SEEKING GOD – Topical Study - Step 4b

I. Man Seeks For God

A. Why does man want to seek God?

  1. There is eternity in man’s heart and he is restless until he finds the God that put it there.
  2. Something w/in us begins to yearn for more than what this world can offer
  3. He wants relief from the pressures in life
  4. When we need protection, grace, blessing etc.
  5. There is nothing on earth that can satisfy a man’s heart
  6. He is invited to by God
  7. So that God will not be angry with him for operating independently
  8. Once we have tasted of God we want to know him more and more and thus we continue to seek him all the days of our life.

B. Who can seek God?

  1. Ordinary people
  2. Daniel- a prophet in captivity
  3. Zacheus- a tax collector
  4. Those that need his help
  5. Those that really want him – that are not just casual seekers
  6. Those who are ready to obey God once they find Him
  7. Kings
  8. Sinners (Jas. 4:8)
  9. Those who ask
  10. Those who believe he exists – Heb 11:6
  11. Those who are thirsty and have no money
  12. Those who are humble
  13. Those with clean hands and a pure heart
  14. the poor
  15. Those that call God – “Lord”
  16. Whoever is thirsty
  17. Those from every tribe of Israel

 C. Who/What do we seek? 

  1. The Lord your God
  2. We seek God’s face = the window to the spirit
  3. Seek first his kingdom
  4. Seek his righteousness
  5. When Jesus lived the people of the land sought him out. His miracles of healing made them wonder – Is this the Messiah? And so they sought him.

D. Is There Preparation Needed to Seek God?

  1. We must believe that God exists – Heb 11:6
  2. We must acknowledge the Lord – Hos 6:3
  3. When you are sick of your life of sin – when it holds no more pleasure for you then repentance and turning from sin to God is all the preparation needed.
  4. Break up your fallow ground (unplowed, hard soil)

 E. How Do we Seek God?

1.Ask for God’s help in doing so.
a. David’s prayer: Psalm 25:4-5 / Psalm 61:2
b. the only reason we can seek God in the first place is because He loves
us and draws us to Himself (Jeremiah 31:3/ 1 John 4: 19)
c.We can ask God’s help because His Son Jesus has reconciled us to
God through His death. (Romans 5:8/ 1 John 3:1 )

  1. With our whole heart and soul yearning after Him.
  2. with the “fear of the Lord”  (reverent respect)
  3. with a sincere heart
  4. in full assurance of faith (i.e. Fully expecting to find Him)
  5. with our heart cleansed from a guilty conscience and
  6. our bodies washed with pure water
  7. we call out to Him
  8. by crying out to Him from our point of trouble
  9. we humble ourselves and pray
  10. we look up to his face
  11. we turn first from our wicked ways
  12. ask, seek, knock
  13. by going to him directly – NOT people or places or things
  14. seeking God and obedience are closely tied.
    16. we wait in expectation

F. When can we seek Him?

  1. While He may be found
  2. While he is near
  3. Now –“it is time” – Hosea 10:12
  4. When we are in desperate straights
  5. Always
  6. In the morning
  7. Before dawn
  8. evening, morning and noon (i.e. All day)
  9. from our place of captivity (sin and bondage)

 G. Where Do we Find God?  In 3 tangible places:

  1. In His creation
    a,over all the ends of the earth – Psalm 61:2
    b. by looking at what He has made – Romans1:20
  1. In His Son
    a. in Jesus. He stands outside the door of our hearts and knocks to be
    able to come in – Revelation 3:20
    b. in Jesus. The thirsty are invited to come to Him and be satisfied. John 7:37B
    c. Jesus wants to unite us with His father
  1. In His Word
    a.It is eternal like God (Ps. 119:89/ 1 Peter 1:25)
    b. Men spoke from God – 2 Peter 1:21
    c. It’s study is commanded so we can learn to revere God –
    Deuteronomy 4:10 / Deuteronomy 17:19
    d. we are to examine God’s word to be able to find him true- Acts. 17:11

    H. How long do we seek for Him for?

  1. Until He comes and showers righteousness on you.
  2. Always – God is infinite and there is always more to find in Him.

    I. What are the reasons for seeking God?

  1. we need help beyond what we can do or find on this earth
  2. to find satisfaction. God alone can fill the emptiness within us
  3. For God Himself – we love him
  4. For His protection
  5. That we will have His gracious hand on all the ways of your life.

 J. Who will find God?

  1. Those who call on Him in truth (or with sincere earnestness)
  2. Whoever wishes to take hold of the free gift of life in God’s Son
  3. Those who are God-fearing and do the good that is in their heart.
    Acts 10:34-35

    K. Examples of men seeking God in the Bible

    1. Everyone was looking for Jesus
    2. The people
    3. Zacchaeus – tax collector
    4. The crowd
    5. Daniel – a prophet in captivity
    6. Those from every tribe of Israel.
    7. Cornelius (a Roman centurion & his family)

 L. What results when we seek God?

  1. His gracious hand is upon our life
  2. He answers our prayers to Him
  3. We will be satisfied.
  4. We will be filled
  5. We will be perpetually filled and satisfied.
  6. We’ll find rest
  7. God will hear us, remember us and be concerned for us.
  8. He will forgive and heal us.
  9. We will find Him
  10. He’ll tell us great and unsearchable things we couldn’t know otherwise.
  11. He will be with us.
  12. We’ll have success
  13. We’ll have his blessing
  14. God will vindicate us (ie. We will be free from blame)
  15. He will deliver us from our fears
  16. He saves us (out of our troubles)

    II. God Seeks For Men

 A. God seeks for us

  1. He knows our heart
  2. Jesus singled out certain individuals for His service
  3. We are all part of God’s flock and when even 1 of us steps out from His

            protection He seeks for us.

  1. Jesus came to seek and save those that are lost.
  2. Jesus sought for a man he had healed to give him a message
  3. Jesus sought for a man they had thrown out of the synagogue to reveal Himself

 B. God wants to be found

  1. God gave us life and breath and everything to satisfy us so that we would
    seek Him, reach out for Him and find Him.
    2. Before we call – God will answer! – Isaiah 65:24
    3. While we are still speaking, God will hear!  Isaiah 65:24
    4. God is excited about a relationship with us!
    5. He is not far away – Acts. 17:27

    C. What does He promise men?

  1. We will find Him!!
  2. He will be with us.
  3. Besides finding Him we will be given all that we need for life.
  4. All who ask will receive
  5. He who seeks finds
  6. The door will open to one who knocks
  7. God will come to us and be like the rains that water our dry and thirsty lives
  8. If we come near to God, He will come near to us.
  9. His gracious hand will be on our lives.
  10. When we pray, He will hear and answer
  11. He will satisfy us
  12. He will fill us
  13. He will fill and satisfy us perpetually
  14. He will forgive our sin and heal our land
  15. He will tell us things we can’t know on our own
  16. If we seek Him, He will grant us success
  17. He will allow Himself to be found.

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