Seeking God
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· 19 viewsGod’s desire is that all people should seek after him and find him. Those who seek God with all their heart are rewarded, but those who fail to seek him do so to their eternal loss.
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God’s heart is for people to seek him
God’s heart is for people to seek him
God wants people to seek him
God wants people to seek him
God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.
See also 1 Ch 16:11; 1 Ch 22:19; Ps 14:2; Ac 15:16–17; Am 9:11–12; Heb 11:6
God calls people to seek him
God calls people to seek him
Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake their ways
and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
See also Ho 10:12; Am 5:4–6
God promises that people will seek him
God promises that people will seek him
“In those days, at that time,”
declares the Lord,
“the people of Israel and the people of Judah together
will go in tears to seek the Lord their God.
See also Ho 3:4–5; Ho 5:13–15; Zep 2:3; Zec 8:20–23
God promises to be found by those who seek him
God promises to be found by those who seek him
I love those who love me,
and those who seek me find me.
See also Dt 4:29–31; 1 Ch 28:9; 2 Ch 15:1–2; Is 45:19; Je 29:11–14; Mt 7:7–8
God’s opportunity for seeking him is now and is restricted to this life
God’s opportunity for seeking him is now and is restricted to this life
For he says,
“In the time of my favor I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.”
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
See also Lk 16:19–31
Seeking God is an issue of the heart
Seeking God is an issue of the heart
Seeking God begins in the heart
Seeking God begins in the heart
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
Your face, Lord, I will seek.
See also 2 Ch 11:16
Wholeheartedness in seeking God is required
Wholeheartedness in seeking God is required
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
See also Dt 4:27–29; 1 Ch 22:17–19; 2 Ch 15:12–15; Ps 63:1
Seeking God and his kingdom is the priority of life
Seeking God and his kingdom is the priority of life
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
See also Ps 27:4; Mt 13:44–46
Examples of people seeking God
Examples of people seeking God
2 Ki 22:11–20 Josiah; 2 Ch 14:2–7 Asa
Jehoshaphat:
Jehoshaphat:
2 Ch 17:3–6; 2 Ch 20:1–4
Ezr 8:21–23 Ezra; Ps 27:4–8; Da 9:2–3; Ac 13:1–3
The consequences of seeking God
The consequences of seeking God
It leads to life
It leads to life
4 This is what the Lord says to Israel:
“Seek me and live;
5 do not seek Bethel,
do not go to Gilgal,
do not journey to Beersheba.
For Gilgal will surely go into exile,
and Bethel will be reduced to nothing.”
6 Seek the Lord and live,
or he will sweep through the tribes of Joseph like a fire;
it will devour them,
and Bethel will have no one to quench it.
See also Ps 69:32; Ro 2:7–8
It leads to forgiveness
It leads to forgiveness
14 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 I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
See also 2 Ch 30:18–20; Is 55:6–7; Je 26:17–19
It leads to blessing
It leads to blessing
2 Blessed are those who keep his statutes
and seek him with all their heart—
See also Ps 24:3–6; Is 65:9–10
It leads to provision
It leads to provision
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
9 Fear the Lord, you his holy people,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
See also Mt 6:31–33
It leads to protection
It leads to protection
4 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.
5 For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
and set me high upon a rock.
See also Ezr 8:21–23
It leads to understanding and wisdom
It leads to understanding and wisdom
Evildoers do not understand what is right,
but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.
See also Da 2:17–23
It leads to renewed strength
It leads to renewed strength
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
See also Lk 22:42–43
It leads to rejoicing
It leads to rejoicing
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
See also Ps 40:16; Ps 70:4; Ps 105:3
Hindrances to seeking God
Hindrances to seeking God
Unrighteousness
Unrighteousness
Sow righteousness for yourselves,
reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground;
for it is time to seek the Lord,
until he comes
and showers his righteousness on you.
But you have planted wickedness,
you have reaped evil,
you have eaten the fruit of deception.
Because you have depended on your own strength
and on your many warriors,
See also Is 59:1–2
Pride
Pride
In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
See also 2 Ch 26:16–18
Trusting in human resources
Trusting in human resources
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help,
who rely on horses,
who trust in the multitude of their chariots
and in the great strength of their horsemen,
but do not look to the Holy One of Israel,
or seek help from the Lord.
See also 2 Ch 16:12; Ho 5:13–15
Idolatry
Idolatry
“I will stretch out my hand against Judah
and against all who live in Jerusalem.
I will destroy every remnant of Baal worship in this place,
the very names of the idolatrous priests—
those who bow down on the roofs
to worship the starry host,
those who bow down and swear by the Lord
and who also swear by Molek,
those who turn back from following the Lord
and neither seek the Lord nor inquire of him.”
See also Ro 1:21–23
Superficial religion
Superficial religion
do not seek Bethel,
do not go to Gilgal,
do not journey to Beersheba.
For Gilgal will surely go into exile,
and Bethel will be reduced to nothing.”
Seek the Lord and live,
or he will sweep through the tribes of Joseph like a fire;
it will devour them,
and Bethel will have no one to quench it.
See also Is 58:1–9
Seeking God through occult practices is forbidden
Seeking God through occult practices is forbidden
Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord; he did not keep the word of the Lord and even consulted a medium for guidance, and did not inquire of the Lord. So the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.
See also Le 19:31; Le 20:6; Dt 18:10–12; 1 Sa 28:4–20; Ac 16:16–18
Consequences of not seeking God
Consequences of not seeking God
Loss of life
Loss of life
All who would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, were to be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman.
See also Dt 13:6–10
Loss of salvation
Loss of salvation
Salvation is far from the wicked,
for they do not seek out your decrees.