Seek The Lord In Righteousness

TOPIC: SEEK THE LORD IN RIGHTEOUSNESS.

TEXT: HOSEA 10:12

" Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he comes and rains righteousness upon you."

We rejoice with you all for making it to the New Year, 2021. We give God all the glory for great things He has done. As we commence the journey into the New Year, we need to make sufficient preparation for a smooth passage through the year. We cannot embark on a successful journey without the involvement of God. He alone knows the way in the wilderness and we can land safely in our expected destinations if we have His backing. Therefore we need to prioritise the seeking of the Lord in this journey into the unknown. The Bible says:

" Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually"(1Chronicles16:11)

Seeking the Lord simply means to set our mind and heart on God; to draw closer to Him thereby attracting His presence. The Bible admonishes us to deliberately seek the abiding presence of the Lord:

"The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you." (2Chronicles 15:2 B)

We can never get too close to God. We are called to be continually transformed into the image of Christ and the more we invest in our relationship with God, the more we benefit from it. Therefore, let's take time out to seek God's strength in the new year. We need to be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. We need the strength of the Lord to confront any situation that may come across our way. Then we can say like Apostle Paul :

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13)

To seek the face of the LORD is to know His way, His thought and plan towards us. So we need to diligently seek God's face as we commence a new year. We need His guidance and direction for our lives. Our God knows every detail of the year 2021. We need to approach Him in prayers to lead us in every step of the journey. We have the promise of the LORD that cannot fail:

"I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye." (Psalms 32:8)

Another area of utmost concern as we set to commence the new year is to purge out the old habits and character that impeded our growth.

" Purge out, therefore, the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. "(1Corinthians 5:7)

This was the practice of the Jews when preparing for the Passover feast. Before every Passover feast, they thoroughly search their houses to ensure that their houses were purged of leaven bread; no trace of leaven bread was found in their houses. In the ver Apostle, Paul made allusions to this act of cleansing and commands the church to purge out sins from amongst them, to be able to attain spiritual maturity.

In the same way, if we are to experience a better year in 2021, there are certain things we need to purge out from our lives and make the necessary attitudinal changes.

Purge Out Sin:

Hebrews 12:1 let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Sin separates us from God and there is no way we can succeed without God. Ask for the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to deal with the problem of sin. The weight of sin will drag you down from making progress.

Purge Out Idleness and laziness

Proverbs 19:15 Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.

Find legitimate work or business to do no matter how small you may begin.

Romans 12:11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

Be determined to serve the Lord more than ever before. Work for the advancement of God's Kingdom. Don't forsake the fellowship of your local church.

Purge Out Prayerlessness

Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Make 2021 a year of prayers. Pray your way to victory and breakthrough. Continuing instant in prayer throughout the year.

Purge Out Living By Bread Alone

Luke 4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. Read, Study and meditate on the word of God. The word of God is the manual for success and prosperity.