seeking God | lifevolumeone

2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If My people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves, and pray, and seek My Face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins, and will heal their land.” We do lot of seeking God’s Hand instead of His Face. To me seeking God’s Hand means seeking what God can give us. Seeking God’s Face has a lot more to do with seeking to know Who God is; with getting to know Him for Himself; with developing a personal relationship with Him.

In the Bible it calls Abraham the friend of God; God says, “Shall I not tell Abraham what I am about to do?” And God allows Abraham to persuade Him not to destroy a city if there are even ten followers of God. (Genesis 18:22-33) God told Moses He was going to destroy the Israelites because they worshiped idols; and start over and make a great nation of Moses; and then God let Moses talk Him out of it. Says so in Exodus 32:1-14. About David, God says he was “a man after God’s own heart.” (Acts 13:22; 1 Samuel 13:14) God rewarded David in many ways, and many times, and rewarded his descendants for generations because of David.

Why did God do all these things for these men? Because they were perfect followers of God? Hardly. (Every one of them broke God’s laws repeatedly during their lives; but God still took care of them.) Why? Because they all had a personal relationship with God; they trusted Him. If you want to read about other friends of God, read the 11th chapter of Hebrews. They all had a personal relationship with God. They thought, and they acted, as if drawing near to God was the most important thing in their lives. Why? Because it is. As a tool, the idea of seeking God primarily for the purpose of knowing Him for Himself is right up there at the top of the list of factors involved in drawing nearer to God.

What do you think? . . . What do you do?

1] Do you have a personal relationship with the Living God?

2] If not, why do you think that is?

3] Do you feel the urging down in you heart to have a closer, more personal, relationship with Jesus?

Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe (trust) that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” If you seek Jesus, you will find him. Seek means to draw near, like James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” “Diligently seek” means to do it regularly, dare I say daily; like Jesus says in Luke 11: 9, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” If you seek God, you’ll definitely find Him. God is out there, holding His Hand out, waiting for you to come seeking Him; waiting for you to take His hand and walk with Him and talk with Him. Luke 11: 11-13 says, “If a boy asks his father for bread, will he give him a stone? If he asks for a fish, will he give him a snake? If he asks for an egg, will he give him a scorpion? If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.” Did you get that? He won’t just give you what you ask for; He’ll give you (more of) HIS OWN SPIRIT, that is the SPIRIT OF THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE is in your own private heart. WOW!

Matthew 6:33 says, “If you seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, all these things (the stuff that the world seeks) will be added to you.” That passage from Luke (11:11-13) about asking and receiving concludes by saying, “For to everyone who asks, it shall be answered; everyone who seeks, finds; and to everyone who knocks, it shall be opened.” It’s pretty unambiguous to me. Pretty straight-forward. I think we all fit into the criteria of everyone. So seeking must be a virtually perfect tool for drawing near to God.

PS: 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “Seek My Face”. (not just His Hand, meaning: what you can get from Him). Seek to know Him for who He is, not just what He can give you. Sit on the back porch with a cool drink and spend time with God. You’ll never forget it.