FBC Marshallville
May 31, 2026 Clay Burdette
  • Greater Is He That Is In Me
  • We Have Come Into His House
  • When We Walk With The Lord (Trust And Obey)

  • Seeking God Wholeheartedly

    Bible Passage: 2 Chronicles 15:1–4, Luke 9:23

    2 Chronicles 15:1-4
    Today is a glorious day
    At the end of the worship service we are honored to Baptize Mrs. Pat Woodruff.
    We are so thankful the Lord is working in and through this body of believers. David and Pat Woodruff
    Continue praying and following our Lord.
    Today we turn our attention to King Asa.
    I read this scripture a couple weeks ago and the Lord has not left me alone about it.
    This scripture is both comforting and terrifying.
    This passage conveys the urgency of seeking God in the midst of a chaotic world.
    It highlights how obedience and sacrifice are essential components of true devotion and faith.
    In an age of distractions and competing priorities, we Christians can find clarity and strength by intentionally seeking God.
    Let me put these verses in context.
    In Ch 14, Asa becomes King of Judah and is recognized as doing good and right in the sight of the Lord 14:2
    Then Zerah the Ethiopian, came out against them with a million man army and 300 chariots. 14:9
    As Asa and the Jews arrayed against them Asa cried to the Lord for help.
    The Lord routed the Ethiopians and Judah carried away much plunder from them.
    These verses then become a warning and an encouragement for Asa and Judah.
    2 Chronicles 15:1–4 NASB 95
    1 Now the Spirit of God came on Azariah the son of Oded, 2 and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: the Lord is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. 3 For many days Israel was without the true God and without a teaching priest and without law. 4 But in their distress they turned to the Lord God of Israel, and they sought Him, and He let them find Him.
    After great success it is easy to think that it was our greatness that brought about that success.
    Pray

    1. Prompting for God's Presence

    2 Chronicles 15:1–2 NASB 95
    1 Now the Spirit of God came on Azariah the son of Oded, 2 and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: the Lord is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.
    Notice, God chose to come on Azariah the son of Obed.
    God was not commanded
    Nor was He forced.
    Azariah’s action did not compel God to come on Azariah.
    God chose
    When God came, He had a message
    2 Chronicles 15:2 NASB 95
    2 and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: the Lord is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.
    God gave this message to an ordinary man.
    The Lord is with you when you are with Him.
    Asa had just come from a glorious victory.
    Asa had pled for God’s help and God gave them victory.
    But it is real easy to forget God’s part in this victory and begin trusting in what happened because of me.
    I believe that is exactly what has happened to this nation.
    When WWII began the US was woefully unprepared for war.
    But God led us to victory and propelled us into an economic powerhouse.

    But over time we forgot God’s part

    We simply remembered the economic power developed in this land.
    Even now we want to return to that economic power.
    We want to trust in what we can do as nation and as individuals.
    God gave us a message on how to overcome our natural tendency to trust something other than God.

    If you seek Him, He will let you find Him.

    Seeking something is not a passive thing.
    You cannot seek God without actively choosing to seek Him.
    You cannot passively attend church and seek a living while seeking God.
    Here is what I mean.
    If I am seeking fish to eat can I just go and set by the lake and seek fish?
    No I have to actively participate in seeking fish for a meal.
    Get a pole, bait, knowledge
    Trust God to provide a hungry fish.
    You and I have to actively choose to Seek God
    In this verse we are reminded to seek Him because He will let us find Him
    2 Chronicles 15:2 NASB 95
    2 and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: the Lord is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.
    If we go about our merry lives and forsake seeking God He will forsake us
    So we must actively seek the Lord.
    How do you actively seek the Lord?

    2. Pivotal Return to God

    2 Chronicles 15:3–4 NASB 95
    3 For many days Israel was without the true God and without a teaching priest and without law. 4 But in their distress they turned to the Lord God of Israel, and they sought Him, and He let them find Him.
    Azariah was describing a period in Israel like the time of the Judges.
    They would seek God and He would let them find Him.
    They would forsake God and He would forsake them.
    But when they sought Him, He let them find Him.
    God is no different today.
    We cannot passively seek God.
    It takes a motive, a hunger, a desire, a conscious decision to seek God.
    Jesus made that clear in the book of Luke.

    3. Pursuing with Purpose Daily

    Luke 9:23 NASB 95
    23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
    Understanding this verse transformed my life and is the NT version of Azariah’s word to King Asa, Judah and Benjamin.
    If anyone wishes to come after me, [Jesus].
    That means you and I have a choice.
    We are not forced to seek Jesus.
    But if you do choose to seek Jesus, you must...
    Deny yourself
    Take up your cross daily
    Follow Jesus.
    Just like the OT says, we have to actively seek him.
    You will not deny yourself passively.
    You will not take up your cross passively.
    You will not follow Jesus passively.
    In each of these cases you and I must make a conscious decision
    When a choice is made we choose self or we deny self.
    How much of what we do is about God?
    When we flip on the TV?
    When we look out at the property?
    When we work to make something better?
    When we pick up that book?
    Are we choosing self? or Denying self?
    When we decide, which are we doing? taking up the cross? or passively remaining comfortable?
    The cross was amazingly uncomfortable for Jesus.
    He begged the Father to take this cup from Him.
    But Jesus picked up that cross because the Father did not see fit to provide another cup for Jesus.
    What God asks us to do will always be uncomfortable.
    When we choose to pick up our cross we will be uncomfortable.
    We will be depending on a Holy God we cannot see to bring us through this discomfort for we cannot do it without Him.
    I do not even now, 37 years into my call as a pastor, enjoy standing before crowds to preach or speak.
    But I do consciously choose to do it in obedience to God’s call on my life.
    Finally we must consciously choose to follow Jesus.
    Following Jesus is no easy task.
    Luke 9:58 NASB 95
    58 And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
    Not so comforting
    We often get caught up in making a living
    That never bothered Jesus, He simply trusted God to provide His every need
    John 15:18–19 NASB 95
    18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.
    The world hates Jesus and if we choose to follow Jesus, it will hate us too.
    If you and I seek to choose God wholeheartedly life will be challenging.
    But it will be the most extraordinary life you could ever imagine.

    Conclusion

    Seeking God opens doors never imagined.
    Forsaking God leads to unimaginable horrors.
    Denying self, though difficult and continually needed is possible when we consciously seek God.
    Taking up our cross is uncomfortable but when we trust the Lord to show us how, it is possible, when we consciously seek our Lord.
    Following Jesus leads to the world hating us but we can follow Jesus if we consciously seek God, He will let us find Him.
    Seeking God is integral to our relationship with Him.
    Seeking God equips us to face life's adversities.
    Seeking God involves actively participating in our faith through disciplined practices
    We choose to pray,
    To worship, and
    To fellowship, which require ongoing sacrifice and dedication.
    Big Idea: Seeking God requires not only intentional action but also a willingness to lay down our comforts and desires, leading to authentic spiritual transformation and fulfillment.
    Are you willing to lay down your comforts and desires?
    Do you want spiritual transformation and fulfillment?

    606 I Gave My Life For Thee

    1.   I gave My life for thee, My precious blood I shed, That thou might'st ransomed be, And quickened from the dead; I gave, I gave My life for thee, What hast thou giv'n for Me? I gave, I gave My life for thee, What hast thou giv'n for Me?
    2.   My Father's house of light, My glory-circled throne, I left, for earthly night, For wand'rings sad and lone; I left, I left it all for thee, Hast thou left aught for Me? I left, I left it all for thee, Hast thou left aught for Me?
    3.   I suffered much for thee, More than thy tongue can tell, Of bitt'rest agony, To rescue thee from hell; I've borne, I've borne it all for thee, What hast thou borne for Me? I've borne, I've borne it all for thee, What hast thou borne for Me?
    4.   And I have brought to thee, Down from My home above, Salvation full and free, My pardon and My love; I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee, What hast thou brought to Me? I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee, What hast thou brought to Me?

      • 2 Chronicles 15:1–4NASB95PARA

      • 2 Chronicles 15:1–2NASB95PARA

      • 2 Chronicles 15:2NASB95PARA

      • 2 Chronicles 15:2NASB95PARA

      • 2 Chronicles 15:3–4NASB95PARA

      • Luke 9:23NASB95PARA

      • Luke 9:58NASB95PARA

      • John 15:18–19NASB95PARA

  • I Gave My Life For Thee (Kenosis)
  • Praise God From Whom All Blessing Flow
FBC Marshallville
claytburd@gmail.com
4789556152
http://www.fbcmarshallvillega.org
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