It Is Time to Seek the Lord .
"It Is Time to Seek the Lord . . . "
By Rev. Mark Roper
A woman had two little boys who were driving her to the edge of despair. They were into everything, non-stop. And they were mischievous as well.
One day she decided to take them to her pastor. Maybe he could succeed where she had failed. The pastor wanted to see the older boy first. The younger one sat outside.
The older boy was frightened. The minister looked so austere in his black robe each Sunday. What would he be like one-on-one?
The minister, a kindly man, looked at the young fellow somberly, then asked, "Young man, where is God?" The boy had no idea what to say, so he sat in silence. The minister repeated the question, "Young man, where is God?" The boy still said nothing. The pastor thundered one last time, "Young man, I said, 'Where is God?'"
The boy jumped out of the chair, ran from the room, grabbed his little brother and raced from the church. He shouted, "Bobby, they've lost God and they're trying to pin it on us!"
· We live in a world that has lost God
· To Many Christians have lost sight of God!
Seeking God, Finding God, Discovering God is the greatest Adventure we can experience.
Just think of the impact that can be made in Christian's lives, and that of the Church.
1. There are no substitute or artificial means that will be more effective in building the kingdom of God.
We all have a tendency to depend upon ourselves to get things done
We have this illusion that mans wisdom will build the Church of God.
We have this illusion that mans ingenuity will build the Church of God
We have this illusion that mans gifts and ability's will build the Church of God
2. Empowerment comes only from actively seeking God
Scripture: Isaiah 55:6
"Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near."
There is nothing more important than to seek Him, to call upon Him, and to draw close to Him in trust and love. Seek Him confidently
What do those words mean, to seek the Lord and to call upon Him?
Ø This is not a call to a mere religious formalism.
Ø It is not simply a call merely to seek religious notions, opinions.
Ø This is not a call simply to attain religious philosophy.
Ø It is not a call simply to seek morality, to find a good, moral, decent, upstanding life.
Ø It is not a call to seek some kind of self-help religion,
Ø It is not a call to some kind of feeling,
Ø It is not a call to some kind of experience that comes over you and sends shivers down your spine and you cannot describe what it is.
But it is a call to seek God Himself, to have direct dealings with the Almighty, the Creator.
God addresses us in His Word, "Seek My face, call upon My name, come unto Me."
The urgency then is this.
Ø Overcome the sin then of complacency. Oh,
Ø Overcome the sin of self-sufficiency. Oh,
Ø Overcome the sin of hiding from service,
Ø Overcome Spiritual indifference,
Ø Overcome spiritual apathy,
ILL: The company Microsoft has a slogan that asks, "Where do you want to go today?" It’s a good spiritual question to be asked of ourselves everyday. Deciding where you want go also decides what direction we want to go.
We determine how much God will use us by how much we seek God, and what direction we will follow.
Its time to seek God when: Spiritually malnourished
(These are easily recognizable signs)
It seems easier to hide than face life
You see life with gloom and doom instead enthusiasm
You have lost your strength
You have lost your Joy
You feel defeated
Your Christian life seems like a burden
Prayer seems like a chore
Bible reading is only an activity
Church attendance is in your way
Its time to seek God when: Spiritually Undisturbed
You are not seeking God, to yield to Him Hindering God himself by:
You are not answering Gods call.
You are not willing to improve, support, and actively make a difference
You are not moved by God's Spirit to make a difference
You make excuses and hide behind them instead of facing responsibilities
You have forgotten who you are, and why you exist
You are willing to let others do everything that needs to be done
Little or no compassion for anyone
Your attitude is, what in it for me, instead of what can I contribute
Summery
One of the greatest problems we have in the church To many only seek for themselves
1. "The church is full of people who are seeking that which they have already found
2. and only want to become that which they already are."
Anyone can refuse to grow, lag behind, and amount for nothing.
God is calling us to maturity, to Growth, and to advance his kingdom, to save souls, to display righteousness and demonstrate Holiness into lost corrupt world.
The more we seek God, the more we become like God
The more we seek God, the more we are empowered, and strengthened.
The more we seek God, the more possibilities exist.
The more we seek God, the better we represent God
The more we seek God, more souls will be saved.
