Proverbs 8:17 - Seeking And Finding God.
Proverbs 8:17 - Seeking And Finding God.
Proverbs 8:17 (KJV) I love them that love me; and those that
seek me early shall find me.
Proverbs 8:17 (ESV) I love those who love me, and those who seek
me diligently find me.
Proverbs 8:17 (AMP) I love those who love me, and those who seek
me early and diligently shall find me.
Seek me early: This means to seek so diligently that one rises
early in the morning to press the search. Because of the distractions
of worldly affairs, and the deceitfulness of the human heart,
persevering diligence is required to maintain a saving relationship with
true wisdom and with God. [SDA Bible Commentary]
The word "early" sticks out in this verse: does the Lord mean
early in the morning? early in your life? early in your Christian
walk? Early seems to denote a time set aside before other things push
in ahead. Could God be saying that He wants top priority in your
life? Could the Lord want to spend time with you when you are fresh
and unencumbered from the cares of the day? God is a jealous God.
He commands that you have nothing in your life that is more
important to you. Are you in line with God on this? Or do you need to
realign your priorities in order to seek Him early? [In His Time; Walk
With Wisdom]
Consecrate yourself to God in the morning; make this your very
first work. Let your prayer be, "Take me, O Lord, as wholly Thine. I
lay all my plans at Thy feet. Use me today in Thy service. Abide
with me, and let all my work be wrought in Thee." This is a daily
matter. Each morning consecrate yourself to God for that day. Surrender
all your plans to Him, to be carried out or given up as His
providence shall indicate. Thus day by day you may be giving your life into
the hands of God, and thus your life will be molded more and more
after the life of Christ. SC70
The very first outbreathing of the soul in the morning should
be for the presence of Jesus. "Without Me," He says, "ye can do
nothing." It is Jesus that we need; His light, His life, His spirit, must
be ours continually. We need Him every hour. And we should pray in
the morning that as the sun illuminates the landscape, and fills the
world with light, so the Sun of Righteousness may shine into the
chambers of mind and heart, and make us all light in the Lord. We cannot
do without His presence one moment. The enemy knows when we
undertake to do without our Lord, and he is there, ready to fill our minds
with his evil suggestions that we may fall from our steadfastness;
but it is the desire of the Lord that from moment to moment we
should abide in Him, and thus be complete in Him.....
God designs that every one of us shall be perfect in Him, so
that we may represent to the world the perfection of His character.
He wants us to be set free from sin, that we may not disappoint
Heaven, that we may not grieve our divine Redeemer. He does not desire
us to profess Christianity, and yet not avail ourselves of that
grace which is able to make us perfect, that we may be found wanting
in nothing.
Prayer and faith will do what no power on earth can
accomplish. We are seldom, in all respects, placed in the same position
twice. We continually have new scenes and new trials to pass through,
where past experience cannot be a sufficient guide. We must have the
continual light that comes from God. Christ is ever sending messages to
those who listen for His voice. {OFC 40-41 re Psa. 5:3}
For many of us, every morning is a battle. Between the time
the alarm clock rings and when our feet hit the floor, our thoughts
can spiral downward. Today's to-do list and potential hurdles
combine with leftover fatigue from yesterday, all seeming to conspire to
overwhelm us and beat us down. In a few very short minutes, our attitude
can shift drastically from neutral to negative.
Though the morning battle is real for many, it isn't
unwinnable. The key is to turn the downward spiral into upward momentum, and
the best way to do that is by inviting Jesus into your internal
conversation as soon as you wake up. Before thinking about to-do lists,
potential hurdles, lingering problems from the day before, or anything
else, have a conversation with Him - not about issues, but just for
the pleasure of His company. Enjoy the fellowship. Lie still in His
Presence. Utter some words of worship and gratitude. Listen to His words
of affection and encouragement. Let Him shape your internal
environment before you get up to face your external world. Make Him the
priority of your day.
When you do that, the day can take on a whole different tone.
And the tone of a day can have lasting impact. Decisions are made in
a different light, long-term relationships are strengthened rather
than weakened, ideas and innovation come much more easily, and
obstacles lose their power. Winning the morning battle day after day can
radically impact a lifetime.
Whatever it takes, invite Jesus into your morning. Before
your feet hit the floor, enjoy His Presence. The earlier you make Him
the center of your day, the more profoundly He will shape it.
Jesus, I know my attitude needs an adjustment every morning.
I invite You to adjust it - to hold me, fill me with Your
Presence, and transform me. You are more important than any issues I'll
face on any given day - and fully able to handle them. [The One Year
Experiencing God's Presence Devotional by Chris Tiegreen re Psalm 143:8]
Those who do not provide for a set-aside time during the day
- preferably in the morning, when they can replenish their
spiritual resources - may find that they have to provide a time at the end
of the day for regret, for repentance, and for eating humble pie.
A traveler in the Himalayas told how he arose very early one
morning to watch the sun rise on the towering peaks. He said: "There, as
the day began to dawn, we saw arise before our enraptured gaze,
within a complete semicircle, twenty peaks each above twenty thousand
feet in height, snow-capped with virgin snow. For half an hour the
curtain was lifted and we inwardly worshiped. Then the mists began to
fill the valleys between, and the view was gone. Gone? No, not really
- it was forever laid up in our green and grateful memories."
That is what a quiet time in the early part of the day does
for you. Before the mists of worldly happenings blot out your view
of God, you can take a time-exposure of Him which is indelibly
imprinted on your mind. Then, after the mists close in, the vision is
still there within. You live in two worlds at once - drawing physical
strength from the world around you while drawing spiritual sustenance
from the world above you.
Heavenly Father, give me the wisdom to be able to take "the
pause that refreshes," to drink every day from the living Fountain,
the Eternal spring. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. [Every Day With
Jesus Bible with Selwyn Hughes devotional re Psa. 88:13]
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE:
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2013/20130816-2155.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2012/20120210-1532.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2004/20040503-1146.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2005/20050128-1110.html
GREAT VIDEO CLIP - ONE OF THE BEST
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
SPECIAL VIDEO CLIP ON SEEKING GOD FIRST
http://vimeo.com/31489782
EXCELLENT VIDEO SERIES ON EXPERIENCING GOD:
http://sda.biggytv.com/watch/Revive!_-_Dwight_Nelson:_Experiencing_Gods_Grace/revive/
EXCELLENT SERIES ON RESTORING THE POWER by John Bradshaw
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRogO1SxoZN15Boa7BMon4BouVMdteVaq
EXCELLENT BIBLE PROPHECY SERIES - Prophecies Decoded By Dr. Ron
Clouzet:
1. Coming Soon: A New Superpower -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTcZ-oQGWUw
2. 2012 and Signs of the End of the World -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVgTGGGO33c
3. Armageddon and the Seven Last Plagues -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcFPUq2JAiU
4. War in Heaven Between Michael and the Dragon -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGnb54Qo_Lg
5. Revelation's Three Angels' Messages -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msy6mZLQ7EA
6. The Lamb Slain and the Seven Seals -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xdpQdli9J0
7. A New Revelation of Jesus Christ -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b2IwriWwY0
8. The Anti-Christ and the Cults that Follow Him -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDKzf5Z6VPQ
9. In Search of the Ark of the Covenant -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc6IM9cm2SU
10. The Greatest Issue in the Book of Revelation, Part 1 -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLQbWSpTUXs
11. The Greatest Issue in the Book of Revelation, Part II -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUQr_DHJYMc
12. How to Keep God's Holy Day, Part 1 -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX5HtCx90oY
13. How to Keep God's Holy Day, Part 2 -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPR5Pu8_1rM
14. Taking a Stand at the Time of the End -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7caCWSrpGU4
15. The Longest Time Prophecy in the Bible -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvAsJGlmrmE
16. Doctrines of Demons and the Mystery of Death -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJHE1cyLlcY
17. The Fall of Babylon the Great -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O70xfBDKxVQ
18. The Mark of the Beast and the Seal of God -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqm1xgG9NuM
19. Israel and the Rapture of the Church -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMZhsKEzPPA
20. The United States in Bible Prophecy -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6-umijrrKI
21. The Beauty and the Beast of Revelation -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2cLfTDQyQg
22. The Remnant's Use of Time, Treasure, and Talent -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CMdmIIHCUY
23. The One Thousand Year Millennium -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFbu9WsSK0Y
24. Revelation's Lake of Fire -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DccBQcLZGso
25. Heaven and the Apocalypse -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiXDN9_d0Mw
26. A Messenger for the Last Days -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSAgxCcNSqM
27. Christian Standards for Today -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFHCFFoRw98
28. The Work of the Holy Spirit in Your Life -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiwYeGKQg58
