You’ve Got to Want It; You’ve Got to Want Him
Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
This is a scripture we have on the wall of Family Church Mayville. It’s a scripture we read and teach every single service in both of our churches. Everyone wants God to bless them. They want abundance, they want peace, they want an amazing life and future for themselves and for their children. God has promised that for His children. Most Christians don’t even know that much, that God is good and only wants good things for them. Simply believing that is the first step to walking in that blessed plan.
But, when we have gotten the revelation of who God IS, we’ve got to do more than just believe. Look at Jeremiah 29:12, “Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.” YOU will call upon God. YOU will go to Him and He will listen. It’s YOUR responsibility. Look at verse 13, “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” When YOU search for Him, He will be found by YOU. Look at verse 14, “ I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity…”
The Lord is a perfect gentleman. He never forces Himself on anyone. If you don’t invite Him in, He’s not coming. If you don’t seek Him, you won’t find Him. If you don’t find Him, you’ll never realize all He’s got planned for you now and in your future. But the great thing is that He’s right there just waiting for you to call upon Him.
Look at Proverbs 8:17 (NKJV), “I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me.” Have you ever known anyone who wouldn’t let you love them? Maybe it seemed like they tried their hardest to keep you out of their life or they worked so hard to destroy all you tried to give them? People do the same thing to God. He can’t be in covenant with someone who won’t be in covenant with Him. It. Just. Can’t. Work.
This principle is found in scripture over and over again. You must seek God, you must want God, you must choose God, if you’re going to have God in your life. Look at 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.” Believe in who God IS. Believe that He needs you to invite Him in, through your words, through your actions, in your thoughts, and in your heart. And when He reveals Himself to you, through His Word and the inward witness, do your best to follow His lead.
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.” What will be opened? That blessed plan, that hope and that future, that God has had for you all along.
Be Blessed,
Pastor Renee
