It is time to seek the Lord

Sermon notes from Sunday 6 January 2019 pm

Hosea 10 verse 12

Here in verse 12 we find the motto verse for the year.  I want to point out one phrase in it – “it is time to seek the Lord.”  The Lord is not just talking about some happy prayer.  The Lord is pointing us to something that is very definite, of great priority.  “Strive to enter in at the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there are which go in thereat.”  There is a way that is broad which leads to damnation, destruction and death.  Many are on that way but there is another way, narrow is the gate and you have to strive to enter in.  Sometimes we make salvation so easy.  There is however a great enemy, the devil who wants to damn that soul of yours.  He waits until the word of God is proclaimed and then he comes and snatches it away lest you believe.  God speaking through Jeremiah the prophet said “you shall seek for me and find me when you seek for me with all your heart.”  Salvation is not just a matter of going through a few verses and asking the Lord to be saved.  Unless you are prepared to turn from all your sin, repent from it, come to the foot of the cross you will never be saved.   God is speaking directly to the people in this verse.  Maybe you have been used to gospel meetings and God is speaking to your heart tonight again, showing you your need of salvation.  He is opening the door of opportunity.  It is time tonight to seek the Lord.

He was speaking to them in their indifference.  He was stopping them in their tracks.  They were indifferent to the things of God.  They were following after the gods of the land in which they came to live in.  Here was the hand of God leading them.  He had led them out of Egypt into the Promised Land Canaan but somehow they forgot about God.  Maybe God is speaking to you.  There is time now to seek the Lord.  You have had opportunities in the past but have neglected them.  The Lord comes again.  Remember when Elijah climbed Mount Carmel and looked on the faces of the prophets of Baal and sees the people of Israel.  God challenges those people through him and his word.  “Why halt ye between 2 opinions, if God be for God serve him then if Baal be Baal serve him.”  How do you stand before God?

He was speaking to them because of the invitation he was giving them.  “Ye shall seek me and ye shall find me.”  Remember in Acts 16 the old jailer in Philippi.  Paul and Silas were in prison, every prison door was flung open with an earthquake.  The jailer thought every prisoner had escaped and he was about to fall on his sword.  Paul called to him and said “do thyself no harm, for we are all here.”  He looked into the eyes of these 2 men, he realised they had something he didn`t have and asked “what must I do to be saved?”  He was praying from the depths of his heart and God heard his prayer.  You can come to Christ right where you are.  The Lord is giving you an invitation.  What a privilege, to get an invitation to get saved.  Here are a people and they are recognised as being indifferent and unsaved.  They needed to come to Christ himself, trust him as their own personal Saviour.  Adam in the Garden of Eden put forth his hand and took that fruit.  It was on his mind to do it.  He ran away to hide when God came down because he was afraid.  God asked him “who told you you were naked?”  It was Adam`s own conscience working.  The Holy Spirit is the only one that can tell us if we are saved or not.  It is possible that you have a mere profession, that you have never taken the Lord as your own Saviour.  Is your heart troubled and disturbed right now?

God was telling the people to seek the Lord because of the incentive.  To get saved will result in a change in your life.  The Lord reigns righteousness upon me.  He saved that soul of yours.  “This is a worthy saying The Lord came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the chief.”  Paul said.  The Lord makes a change.  What a change it made for Paul.  He was saved on the Damascus road and led to Ananias’ house because of his blindness.  When the Lord saves he changes, he makes you a new creature in Christ Jesus.  The religious leaders in Peter`s day had to acknowledge that he was an unlearned and ignorant man but they could not ignore the fact that he had been with Jesus.  That is what makes the difference in our lives.  If there is no change there is something wrong.

The Lord says “is time to seek the Lord”.  This has to be with immediate effect.  He is warning that it is time to seek the Lord. Do you know what day it is?  Do you know what a day may bring forth?