'ONE THING I DESIRE'

There is no more “us & them” in the family of God. Christ has One Bride and One Family. We must ask the Father to bring us together in the coming days after coming through such a difficult season politically and culturally. This is not to be naïve to the fact that there are clear and present dangers and concerns to the growing deception and persecution of Christians and people of faith in the name of false unity. We must pursue unity from Christ’ perspective; He is King, and we are His servants. Unfortunately, we have placed our hope on political leaders, the medical professionals, an American economy, and so many other things. We have spent our energies on fighting in the arenas of man rather than the arena of the Heavenlies where humanity is shaken and shifted through intercession. Its time we return to the basics; to home base, to biblical perspectives, and to God’s heart as our One Thing Pursuit!

Psalm 27:4 One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.

I. DAVID PURSUES THE ONE THING LIFE

A. This Psalm is believed to have been written by King David while he was transitioning from his wilderness hiding and running from King Saul’s chasing or possibly during a wartime against the Philistines and being surrounded by them and almost losing his life.

B. We hear David reflecting on God even during crisis all around him. This should give us hope that we can do the same, even when crisis is happening around us.

C. David the Shepherd, the Warrior, the General, the Musician/Singer, the King, the Husband, the Father, desired one thing above all other things; He desired God.

D. David was a theologian (the study of God) of God’s Beauty. He lived his life with desire for encountering and experiencing the beautiful God.

E. One thing-

a. There were many things before David. There were many responsibilities. There were many options, yet he said, “I am setting my gaze on One Thing.”

b. We can see that all that the enemy seems to be doing in our day, God is causing it to work toward our good, all because of love. The more options we lose, the easier it will be to shift towards the One Thing.

c. It is well worth abandoning everything for the sake of pursuing the One Thing. It is a sad truth to pursue the many things, and in the end have lost the One Thing; the lasting and eternal thing which is the beauty of knowing Christ.

d. Do not let anyone talk you out of a life of complete and utter abandon to God. Everything else we pursue will be lost in the end.

F. I have desired-

a. David was known as an extravagant person in all he gave himself to. But what set him apart from all in his generation was his extravagance in encountering God.

b. To deny the deep longings and craving in our heart is to deny the make-up of our heart as designed in the image and likeness of God. Our lives are lived from the places of deep desire and longing. We will always pursue whatever we desire.

c. We have desire because God has desire. He holds nothing back form us in love. Let us not hold anything back in love to Him.

d. John 17:24 “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

e. Jesus now prays and pursue this One Thing: our unity with Him into eternity.

G. Simply put, David declared, “I Desire God!”

H. Let us run into that Revelation 4 open door for safety and security. Nothing can separate us from His love, of the Beautiful God.

I. I will seek- David wrote it down and pursued the vision all of his days.

a. Let us seek to delight in the perfections of the Lord.

b. Psalms 50:1-3 “The Lord, the Mighty One, is God, and he has spoken; he has summoned all humanity from where the sun rises to where it sets. From Mount Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines in glorious radiance. Our God approaches, and he is not silent. Fire devours everything in his way, and a great storm rages around him.”

J. Dwell in Your House- ‘to remain; to linger; to tarry; rest in’

K. David desired above all to find his highest satisfaction from often entering the presence of God Almighty. David knew that if he would make God’s home as his home, then God’s resource and rest would become his in exchange.

L. All the Days of My Life- David determined that this lifestyle pursuit would not be limited to a season, an internship, until times got better or worse, until he got older. David made his life-pursuit and personal missions statement to know God deeply.

M. Behold Your Beauty- David beheld God’s beauty in many ways. He reflected and meditated on God’s beauty as he remembered what God had done in history, through seeing God’s creation, and by asking to feel God’s presence in his own personal life.

N. David probably reflected on God’s beauty often through times of worship, prayer, and waiting in God’s presence. In one of those moments, David probably penned this phrase.

a. Psalm 119:96 I have seen the consummation of all perfection, but Your commandment is exceedingly broad.

b. Psalms 119:96 I have seen that all [human] perfection has its limits [no matter how grand and perfect and noble]; Your commandment is exceedingly broad and extends without limits [into eternity]. (AMP)

O. God is the expression of and the source of all Beauty. As David experienced the best of all that this life had to offer, he then reflected on the unlimited resource of the birthplace of true Beauty.

P. Inquire in Your Temple- ‘to consider or reflect’

Q. One of the greatest gifts of the House of Prayer in our city and in any regions is that there is a dedicated time, space, and environment conducive for encountering and reflecting on God.

R. It is time for us to see God and to see our lives and our times and seasons from His perspective.

S. Revelation 4:6 “Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.”

II. JESUS TEACHES THE ONE THING LIFE

A. Luke 10:42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

B. When we say YES to pursuing the One Thing (sitting at Jesus’ feet & hearing His words) we will have courage and clarity for what & who to say NO to.

C. Jesus was saying to Martha that there was more to life than just food for the body but also food for the soul. Physical needs are important but they are only temporary needs to be met. There are needs for the eternal soul.

D. One Thing is Needed- “one thing”- singleness of heart and pursuit “needed”- necessary; required;

E. Jesus commended Mary for mining for the gold of personal intimacy with her Messiah. Those precious words that she heard and received would be morsels she would feast from forever and never lose.

F. Every human being will naturally seek after food, water, shelter, and a relational sense of belong to another human. But what Jesus is highlighting is that there is also the vacuum in the human heart that can only be satisfied by God Himself.

G. 2 Chronicles 16:9 The eyes of the Lord search (seek; pursue) the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. (NLT)

H. The Father desires to impart His heart and His plans to us. His dreams for our life are massive. Mary had locked eyes with Jesus and was now receiving the glory and beauty of Kingdom ways. Later in the timeline of Jesus’ lead-up to the cross, Mary expresses the depths of her love to Jesus.

I. Matthew 26:6-13 (12-13) 12For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. 13 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

J. Mary anointed Jesus, in essence, with her life and future livelihood. This was contrary to all human wisdom, yet Jesus said this gift be given will be memorialized by me FOREVER.

K. Matthew 26:7-8 “a woman (Mary) came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. 8 But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste?”

L. As Mary, the Forerunner, helped prepare Jesus for His ministry completion by anointing His body before the Cross, so too I believe the loving worshipping Followers of Jesus are helping to prepare Jesus for His final ministry of transitioning Heaven & Earth together at His 2nd Coming. The global worship movement is anointing Jesus again as we pour forth our lives in worship.

M. Today, loving Followers of Jesus too are pouring forth their costly oil in the forms of time, talent, strength of their youth, fasting, persecution for their faith, even in the laying down their life for the testimony of Jesus.

N. It is all for love! It’s all for the One Thing! Jesus, come quickly!