Seek God, Not His Gifts

[Seek God, Not His Gifts]( Current Teaching Series [40 Days of Prayer]( [Listen to Today's Broadcast]( [Seek God, Not His Gifts]( By Rick Warren — 08/20/2021 [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Pinterest]( [Email]( “The LORD looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God." Psalm 14:2 (NIV) Millions of Christians spend all their time seeking what God has to give them and no time seeking God himself. When you’re praying for healing and restoration, it’s okay to want a miracle. But, ultimately, it should be God himself you seek—not a miracle, a sign, prosperity, or a thousand other gifts of God. Your prayer should be: “God, I want you. I want to know you.” When you seek God, you get everything else. God gives many promises in the Bible about those who seek him: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face . . .  then I will hear from heaven” (2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV). “I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me” (Proverbs 8:17 NIV). “Anyone who comes to him must believe he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV). “If from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul . . . For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you” (Deuteronomy 4:29-31 NIV). Seek God, not just his blessing. That means that, whether or not you get the answer you want, you’ll find joy in knowing God better. Whether or not you get what you think is best for you, you’ll be satisfied with what God thinks is best for you. When you’re going through a divorce or a miscarriage or a layoff, seek God—even more than your deliverance from your pain. This is not a casual pastime. Don’t seek God in your spare moments, after you’re done with work or as you’re scrolling social media. Make getting to know God better the primary focus of your life. “The LORD looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God” (Psalm 14:2 NIV). It’s rare to find someone who’s earnest about seeking God. Most of us want just enough of God to bless us, but not to change us. You don’t become an Olympic athlete in your spare time. In the same way, you don’t become a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ by giving him your leftovers. Give him your first and best, and he will keep every promise. [PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>]( Talk It Over - In what ways have you been giving God your leftovers when it comes to taking steps to spiritual growth? - What does it mean practically to seek God? What are the things you can do every day to show God that, more than anything, you want to know him better? - How can you start your prayers so that you thank God first for who he is and not just what he has given you? Why is that important? The post [Seek God, Not His Gifts]( appeared first on [Pastor Rick's Daily Hope](. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Pinterest]( [Email]( [Get the 40 Days of Prayer Study Kit when you give a gift to support Daily Hope]( At one point or another everyone faces disappointments, obstacles, and circumstances that seem impossible to overcome. Whether it’s a struggling marriage, health crisis, financial loss, wounds from our past, or something else altogether, life’s struggles leave us desperate for a breakthrough. God sees you, hears your cries, and is ready to respond. But breakthroughs don’t happen spontaneously, they happen when you seek them. And the way you seek them is through prayer. In his life-changing, 6-session DVD and workbook study, 40 Days of Prayer, Pastor Rick helps you cultivate a powerful prayer life! You’ll learn how to pray for a breakthrough—and how to pray with more confidence and greater faith than ever before. [LEARN MORE]( [Complete Audio Series (Purchase)]( Includes 7 full-length messages from Pastor Rick's series 40 Days of Prayer. [LEARN MORE]( [Series Summary]( Message 1: Do You Really Want to Grow Up? Message 2: A Beginner's Guide to Prayer Message 3: Who Do You Think You Are Talking To? Message 4: Praying in Five Dimensions Message 5: How to Pray Throughout Your Day Message 6: How to Pray for Healing and Restoration Message 7: When God Says "No" [PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST]( Pastor Rick Warren [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Linkedin]( Enjoy today's devotional? Listen to Pastor Rick’s daily audio teaching at [PastorRick.com]( Did someone forward this devotional to you? [Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional.]( As the founding pastor of Saddleback Church with his wife Kay, Dr. Rick Warren leads a 30,000-member congregation in California with campuses in major cities around the world. As an author, his book [The Purpose Driven Life]( is one of the best-selling nonfiction books in publishing history. It has been translated into 74 languages and sold more than 50 million copies in all formats. His book [The Purpose Driven Church]( was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the century. Rick also founded [The PEACE Plan]( to address five global issues—spiritual emptiness, self-serving leadership, poverty, disease, and illiteracy—through the power of ordinary people in the local church. You can listen to Pastor Rick’s Daily Hope, his daily 25-minute audio teaching, and sign up for his free daily devotionals at [PastorRick.com](. © 2021 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe by clicking the link below. Sent to: {EMAIL} [Unsubscribe]( Pastor Rick's Daily Hope, 23182 Arroyo Vista, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688, United States