Seeking the Lord: A Call to wholehearted Pursuit

Isaiah 55:6 says, “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” It is a powerful passage urging each of us to seek the Lord in a spirit of desperation. No one is exempt from the need to seek God, although regrettably, not everyone will choose to do so.

Seeking the Lord

When it comes to a call to seek the Lord, we often find ourselves in one of two roles: either participants actively seeking God or observers watching others seek Him. Those who seek God approach Him with worship, praise, intercession, petition, and confession. Their lives are marked by doing so seriously, passionately, humbly, and desperately. But some merely observe, restrained by fear of judgment, fear of what the Lord would ask and the potential life changes it would mean, or the assumption that there's always tomorrow and someday they will seek HIm.

Some may even ask, “If God is always present, why do I need to seek Him?” Herein lies our need to understand the constant but not always perceived presence of God.

Understanding God's Presence

While God is omnipresent, there are seasons we neglect Him. The result is we become less aware of His presence. He is always near and always present, but we can become spiritually dull and insensitive to His presence. The Bible gives us a great counter to this in Psalm 105:4 "Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always..”

Seeking cannot be a one-time event but must be a continual process. The Hebrew word for seek is the idea of repeatedly reading and studying. The picture is “beating a path” to God, consistently going to Him and His Word. In doing so, we tread the ground over and over, leaving an impression on everything in our lives.

Psalm 34:10 is a great promise for us when we seek Him with this diligence and passion. It says those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. What a promise! This should prompt us to ask: What are these good things?

Good things promised to those who seek the Lord

We Don’t Need to Worry:

In Matthew 6:31-34, we are reminded not to worry about mundane concerns but to prioritize seeking God's kingdom and righteousness. He knows our needs and will divinely meet us in those places when we our main pursuit is Him and His Kingdom!

We Are Delivered from Our Fears:

Seeking the Lord delivers us from fears (Psalm 34:4). The verse tells us that in seeking God, we discover a source of comfort, courage, and deliverance. By turning our hearts and minds towards Him, we find solace, and our fears are replaced with the reassurance of His unending love. Seeking God becomes a powerful antidote to the anxieties that can often grip our hearts, allowing us to navigate life with strength and peace.

He Will Be Found:

Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Even in the depths of our hardest challenges, God is not distant or indifferent. Seek Him earnestly, with the simple belief that He promises to be found by those who diligently pursue Him. He is not elusive, but a faithful presence waiting to be discovered by us.

Wholehearted seeking is making Jesus our top priority. Picture the time management lesson with the jar, rocks, and sand – the key is to prioritize the big rocks, then the small rocks and sand will naturally fall into place. Jesus is the big rock! He is the significant, foundational rock that deserves our priority. Place Him in the jar of your life first and everything else will naturally fall into place. It is a wonderful promise!

The Urgency of Now:

The call of Isaiah 55:6 to seek the Lord is one of urgency. We are told to seek Him "while He may be found" and call upon Him "while He is near." Respond promptly when God speaks to our hearts! 2 Corinthians 6:2 reinforces this urgency with "NOW is the acceptable time; NOW is the day of salvation," and Hebrews 3:15 warns, "Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart." We are not promised tomorrow. We are not guaranteed the rest of the day.

If you are reading this, I know God is calling on you to seek Him! The call to seek the Lord is a timeless call but also a timely call. May the urgency of seeking the Lord resonate in your heart today.

Reach out to us if you are ready to answer that call!

The Patience of God Displays the Power of God

In Nehemiah 9, we see God’s people fasting and praying for God’s forgiveness. Phenomenally, we see they stand in a posture to receive for three hours while publicly reading the scriptures aloud. That was not enough. They then confessed their sins for another three hours. After those six hours, the Levites then announce to the people, “It is time to stand and worship!”

What we read at this point is a really a fascinating song of praise. The lyrics are recorded for us to glean from. They sing about God as a promise keeper. He is a miracle worker. He visits them. He feeds them. In a moment of honesty and vulnerability before the Lord, they confess, “We have been arrogant and stiff-necked.”

But then we read they have a reason to celebrate.

Nehemiah 9.17…But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love…

God’s patience is a highly treasured attribute for us!

Why? Because God’s mercy and patience delays the punishment we deserve as sinful fallen creatures. He is able and willing to defer His justice so that we may experience His redemption and salvation. We are told in Romans 3.23 that all have been stained by sin. We have all missed God’s mark. Romans 6.23 teaches us the wages of our sinfulness is death. But the verse does not end there! A glorious second sentence is needed and thankfully proclaimed. “But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

We have a second sentence. We have hope because of God’s patience.

The cry of the Church in 1 Corinthians 16.22 is “Maranatha!” Come Lord! In Revelation 22.20 is our bridegroom’s response is, “Surely I am coming soon.”

So why does He delay? His patience. His heart is that none would perish as confirmed in 2 Peter 3.9. His patience restrains Himself.

His patience is His power to withhold what we rightly deserve

When we recognize His power to be patient, the truth becomes evident that it is actually showing us a power greater than His power to create.

Why?

The power of God exerted in creation displays God’s power over creatures and matter. Exercising His patience shows us God’s power over Himself. Power to control and order matter is swallowed in the enormity of the needed power to control God. Only God’s self has the power to control God’s self.

Therefore, His patience is not just a function of His love, goodness, and mercy, it is a revelation of HIs omnipotent power.

When we come to understand this power and receive His patience, things change in us. Here is an example of the change in Paul. We read he gains understanding of the patience of God in his first letter to Timothy.

1 Timothy 1.15-17 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. ut for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Receiving God’s patience produces humility.

Paul is able to admit he is the worst of sinners. Pride causes me to mask my insufficiencies. Humility enables me to be honest and vulnerable about my failures. I am able to be humble because I understand in my weakness, God’s strength and power is displayed. He is patient with me.

Receiving God’s patience produces a heart of compassion for the lost and broken.

Paul has in his mind, “those who would believe in Him and receive eternal life.” In my humility, because of God’s patience, I can have a heart of compassion for lost. Not a heart of judgement.

Receiving God’s patience inspires worship.

Paul is inspired to declare God’s goodness and glory as he meditates and writes about the patience of God. It is the power of God. It is a treasured attribute to Paul. It is to be a treasured attribute to us.

Government Stimulus | Like Nehemiah or Naaman?

I have had many ask me what I feel about the Coronavirus stimulus. In October I shared a series of messages on changing the world by picking the right leaders. One of my encouragements was to choose a government that chooses compassion. Why? Because God is very concerned for those in need. So much so, that He ordered worship and civil authority with patterns of caring for the poor.

Three tithes were mandated and one of them was specifically for the care of the poor. In Deuteronomy 14.28-29, scripture specifically says, “Do this that God may bless you.” I want God’s blessing on America. Deuteronomy 15.11 we read a command to be openhanded toward those who are poor and needy. Proverbs 19.17 and 28.27 are further examples of God’s heart for the needy and the blessings promised for our awareness and action in caring for them.

At the simplest of levels, I do not have a problem with a government that does what scripture commands.

I can already hear the arguments. I am aware of all the issues of the current stimulus discussion. Is everyone in need? Is it wise stewardship to give out checks indiscriminately? What about deficit spending and generational debt? Isn’t that immoral? I am in agreement with all that. That is why I say at the base level, I support a government that cares for the poor. But I do not think those are the issues we need to discuss.

To me, the bigger issue is do we see money as the answer to our problems? Do we see stimulus as the solution? Are we putting our hopes and faith in federal government resources? Or are we lifting our eyes to the heavens from where our help comes? Does our help come from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth?

Nehemiah vs Naaman

There are two men in scripture who get government “stimulus” to fix their problems. We can compare Naaman in 2 Kings 5 and Nehemiah in Nehemiah 5. Read these two chapters and look for these contrasts:

Naaman first went to the government even though he was told by the Israelite slave girl to go to the man of God.
Nehemiah first went to God (Nehemiah 1) and after four months of prayer and fasting, he went to the government (Nehemiah 2).

Naaman saw the resources (gold, silver, clothes) as the means of securing his saving. He expected that to fix what was wrong with him.
Nehemiah saw the resources (timber, supplies, food) as his means of serving. He used them to honor the One whom he knew could right what was wrong.

Naaman became offended when the incredible resources (nearly $3mil today) did not get him what he wanted.
Nehemiah became defender of the poor with the resources he received, teaching others by example to be a blessing to those in need.

How to be a Nehemiah with the Stimulus

First, keep your eyes on the true Giver.

If your boss, business, family, or government is seen as your ultimate provider, you will be in a world of hurt when those let you down. They will let you down. Nehemiah said in verse 15-16 of chapter 5, “But out of reverence for God, I did not act like this. Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall.” Nehemiah would not give up his Kingdom calling and focus on God for all the money in the world.

Second, Nehemiah imitated the true Giver.

In verses 14 and 17, he says for 12 years he used the food allotted to him to feed 150 people at his table…every day…150 people! He could have put a tax burden on them. He could have taken real estate. Instead he chose generosity and care. He used the government resources at his disposal to imitate the true Giver and show care and compassion for people.

Third, Nehemiah understood you cannot out give the true Giver.

God met everyone of Nehemiah’s needs. He is the giver of all good gifts. But God also provides for us, you and me, the perfect gift. Our greatest need is to be forgiven and restored to God. So God gave His Son, the perfect lamb that takes away the sins of the world. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 9.15, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” Paul says I cannot fully explain it, I can just give thanks for it. You cannot out give the one who gives you everything.

We should note that it did not end badly for Naaman. Though he struggled, he ultimately obeyed and became a worshiper of the true Giver. Jesus says of him in Luke 4.27, of all the lepers in Elisha’s time, Naaman was the only one to be healed. There is nothing God cannot touch, redeem, and restore in your life. He is the answer, not anyone or anything else — including government stimulus.

My hope for you is that you use your stimulus resources as Nehemiah. Bring glory to God and bless people.

WHAT TO MAKE OF ALL THE TROUBLE

These are strange times; unlike any I have seen in my lifetime. There are so many uncertainties and we seem to be focused on all the trouble. There is political trouble. Marital and family troubles. Church troubles and trouble within our own souls. In Matthew 6.22, Jesus tells us the eye is the entrance to your heart and mind.

Focus on trouble and you will be troubled

Not that we are to be blind to trouble. We are to be aware of trouble. Jesus was careful to explain to His disciples the trouble that would come with the end. In Matthew 24, He said there would be wars and rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes, and this would be just the beginning. They should expect to be tortured, killed, and hated by all nations. False prophets would arise and there would be mass deception.

Jesus said these troubles were to function as a sign to them (and us) that God is up to something much bigger! They were to be a signpost to the deeper work of God in our midst.

Matthew 24.30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” (NIV)

Similarly, the apostle Paul was aware of his troubles. In 2 Corinthians 11, he has a long list of troubles he has endured. He was constantly in danger. To top it off, in chapter 12, he speaks of a thorn in his flesh that he prayed three times would be removed. That trouble, however, was not his focus. All that trouble, he learned, was to point him to a much bigger and deeper work that God was doing in Paul.

In 2 Corinthians 12.9 he writes, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (NIV)

God at work in our trouble

The deeper work of God happening in Paul is that God was teaching Paul about His sufficient grace. His troubles were but a signpost directing Paul to great trust in God’s strength when he felt weak.

When we see trouble, don’t focus on trouble. Ask, “What deeper thing is God doing? Towards what might this trouble be pointing me?”

I have found in the midst of our national troubles, God is redirecting the focus of many in His Church. I would love to hear your comments on what redirecting you may have discerned. Please post and share.