When The Young People Seek God

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You can seek God at a young age

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Introduction

A man came rushing up to a ferry, breathless after running at a terrific pace, but he got there just as the gateman shut the door in his face.
A bystander remarked, “You didn’t run fast enough.” The disappointed man answered, “I ran fast enough, but I didn’t start on time.”
To accomplish the most for God in a lifetime, you must start early- “in the days of your youth”
Ecclesiastes 12:1 ESV
1 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”;
Deuteronomy 6:5 ESV
5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
But what about our families generational trauma
I am Restored: How I lost my Religion but Found my Faith by Lecrae
Chapter 1- My Childhood Wounds
Reveals that he had been a functioning alcoholic and drug addict for several years, suffering with the depression of his youth
The violent systemic psychological trauma inflicted upon people of color by the oppressor infects or rather affects how we parent our children
Adults would say, “You want to know about child abuse? I was hit with a broomstick or an extension cord when my parents were mad at me!” There was a sense in which we were all hurting, all in need of therapy and recovery from the generational trauma passed down by our families.
“I only mean that I didn’t understand how the context of my past led me to the choices of my present. I didn’t understand how much I was a product of the conditioning of my environment.”
Chapter 2- You Look Like Your Father
“I could not outrun the absence of my biological father”
What is the script for being a man, especially when your father has failed.
God has the script!

Transition To Body

Josiah’s biological father was absence in his life
2 Chronicles 33:21–25 ESV
21 Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. 22 And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, as Manasseh his father had done. Amon sacrificed to all the images that Manasseh his father had made, and served them. 23 And he did not humble himself before the Lord, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself, but this Amon incurred guilt more and more. 24 And his servants conspired against him and put him to death in his house. 25 But the people of the land struck down all those who had conspired against King Amon. And the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.
Josiah ascends to the throne of Judah at the age of eight
2 Chronicles 34:1 ESV
1 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem.
A king not yet old enough to control of of his affairs

Body- Though young, King Josiah began to take personal responsibility for his personal piety

Live With Awareness Of The LORD’s Watchful Presence

2 Chronicles 34:2 ESV
2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father; and he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
2 Chronicles 16:9 ESV
9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.”
Illustration: Walking Straight vs. turning aside
turn

make linear movement in a direction, with a focus that there is a change in direction from a course or path

Right = Straight
Walked

The Ways Of David his Father

1 Samuel 13:14 ESV
14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”
Acts 13:22 ESV
22 And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’

Despite The Culture Of Your Youth Seek God (Who Is Hidden To This Age)

2 Chronicles 34:3 ESV
3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet a boy, he began to seek the God of David his father, and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherim, and the carved and the metal images.
1 Corinthians 2:6 ESV
6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away.
Seek

The common expression “seek [biqqēš] the Lord” seems to exhibit two different meanings. Sometimes it connotes a spiritual searching for God, who has become hidden to a nation or individual because of that nation’s or individual’s sin. The purpose of seeking God is to “find” (māṣāʾ) Him, i.e., to come to know Him and thus to experience divine acceptance, forgiveness, and support.

God’s of our age

Asherim- goddess intercedes to change God’s will
Baal- storm & fertility god

Make A Difference For God In Your Church Community (And Beyond)

2 Chronicles 34:3–7 ESV
3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet a boy, he began to seek the God of David his father, and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherim, and the carved and the metal images. 4 And they chopped down the altars of the Baals in his presence, and he cut down the incense altars that stood above them. And he broke in pieces the Asherim and the carved and the metal images, and he made dust of them and scattered it over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. 5 He also burned the bones of the priests on their altars and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. 6 And in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, and as far as Naphtali, in their ruins all around, 7 he broke down the altars and beat the Asherim and the images into powder and cut down all the incense altars throughout all the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.
Judah- where the king sits
Jerusalem- city of David, city where the people worship
Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon, as far as Naphtali- all the way to the ends of the northern kingdom

Transition To Close- Any Of You Can Be Young (At Heart that is)

“Young At Heart” adult Sunday school class at Ben Hill United Methodist Church in Southwest Atlanta GA.
Young At Heart Meaning- Having a youthful outlook, especially in spite of one's age.
Isaiah 11:6 ESV
6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.
Now I’m not talking about Josiah, but the long awaited Messiah

The parents custom was to go up to Jerusalem

Luke 2:42 ESV
42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom.
Luke 2:46–49 ESV
46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” 49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
Matthew 18:2–4 ESV
2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Humble yourself & seek the LORD’s face!

2 Chronicles 7:14–16 ESV
14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. 16 For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time.
Seek the LORD- call upon him while he is near!
Isaiah 55:6 ESV
6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;
Seek the LORD with all your heart!
Jeremiah 29:11–14 ESV
11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.
Seek first the Kingdom of God & His righteousness!
Matthew 6:31–33 ESV
31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Close- It is actually God who does the seeking!

John 15:16 ESV
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
The LORD seeks the lost!
Luke 15:24 ESV
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
Luke 15:31–32 ESV
31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”
The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost!
Luke 19:9–10 ESV
9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Our Father in heaven searches for the sheep gone astray!
Matthew 18:10–14 ESV
10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. 12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
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