Seek Ye the Lord - Pastor Stacey Shiflett
- Pastor Shiflett
- Jun 29
- 5 min read
Seek Ye the Lord
Isaiah 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Intro: The phrase “seek ye the Lord” is found in the Bible 27 times.
I. An APPROACH of the HUMBLE – vs. 6-7
· 6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
· 7 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.
· Psalms 69:32 The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.
· Zephaniah 2:3 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.
· 2 Chronicles 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.
God doesn’t show up because you force him to!
James 4
· 6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
· 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
· 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
· 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
· 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
God is sovereign. He does what He wants, when He wants, whenever He wants with whomever He wants.
We ask Him to reveal Himself.
We pray; we desire; we intercede; but we do NOT command God.
God is not your pet dog that comes when you whistle or snap your fingers.
II. An APPETITE for the HEAVENLY – vs. 8-11
· 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
· 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
· 10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
· 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Colossians 3
· 1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
· 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
A lot of people are not seeking God because they are too busy seeking those things that are on the earth.
Mark this down: if it appeals to the flesh, God is NOWHERE near it!
The flesh of man is enmity with God.
2 Peter 1
· 17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
· 18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh,
When God saved you and me, he delivered us from the conversation of the fleshly lusts.
Ephesians 2
· 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
· 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
· 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
· 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
III. An APPEASING of the HUNGRY – vs. 1, 2, 12, 13
· 1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
· 2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
· 12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
· 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
· 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.
· Psalms 34:10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing
· Deuteronomy 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.
Psalm 107
· 8 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
· 9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
Jeremiah 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.
· 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
· 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
· 14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
