2026 PURSUITS!

At the time this blog publishes, 2026 is only 4 days old. As it progresses, this year could be very interesting as well as challenging! No one, but GOD, knows what 2026 holds for us, personally, materially, socially, politically, spiritually or for our family members. Some of us may prosper, some not! Some of us may live through this year; some of us may go into eternity. Some will enjoy good health while others may not. There will be at least some who will make New Year Resolutions, but usually they are not worth the paper they are written on, right? Many people will focus on secular and material/temporal things; others will change their priorities to follow after spiritual/eternal matters.

What will you and I pursue in the months ahead? The word "pursue" means to seek decisively for, strive toward, make strenuous efforts to attain, to chase after. It means to actively and persistently work to achieve, with sincere dedication and specific choices, that which is important to us. A lot of people will pursue careers, education, jobs, relationships, money, investments, a house, marriage, political office or other secular interests. As I write this my hope and prayer is that spiritual pursuits will take precedence over all others! That seeking the eternal things of God will be our main focus rather than the temporal, secular things that so often receive our greatest efforts and time commitments. It is my purpose in this first blog of 2026 to share information, inspiration and challenge to help us capture pursuits that honor God, line up with Biblical truth and realign our priorities!

First and foremost, PURSUE GOD! Let us earnestly seek a close personal relationship with Him, to know Him better, to walk with Him in dedicated obedience, to come nearer to Him than ever before. We must become dissatisfied with the status quo spiritually, to desire personal spiritual renewal and growth and to foster the spiritual disciplines that make for spiritual health and vitality! This is only accomplished by:

1) Communing consistently with God in prayer,

2) Meditating daily on His Word - The Bible,

3) Striving to serve Him more effectively and faithfully, and

4) Diligently Worship Him, individually and corporately with other believers.

Don't take my word for it, here is what Scripture says: "Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God. . . ." (I Chronicles 22:19). "Come near to God and He will come near to you. . . ." (James 4:8). The Prophet quoted God saying, "You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13). The Psalmist said, "One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek Him in His temple" (Psalm 27:4). Again, he said, "You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek You; I thirst for You, my whole being longs for You" (Psalm 63:1). "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. . . ." (Matthew 6:33).

Second, PURSUE GOD'S WORD! It is both amazing and sad that a recent survey revealed that the far majority of people who profess to know Jesus do not read God's Word regularly. Spiritual truth is not gleaned by accident or osmosis, but only through reading and meditating on the source of it - The Scripture! Listening to a sermon once a week (whether it is in a church or online) is NOT sufficient to absorb God's Word into our inner being, and neither is attending a class or a Bible study. It takes reading and meditating on the Scripture personally and consistently - daily!

Don't take my word for it, here is what the Bible says: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105). Jesus declared, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Word will not pass away" (Matthew 24:35). But He said, 'Blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and keep it' " (Luke 11;28). "Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You" (Psalm 119:11). Jesus prayed for His followers, "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth" (John 17:17). The Apostle Paul said to Timothy, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, and equipped for every good work" (II Timothy 3:16-17). "For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12). Paul also said this, "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly. . ." (Colossians 3:16). So, the teaching of Scripture is clear; we must be pursuing God's Word!

Third, PURSUE GOD'S WILL! God's will is the perfect blueprint for life, providing guidance, purpose, inner peace, and a path to spiritual growth. Again, don't take my word for it, look to

Scripture: "You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised" (Hebrews 10:36). "I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart" (Psalm 40:8). The Apostle Paul quotes Jesus as saying ". . .BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL" (Hebrews 10:9). He also told the Ephesian Christians to: , ". . .understand what the Lord's will is" (Ephesians 5:17). In I John we are given a description of what the will of God means for you and me. Here is what he defined as being God's will:

1) Our Sanctification, meaning our holy life-style, being set apart for God's purposes and His glory, being absolutely different from the world, which manifests itself in the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life! 2:15; I Thessalonians 4:3; I John 1:9; 3:13

2) Our walk in the light and in the truth, 1:7; 3:19; 5:20

3) Our forsaking the life of continual sinning, 1:7-10; 2:1; 3:4-9;

4) Our obedience to God's commandments, 2:3-6; 3:22-24; 5:2-3

5) That we love one another; our lack of loving is a sure sign we do not know God, 2:9-11; 3:10-18;

4:7-13 & 20-21

6) That we live in righteousness, 2:29; 3:7 & 10

7) That we discern false teaching and examine false teachers, 4:1-6

8) That we abide in Christ Jesus, which will bring spiritual victory through our faith in Jesus! 2:14;

2:24-27; 3:24; 4:13 & 15-16; 5:4-5

Jesus (the Son of God Himself) expressed ultimate and complete surrender to God's Will during His agony in the Garden of Gethesmane prior to His crucifixion, signifying a choice for Divine Will over personal desires, "Father, if it's Your will, take this cup of suffering away from me. However, not my will, but Your will must be done" (Luke 22:42). If we are truly going to be Christ-honoring, we must follow His example and choose to pursue the Divine Will over our personal desires! Is that our priority? In Matthew 6:10, we see Jesus teaching His disciples (AND YOU AND ME) how to pray. He said, "Your kingdom come, YOUR WILL be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Will you agree with me that God's will is done in heaven? He said, pray that His will is done on earth, JUST AS HIS WILL IS DONE IN HEAVEN! His will should have no rival in our life-style! Ultimately, we must be looking for and committed to God's will, to be done in everything and in every way! Are you pursuing God's will in all you do in 2026?

Fourth, PURSUE GOD'S WAY! What exactly is God's Way? It is righteous living, leaving behind the sin-filled life our culture leads us into. Don't take my word for it: As the Psalmist said, "Show me your ways, Lord, teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are my God, my Savior" (Psalm 25:4-5). Again, he said, "Teach me Your Way, O LORD, and lead me in a level path. . . ." (Psalm 27:11). "Teach me YOUR WAY, O LORD; I will walk in YOUR truth. . . ." (Psalm 86:11). Moses said to God, ". . .I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know YOUR WAYS that I may know You. . . ." (Exodus 33:13). "As for God, His way is perfect. . .The God who girds me with strength, And makes my way blameless. He makes my feet like hind's feet, And sets my way upon high places" (Psalm 18:30 and 32-33). One of my favorite verses is where Job testifies (after suffering every kind of tragedy), "My foot has held on to His path, I have kept His way and have not turned aside" (Job 23:11).

Fifth, PURSUE GOD'S WISDOM! The knowledge we seek to attain is far different and much more insufficient than God's Wisdom! Human knowledge is finite information and facts, while God's wisdom is infinite and divine understanding! It encompasses the right application of knowledge, purpose, and eternal truth, most often contrasting worldly logic with spiritual insight for our ultimate good, not just for our "worldly success." Knowledge is knowing WHAT, Wisdom is knowing HOW, WHEN and WHY! Human knowledge is limited, but God's Wisdom is eternal, absolute, unlimited and is revealed through faith in God! Human knowledge is gained through experiences, study, education, reasoning, the senses, and books. The source of God's Wisdom is God Himself; it is spiritual in nature and has its foundation in a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ! Once more, don't take my word for it, take God's Word; The Apostle James taught, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5). Proverbs 2:6 says, "For the Lord gives wisdom. . . ." And again we read, "Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in your getting, get understanding" (Proverbs 4:7). Reverence for God is the very foundation of wisdom, leading to a deeper understanding of all of life. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding" (Proverbs 9:10). So, let's PURSUE THE WISDOM OF GOD!

A great key verse of Scripture to guide us in all our pursuits for 2026 is Jesus' own words: "But seek FIRST His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things (all your needs) will be added to you" (Matthew 6:34). Can we begin this year making this definite commitment and live it out the entire year?