Mathew Seven-Seven People Part 4
And He That Seeketh Findeth Pastor Ken Crow
Matthew 7:7-8 (King James Version)
7Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened
Hebrews 11:6 (King James Version)
6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Again this morning we look into the make up of the Mathew Seven-Seven person.
In Hebrews 11:6 we find this statement “and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him”.
Here in Hebrews 11 immediately before and after verse six we see a list of those who in different times and different circumstance were diligent in seeking after God.
We could talk about each one of these people’s faith. We could talk about each one of these people’s resolve and ability to overcome through that same faith. But the thing we are going to focus on this morning is diligently seeking God.
Our diligence in what ever we do will determine our outcome.
On our jobs, in school , in ministry and in life our outcome will be determined by our commitment to what ever we are doing. The level of our commitment will measure the level of our success.
And we come to Hebrews eleven in the Word of God to find that same principle when it comes to God.
The first ones mentioned here in Hebrews 11 are Cain and Able. We are going to look into their lives and their choices for a few minutes this morning.
Hebrews 11:4 (King James Version)
4By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
On the surface in this one verse one might surmise that there is just not a whole lot there but as we look into this statement it is a summary of the whole lives of Cain and Able.
This one verse tells us that Abel was a seeker of God.
A seeker of God always chooses Jesus first.
Abel chose God over everything else.
All those mentioned in Hebrews 11 were people who chose God over all else.
A Mathew seven-seven person is someone that always chooses Jesus Christ as his way, as his truth and his life.
We may be saved but just because we are saved does not mean we are going to live in victory but when we become one of those who diligently seek God the Word of God tells us we are going to be rewarded.
They sang the song The More I find Him the More I seek Him !
In other words the more I know Jesus the more of him I want in my life.
John the Baptist said in John 3:30 :
John 3:30 (New King James Version)
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
When we seek Jesus Christ in our life and he increases and this old flesh decreases we have the one who healed the leper increasing! We have the one who opened the eyes of the blind increasing! We have the one who cast out demons increasing.
If I increase there is not much going to happen but if he increases oh look out !
Jesus said all power on heaven and on earth was given to him ! Oh if if he increases!
And I will just decrease!
That’s what Abel was up to ! He wanted God to increase in his life.
Every time we sit down in the quietness of our abode and read the Bible we are seeking him to increase!
Every time we kneel to pray in the silence of our prayer closet we are seeking him to increase!
Someone ask me the other day why I spend so much time on the Gospel ? They said they did not think all this going to church and stuff was needed .
Well maybe not for you but for me it is because I need to decrease and I need in my life for Jesus Christ to increase.
I need him to increase because I have lost family members!
I need him to increase because I have sick family members!
I need him to increase because I have situation that I can not fix but he can!
We need like to realize our level of seeking may not only determine our future but also the future of those we love.
God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him!
Well preacher you have not said a lot about Cain.
Not a whole lot is said about someone who’s whole life was just about them!
Not a whole lot can be said about him except that he gave God second best.
We could talk about how that led to jealousy. We could mention how it led to murder. How it led to his banishment.
How he failed to seek God in the sacrifice. Cain lived a much longer life than Abel but oh the misery !
If Cain had just sought God!
I want to close this morning with this. Will you give me just a minute to read what Jesus Christ can do for you in life this morning?
4By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
5By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
7By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
8By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
9By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
10For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
11Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
12Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
13These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
14For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
15And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
16But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
17By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
18Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
19Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
21By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.
22By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
23By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.
24By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
25Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
26Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
27By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
28Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
29By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
30By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
31By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
32And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
33Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.
34Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
35Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
36And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
37They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
38(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
40God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
He that seeketh findeth! Amen
