to the king.

The people refused to listen to Samuel. “No! ” they said. “We must have a king over us. Then we’ll be like all the other nations: our king will judge us, go out before us, and fight our battles.””
‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭8‬:‭4‬-‭8‬, ‭10‬-‭11‬, ‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Saul is appointed King
““Now here is the king you’ve chosen, the one you requested. Look, this is the king the LORD has placed over you. If you fear the LORD, worship and obey him, and if you don’t rebel against the LORD’s command, then both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God. However, if you disobey the LORD and rebel against his command, the LORD’s hand will be against you as it was against your ancestors. ,”
‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭12‬:‭13‬-‭15‬ ‭CSB‬‬

“They pleaded with Samuel, “Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so we won’t die! For we have added to all our sins the evil of requesting a king for ourselves.”

Samuel replied, “Don’t be afraid. Even though you have committed all this evil, don’t turn away from following the LORD. Instead, worship the LORD with all your heart. Don’t turn away to follow worthless things that can’t profit or rescue you; they are worthless. The LORD will not abandon his people, because of his great name and because he has determined to make you his own people.”
‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭12‬:‭19‬-‭22‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Fear drove the Israelites to once again forget all the things that the Lord had done.
They had seen Him deliver them from Egypt. They had seen Him fight battles they could never have won on their own.

But in 1 Samuel 8, fear caused them to forget.
They looked at the nations around them and said, “We must have a king over us. Then we’ll be like all the other nations. Our king will judge us, go out before us, and fight our battles.”

They wanted something they could see and someone that made them feel secure.

Fear makes us look at what is in front of us and forget what God has already brought us through.

It makes the challenge of tomorrow feel more real than God's past faithfulness.

Gratitude sets us up for something different.

It reminds us of the prayers God has answered, the doors He opened, the battles He fought, the times He provided, and the moments when we didn't know how things would work out, but He was faithful anyway.

Remembering what God has done builds our faith to trust Him with what He will do.

And maybe that's why Samuel's words in 1 Samuel 12 are so powerful.
Israel had made the wrong choice. They had sinned. They had asked for a king because they had forgotten that God Himself was their King.
But Samuel didn't tell them that all hope was lost.

He told them:
“Don’t be afraid. Even though you have committed all this evil, don’t turn away from following the LORD. Instead, worship the LORD with all your heart.”

Then he reminded them of something even greater:

“The LORD will not abandon his people, because of his great name and because he has determined to make them his own people.”

That gives us hope, when we make a poor choice because our fear is stronger than gratitude

A wrong choice doesn't have to be the end of the story.

Repentance gives us a way back

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭23‬:‭3‬ ‭KJV‬‬ says
“He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.”

‭‭These paths of Righteousness, were called this because they were the ones closest to the Sheppard. They were the safest paths through the dessert. They had been established over hundreds of years of use. When bad weather, darkness, or predators were to surround a flock, the Shepard would call to them and they would return to the paths of righteousness, they would draw near to the Sheppard for safety, to the familiar paths that the Sheppard had lead them down many times to get them back home. The word restore, means that something was astray, and needed to be brought back in alignment with the original design. When we seek the Sheppard first, we will be brought back into his paths of righteousness.

Today, remember somewhere God has been faithful in the past. Allow this to give you hope for today as one of his chosen people.

09/09/2026

A Desire for Righteousness

“Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation.”
Psalm 24:3-5 ESV

“The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”
Luke 6:45 ESV

The same David who wrote Psalm 24, speaking about clean hands and a pure heart, was the David of Psalm 51.

Many know the story of how David sinned with Bathsheba. He allowed sin to take root in his heart, and that sin eventually produced devastating consequences.

But instead of focusing on the sin, let's take a look at David's response.

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!”
Psalm 51:1-2 ESV

David didn't simply ask God to help him behave better.
He asked God to change his heart.
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”
Psalm 51:10 ESV

This is where I think we miss the point.

We look at Scripture and see all the behaviors Be righteous. Be kind. Speak good. Don't lie. Don't slander. Don't live in sexual immorality. Don't steal and we turn those things into a list of rules we need to follow.

If it were only about our behavior and what we do with our hands, then changing our actions would be enough. We could simply modify our behavior. Stop doing this. Start doing that. Say the right things. Make better choices.
But it isn't that simple.

Psalm 24 doesn't only say clean hands. It says clean hands and a pure heart.

Jesus reminded us of this as well.

“You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.”
Matthew 23:26 ESV

You see, our hands represent what we do.
But our heart represents who we are.

When we change only our actions, we may look different for a while. But when the circumstances of life become heavy or something traumatic happens, what is truly in our hearts will eventually be revealed.

Jesus said, “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”

The problem isn't simply what comes out of our mouths or what we do with our hands. The problem is what is stored up in our hearts.

David understood this.

After his sin, he didn't simply ask God to help him do better next time. He asked God to create something new in him.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”

And he specifically recognized the work of the Holy Spirit:

“Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.”
Psalm 51:11 ESV

When we focus only on behavior, our response is rarely to ask God to come closer or to welcome more of the Holy Spirit, we try to hide away like Adam and Eve in the Garden.

True repentance is more than feeling bad about what we have done. It is turning back toward God and recognizing that we cannot transform ourselves.

And that transformation produces what we read about in Proverbs 21:21

“Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.”
Proverbs 21:21 ESV

The righteousness we pursue is not simply a desire for good behavior, true righteousness is what we find when we allow God to change us from the inside out. From our Hearts to our hands.

08/31/2026

Galatians 1:1 “Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—” (ESV)

Throughout the New Testament, we find thirteen letters written by the Apostle Paul. Today, these writings are quoted across social media and preached from church stages week after week. Many of these messages focus on the hope they provide, while others address the specific behaviors believers should or should not engage in.

In the opening of Galatians, Paul reminds us that he was ordained by Jesus Himself. While we read of his initial encounter with Christ in the book of Acts, he underwent a three-year transformation prior to his public ministry and the writing of the letters we now hold as Scripture.

These letters were written to churches where Paul had previously preached the Gospel. Often, they were written to address the manipulation of the truth regarding the nature of Christ and the Holy Spirit. This was a deeply frustrating issue for Paul. We see his heart in 2 Corinthians 11:

2 Corinthians 11:1–6 “1 I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me! 2 For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. 5 Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. 6 Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things.” (ESV)

These passages are full of passion. When we consider the purpose of Paul’s message, we can see why he was so upset by any distortion of it. When Paul says, “I am not so in knowledge,” he is referring to epignosis—the experiential knowledge of Christ gained through his personal encounter and his years of intense study.

My desire to speak on this was sparked by an advertisement for a t-shirt, and later by a popular internet pastor who used the phrase: “If Paul were here, we’d be getting a letter.” This was followed by political banter, labeling the behaviors of certain political parties as "good" or "bad" based on Paul’s writings.

The message of Paul’s letters that truly needs to spread is that virtue only follows epignosis—the experience of “knowing God” as Paul did. This experience corrects behavior because the Spirit dwells within us. Through this, we can live as followers of Christ, leading others to His love, kindness, and mercy, rather than toward the retributive justice we often wish to bestow on those who are different from us. Those who have yet to have an intimate experience with Christ.

The book of Romans reveals the true heart of Paul: a man thankful for salvation, yet understanding that as humans, we will struggle and remain in need of God's mercy. Because of that mercy, we have a responsibility to treat others as God treats us. This inherent change allows us to discern right from wrong based on the premise that our choices should benefit others, rather than simply doing what is "right" to avoid negative consequences. This is the difference between true morality and mere behavior.

Romans 13:8–10

Fulfilling the Law Through Love

[8] Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. [9] For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” [10] Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. (ESV)

The internet pastor’s message was steeped in hate toward certain groups of people, they were called many names. There was no suggestion made to pray for them or to engage them in conversation and invite them to your table for an opportunity in discipleship, but to alleviate yourself with any interactions with them and went on to use Paul's scriptures to say they were representatives of Evil.

Ephesians 6:10–12

The Whole Armor of God

[10] Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. [11] Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. [12] For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (ESV)

I believe that if Paul were writing us a letter today, it would sound alot like Ephesians 5:15–21

[15] Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, [16] making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. [17] Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. [18] And do not get drunk with w**e, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, [19] addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, [20] giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, [21] submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. (ESV)

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08/17/2026

Last week we looked at Colossians 3 and our call to action. We discussed that we have a choice to make daily in our walk with Christ.

These choices are based on our continued desire to have an intimate relationship with Christ and the peace that comes from that, not simply on a set of rules to be followed or obeyed.

The continued discussion of whose beliefs are right or wrong is not a new concept. In fact, the Scriptures referenced last week in Colossians were not the earliest discussion of what disagreement in faith looks like. At that time, the discussion centered on the traditional theology of the Jewish people and the new followers of Christ.

Perhaps the better question we can ask ourselves is: What kingdom do I want to live in?

James asks this question in the context of how we interact with others.

Warning Against Worldliness
[1] What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? [2] You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. [3] You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
James 4:1–3 (ESV)

It’s interesting that the first offense mentioned here is murder. This may seem extreme, but James is writing to an audience that had been raised on the law. A behavior addressed in the Ten Commandments was murder.

It may seem severe, but as James discusses quarrels, we have to remember what Jesus said in Matthew 5:

[21] “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ [22] But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.”
Matthew 5:21–22 (ESV)

This anger is rooted in selfish desires.

In order to live in the knowledge and peace of Christ, that we discussed in Colossians 3, we have to submit ourselves to Him and to His kingdom.

When we find ourselves desiring an intimate relationship with Christ, we choose to live in a new way. This is why marriage is such a strong symbol of the relationship between Christ and the Church. We do things differently when we find that person we want to share our life with. We want to be the best version of ourselves for them.

In the same way, our relationship with Christ should change the way we live. Our desire for intimacy with Him should lead us to make different choices, not simply because we are following a set of rules, but because we want to honor the One we love.