How does one seek the Lord?

[Rich]

Maybe someone can lay some truck on me. I certainly want to be in good health and prosper as my soul prospers. I am told that I need to seek the Lord in order for the Lord to porsper my soul. Would someone tell me how to seek the Lord?

[LampLighter]

Matthew 7:7 Seek and you shall find.

[Rich]

LampLighter,

Thank you for the Scripture. I need to know how to seek. I need to know how to knock. I need to know how to ask.

[TinStar]

Studying His Word. Praise. Thanksgiving. Worship. Prayer, prayer, and then more prayer.
Nice thing about prayer is that it can be done anywhere, at anytime. In any position, audibly or silent. Eyes open or eyes shut.

TinStar
Soli Deo Gloria!

[Rich]

TinStar,

I think you hit the nail on the head. I have studied and still study God's Word more than anyone I know. before my memory started failing the last few years, if someone read a Verse or Two from teh New Testament, I could usually give them the chapter and verse they read. Stuff from the Old Testament I could often get the book and sometimes the chapter.

But, and that is a very big but, I have been neglegent in "Paise. Thanksgiving. Worship. Prayer, prayer and then more prayer."

Thanks. I owe you!

[Waidmann]

Rich,

At the risk of getting hammered here, let me say this.

You are still reading the Scriptures as if they were a recipe book of some sort. Add one cup flour, two tablespoons of this, a pinch of that, bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees and presto: uniform, consistent results.

That isn't how the Scriptures are supposed to be read. It's not full of formulas. It's a word picture.

I'm afraid that as long as you are trying to find step by step instructions in there, you are going to remain confused and disappointed. You're opening line in this thread says it all. "...I certainly want to be in good health and prosper as my soul prospers. I am told that I need to seek the Lord in order for the Lord to porsper my soul. Would someone tell me how to seek the Lord?"

Would you be devastated is you sought the Lord with all your strength, and still contracted cancer? Millions of Christians do, you know. Would you think there was something wrong with your faith? Or perhaps that if only you had sung one more hymn, or gone to one more Worship service, or droopped one more dollar into the offering, then this wouldn't have happened?

The Lord doesn't promise anyone good health. Or a long life. He promises to be with us, and redeem us, and grant us to be with Him for all eternity at the end of our lives.

Waidmann

[Rock Chuck]

The Lord doesn't promise anyone good health. Or a long life. He promises to be with us, and redeem us, and grant us to be with Him for all eternity at the end of our lives.

Waidmann
Very true. What He promises is to be with us to help us get through our problems. The same thing goes for a repentant criminal. He doesn't take away the crime or the debt to society, but he will help the criminal face the consequences of his sin.

[Rich]

Waidmann,

I am fasinated that you tell us how the Scriptures are not supose to be read. I am convinced They should be read in any manner that will get the reader to read them. I want the peace I had when I became a beleiver. It seems now that I know more about the Lord most of my peace is gone. When a new worker came to the job he asked me,
"Do you know the Lord?"
"If you had asked me that a few years ago I would have said, "Yes." But now I ask, how can we know a Being, Who simply by the Power of His Word calls this universe into being?" I resonded.
He began to tell me about the love of God and how He sent Jesus to die for our sins. I was delighted that he cared enough to share Jesus' love with me.

Would you suggest the prayor of the following prayer didn't get a "yes" answer to his prayer?

"Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers." 3 John 2

Don't tell me about context. I just re-read it and his prayer could stand alone. I am not after good health or financial advancement. I want my soul to prosper. As LampLighter directed me to Matthew 7: "Seek first the Kingdom of God...." That, my .com friend, is what I am after.

Just in case you missed it, there is at least one recipe in Scripture: "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved." That is easier than baking a cake.:)

[TinStar]

Waidman,

I may sound like I'm getting picky here; but we are promised long life and very good health. When you get to the nitty-gritty; the Word says we shall be like Him. That is a glorified body; free of all disease. And life will be eternal; and it doesn't get any longer than that. Knowing that; having faith in what He says is what truly prospers one's soul.When he says we shall have life and have it more abundantly; He is not speaking materially. He is speaking of eternal life with Him. Those preaching the "properity Gospel" have twisted that. So yes He is with us here and helps us; but in the very near future we shall be free of the things in this life that afflict us and bring us down. Hope I don't sound confusing.

TinStar
Soli Deo Gloria!

[Waidmann]

TinStar - I think I understand exactly what you’re talking about. And I agree. The problem always comes when the Scriptures are speaking either metaphorically, Spiritually or in some other non-material manner, and people interpret it in a literal sense. They cannot help but draw incorrect conclusions.

On the other hand, we do need to be careful less we find ourselves “spinning” things God says in His word. We hear that all the time in the political arena: Someone says something stupid, and his handlers come out the next day and essentially say “SEN So-and-so meant to say”…then come out with something completely different.

This verse that we’re discussing doesn’t sound to me like it is talking about eternity. It sounds like it’s talking about our physical existence. However, it’s not to be taken literally.

Rich – I don’t know what to say to you. I guess I’ll stand by my earlier post. If you’re not interpreting the Scriptures correctly, you’re going to draw an incorrect conclusion.

Waidmann

[Rich]

Gentlemen,

Thanks for your input. Plenty to think about. I am feeling a small amout of peace already. Thanks for bearing my burden with me.

Bythe way, Waidmann, I was a little misrepresenting when I said, "I found it." or something like that. Sorry about that. As soon as I heard It, I knew it was from 3 John. All I had to do was read 3 John and discover which verse it was.