Appropriate Smallness

B. BEING FOUND IS HIS RESPONSE

1. When we seek God, He will be found.

2. Lent comes with a great promise. As we focus our attention on the Lord. As we prepare again to go with HIM through His journey to the cross. As we set Jesus as our focal point once more, He will not hide His presence from us.

3. Hear this call from Isaiah 55, “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost… Give ear and come to me; hear me that your soul may live… Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near… (1, 3, & 6).”

4. Our God wants to be in a relationship with us. It is so much more than just our talking to Him in prayer. To our Prayers must be added, truly seeking HIS FACE!

TRUTH: HUMILITY MOVES US FROM PRAYER TO SEEKING THE FACE OF GOD!

III. HUMILITY IS ULTIMITLY TURNING FROM WICKEDNESS

A. REPENTANCE IS A PROCESS

1. My thinking within the text, hopefully exegesis and not eisegesis, is that God was directing His people to true humility before Him.

2. Often we want a quick fix single answer solution to all our problems. 3. Becoming spiritually fit or flabby does not happen over night. Often all the struggles we have in life are caused by not one single act, but by many acts done over a period of time.

4. Why would God shut up the heaves so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among his people? Would it be for one sin? Would it come about because of just one indiscression?

5. Remember that God is long suffering, plenteous in mercy.

6. Within the midst of this all He commands “HIS PEOPLE” to turn from their wicked ways!

7. Did it ever sink in to you that God is speaking to those He calls His own??

B. REPENTANCE BRINGS THE BLESSING

1. What is the LORD’s response to the praying, seeking, turning of His people? 2. THEN, AND ONLY THEN, WILL I RESPOND!

3. “Then, will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

4. Did you catch that? In the midst of Lent, in the midst of humbling our selves before God, HE responds with more than we could ask or imagine according to His Power that is at work within us!!

ILLUSTRATION: Listen to the way the Apostle James puts it, “But HE gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Chang your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord and HE will lift you up (4: 6-11).”

TRUTH: HUMILITY LEADS US FROM PRAYER TO SEEKING THE FACE OF GOD WHICH ENDS WITH TRUE REPENTENCE!

CONCLUSION: LET US HUMBLE OURSELVES BEFOR THE LORD. IN SO DOING WE EXPERIENCE NOT ONLY THE SEASON OF LENT, BUT ALSO THE POWER THERE OF. LET US KNOW TOGETHER THE JOY OF BOWING BEFORE THE ONE WORTHY OF OUR SUBMISSION. LET US KNOW TOGETHER FORGIVENESS AND HEALING! AMEN!