A.S.K. – The Key to Prayer Chapter 2D – Seek and Be Blessed

Now that we have looked at the importance of seeking the Lord let’s look at the blessings that come from that. Some of these verses will be repetitive from my last lesson but I think it’s worth looking at them again – nothing wrong with doubling up on blessings, right?

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.

Jer 29:13 – And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

As we said before, when we put all of our heart and mind into seeking the Lord we will find him. I am a firm believer that if any atheist would seek the Lord they would find him. Anybody who is backslidden and is falling away from God, if they would seek the Lord they would find him. He’s not in hiding. He hasn’t run away. He is not trying to avoid you. He said he will never leave you or forsake you. He is just waiting for you to seek Him!

Do you remember the story of the prodigal son? In Luke Chapter 15, Jesus tells us the prodigal ran off with his inheritance, got into trouble and decided to humble himself and come home. He was sure his father would be furious. But instead, his Father was watching for him, ran to meet him, put a ring on his finger, a robe on his back, shows on his feet and made a feast for him. God is waiting for you just like that father waited for his son. Seek Him today – He has great things in store for you once you find Him.

1st Chronicles 28:9 – And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

God tell Solomon that if he seeks him you will be found. But if you forsake him then God will cast him off. Now which would you prefer? Before He says this, God says that He searches the hearts and He understands the imaginations and the thoughts that we have. I can’t imagine that He would still want me to seek Him if He knows some of the thoughts and imaginations that I have but He does. He so desires a relationship with us!

Psalm 34:10 – The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.

When we seek the Lord, we shall not want any good thing. He’s not talking about new cars or bigger houses or money – the things this world has to offer. What He’s talking about here the gifts that only God can give – joy, peace, mercy, grace, hope – the list is long. These are the good things that God will give to those who seek Him. I should seek Him all the day long for these things because they’re so needed in my life on a day-to-day basis.

2nd Chronicles 26:5 – And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.

I believe God is not a respecter of persons. That means He treats us all the same. So if Zechariah was made to prosper as long as he sought the Lord, I believe we will too. What is your definition of prosperity? The online dictionary defines it as being prosperous. I looked up a couple other definitions and found that it means to flourish, usually in a financial way. I don’t believe in the Prosperity Gospel that keeps coming back around so frequently. I do believe God wants us to prosper in every area of our lives. He desires that our families, our jobs, our communities, our churches and all we put our hands should flourish, to grow and become more fruitful. That is the prosperity God brings into our lives – much more precious than material possessions that are here today and gone tomorrow.

Amos 5:4 – For thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live:

I think we all want to live, don’t we? This short little scripture says if we seek Him we will live. It won’t be any life that we live, but it will be a good life that we live. I will be a life that contains those things that are priceless the things mentioned above – unspeakable joy. amazing grace, peace that passes all understanding, unsinkable hope, unfathomable love. All of these are part of the life that God wants to give us if we’ll just seek him

Matthew 6:33 – But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

This familiar portion of scripture says He will add all these things to us. The verses preceding this one talk about the necessities of life – shelter, clothing and food. We don’t have to worry about those things, and those are the biggest things we worry about. God will supply all we need because He loves us more than we can even possibly imagine. Why else would He send His Son to die for our sins. I like to couple the next verse with this one. Matt 6:34 says take no thought for tomorrow. In other words, don’t worry. Give God all your problems and don’t fret over what tomorrow may bring. As my favorite author puts it “Don’t insult today by looking for a better tomorrow”.

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.

If we come to God we have to believe that He is. After all God introduced himself to Moses as I am. We must know that He is who He says He is and He can do what He says He will do. He is the creator of all things, He parted the red sea and the Jordan river, He fed over 2,000,000 people in a desert wilderness for 40 years, He saved Daniel out of the Lion’s den – do you get the picture? He can do whatever is needed.

Then the writer says God is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him. Oh my, can you imagine what the rewards of God are like? I can only start to think about what kind of rewards He can give me in my life. I don’t seek Him for the rewards, but I know that He is a rewarder, and so I will take whatever he wants to give me. I can be sure whatever reward He has for me will be good, and it will help me to grown closer to Him and grown in my faith.

Ask, then seek. Next, it’s time to start knocking!