Seeking the Lord
Isaiah 53:5 NKJV
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
Isaiah 55:6-9 ESV
"Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Psalm 105:4 ESV
Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!
What does it mean to seek the LORD?
Isaiah 55:6 ESV
"Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;”
1st Seeking God means we call on Him
2nd Seeking God means forsaking wicked ways and thoughts
Isaiah 55:7a ESV
let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
1 John 3:21-22 ESV
Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
Psalm 66:18 NIV
If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;
3rd Seeking God means looking to Him for guidance rather than relying on our own human understanding
Isaiah 30:1 NIV
"Woe to the obstinate children," declares the LORD, "to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin;
Isaiah 30:9 NIV
These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the LORD's instruction.
I never remember in all my Christian course, a period now 69 years and four months, that I ever sincerely and patiently sought to know the will of God by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, through the instrumentality of the Word of God, but have always been directed rightly. But if honesty of heart and uprightness before God were lacking, or if I did not patiently wait upon God for instruction, or if I preferred the counsel of my fellow men to the declarations of the Word of the living God, I made great mistakes.
~George Mueller
Why should we seek the LORD?
1st We should seek God because He is a God of compassion
Isaiah 55:7b ESV
...let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him...
Hebrews 4:15 ESV
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Isaiah 30:18a NIV
Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion.
2nd We should seek God because He pardons abundantly
Isaiah 55:7b-c ESV
...let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Micah 7:18 NIV
Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.
3rd We should seek God because we need to know His plan
Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:7a ESV
let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts...
Isaiah 55:8 ESV
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
4th We should seek God because He is near
Isaiah 55:6 ESV
"Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;”
