- Anita Keagy - Vision Video

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Dear Friend,

Thank you for allowing me the privilege of serving you through JoyShop Ministries. My heart's desire is that you will discover the joy of seeking God first, on a daily basis. Hebrews 11:6 says, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

The journey of seeking God requires, first, that we have faith faith that there really is a God, faith that He came to this earth in the flesh and person of Jesus Christ, faith to believe and accept His love and forgiveness of sins, and faith to turn from living for our own kingdom to living for His kingdom. If you want to please God, you must have faith. Don't be afraid to ask for more faith if you feel your faith in God is weak. Remember that faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Read God's Word daily!

Second, anyone can come to Christ! In spite of our failures and wanderings, God is anxious for us to desire Him and come to Him. In fact, He is the one who stirred your heart to attend JoyShop. He has so much life He wants to give you, including the JOY that comes from being in His presence every day.

If you are to know and experience all the rewards God has for you, then the third requirement is to earnestly seek Him. The dictionary defines "earnest" as "intensely serious; with determination." I invite you to an incredible journey with God that simply begins by waking each day with a serious determination to seek Him through reading His Word and talking to Him, which is called prayer. It is worth the cost of your time. JoyShop Ministries is dedicated to encouraging and equipping all people to reach the highest level of possible fulfillment.

The purpose of this Bible study is that you might come to know Jesus more intimately than you do at this very moment. In session six, you will be introduced to the 21 Day Challenge, which uses the gospel of John as a tool to help you cultivate the intimacy you desire as you spend time each day alone with God and His Word.

Included after sessions 2-6, you will find suggested `workbook assignments' that will have some additional Scriptures and questions to work though and think about before moving on to another session. I encourage you to do these assignments so you can reflect on and ponder what you've been learning so far.

At the back of the workbook, you will also find a Leader's Guide which includes some discussion questions from each session. This is intended as a tool to facilitate group discussion, however you may want to scan the questions for personal study as well.

I'm looking forward to Seeking God together,

- Anita Keagy

? copyright 2011 JoyShop Ministries. *All verses used in this study guide are from the New International Version unless otherwise noted. THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION?, NIV? Copyright ? 1973, 1978, 1984, 2010 by Biblica, Inc.TM Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Table of Contents:

Session I: Seeking God................................................5 Session II: Key Principles Part I................................ 15 Session III: Key Principles Part II.............................. 17 Session IV: Setting Your Heart..................................21 Session V: Natural Rewards.......................................23 Session VI: 21-Day Challenge...................................25 Joy Journal................................................................... 29 Famous Quotes........................................................... 73 Answer Key...................................................................81 Thank You......................................................................83 Leader's Guide............................................................85 Evaluation...................................................................93

Seeking God: Anita's Story

"Never doubt in the dark what you learned in the light."

-V. Raymond Edman

Acts 17:22-28 (New King James Version) 26 "And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, `For we are also His offspring.'"

Spiritual Applications to Ponder:

? I've never seen God but I can know He is real. ? God has a file for me and He wants me to have a relationship with Him. ? God really does love me. ? God wants to bless me with His gifts. ? The Lord will never force me to seek Him or read His letters. ? Have I grieved God's heart over my lack of desire to read His letters? ? Do I take for granted the amazing gift of being able to hold God's

thoughts in my hand?

? Do I read God's Word because I want to know Him or out of a sense of duty?

? Am I adequately preparing myself for my future grand reunion with my heavenly Father?

Seeking God 5

Seeker's Heart Evaluation

? Prayerfully read the "Key verses to seeking God" on pages 11-15.

? Reread the Key Verses and underline repeated phrases. ? Highlight any verse that speaks the loudest to your heart.

? Honestly reflect on the following questions:

(Please know that this simple exercise is not about condemnation, but awareness.)

1. What does it mean to seek God? The dictionary defines "seek" as "to look for intently, to want to find." How do you seek God?

2. According to I Chronicles 16:10-11, how often are we to seek God's presence in our lives?

3. Why do you think that God considers it "evil" when we do not have our hearts set on seeking Him? (II Chronicles 12:14)

4. Is there a deep wound in your heart that needs to be healed? What steps can you take to begin the healing process outlined in II Chronicles 7:14?

5. Note all verses that come from Psalms. God called David "a man after my own heart" (I Samuel 13:14) According to these verses, what kind of heart did God see in David?

? Make a list of every promise that is yours IF you choose to seek Him then spend some time thanking God for these amazing promises that are yours to claim.

6 Seeking God

Getting honest: What kind of "seeker" am I?

? A pretend seeker ______

These are people who say they want to seek God, but the extent of their seeking God consists of going to church once a week and saying a prayer or praying in emergency situations.

The pretend seeker honestly believes that he or she can make it through the day without any help or counsel from God and His Word. (Psalm 10:4)

? A part-time seeker ______

These are people who genuinely have a desire to find God. They attend church and conferences and read Spiritual books, but daily time in the Word is a matter of convenience. Every day they wake up with a busy schedule and tell God they will meet with Him later when they have time. Sadly, "later" never seems to come. The unspoken belief is that their daily responsibilities are more important than spending time cultivating a deeper relationship with God.

? A persistent seeker ______

King David gives us the best example of the persistent seeker in Psalm 63:1, "O God, you are my God, "earnestly" I seek you, my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water."

The Hebrew definition of earnestly is "to look early or diligently for," in other words, to rise in immediate pursuit of God. The persistent seeker rises daily with a desire for knowing God. This desire is stronger than one's desire to accomplish all the planned goals for that day. Spending time with God is this person's top priority, and he or she plans the rest of the day's responsibilities around this scheduled time alone with God.

What in my life (if anything) is keeping me from being a persistent seeker?

Where can I make room in my day to seek God? (Psalm 10:4)

Seeking God 7

Persistent seeking involves:

1. Devoting your heart, your soul, your all to seeking the Lord your God. (I Chronicles 22:19)

2. Choosing to seek God while we have the physical and mental capabilities because we have no guarantee of tomorrow. (Isaiah 55:6)

3. Perseverance in seeking hard after God until He comes and showers righteousness on me. (Hosea 10:12)

4. A commitment to seek God with all my heart, whether anyone else in my family chooses to seek Him or not. (Zechariah 8:21)

5. Never doubting this: If you seek Him, you will find Him!

Think of someone you can ask to be your accountability partner, to give you support and prayer as you set your heart on becoming a persistent God seeker.

Read Hosea 10:12 ? What "unplowed ground" needs broken up in your life? ? Ask God to give you a persistent heart to Seeking Him.

"____________________ (insert your name) it is time to seek the Lord . . ."

8 Seeking God

Key Verses to Seeking God

? Deuteronomy 4:29 "But if from there you SEEK the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul."

? I Chronicles 16:10-11 "Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who SEEK the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; SEEK his face always."

? I Chronicles 22:19 "Now devote your heart and soul to SEEKING the Lord your God."

? I Chronicles 28:9 " . . . for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you SEEK him, he will be found by you."

? II Chronicles 7:14 ". . . if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and SEEK my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

? II Chronicles 12:14 "He (King Rehoboam) did evil because he had not SET his heart on SEEKING the Lord."

? II Chronicles 14:4 "He (King Asa) commanded Judah to SEEK the Lord, the God of their fathers, and to obey his laws and commands."

? II Chronicles 15:2-3 "If you SEEK him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will for sake you. For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a pries to teach and without the law. But in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and SOUGHT him, and he was found by them."

Seeking God 9

? II Chronicles 15:12-13 "They entered into a covenant to SEEK the Lord . . . with all their heart and soul. All who would not SEEK the Lord . . . were to be put to death."

? II Chronicles 15:15 "They SOUGHT God eagerly, and he was found by them. So the Lord gave them rest on every side."

? II Chronicles 19:3 "There is, however some good in you (Jehu, the seer speaking to King Jehosaphat) for you have . . . SET your heart on SEEKING God."

? II Chronicles 26:5 "He (King Uzziah) SOUGHT God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success."

? II Chronicles 30:18-19 "But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, `May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone who SETS his heart on SEEKING God."

? Psalm 9:10 "Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who SEEK you."

? Psalm 10:4 "In his pride the wicked does not SEEK him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God."

? Psalm 14:2 "The Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who SEEK God."

10 S e e k i n g G o d

? Psalm 22:26 "The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who SEEK the Lord will praise him - may your hearts live forever!"

? Psalm 24:5-6 " He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior. Such is the generation of those who SEEK him, who SEEK your face, O God of Jacob."

? Psalm 27:4 "One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I SEEK: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to SEEK him in his temple."

? Psalm 27:8 "My heart says of you, "SEEK his face!' Your face, Lord, I will SEEK."

? Psalm 34:10 "The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who SEEK the Lord lack no good thing."

? Psalm 40:16 "But may all who SEEK you rejoice and be glad in you. May those who love your salvation always say, "The Lord be exalted!"

? Psalm 63:1 "O God, you are my God, earnestly I SEEK you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water."

? Psalm 70:4 "But may all who SEEK you rejoice and be glad in you."

S e e k i n g G o d 11

? Psalm 105:3-4 "Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who SEEK the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; SEEK his face always."

? Psalm 119:2 "Blessed are they who keep his statutes and SEEK him with all their heart."

? Psalm 119:10 "I SEEK you with all my heart, do not let me stray from your commands."

? Psalm 119:58 "I have SOUGHT your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise."

? Proverbs 8:17 "I love those who love me, and those who SEEK me find me."

? Isaiah 45:19 "I have not spoken in secret from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob's descendants, `SEEK me in vain, I, the Lord, speak the truth; I declare what is right."

? Isaiah 55:6 "SEEK the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near."

? Jeremiah 29:11-13 "For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, `plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will SEEK me and find me when you SEEK me with all your heart. I will be found by you."

12 S e e k i n g G o d

? Hosea 5:15 (NKJV) "I will return again to My place till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will SEEK My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me."

? Hosea 10:12 "Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to SEEK the Lord, until he comes and showers righteousness on you."

? Amos 5: 4 & 6 "SEEK me and live...SEEK the Lord and live."

? Zephaniah 2:3 "SEEK the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands."

? Zechariah 8:21 "Let us go at once to entreat the Lord and SEEK the Lord Almighty. I myself am going."

? Matthew 6:33 "But SEEK FIRST his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

? Matthew 7:7 "SEEK and you will find."

? Acts 17:27 "God did this so that men would SEEK him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us."

? Hebrews 11:6 "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who honestly SEEK him."

S e e k i n g G o d 13

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