Some people say that people Can Not Seek the Lord. I prayed about this and asked the Spirit of the LORD to guide me�teach me�instruct me�I was lead to read Isaiah 9, 10 & 11�I [bracketed] scripture for focus�and {emphasis}�*** are just my comments�xo
Isaiah 9:2~ The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: { Jesus } they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
*** Prophesying about the people�Jews & Gentiles�in darkness & in light�
Isaiah 9:13 ~ For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, [ neither do they seek* ] the LORD of hosts.
*** Prophesying of people possibly Pharisees�, Sadducees, Judaizers' that turn away and Do Not Seek* the LORD of hosts�
Isaiah 9:16~ For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.
*** Prophesying about Leaders�possibly the Pharisees�, Sadducees�, Judaizers' leading the Jews & Gentiles to Error and Destruction because they seeking Other than the LORD�
Isaiah 10:16 ~ Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones ***Pharisees�, Sadducees�, Judaizers' *** leanness; *** Oppressed Jews & Gentiles *** and under his { Jesus } glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire.
*** GOD/Jesus/HolySpirit kindles a burning like burning fire�I know where that comes from�it comes from the Spirit of the LORD�Have ya ever heard it said��I�m on Fire for the LORD� ??? :bouncy:
Isaiah 11:10~ And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, { Jesus } which shall stand for an ensign *** Sign/Signal*** of the people; to it { Jesus } [ shall the Gentiles seek:* ] and his rest shall be glorious.
*** Notice the word says�[ shall the Gentiles seek ]�it doesn�t say Made to Against their will�it says { shall }�
So I looked up the meaning @ Dictionary.com ~
Shall ~ auxiliary verb,
1. plan to, intend to, or expect to: I shall go later.
2. will have to, is determined to, or definitely will: You shall do it. He shall do it.
3. (in laws, directives, etc.) must; is or are obliged to: The meetings of the council shall be public.
4. (used interrogatively in questions, often in invitations): Shall we go?
*** God already knew the people would because He is Soverign GOD and He knows Everything from Beginning to End�the Gentiles didn�t know yet�but they would because that light {Jesus} shined on them to...just Food for thought�
*** Using a Lexicon @ BlueLetterBible.com I seek more information and this is what I found�
The word Seek in Isaiah 9, 10 & 11 is H1875 da*rash�
1 to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require
a (Qal)
1 to resort to, frequent (a place), (tread a place)
2 to consult, enquire of, seek
a of God
b of heathen gods, necromancers�.***YUK !!!
3 to seek deity in prayer and worship
a God
b heathen deities�***Double YUK !!!
4 to seek (with a demand), demand, require
5 to investigate, enquire
6 to ask for, require, demand
7 to practice, study, follow, seek with application
8 to seek with care, care for
b (Niphal)
1 [ to �allow� oneself to be enquired of, consulted (only of God) ]
*** I found this here to be interesting�So I looked up the meaning @ Dictionary.com ~ this is what I found�
allow ~ verb ~ (used with an object) ~ to give permission to or for; permit:
ALLOW ~ Synonyms ~ ALLOW, LET, PERMIT imply granting or conceding the right of someone to do something. ALLOW and PERMIT are often interchangeable, but PERMIT is the more positive. ALLOW implies complete absence of an attempt, or even an intent, to hinder. PERMIT suggests formal or implied assent or authorization. LET is the familiar, conversational term for both ALLOW and PERMIT.
ALLOW ~ Idiom ~ 9. allow for, to make concession or provision for: to allow for breakage.
*** Now that�s really interesting�continuing with Seek H1875�.
2 to be sought, be sought out
3 to be required (of blood)
*** Yall might find this Boring�I find it In-Lightening� =)
*** Then I was lead to these Scriptures and Jesus tells us to Seek in order to find�
Matthew 6:33 ~ But [ seek ] ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Matthew 7:7 ~ Ask, and it shall be given you; [ seek, ] and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Luke 11:9 ~ And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; [ seek, ] and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
The word Seek in Matt 6:33 & 7:7 & Luke 11:9 is G2212 za-te-o
1 to seek in order to find
a to seek a thing
b to seek [ in order to find out ] by thinking, meditating, reasoning, to enquire into�*** the [ ] is in Lexicon I didn�t do it�
c to seek after, seek for, aim at, strive after
2 to seek i.e. require, demand
a to crave, demand something from someone
*** So where in these Scriptures, Lexicon, Dictionary is it that Says or Proves that a person Can Not Seek the LORD or the LORD forcing a person to Seek ??? I have never Doubted Father GOD's/Jesus*/HolySpirits Sovereignty...I just dont read in here a person Can Not Seek the LORD...It is a Choice He gives Us ALL...
GREAT TEACHING, Lady... and if i might add to your teaching.
Firstly, I wonder what denominational doctrine or theological teachings that teaches such, that we are NOT to, or cannot SEEK after God? Becasue it is written throughout God's word how God invites us ALL to seek after Him. I mean when we pray isn't that the same as SEEKING after God?... I would think so...
Iin fact, in the book of Acts chapter 17, we are taught that we should seek the Lord, and GROPE for Him and find Him.
And Isaiah chapter 55:6 God invites us to, Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. �For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,� declares the LORD. �As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Maybe no one SEEKS after God, and are taught not to seek after God, because its as Paul says in Romans chapter 3,
�There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who SEEKS God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good, not even one.� ...
Matthew 6:33 ~ But [ seek ] ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Matthew 7:7 ~ Ask, and it shall be given you; [ seek, ] and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Luke 11:9 ~ And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; [ seek, ] and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Thank you Jude,
How could I have missed those verses!
Our Father�The Creator of ALL�does not play Mind Games with us�God cannot Lie�God cannot Deceive. If God were to ask us to �SEEK��it HAS to mean that we need to (of our Own Free Will) make an Effort to Come to Him!
WE have to Search�Look for�Seek out �The Kingdom of God�.
If God has already taken control of Our Minds and Hearts�then isn�t God just �fooling� Himself into thinking that we can �Really� Seek Him? Is God �playing� some Strange Game of �tea time��where God sets out His Dolls and pretends that they Love Him and Obey Him?
Heaven FORBID�NO!!
God is in Control of EVERYTHING! It is because of this�that God Allows Mankind Free Will. God allows us to Choose HIM! God Allows us to Seek HIM.
There are certain Biblical conditions regarding "seek and you shall find" and "ask and it will be given to you":
I John 5:14: This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything **ACCORDING TO HIS WILL** He hears us!!"
James 4:3: "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on you pleasures!":buddies::dancingp:
Jeremiah 29:13: God has promised "You will find Me when you seek Me with all your heart!"
Many believe before we are saved through God's Word with the free Gift of faith in things unseen that we can only really seek the things of this world.
However, once we are Born of God and receive His Spirit we become God's fellow workers and by obeying His New Testament commands we can receive countless eternal rewards for faithful and loving service.
John 14:23: Jesus says, �If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teaching, My Father will love him, and We will make Our home with him.�
Matthew 28:19,20: Jesus commands, �Go and make disciples of all nations... teaching them to *OBEY EVERYTHING I have commanded you!�
I John 2:3-5: �We know that we have come to know Him **IF** we obey His commands. The man who says, �I know Him,� but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the Truth is not him. But if anyone **OBEYS HIS WORD**, God's **LOVE** is truly made complete in Him!!�:applause:
So let us read God's Word daily {Acts 17:11} and then *DO WHAT IT SAYS*! {James 1:22,25}
Acts 17:11: �The Bereans were of noble character, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures *EVERY DAY*!�
James 1:22,25: �Do not merely listen to the Word. *DO WHAT IT SAYS*!... and he who continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but *DOING IT*�will be blessed in what he :rolleyes:does.
2 Peter 1:3-11: �His Divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
For this reason, make every effort to add to your faith {a 100% Free Gift}; goodness, and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, LOVE. For if you possess these qualities in **INCREASING MEASURE**, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure.
For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a **RICH WELCOME** into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!�:applause::angel:
Matthew 16:27; Jesus says, �The Son of Man is going to come in **HIS FATHER'S GLORY WITH HIS ANGELS** {See Matt 24:30,31 & 2 Thess 1:6-10}, and *THEN* He will reward each person according to what he has done.�
Revelation 22:12: Jesus says, �Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done!� {When Jesus comes in His Father's glory with His angels}
2 Corinthians 5:10: For we must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, {When Jesus comes in His Father's glory with His angels} whether good or bad.�
Ephesians 2:8-10: It is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is NOT from yourselves, it is the GIFT of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
So Salvation is the ***FREE GIFT*** of God's grace and good works with eternal rewards can only be performed by the saved.
Salvation is a 100% Free Gift and REWARDS are 100 % earned.
Matthew 5:14,16: Jesus says, �You are the LIGHT of the world...Let your LIGHT shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
I Corinthians 3:6-9: Paul says, �The Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed. Apollos watered it, but God made it grow... The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers!�
Daniel 12:3: �Those who impart wisdom will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever!!�:angel:
So let our lights *SHINE*:glow: with the many gifts God has given us and we can have a REVIVAL with the hope of countless eternal rewards for faithful and loving service.
I Corinthians 1:7: For �You do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be *REVEALED*!�
Peter 1:13: �Therefore, prepare your minds for ACTION, and set your hope {*FULLY*} on the grace to be given YOU when Jesus Christ is {*REVEALED*}!!:applause::angel::peace:
Jude wrote - "Some people say that people Can Not Seek the Lord."
Yep. But God says otherwise...
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.
Isaiah 55:6 - Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Speaking of King Rehoboam in 2 Chronicles 12:14 - And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.
Amos 5:8 - [Seek him] that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD [is] his name:
