[ Kim Clement]

God Searching for Man
by Kim Clement

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  When we understand that God is in search of man (us), more so than man in search of God, our spiritual experience is greatly enhanced. What does this mean in terms of communication? Over and over we try to hear God's voice to find direction in our lives, and we spend countless hours in search of Him, only to find out that He was always close-by, but because we didn't recognize Him, we ran. We consider God mysterious and almost unattainable, but the great mystery is that God is actually in search of you. So how do I draw His attention?  How will He know where I am, and what are the ingredients needed to assist Him in "finding" me? People would be offended at the thought of God "trying" to find them. Is He blind, deaf or unable to know His own created being? We'll find out today what we need to do to make ourselves clearly visible to God.

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  Throughout Biblical history, we find that God "reveals" Himself to man. God continuously visited Abraham, and the obvious ingredient that drew God to him, was FAITH. Think about friendship for a minute. Would you go uninvited to someone's home? Wouldn't you feel more comfortable knowing that they in fact wanted you there at a specific time, and took the time to ask you over? How do we invite God? It's faith in praise, prayer, sacrifice, obedience and other unselfish acts that invite God. The key, however, is knowing how to respond to revelation, because God reveals Himself more than He shows Himself - there is a difference. To reveal means to unveil something that was at first intended to be private, to divulge the meaning of making known something previously concealed or secret.

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  In other words, when prophetic revelation takes place, your mind has never experienced it before, therefore, you have entered into something strange and new. With this in mind, you have choices to make, to reject or accept it. Most people operate by fear and reject the unknown. It takes perception and faith to embrace something that you sense is right, but intellectually you are unsure of.

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  When God created Adam and Eve, He left them in the Garden to begin the journey for mankind.  During that period, their understanding of God went from what they had experienced to what they had heard, from a complete stranger - the serpent Satan. Misrepresenting God, the serpent said to them, "God knows that in the day you eat of the fruit, your eyes will be opened, and you will BE LIKE GOD, knowing good and evil." So his proposition was that they could "be like God," having more power due to their new perception. Unfortunately, their new sight blinded them to God and opened their eyes to themselves. God came to visit them one day and was rudely interrupted by a retreating Adam. No longer was God welcome, because Adam could only see one thing; that he was naked and afraid of God. His perception of himself was lowered to, "I heard your voice and I was afraid because I was naked." He saw himself naked. Good God, I don't blame him! God searched for Adam - Adam did not search for God.

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  God, in the form of man here on Earth, Jesus Christ, searched for man. He found His disciples and called them to Himself and yet Philip tells Nathaniel, "We have found the Messiah." No. REVELATION IS NOT AN ACT OF MAN SEEKING GOD, BUT OF HIS BEING SOUGHT AFTER - AN ACT IN GOD'S SEARCH FOR MAN.  Israel's history originated with the initiative of God, not the efforts of man. Yet Jacob wrestled with God, sending Him an invitation to come to his house and experience him. God responded by giving Jacob the honorable and noble name, Israel, for you have struggled with God and with men and have PREVAILED! Jacob did not search for God; he struggled with God. We all struggle with God, because we are so determined to know more about Him, so that we can have more power, when we should rather just experience God and enjoy Him. God only wants to know more about us so that we can be enriched and blessed and He experiences us.  God reveals to Jacob his true name, Israel, because that is what God experienced when he found the true person in Jacob. However, when Jacob pleads to God, "Tell me your name, I pray," God replies, "Why is it that you ask about my name?" I find this interesting because it's almost like God is challenging Jacob about his motive in finding out God's name.

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  Revelation should not be rejected because of it's being incomprehensible. That which is incomprehensible must not be considered UNREAL. Prophetic revelation is not merely an act of experience, but an act of being experienced, overwhelmed and taken over by Him. It is impossible to believe that trials and troubles are a waste of time and worth nothing. Now that I have been through three decades of walking with God, I am convinced that trials and troubles are only revelations in disguise, because I have discovered glorious truths about myself that eventually became part of my makeup and my expression. Character has been built with strength and virtue, which only paints my soul with delightful colors.

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  Trials are part of our lot; they were predestinated for us in Christ's last legacy. He has ordained their season and their place, their intensity and the effect they shall have upon us. Good men must never expect to escape troubles, for if they do, they will be disappointed; for none of our predecessors have been without them. Note the patience of Job and remember Abraham, for he had his trials, and by his faith under them, he was rewarded as the "Father of the Faithful." Note the biographies of all the patriarchs, prophets, apostles and martyrs, and you will discover that none of those whom God made vessels of mercy escaped the fire of affliction.

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  I have been through a season of trial and I'm excited to find out what God found and experienced in me during this period. As human beings we value pleasure far above friction and stress. I hate anxiety.  It is the cause of so much unnecessary stress and ungodliness. The Bible teaches us to be anxious for nothing. Anxiety is a thief. It robs you of your dignity, and positions you so that you are constantly on the lookout for an alternative to God.

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Napoleon Hill once wrote, "Every adversity, every failure and every heartache carries with it the Seed of an equivalent or a greater Benefit."

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Be encouraged, for although we have been through much as a people, a royal priesthood and a chosen generation, the BEST IS YET TO COME! This is my prayer of blessing for you:

"God, I pray, let their ships bring home continually rich freights; Let the winds and waves appear to be their servants to bear their vessels across the bosom of the mighty deep; Let their hands yield abundantly; Let the weather be propitious to their crops; Let uninterrupted success attend them; Let them stand among men as successful merchants. Allow them with braced nerve and brilliant eye to march through the world and live happily; Give them buoyant spirits. Let them have a song on their lips; Let their eyes ever be sparkling with joy, and last but not least, let Christ emerge out of every interruption, storm, lack or attack and if they stand, and stand they should, let it be as if on a pinnacle, or like a man asleep on a mast realizing that each moment we should be in jeopardy."  Jesus slept on a boat that according to the disciples was "going under." How could the boat "go under" when He, Christ, was in fact asleep under the boat?

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God is searching for you, to enjoy and experience. It is not God who is an experience of man; it is man who is an experience of God.  Now let your faith, your ACT of faith, invite him, draw him and attract him to your house, and you will find the experience quite gratifying.

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Giving to God is one of the grandest experiences that I know. Recently in a meeting, I was to receive the offering in a church, for my ministry. We had been there three nights and it was in a poor neighborhood. We had financial requirements ourselves and we were not in the position to help the church financially, so when I heard a prodding voice declaring to me, "Give the entire three nights offerings to the church," I was a little taken aback. I went ahead and made the announcement to the Pastor and the entire church erupted. He grabbed the microphone and told the people that they have nothing left and that they were considering closing their school because of lack of funds. Quite honestly, I wasn't even sure how much the offering amounted to, but in the meeting, there was a wealthy businessman, who upon hearing my announcement, decided to add to the offering an enormous check, which literally cleared up the church's debt. I felt that I had given God a good experience by obeying Him and placing myself totally in His hands. My obedience not only helped the church but it started a domino effect, which brought in various amounts from other businesses. Kindly consider us in your offering this month as we plow forward and touch the lives of millions of people. Give God a good experience by obeying His voice.

Kim Clement