Passion - A Mother's Day Word

Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place, Osoyoos
Pulpit Series Volume 19 Issue 15 May 10, 2009

We are compassionately called to: “Seek the Lord God” over 53 times in scripture

Psalms 53:2 God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.

Friends I have discovered that Christ Himself is our only strategy and hope. These are desperate times and Churchianity is failing. We need as the saints of old have said the “unction” of the spirit. That is to say we need the fire of a deep and holy longing for the Lord.

To KNOW HIM! Not just to know about Him!

I find myself to be like Moses who after dwelling in God’s glory for 40 years Moses still prayed, O Lord GOD, you have begun to show me your greatness, and your mighty hand: for what God [is there] in heaven or in earth, that can do according to your works, and according to your might? Deuteronomy 3:24

I pray that Paul’s attitude toward Christ would be the attitude of all those who call the Gathering Place home.

Philippians 3:7-15 what things were gain to me, I counted loss for Christ. I count all things as loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching to those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded....

Seeking God is the attitude of Christ’s bride.

Luke 13:23-28 Then said one to him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said to them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us; and he shall answer and say to you, I know you not who you are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and You have taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not who you are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you [yourselves] thrust out.

Matthew 7:23 Jesus said, I never knew you: depart from me…

Consider this word “Knew”

Genesis 4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, 4:25 And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son...
This speaks of becoming one, an intimacy way beyond a mere acquaintance.... a dimension of an unsatisfiable and unrelenting hunger for God!

Dare I suggest that we ought to be intolerant of anything or anyone who would cause distance to grow between us and our God.

DO NOT SETTLE for “edification” “encouragement” or “comfort”. As wonderful as these are, we must seek Jesus Himself!

Matthew 6:33 Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.

Psalms 14:2, 53:2 The LORD looked down from heaven on the children of men, to see if there were any that understood and did seek God.

It has been well said that “God is not on the surface.”

I plead with you to realize that our pursuit of God is not an act, but an attitude!

Realize you can’t live without Him! Want Him as much as the very air you breath... and you’ll find Him!

You won’t find God by searching only in convenient times and comfortable places.

Your search is to be without rest, a continual journey. I Chronicles 16:11 Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.
You can take confidence is in His promise: Deuteronomy 4:29 you will find Him, if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Looking around and seeking are two different things.

Guard against becoming satisfied with your opinion of yourself… “I prayed, I waited, I searched for God. I did more than other men.”

It is hard to be full of God when you are full of SELF!

If we truly want to find God, we must stay both empty of ourselves and hungry for God alone. Don’t kid yourself, God knows the effort and extent of your searching.

Consider the Empty Tomb. The disciples looked in the tomb and left astounded.

Mary comes to the tomb and lingered there, weeping. To her the death of Christ was horrible, but His missing body was unspeakable.

Some come to church, they sing, they listen and they leave astounded. They hear about the death of Christ, but don’t question His missing presence. Jesus is lost in the temple and very few consider that an important issue. Others come, they sing, they listen they linger, they weep and they find Him!

Mary couldn’t bear an empty tomb.
John 20:15 Jesus said, Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for? Mary, supposing him to be the gardener, said, Sir, if you’ve taken him away tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away. She’d settle for a dead Jesus, if she could just put her arms around Him.

John 20:16-17 Jesus said, Mary. She turned and said, Master. The instant Mary sees Jesus she wants to embrace Him. However, Jesus said, “Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father...”

This is too fantastic: Could it be that Jesus interrupted His ascent into heaven to answer this women’s love?

Many want Jesus, but to whom did He appear? He came and still does come to the one who has great passion for Him.

Listen to this…
¨ they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.
¨ they that seek the LORD understand all [things].
¨ Seek me and you shall live: Psalms 34:10, Proverbs 28:5, Amos 5:4

Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, 33, Luke 10:27 Jesus said, love your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, with all understanding and with all strength.

Hosea 2:19-20 I will engage you to me for ever; yes, I will be engaged to you in righteousness, in judgment, in loving-kindness and in mercies. I will even be engaged to you in faithfulness: and you shall know the LORD.
Engagement comes before the wedding!