Seek Ye the Lord While He May be Found
By: Brian A. Yeager

    (Isaiah 55:6-11) “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.  For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

     A great passage spurs the topic of this article.  To think about seeking something while it may be found suggests that there will be a time in which the searching days are over.  How much more reality do we need than those sentiments?  The statement before it is too late surely applies.  Some may think; well I do not have to seek the Lord, for I have always known him.  Well, the Bible teaches us that many believe that way.  (Matthew 7:21-23) “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”  Why is it that many people think that way?  Well, sometimes we think we have found the perfect house until the foundation leaks.  Sometimes we think we bought the perfect car until the $900.00 repair bill.  Sometimes we think we have found God, when we really found what we wanted instead of what we needed.

     In our opening text there was a mention of the word going forth and not returning void.  Heaven is obviously something that is obtainable.  For if it were not, there wouldn’t be those few that will find.  Yet, obtainable and easily obtained are two different tasks.  We are told to search the scriptures.  Why?  (John 5:39) “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”  If you want eternal life, you must look for it.  Those in Thessalonica were called noble in that they searched the scriptures daily whether those things were so (Acts 17:10-11).  It is imperative that we take the searching seriously.  With so many false religions and false faiths in the world a person needs to be careful.  Eternity is in the balance.

     The Bible teaches that there is one church (Ephesians 4:4; 1:22-23).  I cannot give a numerically accurate count of how many are out there to choose from, but I can tell you that you would have an easier time counting marbles in a bucket.  There are many out there.  Yet, only one that is God authorized.  Are you sure that you are in it?  Does it follow the plan of redemption that God has lawfully laid out?  (Romans 10:14-17, Mark 16:15-16, Acts 26:20, Romans 10:10, and Acts 2:38).  Does “your church” bear a name other than that given in the Bible (Romans 16:16 and Acts 20:28)?  Does “your church” believe that ALL scriptures are inspired of God (II Timothy 3:16-17)?  Does “your church” believe that the Bible is all-sufficient (II Peter 1:3), and the final word (Deuteronomy 4:2, Revelation 22:18-19, and Galatians 1:8-9)? Does “your church” practice non-instrumental song worship (Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16)? Does “your church” meet upon every first day of the week to partake of the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7).  Does “your church” worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24), or does it seek to please those in attendance?  The questions can go on and on, the fact is, you must ask them.  Search whether those things are so!  Find the truth, while there is time.