_And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart._ 

 

Every morning God by his mercy wakes us up, we must make a fresh determination to seek Him.

 

 _Psalms 63:1 NKJV_ 

 _O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water._ 

 

Theologian Jonathan Edwards wrote the following resolutions to govern his life:

 

1. I will live for God

2. If no one else does, I still will.

 

This is the first and foremost and fundamental principle for seeking God. There must be a personal resolve that is determined to seek God no matter what others say or do.

 

 *What are you seeking?* 

 

We are all seeking things in life on a daily basis. From the moment you start your day, you will spend your time doing things you consider important. 

 

What is really important to you? 

People, objects, goals, and other desires all compete for priority. Any of these can quickly become most important to you if you don’t actively choose to give God first place in every area of your life.

 

In Matthew 6:21, Jesus says that where our treasure is, there our heart will be also. 

 

The things that we seek and treasure in our life reveal where our heart truly is. The things that we think about, spend our time and money on, and use our energy to attain—that is where our heart is.

 

Scriptures tell us that the most important assignment God has given us is to seek Him. That should be the number one priority in your life.

 

 _Matthew 6:25-32 NLT_ 

" _That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life-whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing? [26] Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are? [27] Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? [28] "And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, [29] yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. [30] And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? [31] "So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' [32] These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs._ 

 

 _Matthew 6:33 NKJV_ 

 _But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you._ 

 

Jesus tells us that instead of spending our time worrying about our basic desires in life, we should seek His Kingdom and His righteousness. If we do that, then everything else will be taken care of.

 

Therefore, as we have seen above, God established only two priorities for mankind: the Kingdom of God and the righteousness of God. 

 

Kingdom refers to the governing influence of Heaven on earth, and righteousness refers to right alignment and positioning

with that government authority. 

 

Our highest priorities and greatest desires should be to seek the Kingdom of God and thirst for a right relationship with God's heavenly government.

 

 *God rewards the seeking heart.* 

 

God’s desire is that all people should seek after him and find him. Those who seek God with all their heart are rewarded.

_Hebrews 11:6 NKJV_ 

 _But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him._ 

 

 He will reveal Himself to the seeking heart.

 

 _Matthew 7:7‭-‬8 NKJV_ 

“ _Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened._ 

 

 *David’s greatest desire* 

 

David’s greatest desire was to live in God’s presence each day of his life. He was constantly seeking God’s presence.

 

What do you most desire? 

Do you look forward to being in the presence of the Lord?

 

 *Psalm 27:4 NLT* 

 _The one thing I ask of the LORD- the thing I seek most- is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, delighting in the LORD's perfections and meditating in his Temple._ 

 

 _Psalms 42:1 NKJV_ states: _As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God._ 

 

 *God's invitation* 

 

God invites us to seek Him.

 

 _Psalms 27:8 NKJV_ 

 _When You said, “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”_ 

 

 _Matthew 11:28 NLT_ 

 _Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest._ 

 

 _Hebrews 4:16 NLT_ _So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most._ 

 

 _Proverbs 25:2 NKJV_ 

 _It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter._ 

 

 *What Does It Mean to Seek the Lord?* 

 

Seeking the Lord means seeking his presence. “Presence” is a common translation of the Hebrew word “face.” 

 

God can always be sought and found by those who seek him wholeheartedly. 

This happens through “seeking.” Continual seeking. 

 

But what does that mean practically?

 

To “seek first the Kingdom of God above all else, and His righteousness ” as stated in Matthew 6:33, means to put God first in your life, to fill your thoughts with his desires, to use his character as your life’s pattern, and to keep on implementing his Kingdom values on earth. 

 

You demonstrate seeking Him by turning your affection towards Him at every moment of your day and by loving Him with all your heart and soul and mind. 

 

 _Matthew 22:37 NLT_ 

 _Jesus replied, "'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.'_ 

 

 *Avoid Obstacles*  

 

As we seek The Lord, there are endless obstacles that we must get around in order to encounter and see him clearly. We must flee spiritually dulling activities. 

 _Hebrews 12:1 NKJV_ 

 _Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,_ 

 

Seeking God requires us to give up whatever hinders or endangers our relationships with God and to run with stamina and commitment in the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

 

 *Humility is essential* 

 

The great obstacle to seeking the Lord is pride. “In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him” (Psalm 10:4). Therefore, humility is essential to seeking the Lord.

 

 *Peter was a seeker* 

 

Peter is well known to us for his foolish  statements throughout the Gospels (Matt. 16:22; 17:4; 26:33). But Peter was always seeking after Jesus. 

 

 _Mark 1:36 NKJV_ 

 _And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him._ 

 

• Peter followed Jesus from afar during the night of Jesus' crucifixion (Matt. 26:58). 

• Peter ran to the tomb when he heard Jesus had risen (Luke 24:12). 

• Peter swam in the sea in his haste to get to Jesus (John 21:7) and even walked on water in order to join Jesus (Matt 14:29). 

Peter did not always say or do the right things but he did constantly seek to be with Jesus. Because of this, he was continually encountering his Lord and

growing to be a more faithful disciple.

 

 *1. Repentance* 

 

If you’re honest with yourself, where would you say your treasure is currently? What are the things you devote your time to and spend your money on? Spending time in God’s Word and in prayer are great ways to reorient our hearts back toward God.

 

Let us ask God to search our hearts. Have you been seeking Him wholeheartedly? Have you given Him first place in every aspect of your life? Is there something you treasure in your life more than God? Have you been seeking the gifts instead of seeking the giver?

 

 _II Chronicles 7:14 NKJV_ 

 _if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and *seek My face,* and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land._ 

 

 _Matthew 6:21 NLT_ 

 _Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be._ 

 

 

 *Prayer* 

 

Lord search my heart,  I repent of the times my heart  has not been set on pursuing you wholeheartedly. Reveal to me any obstacles like pride or anything else that  hinders or endangers my relationship with you.

 

Grant me the grace to say no to ungodliness and to live a holy life. Lord help me to replace the things that distract me from seeking You with all  my heart  with things that focus my attention on You.

 Help me as I fight against selfish desires. Refocus my heart and mind on You, my eternal treasure.

 

 

 *2. Thirst for His Presence* 

 

 _Psalms 42:1 NKJV_ states: _As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God._ 

 

As the life of a deer depends on water, so our lives depend on God. Those who seek him and long to understand him find never-ending life. Do you thirst for God? Do your prayers reflect an urgent and intense desire to be with him?

 

Seek God and continue to ask him for more knowledge, patience, wisdom, love, and understanding. He will give these things to you. The more you talk to him, the more you will be able to recognize his voice when he speaks to you.

 

 _Psalms 27:8 TPT_ 

 _I heard your voice in my heart say, “Come, seek my face;” my inner being responded, “Yahweh, I’m seeking your face with all my heart.”_ 

 

 _Psalms 105:4 AMP_ 

 _Seek and deeply long for the Lord and His strength [His power, His might]; Seek and deeply long for His face and His presence continually._ 

 

 *Prayer*

 

 

Heavenly Father, I choose to  set my heart  on pursuing you with all my heart continually. As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God.

In Jesus' name,