Seeking God
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I. What does it mean to seek God?
I. What does it mean to seek God?
A. Basically baqash means “to seek” to find something that is lost or missing, or, at least, whose location is unknown.[1]
A. Basically baqash means “to seek” to find something that is lost or missing, or, at least, whose location is unknown.[1]
B. To seek, to diligently look for, to search earnestly until the object of the search is located. [2]
B. To seek, to diligently look for, to search earnestly until the object of the search is located. [2]
1. has much to teach us about seeking God
1. has much to teach us about seeking God
a) The apostles wanted to know how to pray (seek God)
a) The apostles wanted to know how to pray (seek God)
(1) Verses 2-4 teaches about prayer
(1) Verses 2-4 teaches about prayer
(2) Verses 5-10 teaches about persistence
(2) Verses 5-10 teaches about persistence
(3) Verses 11-13 teach about the goodness of God
C. Accepting what God says in your meeting
C. Accepting what God says in your meeting
(a) Example ;;
1 Three years passed without war between Aram and Israel.
2 In the third year Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.
3 Now the king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, and we are still doing nothing to take it out of the hand of the king of Aram?”
4 And he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead?” And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”
5 Moreover, Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the Lord.”
6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”
7 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not yet a prophet of the Lord here that we may inquire of him?”
8 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” But Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.”
12 All the prophets were prophesying thus, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”
14 But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, what the Lord says to me, that I shall speak.” 15 When he came to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we refrain?” And he answered him, “Go up and succeed, and the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.” 16 Then the king said to him, “How many times must I adjure you to speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?” 17 So he said, “I saw all Israel Scattered on the mountains, Like sheep which have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no master. Let each of them return to his house in peace.’ ” 18 Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”
(i)
(a) Sometimes we don’t inquire or seek because we know we will not like the answer
II. How are we to seek Him?
II. How are we to seek Him?
29 “But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.
A. With our whole heart (knowledge, understanding)
A. With our whole heart (knowledge, understanding)
1. The misconception concerning Christianity is that everything about God is accepted in blind faith. That is not the case at all. God invites critical thinking and fact based reasoning concerning all that He is and what he invites us to become.
1. The misconception concerning Christianity is that everything about God is accepted in blind faith. That is not the case at all. God invites critical thinking and fact based reasoning concerning all that He is and what he invites us to become.
B. With our “soul” (life)
B. With our “soul” (life)
1. The reasonable outcome of an examination of all evidence concerning the Creator is a life long intense fellowship with Him.
1. The reasonable outcome of an examination of all evidence concerning the Creator is a life long intense fellowship with Him.
29 “But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.
III. How can I know if I am seeking Him?
III. How can I know if I am seeking Him?
A. What does your heart (knowledge, understanding) say?
A. What does your heart (knowledge, understanding) say?
1.
1.
8 When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, O Lord, I shall seek.”
2. says those who are seeking Him praise Him.
2. says those who are seeking Him praise Him.
2. says those who are seeking Him praise Him.
2. says those who are seeking Him praise Him.
26 The afflicted will eat and be satisfied; Those who seek Him will praise the Lord. Let your heart live forever!
26 The afflicted will eat and be satisfied; Those who seek Him will praise the Lord. Let your heart live forever!
B. If your pursuit of God is dull then you are not pursuing the God of scripture.
B. If your pursuit of God is dull then you are not pursuing the God of scripture.
IV. What happens when we seek Him?
IV. What happens when we seek Him?
A. We will find Him ()
A. We will find Him ()
B. He gives us rest ()
B. He gives us rest ()
;
25 “For I satisfy the weary ones and refresh everyone who languishes.”
28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
Invitation
Invitation
To receive Jesus as Savior
To be baptized in obedience to Jesus as Lord of your life
To join this congregation
By profession of faith
Baptism
Letter
Statement
To seek is forgiveness for specific sin that is hindering your fellowship with Him
Renew your commitment to grow toward spiritual maturity
To pray for a lost friend or relative
To come to the altar and pray for a personal need
Respond to a challenge from God in this message
[1]W. E. Vine, Merrill F. Unger and William White, Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Nashville: T. Nelson, 1996), 1:220.
[2]Jack W. Hayford and Thomas Nelson Publishers, Hayford's Bible Handbook (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995).