Let's take our Bibles and turn to Romans 12 to begin with. I'll get there in a few minutes. We have been preaching on growing closer to the Lord. Someone said, Preacher, I can't see myself growing any closer to the Lord. I thought about that statement this week. Thought about the passage of scripture in Ecclesiastes that tells us, for everything there's a season. Thought about Psalm 1, brings forth the tree that's planted, brings forth its fruit in its season. And in every life, we go through seasons. We are in the summer season now, and most of us are longing to get past the summer season and into the fall, get rid of this hot weather. In the fall, things take place. The temperature goes down a little bit. The leaves change. Then they fall off the tree. And the tree stands there for months and looks dead. Unless it's one I planted, then it is dead. And for a number of months, it doesn't look like it's growing. But it's in the winter months that the roots are growing. And they're going deeper, holding tighter, so that when the spring comes, the tree is more beautiful, produces more fruit. And in every life, we'll go through those. Every church goes through those. And when we do, it's time to get close to the Lord and allow our spiritual roots to dig deep. because spring is coming. And we will see a host of fruit, new leaves, a more plush picture. And we've been talking about spiritual intimacy with God. We started by saying we need to know God. Not knowing about him, but knowing him. The place we begin to know him is in his word. Then we went on to stating that we need to listen to God. Listening with the purpose of obeying him. And we hear God in his word. And then we talked about thinking like God. And we dealt with four thoughts. If we're going to think like the Lord, we be able to have his viewpoint in any circumstance. We have to renew our minds. That's Romans 12. Takes place by meditating on God's word and allowing the Holy Spirit of God to illuminate our minds, to turn our minds on to what he's saying. and develop that Christ-mindedness. Once we have Christ-mindedness, now we can talk to God with the assurance that He hears us and He will answer our prayers And as he answers our prayers, we think of the greatness of God and we see all he is and we see all he's done and so we worship him. And we said there's two types of worship. There's false worship and there's genuine worship. False worship falls into three categories. Idolatry, which involves wrong gods with a wrong heart. Ignorant worship involving wrong gods with a sincere heart, like Paul saw in Mars Hill. And vain worship involving the true God, but with a wrong heart attitude. It's what Jesus mentioned in Matthew 15. People draw nigh unto me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me. That kind of worship is empty. It's a false worship. So there's false worship. And then there's genuine worship. And we looked at Isaiah 6 when Isaiah saw the Lord. There he was, all alone with the Lord. and he sees God how he really is. He's not looking at others. He's not looking around to see who else is looking at others. He's only focusing on the Lord, that's what we just sang about, a passion for him. So here we find Isaiah in the midst of God's perfect presence, and all of a sudden Isaiah And the first five chapters of that book sees everybody else and all their sin and he says, woe, woe, woe, woe, and all of a sudden he sees God and he says, woe is me. And he sees himself as he really is. Undone. And so he confesses his own sinfulness and he confesses his country's sinfulness and because of the fact that he took time to be still and get with God. So here we find Isaiah in the worship experience, standing in the presence of God, clean, forgiven, waiting for instructions. And that's when he hears a conversation between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. When God the Spirit says, whom shall I send? And Isaiah says, here am I, you send me. I'll serve you. And as we serve God, we see what God can do, and so we start praising God, and that was our sixth lesson. It's personal praise. It's a passionate praise. The psalmist said in Psalm 9, I will praise Thee, O Lord, with my whole heart. I will show forth Thy marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in Thee. I will sing praise unto Thy name, O Thou Most High. It's personal and passionate. It's public because he shows forth his marvelous works. It's positional. I'll be glad and rejoice in thee. It's not in others. It's not in a church. It's in thee. And he says, I will sing praises unto thy name. David understood, as we must, that God reveals himself to man through his names. God's character is revealed through his names. It's amazing to me as we pursue God and where it talks about seeking God, it also mentions God's name. Genesis chapter 22, God says to Abraham, I want you to take Isaac, your son, your beloved son, I want you to go to Mount Moriah and I want you to sacrifice him. They head off. Now, Isaac wasn't a foolish son. He said, Father, here's the fire, here's the wood, but where's the sacrifice? And Abraham says, God will provide a sacrifice. And sure enough, there was a ram caught in the thicket. What a beautiful picture of the substitution of Jesus Christ. as the sacrifice, and so they sacrificed the ram instead of Isaac. And they named the place Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord provides. So lesson seven today, we want to talk about a heartfelt pursuit of God and the will of God. Romans chapter 12 verse 1 and 2, we read this three or four weeks ago, I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service. Be not conformed to this world Literally, stop allowing the world to conform you, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. And this verse gives us three important steps in knowing the will of God. We shared those a few weeks ago. Submission, presenting your body as a living sacrifice. Separation, stop allowing the world to conform you. And spiritual mindedness, having be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Now look at verse number three. For I say, through the grace given to me, Paul says, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly. Paul's saying, don't fool yourself. According as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith. You know, one of the greatest problems every believer has to deal with is spiritual pride. I remember when we were over at the Sparkman Complex, we had a special speaker. If I named the man, you'd know him. I thought it was a pretty simple introduction. And afterwards, he says, preacher, I appreciate the glowing introduction. That's what he called it. But he says, preacher, you don't know me. I thought I knew him pretty well. He said, I am filled with spiritual pride. Have you ever read David Brainerd's diary? We've got that in the library, don't we? It's in there. If you don't have your own copy, I suggest you buy your own copy. David Brainerd was a missionary to the Indians. There's the avenue up in Chattanooga called Brainerd Avenue, named after him. Often in his diary, he mentions how he fought spiritual pride. He calls it his besetting sin. And every day in his devotions, he had to pray and confess the spiritual pride that he had. And we all have it, folks, and when you think you don't have it, you got it bad. What is spiritual pride? It's thinking we're okay. It's like Isaiah, looking around at everyone, woe unto you, woe unto you, woe unto you. Thinking he was okay, and all of a sudden he sees God. That's why we need to pursue God. The Bible says God resists the proud. Why? Because when we think we're okay, we don't pursue God. We don't need God. Proud believers don't please God because they're in sin. And God resists the proud. Micah, the Old Testament prophet, said this, He hath showed thee, O man, what is good. And what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly, love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Romans 12.2, what does the Lord require? that you may prove what is good and acceptable and a perfect will of God. Now with that in mind, turn back to Psalm 63. And I want you to see just a couple of verses. Psalm 63. David was in the wilderness of Judea. And he pens this. O God, Thou art my God, early will I seek Thee. My soul thirsteth for Thee and longeth, my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is, to see Thy power and glory, so as to, I have seen Thee in the sanctuary. Because of Thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise Thee. Thus will I bless Thee while I live. I will lift up my hands to Thy name. My soul shall be satisfied, as with morrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips, when I remember thee on my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches, because thou hast been my help. Therefore, in the shadows of thy wings I will rejoice. My soul followeth hard after thee, thy right hand upholdeth me. Let me stop there. The phrase followeth hard means to stay on the hunt, and every hunter knows what that means. You're trailing. I remember being in Canada and I was walking across a frozen lake. It was like 30 below zero. And wind was howling across that lake. And I got to the other side because we had seen the day before, we were flying a little plane and we flew over that lake and we saw a moose. And it's legal. You can't hunt a moose the same day you fly over it. But the next day, you can. So we marked the spot on the map and we took off over to the, walked across the lake and got in. Sure enough, there were the moose tracks. And we followed hard all day long, 30 below zero, wind blowing. You say, you're nuts. You're right. I was nuts. I would not do that today. David says, my soul stays on the hunt for God. I'm going to push myself. I'm going to endure until I get a hold of Him. You know, according to many Bible teachers and writers, this psalm was penned during the time of the revolt of David's son Absalom. David with his followers left Jerusalem on the Jericho Road and led through the northern part of the wilderness of Judah. David was deeply troubled. His heart was broken by the rebellion of his favorite son, the treachery of his trusted counselors that turned on him, the insurrection of his beloved people. And David is out in the wilderness and he pours his heart out to God. And God's grace somehow, someway enabled him to rise above the circumstance. David was somewhat like the Apostle Paul when the Apostle Paul faced the church at Corinth. And the people at Corinth were basically saying, why don't you mind your own business, Paul? You're not a member here. You started the church, yeah, but you're not a member here, so why don't you just go your way? Paul wanted to make sure the church was a holy place. These people wanted to party all the time. They had all kinds of sins within the church. And so Paul defends himself by saying in 2 Corinthians 4, 8, we're troubled on every side, yet not distressed. We're perplexed, but not in despair. We're persecuted, but we're not forsaken. We're cast down, but we're not destroyed. David was going through a very similar difficulty in the time of his life, where his own son, for whatever reason, determined to destroy his father and his kingdom. There was a relentless pursuit of David, and so David determined in his heart, I'm not going to retaliate, I'm going to pursue God. And he says, Lord, my heart is following hard after you. And this is what we need to do regardless of the circumstances if we want spiritual intimacy with God. We determine that no matter what happens, who hurts us, what they say about us, what tragedy or dilemma we face, or how many knives we have sticking out of our back, we pursue God. Now I want you to notice, in Psalm 63, look at verse 1. You talk about the names of God? There are two of them in that first phrase. Oh God, thou art my God. Sounds like one to me in English, but there's really two, because the first one's plural. O Elohim, thou art my El. O God, he's talking about the Godhead, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, thou art my mighty one. And he sees God as the one who can overcome every circumstance. He can overcome your circumstance. And it was only after realizing who God was, David was able by faith to muster some strength and make a decision. Well, what was his decision? Look at verse 1. He says, early will I seek thee. Intensified stem in the Hebrew, imperfect in its mode, which means it's a continual pursuit. He says, early will I seek thee. I will continually do this, and with all diligence I will pursue thee. Is that how we go after God? I was watching one of those Christian shows on TV. It was more of a Pentecostal thing. One guy stood up and he says, you know, you people really pursue God. He says, I don't do that. I get up and I'll read a little verse in my Bible and say a little ditty of a prayer and I'm off to work and I've got my list and I have to do this and this and this and this and this. And you know, that's about how 90% of Christians live. We have the God of the universe who spoke everything into existence, who wants to hear from us, who wants to help us, who wants to bless us. And we give him this part of a day. If that. David said, early will I seek thee. With diligence I will continue to pursue thee. You know Moses had something to say about seeking God, listen to Deuteronomy 12 verse 5, but under the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all of your tribes to put his name, there's the word name again there, even under his habitation shall ye seek and thither shall ye come." David said something concerning seeking the Lord in 1 Chronicles 16, 11. Seek the Lord in his strength. Seek his face continually. Again, and we read it in our introduction comments at the beginning of the service in 1 Chronicles 22 as he was an old man talking to Solomon. Now set your heart. Have a strategy. Resolve in your heart and in your soul to seek the Lord. Jesus had something to say about it. Seek first the kingdom of God. Think about your life this last week. Did you seek God the way the Bible tells us to seek God? Now the question is, why should we seek God? Well let me just give one answer. It's wise to seek God because of the promises God gives to those that will seek Him. Listen to Psalm 9 verse 10, here's the promise of divine protection. And they that know thy name, there's that name again, will put their trust in thee, for thou, Lord, hath not forsaken them that seek thee. Psalm 34 verse 10, the promise of divine provision. They that seek thee shall not lack any good thing. Psalm 119 verse 2, the promise of divine blessing. Blessed are they that keep thy testimonies, that seek Him with their whole heart. Lamentations 3 in verse 25, the promise of divine goodness. The Lord is good to the soul that waits for Him, to the soul that seeks Him. Hebrews 11 verse 6, you know that verse, but without faith it's impossible to please him for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and he's a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. David says his declaration to his God, he is my mighty one. He's the one that can take care of me. He's the one that can make a difference in my life. And on that basis, he makes a decision, I'm going to continually seek God. I'm going to follow hard after God. I'm going to stay at the hunt and go after the Lord diligently. And then notice the declaration. Verse 1. He emphasizes the pursuit. And he says, my soul thirsteth for thee. And the word means to crave. It's more than just a desire. And the word soul is the inner self. My flesh longeth for thee. It's only here in the Old Testament. The outer self is usually at war with God. The flesh is usually the enemy, and we have to continually knock it down. But when we're filled with the Spirit, Our flesh can do good. We're filled with the Spirit. We can use the flesh as an instrument of God's righteousness. Romans 6. That's why we present our bodies a living sacrifice. So our mouths talk about God. And our tongues sing praise to God. He says, my flesh longs for you, Lord. What did he crave? Notice the next verse, to see the power in thy glory. Do you desire to see God's power and his glory? Reminds me of Exodus 33 where Moses spoke face to face with God as a man speaks to his friends, and he says, Lord, if you're going to lead us, you're going to have to go with us. And if you're not going to go with us, then don't lead us. He says, Lord, here's what I want. I want to see your power. I want to see your provision. I want to see your glory. I want to see your person. And God says, Moses, you found grace in my sight. Here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to take you, and I'm going to put you in the cleft of the rock, and I'm going to cover you with my hand, and I'm going to pass by, and you're going to see, listen to it, all my goodness. Can you imagine all of God's goodness? to be able to see it with your own eyes? Show me thy glory! And David says, I want to see your power and I want to see your glory. David wanted and longed to see God, the God of the ages past. I was talking to a young preacher boy the other day on the phone. He wanted some advice. He says, let me ask you a question. How is pastoring today compared to when you were young? And I said, wait a minute. What, do you think I'm old? And he said, well, no, no, no, no. He says, forgive me. He says, I don't know what you look like. I said, that's right, you don't. He says, you just sound old. I know. I said, pastoring today compared to 40 years ago is much more difficult. The world and the devil have so mesmerized people with their trinkets and their technology and all of their stuff. They don't have time for God. Where you could sit in a restaurant and you could talk to a stranger about the things of God and they would know something about it, now they're offended. David said, I want to see the God of ages past. Almost 50 years ago, we had a youth activity. Preacher preached. And I think we probably had 150 young people at it. And I remember looking at my watch, and it was quarter to nine when he gave an invitation. And I remember looking at my watch again when I laid down in my bunk, and it was 3.15. One young person after another, after another, after another. Some getting saves, some wanting to call their parents in the middle of the night. that they'd gotten right with God. You could sense God's power. You could see his work in those kids' lives. I was preaching in Phoenix, Arizona in 1995. Talked to the pastor before the message. I asked him how his church was doing, and they were having difficulties. He says, I won't go into it because I don't want you to preach on it. Just preach what you're going to preach. I preached. At that particular time, there were probably 600, 700 folks there. He interpreted, because it was partly a Spanish church, so I would say something, he would say it in Spanish, and the Spanish crowd got it. The English-speaking folks got it. Gave an invitation. 350 people came forward. That's the God of ages past. 1998, I spoke in Chaska, Minnesota. It's one of Dr. Jessup's first church plants. Probably 100 people there. Preached a message. I said, let's bow for prayer. And as I was praying, I heard what I thought were people getting up and leaving. When I looked up for the invitation, there were 60 of those people at the altar. That's the God of ages past. And David said, I'm going to stay in the hunt because I want to pursue God. I want to see God work. I want to see God's people respond to the call of pursuing God. Folks, this is just one little aspect of the will of God. Just one. This pursuing of God is good and acceptable in the eyes of God. And it's another step in growing deeper with Him. Know Him. Listen to Him. Think like Him. Talk to Him. Worship Him for all He is. Praise Him for all He does. Pursue Him for all He will do. Let's pray. Father, thank You for the Word. Use it in our life. May Father, you challenge each of us to have a heart that follows hard after you, continually, diligently pursuing you. to see your glory, to see you work, not just in our own lives, but in the lives of folks we love. Help us, Lord, get our eyes on you, keep them on you, and pursue you until Jesus comes. with heads bowed and eyes closed. How many can say, Preacher, if I were to die today, I'd go to heaven. I've trusted Christ as my Savior. I know that. There's no question in my mind about that. Would you slip your hand up right now? You know the Lord is your Savior. All the way across the auditorium, God bless your heart. Many, many hands. Perhaps you could not say that. You say, Preacher, I don't know. You may put your hand down. I'm not sure. But I'd like to make sure today, I'd like to know this God. I'd like to have this intimate relationship with the Lord. It starts by knowing Him. Preacher, I don't know Him. And I'll admit it. And I'm concerned. Pray for me. Would you slip your hand up right now and let me pray for you. Cross this auditorium. I'm not sure I'm on my way to heaven. Include me in this closing prayer. Christian, are you pursuing the Lord? Come on, just be honest. Well, preacher, I do sometimes, but not every day, and certainly not continual. God spoke to my heart. Pray for me. There's a need in my life. I will admit it. Would you slip your hand up right now? Let me pray for you. Cross this auditorium. Yes, many, many hands. Many, many hands. Now, the question is, what are you going to do about it? It's up to you. We use these steps as a place you can come and pray, do business with God, and make that decision. But stand, heads are bowed, eyes are closed. Father, you've seen the hands. I pray, O God, your people would respond May they swallow the spiritual pride of being fearful of what other people are going to think. It doesn't matter what other people think. We're here to please you. And so, Father, I pray that you'd give victory, you'd give a determination in the hearts and lives of each and every one of us to pursue you. to stay at the hunt, to diligently, with all that we have, go after you. Bless this invitation. Have your way in Jesus' name. Amen. Heads are bowed. Eyes are closed. God spoke to your heart. We invite you to come. Now's the time. Others are coming. How about you, friend? Just say, excuse me. They'll let you by.