Brookfield Church of Christ
Dec 1, 2019 Sun am Psalm 118:6-7
Diligently Seeking God

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).


OUR SEEKING OF GOD MUST BE DILIGENT. What does this mean? It means that we must give ourselves to the quest for God with a priority and a passion that we don’t invest in any other pursuit. God must be first in our hearts. We must be ready to sacrifice anything else — indeed all else — in order to see His face. Our hearts must be purged of any conflicting interest or competing desire. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). In our longing for God we must be utterly sincere, and in our seeking of God we must be passionately committed. He deserves no less than our all.


God’s making of the world is such that we find it necessary to seek and search for Him, but in truth “He is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:27). His hiddenness in this present broken world is not meant to hinder us from finding Him, but to entice us to seek Him more fervently. As He whets our appetite for Himself, God is weaning us away from our sinful, self-sufficient rebellion. He is teaching us to love Him. With convicting evidences of His power and loving tokens of His goodness, He is drawing us toward His eternal presence. “I drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love” (Hosea 11:4). It is God’s good pleasure to be found by all who long for Him in honest, obedient love.


God is not neutral with regard to the inclination of our hearts. He desires that we find Him. He yearns for those who delight in Him. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8). Yet there is a danger: we must not deceive ourselves that we are seeking God if in fact it is only certain blessings from God that we seek. Resisting the tendency to focus on ourselves, we must learn to seek Him, simply and contentedly. When we diligently do so, our reward will be God Himself and He will fill our deepest longings according to the design of His own love. Having sought God earnestly, we will be enriched by the joy of a heart that overflows with His glory.


Gary Henry

A Christian Response to Evil
      • Bible Trivia
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      • Psalms 118.6-7NIV2011

  • Psalm 118:6–7 ESV
    The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The Lord is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.
    78x’s: evil62x; wicked 6x; bad 5x; begrudge 1x; envy 1x; vicious 1x; harmful 1x

    Evil is to be avoided

    Ps 1:1; Pr 4:14; 1 Th 5:22
    1 Thessalonians 5:22 ESV
    Abstain from every form of evil.
    See also Job 28:28; Ps 119:115; Pr 4:27; Pr 14:16; Is 52:11; Ac 2:40 Peter’s appeal to the crowd; Ro 12:9; Ro 13:14

    Evil likened to yeast:

    1 Co 5:6–7; Ga 5:9
    Galatians 5:9 ESV
    A little leaven leavens the whole lump.
    2 Co 6:14–18; Eph 4:27; Eph 5:3; Eph 5:6–7; 2 Th 3:6; 1 Pe 3:11; Ps 34:14

    Evil is to be hated

    Proverbs 8:13 ESV
    The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.
    See also Ps 97:10; Am 5:15; Jn 3:20; Ro 12:9

    Evil is to be rebuked

    Mt 16:23; 2 Ti 4:2
    Matthew 16:23 ESV
    But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
    See also 1 Sa 2:29; 1 Sa 13:13; 1 Sa 15:22; 2 Sa 12:9
    Nathan rebukes David; 1 Ki 18:18
    Elijah rebukes Ahab; 2 Ch 16:9; 2 Ch 24:20; 2 Ch 26:18; Ezr 10:10; Ps 141:5; Da 4:27; Da 5:22; Mt 14:4
    John the Baptist rebukes Herod; Lk 23:40; Ac 5:3–4
    Peter rebukes Ananias; Ac 5:9
    Peter rebukes Sapphira; 1 Ti 1:3; 1 Ti 5:20; Tt 1:13; Tt 2:15

    Evil is to be resisted

    Pr 1:10; Ga 2:11; Eph 6:11; Jas 4:7
    Ephesians 6:11 ESV
    Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
    See also 1 Co 5:13; Eph 5:11; Heb 12:1; 1 Pe 2:1; 1 Pe 5:9

    Evil is to be repaid with good

    Lk 6:35; Ro 12:20–21
    Luke 6:35 ESV
    But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
    Romans 12:20–21 ESV
    To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
    See also Pr 25:21–22; Ex 23:5; Le 19:18; Mt 5:44; 1 Th 5:15; 1 Pe 3:9

    Believers should pray in response to evil

    Mt 6:13; Ac 4:29; Heb 4:16
    Acts 4:29 ESV
    And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,
    See also Ex 17:4; 1 Ki 18:36; 2 Ki 19:19; 2 Ch 20:12; Ezr 8:23; Ne 1:4; Mt 26:41; Ac 12:5; Jas 5:13

    Believers should trust God in the face of evil

    Ps 23:4; Mt 26:39
    Psalm 23:4 ESV
    Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
    Matthew 26:39 ESV
    And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”
    See also Ps 4:8; Ps 20:7; Ps 27:1; Is 12:2; Da 3:17–18; Hab 3:17–18; 2 Ti 1:12; Heb 13:6; Ps 118:6–7
    Daniel 3:17–18 ESV
    If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
    ​

    God’s Plan For Saving Man

    ​Romans 1:16 ESVFor I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
    ​Acts 16:31 ESVAnd they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
    ​Romans 10:10 ESVFor with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
    ​Luke 13:3 ESVNo, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
    ​Acts 22:16 ESVAnd now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’
    ​Revelation 2:10 ESVDo not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
    ​

      • Psalm 118:6–7NIV2011

      • 1 Thessalonians 5:22NIV2011

      • Galatians 5:9NIV2011

      • Proverbs 8:13NIV2011

      • Matthew 16:23NIV2011

      • Ephesians 6:11NIV2011

      • Luke 6:35NIV2011

      • Romans 12:20–21NIV2011

      • Acts 4:29NIV2011

      • Psalm 23:4NIV2011

      • Matthew 26:39NIV2011

      • Daniel 3:17–18NIV2011

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