It's Time to Seek the Lord

Do you know what time it is? It's time to seek the Lord! More than ever before in the history of mankind, more than ever before in your life--NOW is the time to seek the Lord.

Famines, earthquakes, murders, divorces, poverty, sickness and disease…Success, peace, prosperity, love and security.  What could these categories of the curse and the blessing possibly have in common, you ask? The connection stems from seeking the Lord because it will take seeking the Lord to stay free from one (the curse), and it will take seeking the Lord to enter into and remain in the other (the blessing). So you see, no matter how you look at life and the world today, the final analysis is that: IT'S TIME TO SEEK THE LORD!

1st Things First

Scripture teaches us that God is a God of order, and God has ordained certain "firsts" in the life of a Christian. Some include tithing the 1st fruit of all of our increase to God, praying for our leaders and those in authority over us 1st, before we pray for ourselves and seeking 1st the Kingdom of God.

"But seek (aim at and strive after)1st of all His Kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides. Matthew 6:33-Amplified Version

So we see here from this scripture that it is not just enough to seek the Lord, but we are to seek His Kingdom and righteousness (His way of doing and being right) FIRST OF ALL.  The benefits of doing this? “…and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.” The things that Jesus is referring to in this passage include food, clothes, and the other necessities and benefits of a good life. The Lord surely recognized the importance of these things, however, His instruction to us was DON’T seek the things, but instead SEEK ME and MY Kingdom, and as you seek my Kingdom, all these things will be given (implying no labor) to you.

Many people live their entire lives seeking things-a better job, a bigger house, more money, etc., and as a result, they live frustrated and unfulfilled lives. Nothing is wrong with the things in themselves. The problem arises when you seek the things over the Lord. Seek first the Lord, and He'll make sure you have all the things you'll ever need or want.

A Matter of the Heart

In order to effectively seek the Lord, you are going to have to make a quality decision - a decision from which there is no retreat - to do so. God longs for a people whose hearts are devoted to Him, and it's only the consecrated heart that can truly seek the Lord. In II Chronicles 22:19, the Lord instructs us to set our hearts and souls to seek the Lord our God. Your heart, or spirit, is the real you. It's the you that has been reborn into the image and likeness of God. Your soul comprises your mind, will and emotions and is an essential part of your makeup. So we see here that God wants every part of our being to be in agreement with and dedicated to the decision to seek Him. This is not a light matter, beloved. Our whole being should be yielded to seeking the Lord. David obviously had an in depth understanding of this based upon his vow to God in Psalm 27:8:

"When thou saidst, seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. " David involved his heart, not just his head, in his decision to seek the Lord. This great heart attitude led God to brand David as a man after God's own heart. (Acts 13:22) If we desire God to look upon us in the same noteworthy manner in which He looked upon David, then we too must purpose in our hearts to seek the Lord.

No One Shot Deals

Seeking the Lord out of a heart that is consecrated and devoted to God means that you will continually seek the Lord. Seeking the Lord should not be a one time, checklist sort of deal. Instead, as stated in I Chronicles 16:11, we are to seek His face continually.

Does God really mean continually? Yes, He does. Won't I ever get 'a break'? Listen, the only break that you will ever get from not obeying God is a break away from the blessings of God and a break into the destruction of the enemy. So now you can see why God directs us to seek Him continually; it's for our own good.

Another reason that seeking God on a one time or every now and then basis won't work is because God can only move in the life of one who is diligently and continually seeking Him.

"But with out faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

Notice that this wonderful passage does not say God rewards those who seek Him. It says that He rewards those who diligently seek Him. There's a difference. So if you desire to be rewarded and have the good things of God's storehouse added to you, be a diligent seeker!

Daily Application

Now that you understand the importance of seeking the Lord and that you are to seek Him with your whole heart continually, I want to give you some practical instructions on seeking the Lord.

In the most simple fashion, seeking the Lord means seeking God through His Word. This can take many forms including daily bible study, daily prayer, regular church attendance, and quiet meditation time. These activities should become a part of your daily routine as a Christian, and as they do, you'll be counted as one who diligently seeks the Lord.

It Pays to Seek the Lord

Indeed it costs us to seek the Lord -time, discipline, diligence and the subduing of our flesh to the will of God. But although it costs us something, seeking the Lord pays even greater dividends. The Word of God is full of benefits from seeking the Lord. I'm going to lay out a few that you can immediately begin trusting God to provide for you. Proverbs 8:17-21:

"I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. Riches and honor are with me; yea durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold; and my revenue than choice silver. I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures."

Wow! God's benefits to us here include: God's love, God's presence and attention, riches, honor, righteousness, God's direction and guidance, and God's provision! It's definitely worth it to seek the Lord. Go for God today; press in to Him, keep close to the Lord and enjoy the best this life has to offer.

Additional scriptures for further study and meditation:
Jeremiah 29: 13
Psalm 9: 10
II Chronicles 7: 14
I Chronicles 28: 8, 9