Seeker-friendly
We're all too familiar with that passage in Matthew 7:7 where Jesus encourages us to ask and we shall receive, knock and it shall be opened and SEEK and we shall find.
Many people today are believed to be "seekers" of the things of God. But in reality, not many "seeking" people are really after the genuine TRUTH of God. In fact, big (yet superficial) churches today are labeled to be "seeker-friendly" or "seeker-sensitive" just because they try to cater to whatever worldly and carnal pleasures many people want to have in a church. These churches make sure that their image is "cool" for the current trend of the time. Disco lights, coffee shops, shorter sermons, a more casual atmosphere and things as such are just some of the many requirements that a "seeker" of today might want to have met in a church setting.
But what is it really that God wants a "SEEKER" to do? Is it enough for one to want to be in a so-called church community that isn't too intimidating, that allows one to still enjoy the simple pleasures of this world and to go along with the flow? What was the kind of seeking that God really meant when HE talked about seeking in the Bible? Surely, it is not about those who seek the comforts and pleasures of this world in the pot of so-called modern Christianity.
Seek and you shall find...
The word "seek" is considered a transitive verb. Transitive verbs are action words that REQUIRE AN OBJECT. If used alone, one can be left wondering what comes next for the action word. For example, "give". You must have an object to come after the action word "give" in order to have a sentence that makes sense... in order for that action verb to make sense! Give what? Give __(you fill in the blank)___.
SEEKING is the same. As a transitive verb, it needs an object to make full sense of this action verb. SEEK WHAT?
You might find it interesting that when you study on the word "seek" using a Bible concordance, you'll find that it comes up with a whole LOT of verses that admonish you to SEEK THE LORD.
God's Word is rich in scriptural encouragement, admonition and challenge for all of us to SEEK THE LORD and all His Glory! It is the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY that we should seek. The object of our seeking has to be THE LORD GOD ON HIGH!
It is interesting to know that both in the Hebrew root word and the English (Merriam-Webster) present day definition, to "seek" literally means to resort to!
Do you know that when we "resort to" someone or something, we are actually frequenting, going to, habitually visiting one that affords aid or refuge?!
No wonder the Word of God tells us to SEEK THE LORD! If we truly OBEY that passage in Scripture, we are actually going to frequently, habitually GO TO THE LORD for refuge because HE IS ABLE TO AFFORD AID & REFUGE!
Those who are true "seekers" are looking for refuge and aid. But come to think of it, we ALL NEED refuge and aid because we ALL have sinned (Romans 3:23) and we all are destined for eternal damnation (Romans 6:23, Hebrews 9:27). We ALL are BROKEN & UNDONE because of mankind's fall in the garden of Eden. We ALL NEED something that could help our brokenness and aid us into complete healing and deliverance of whatever bondage we are in!
However, people who come to a church community looking for things like the kind of lights and music they should have during worship, or the length (or the lack thereof) of their sermon time, or a coffee shop and an internet cafe and many other "services" and "ministries" a church can possibly offer to people, have got it ALL WRONG just because the object of their seeking isn't really GOD--the One who affords aid or refuge.
They come to church NOT because they're seeking after God, His Truth and the things of God, but because they're seeking to meet the needs of their flesh and carnal minds for superficial comfort and relaxation on a Sunday morning. Or, they are running after the comfort and sufficiency of one's own religious efforts, which they then consider a "spiritual" experience and some "spiritual" points for heaven because they've gone to so-called "Church" for that day and have done their duty.
Listen, beloved... ARE WE REALLY SEEKING AFTER GOD & HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS?
We're all too familiar with that passage in Matthew 7:7 where Jesus encourages us to ask and we shall receive, knock and it shall be opened and SEEK and we shall find.
Many people today are believed to be "seekers" of the things of God. But in reality, not many "seeking" people are really after the genuine TRUTH of God. In fact, big (yet superficial) churches today are labeled to be "seeker-friendly" or "seeker-sensitive" just because they try to cater to whatever worldly and carnal pleasures many people want to have in a church. These churches make sure that their image is "cool" for the current trend of the time. Disco lights, coffee shops, shorter sermons, a more casual atmosphere and things as such are just some of the many requirements that a "seeker" of today might want to have met in a church setting.
But what is it really that God wants a "SEEKER" to do? Is it enough for one to want to be in a so-called church community that isn't too intimidating, that allows one to still enjoy the simple pleasures of this world and to go along with the flow? What was the kind of seeking that God really meant when HE talked about seeking in the Bible? Surely, it is not about those who seek the comforts and pleasures of this world in the pot of so-called modern Christianity.
God is looking for a different kind of seeking heart...
Seek and you shall find...
The word "seek" is considered a transitive verb. Transitive verbs are action words that REQUIRE AN OBJECT. If used alone, one can be left wondering what comes next for the action word. For example, "give". You must have an object to come after the action word "give" in order to have a sentence that makes sense... in order for that action verb to make sense! Give what? Give __(you fill in the blank)___.
SEEKING is the same. As a transitive verb, it needs an object to make full sense of this action verb. SEEK WHAT?
You might find it interesting that when you study on the word "seek" using a Bible concordance, you'll find that it comes up with a whole LOT of verses that admonish you to SEEK THE LORD.
God's Word is rich in scriptural encouragement, admonition and challenge for all of us to SEEK THE LORD and all His Glory! It is the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY that we should seek. The object of our seeking has to be THE LORD GOD ON HIGH!
It is interesting to know that both in the Hebrew root word and the English (Merriam-Webster) present day definition, to "seek" literally means to resort to!
Do you know that when we "resort to" someone or something, we are actually frequenting, going to, habitually visiting one that affords aid or refuge?!
No wonder the Word of God tells us to SEEK THE LORD! If we truly OBEY that passage in Scripture, we are actually going to frequently, habitually GO TO THE LORD for refuge because HE IS ABLE TO AFFORD AID & REFUGE!
Those who are true "seekers" are looking for refuge and aid. But come to think of it, we ALL NEED refuge and aid because we ALL have sinned (Romans 3:23) and we all are destined for eternal damnation (Romans 6:23, Hebrews 9:27). We ALL are BROKEN & UNDONE because of mankind's fall in the garden of Eden. We ALL NEED something that could help our brokenness and aid us into complete healing and deliverance of whatever bondage we are in!
However, people who come to a church community looking for things like the kind of lights and music they should have during worship, or the length (or the lack thereof) of their sermon time, or a coffee shop and an internet cafe and many other "services" and "ministries" a church can possibly offer to people, have got it ALL WRONG just because the object of their seeking isn't really GOD--the One who affords aid or refuge.
They come to church NOT because they're seeking after God, His Truth and the things of God, but because they're seeking to meet the needs of their flesh and carnal minds for superficial comfort and relaxation on a Sunday morning. Or, they are running after the comfort and sufficiency of one's own religious efforts, which they then consider a "spiritual" experience and some "spiritual" points for heaven because they've gone to so-called "Church" for that day and have done their duty.
Listen, beloved... ARE WE REALLY SEEKING AFTER GOD & HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS?
"Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment;
seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger." (Zephaniah 2:3, KJB)
TRUTH for a seeking heart
God speaks to us through His Word. Hebrews 1:1-2 clearly states that:
1"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;"
Remember, that in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word WAS GOD (John 1:1). And this Word BECAME FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US (John 1:14). And all Scripture testifies about HIM and all of Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for everything we need to grow spiritually and everything we need to KNOW & FIND GOD (2 Timothy 3:16)!
If God's Word is the available source of His Truth for us today (John 17:17 says so) THEN IT IS A MUST FOR US TO STUDY AND READ FROM THE BIBLE FREQUENTLY, and HABITUALLY in order for us to FIND GOD and be afforded HIS aid and refuge!
If we are TRULY SEEKING AFTER GOD, we will be DRAWN TO HIS WORD and will be DRAWN TO OBEY HIS WORD!
You see, many of us THINK we are seeking after God but we're really just going around looking for others to agree with our preconceived ideas. We aren't really completely willing to LISTEN TO GOD'S TRUTH and OBEY & ABIDE BY GOD's WORD!
We may THINK we are seeking God, but it is NOT UNTIL WE TRULY SEEK HIM WITH ALL OUR HEARTS that we will be WILLING ENOUGH TO HABITUALLY READ HIS WORD, SUBMIT TO HIS WORD & YIELD TO HIS WAYS.
Listen, beloved. God said...
"11For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
12Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me,
and I will hearken unto you.
13And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. "
(Jeremiah 29:11-13)
Are YOU READY to truly SEEK THE LORD, beloved? Are YOU really ready to LISTEN TO HIS WORD? Are YOU completely WILLING to abide by HIS WORD?
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