Subtopic: Lord I Need You
Text: Isa.55:6-9 " Seek the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:(vs7) Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (vs8)For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.(vs9)For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts".
Hebrews 11: 6 "But without 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".
PREMISE
The Pulpit Commentary, Vol.10, page 342, a comment on Isa.55:6. "THE TIME FOR SEEKING GOD IS NOT FIXED BY OUR CONVENIENCE---Yet men constantly act as if it were. They assume that they can find God when they please. But such as an idea proves that they neither know themselves nor God. 1. They do not know themselves; for a man is not at all sure of feeling the desire when he thinks he will and arranges to. If a man plays with his deeper emotions, and puts off responding to them until some unknown time , he has no security that the feelings will return. If a man resists good inclinations, he will find that he cannot get them when he would. 2. And they do not know God; for he can never permit man to play with his offers of mercy and willingness to accept. Rejected gifts, neglected gifts, cannot be still pressed on acceptance. It is inconceivable that God can ever wait on man's convenience. We must take advantage of God's time for seekers, for he can never recognize times that seekers are pleased to arrange for themselves.
Text: Isa.55:6-9 " Seek the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:(vs7) Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (vs8)For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.(vs9)For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts".
Hebrews 11: 6 "But without 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".
PREMISE
The Pulpit Commentary, Vol.10, page 342, a comment on Isa.55:6. "THE TIME FOR SEEKING GOD IS NOT FIXED BY OUR CONVENIENCE---Yet men constantly act as if it were. They assume that they can find God when they please. But such as an idea proves that they neither know themselves nor God. 1. They do not know themselves; for a man is not at all sure of feeling the desire when he thinks he will and arranges to. If a man plays with his deeper emotions, and puts off responding to them until some unknown time , he has no security that the feelings will return. If a man resists good inclinations, he will find that he cannot get them when he would. 2. And they do not know God; for he can never permit man to play with his offers of mercy and willingness to accept. Rejected gifts, neglected gifts, cannot be still pressed on acceptance. It is inconceivable that God can ever wait on man's convenience. We must take advantage of God's time for seekers, for he can never recognize times that seekers are pleased to arrange for themselves.
THE TIME FOR SEEKING IS FIXED BY GOD'S INVITATIONS.--- It must be; for the gift is an absolutely sovereign and free gift, and the Giver must be allowed to find his own time and way. If salvation were a matter of purchase, we might expect it to be dependent upon our good will. It is wholly a matter of grace, and so absolutely dependent upon God's good will. Our Lord even said, "No man cometh unto me, except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him." The general invitations of God stand in his Word; the precise and special invitations to individuals, in which we find our golden opportunities of salvation, are, in the text, called times when "God may be found," or when God is propitious(favorable) towards us, and times when "God is near", or gives an impressive sense of his nearness. Such times may appear to us as (1) providences--- circumstances that arouse, awaken, humble us; or as (2) persuasions--such as come through appeals of ministers, or the atmosphere of revival-times. Anything, everything, that brings to us the sense of God's nearness is an appropriate thing to set us hopefully seeking after salvation, eternal life, and heart-rest in God."
DEFINITIONS
Reward means a return made for something done.
Seek means to try to find, look for, to hunt or search for.
EXPOSITION
1. To receive the reward of diligently seeking God, I must believe that he is. So WHO Is God That I Should Seek Him?
A." He Is That of Which No Greater Can Be Conceived"--- Isa. 45:5-7 "I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: (vs6) That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else.(vs7) I form light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things." Jer.32:27 "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?
B. The Omnipotent One--- 1 Chron.29:11-12 "Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.(vs12) Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all."
C. The Omnipresent One---Jer.23:23-24 "Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? (vs24) Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord. Psa. 139:7-12 "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? (vs8) If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.(vs9)If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;(vs10) Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.(vs11) If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.(vs12) Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee."
D. The Preserving One--- Isa.54:14-15&17 "In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. (vs15) Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.(vs17) No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord."
E. The God of Providential Care--- Psa. 103:1-5 "Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. (vs2) Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:(vs3) Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;(vs4) Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;(vs5) Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's."
F.The God Of Loving Thoughts Toward Us--- Jer.29:11 " For 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."
2. Where Is The God That I Should Seek Him?--- Psa.121:1-2 " I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. (vs2) My help comet from the Lord, which made heaven and earth." Heb.4:14-16 "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us holdfast our profession.(vs15) For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.(vs16) Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
3. When should I seek this God?--- Psa. 61:1-3 "Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. (vs2) From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.(vs3) For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy." Prov. 8:17 "I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me."
4. Why should I seek this God?--- Psa. 34:17-19 " The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.(vs18) The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite(broken in spirit by a sense of guilt) spirit.(vs19) Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all." 2 Chron.7:14 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
5. How Should I Seek This God?--- Deut.4:29 "But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. 1 John 1:8-9 " If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.(vs9) If we confess our sins, he is just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Acts 2:38-39 "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (vs39) For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."
DEFINITIONS
Reward means a return made for something done.
Seek means to try to find, look for, to hunt or search for.
EXPOSITION
1. To receive the reward of diligently seeking God, I must believe that he is. So WHO Is God That I Should Seek Him?
A." He Is That of Which No Greater Can Be Conceived"--- Isa. 45:5-7 "I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: (vs6) That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else.(vs7) I form light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things." Jer.32:27 "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?
B. The Omnipotent One--- 1 Chron.29:11-12 "Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.(vs12) Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all."
C. The Omnipresent One---Jer.23:23-24 "Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? (vs24) Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord. Psa. 139:7-12 "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? (vs8) If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.(vs9)If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;(vs10) Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.(vs11) If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.(vs12) Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee."
D. The Preserving One--- Isa.54:14-15&17 "In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. (vs15) Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.(vs17) No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord."
E. The God of Providential Care--- Psa. 103:1-5 "Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. (vs2) Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:(vs3) Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;(vs4) Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;(vs5) Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's."
F.The God Of Loving Thoughts Toward Us--- Jer.29:11 " For 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."
2. Where Is The God That I Should Seek Him?--- Psa.121:1-2 " I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. (vs2) My help comet from the Lord, which made heaven and earth." Heb.4:14-16 "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us holdfast our profession.(vs15) For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.(vs16) Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
3. When should I seek this God?--- Psa. 61:1-3 "Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. (vs2) From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.(vs3) For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy." Prov. 8:17 "I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me."
4. Why should I seek this God?--- Psa. 34:17-19 " The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.(vs18) The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite(broken in spirit by a sense of guilt) spirit.(vs19) Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all." 2 Chron.7:14 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
5. How Should I Seek This God?--- Deut.4:29 "But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. 1 John 1:8-9 " If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.(vs9) If we confess our sins, he is just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Acts 2:38-39 "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (vs39) For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."
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