SEEKING GOD - PART 1
By Colleen Donahue
Our Creator made us for Himself. He had a wonderful plan for man to rule over the territory He made for us called earth. He made each of us different, one of a kind, with different abilities and talents to be able to carry out God's good works in developing His world. He made each of us to be able to accomplish some aspect of His work on earth using all the special gifts and talents that He gave us.
More than anything however, God wanted to be a partner with us in our work. He wanted us to do our part in His universe hand in hand with Him. We were made to depend on Him for all that we needed in living our life and doing His will.
Our relationship was meant to be so close that our Father could just look in a certain direction and we would understand what He wanted. There was never a more beautiful relationship than what God, our Creator, had with the first man and woman, Adam and Eve. He walked with them in the Garden of Eden and they enjoyed all His wonderful creation. They were one in spirit and in mind.
But Adam and Eve made a deliberate choice to disregard God's only command to them and sin entered the world. The sin wasn't eating an apple that God had told them not to eat. Their sin was a decision to walk independently of God. For in eating of the Tree of Good and Evil they gained a sense of exalted knowledge making them feel that they could take on life alone.
Therefore our first study about seeking God must be to know and realize that our Creator is seeking for us. He wants us to find Him and He has promised to reward any of us that diligently seek for Him.
How Do We Begin To Seek God - Part 1
OUR CREATOR IS SEEKING FOR US!
Day 1- Man is unique among all God has made because God made us like Himself.
Genesis 1:26-27 / Genesis 5:1
God as the one who created us made each one of us a work of art.
Isaiah 64:8
Day 2- He knows our heart. He knows what we were made to do and be. He knew the plan He had for us when we were made.
Psalm 139:2-3 / Psalm 44:21 / Jeremiah 29:11
Day 3- In fact, God made each one of us a masterpiece. He established a special work on earth that only we would be able to fulfill.
Ephesians 2:10
When we walk independent from God we don't end up doing the work God created us for -- the work that would bring us fulfillment and joy. Like a run away child God knows we will never be really happy or fulfilled apart from being home with Him.
GOD SEEKS FOR US THROUGH HIS SON
Day 4- God is a trinity -- three persons in one God -- Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In eternity, before the foundation of the world we learn there was relationship in Heaven.
John 17:5, 24
Day 5- God knew all that would happen regarding men and his choices. And so, before it was even needed a plan of redemption was devised. When the world was at the right time for the plan to happen what did God do?
John 3:16-17
Day 6- Notice God's motive was love. He did not want to condemn and punish us. Rather He wanted to restore us to His original purpose. Therefore what is true for any of us that choose to accept God's plan of redemption?
John 3:18a / John 5:24 / Romans 8:1
Day 7- Jesus, as God's Son was in the beginning with God.
John 1:1-4
He was one with His Father.
John 10:30
And when Jesus made his appearance here on earth what were men able to see for the first time?
Colossians 1:15
Day 8- Jesus in entering our world as a man was fully man. He had a body like ours, a mind to think and emotions to feel. But He was also completely different from any man before or after Him. Why?
Colossians 1:19
Day 9- As the only begotten Son of God, Jesus was the first of a new "God-man" race with a single purpose in coming to earth.
Colossians 1:20
And to accomplish his purpose what did Christ need to do?
Luke 19:10
Day 10- This is really good news for all of us. It means God wants us to be right with Him, back in partnership with Him and close to Him as He originally planned. Therefore we don't have to worry if we have been cut off from His love because of our sins. We haven't! God loves us madly -- with an everlasting love.
Jeremiah 31:3
Notice the timing of when the Father showed His great love for us in sending His Son. What state were we in?
Romans 5:8 / Ephesians 2:4-5
Day 11- As far as God is concerned, what is your status with Him?
1 John 3:1-2
Day 12- Therefore we are all part of God's flock and when even one of us steps out from His protection He seeks for us.
Matthew 18: 10-14 / Luke 15: 1-7
GOD WANTS TO BE FOUND
Day 13- God gave man life and breath and everything needed to satisfy us.
Acts 17:25
Why did He do this?
Acts 17:27-28
Day 14- Here is how anxious our Heavenly Father is that we would seek Him and talk with Him. What will He do for us when we make the attempt?
Isaiah 65:24
God could not be any more clear. He is madly in love with us and wants to do good for us because we are His kids!
GOD PROMISES......
Day 15- The word God speaks to men is not like the words men speak to God or to each other. According to these verses what can we count on when God speaks?
1 Kings 8:56 / Romans 4:21 / 1 Corinthians 1:20
Therefore we can be assured that God ALWAYS keeps His word and He has all the authority and power to back it up.
Day 16- What does God promise us when we seek Him?
Deuteronomy 4:29 / Jeremiah 29:13-14a / Luke 11:9-10 / James 4:8a
Just as we count on the sun to rise everyday we can count on our Father to come to us!
Hosea 6:3
Day 17- God will come to us and be like the rains that water our dry and thirsty lives. He will fill and satisfy us. Even if you are skeptical you have nothing to lose in seeking God. If God doesn't keep His promise then you will have proved Him wrong and you'll become famous as the first to do so. If you seek and find Him you will have found your true home.
Isaiah 44:3-4 / Isaiah 55:1-2 / Psalm 107:35 / John 4:14
Let's continue in our next study to answer more of our questions about how we go about seeking God.
How Do You Begin To Seek for God - Part 2