Welcome to Motivational Mondays!
First things first, what is Motivational Mondays?
Just like it sounds, to motivate, to empower, and to encourage you on the first day of a fresh week. I don't know about you but Mondays can be a drag for me, so sometimes words of encouragement and positivity are helpful to start my day off right.
Motivational Monday's topic is:
Seek His Face
Hey Golden Dreamer, I wanted to talk to you all about this specific topic, seeking God’s face. Like I’ve told you from the beginning I speak on topics that I’ve learned and personally experienced myself and this topic is truly one that takes the cake.
When I Began to Seek God’s Face!
I can remember the moment I started to seek God’s face. It was before the pandemic when I took the position to become a Live-In Nanny for my employers. As I was packing my things, the first thing I packed was my bible. Now, at that time, I was not reading my bible at all. The most I got out of my bible was when it was time for church and my pastor would tell the congregation to open their bibles and turn to whatever chapter and verse he was preaching from. I know...shameful, right? But don’t judge me. Haha! I made a lot of excuses saying that I would make time... but never did!
Till this day, only God knows why I packed that bible, but I'm so glad I did. Apart of me thinks being obedient at that moment blessed me with the start of creating A Golden Dream. Because, in all honesty, I had no intentions of reading my bible, but simply removing myself out of my comfort zone (my home) and into new territory (someone else's environment) that I was unfamiliar with was truly the push I needed to seek the bible and to see God for myself.
Now I'm not saying go live with other people to seek out God. No! No! No! Haha! That’s not what I'm saying, but getting a new perspective away from all your devices and distractions is one way that helped me, and I was blessed to have a job all throughout the pandemic and even now. That within itself is a huge blessing that I don't take lightly or for granted.
I love those who love me, and those who diligently seek me will find me.
Proverbs 8:17
But from there, you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.
Deuteronomy 4:29
How can I seek God for myself!?!
What does seeking God look like!?!
How do I know God is listening!?!
These are all great questions, ones I too asked myself. Earlier I explained to you when I decided to seek God's face. Now I want to explain to you why I did it.
Why Should We Seek God's Face?
Let’s first start with the word “Seek”. What does it mean?
By way of definition, it means to attempt to find something. To search or request something. To discover or obtain information. To try or question.
-Dictionary.com
To seek God is to know him deeply and intimately. Everything and everyone wants to be loved and be known, including God. God wants his creations to know him and to acknowledge him for who he is. The bible tells us a lot of things about God and what he has done for his people but God wants us to not only read and learn about Him but also to have a close and intimate relationship with Him too. You can know of God and not know him.
I’m a P.K. (preacher’s kid), I can attest to this statement. Literally, my entire life, I knew of God. I knew what he did, I knew who he was, and could drop all the facts about God to anyone; but the connection part I lacked in. I never sought him out. I really didn't understand that part until the start of my journey at the tail end of 2019. When you can understand the truth of God and have the relationship to back it up, WHEW!!!! You are Golden!!
We Seek God To:
To find God is to seek him!
Like I said before we have to do the work and make the first move. Seek God to understand him. To know him for yourself.
But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Deuteronomy 4:29
To find where your strength and purpose come from!
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had
Romans 15:5
I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Psalms 121: 1-2
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11
Understand we are not of this world!
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
James 4:4
Therefore, I urge you brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:1-2
Ouch!! I know right! These scriptures got me too! There’s a lot of evil in the world and we seek God because only he can and will separate the good from the bad. Learning what I need to do spiritually, mentally, and physically to be in the good number is my responsibility. Remember, God does not force us to seek him, he waits on our response to seek first. We should seek him because he is Our Source and God is Good!
To know when we are weary from the weight to the world, God brings peace and rest!
Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Matthew 6:34
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
John 14:27
I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Psalm 16:8
The pressure of the world can cause a lot of Stress and strain from time to time. So seeking God’s face when the noise gets to be too much. If can be difficult because everything revolves around technology, our phones, cars, shopping, so we have to get to a point where we can unplug everything and just hone into what God is telling us.
To know that our prayers are not in vain, God hears us!
And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.
Matthew 21:22
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
1 Peter 3:12
Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
Jeremiah 33:3
I love the fact that even if we say nothing in prayer, God already knows what we need. There have been countless times where I would cry and I did not even have the words to express the pain that I was feeling, but God knows. When we hurt, he hurts and He cares for us. I always imagine God giving me a big hug as I’m praying.
How Can I Seek God?
By Prayer and Supplication!
Why? That’s our connection to Him. The bible tells us we should never stop praying.
By Worship!
Why? To honor him and Thank Him for all he has done
By Fasting!
Why? To give up what our flesh desires for the sake of being in God's presence. This battle is spiritual.
By Reading Our Manuals (the bible)!
Why? We have to know the word of God to prepare and equip ourselves. Knowledge is power. We perish because of a lack of knowledge.
Repentance!
The Lord draws near when we repent and confess our sins. He loves it. We have to get rid of anything that is not like God.
Obedience!
Obedience is better than sacrifice. I would rather God tell me once to do something than Him punishing me for not listening in the first place. Conviction is real y’all!. Obey to the mighty hand of Christ. It’s not easy AT ALL, but it is necessary in the end.
Endurance!
This journey is a long and hard one, so Endurance & Spiritual Growth is your friend. Resting in God will allow you to have endurance. The Bible will encourage you to keep fighting the good fight because our end reward is great.
Establishing a Community!
Finding or creating a safe place where you can fellowship with friends and family is always a good thing. The Word of God is contagious and it's meant to be shared and learned from. Having a community to lift you up when times are tough, or you may need a bit of encouragement is always a great thing to have. That’s why I created A Golden Dream!!!!
My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming”
Psalm 27:8
**I hope everyone has a safe and blessed week and I will see you all on Saturday for our Weekly Topic Saturdays**
~Just Breathe...A Golden Dream~
Amen.