Quest

The purpose of private and public worship is to enter into the presence of God. Yet since the time of constantine the service has become an end to itself. the liturgy became the focus and trend continued even through the Reformation. To day the trend continues; the music, choir, preacher, worship leader, worship ministrer and worship team get the attention. It is hard to focus past the service to the manifest presence of God. God is a spirit and He has placed in us the desire to seek Him. This drawing is an enticement or allurement not a dragging. Before man can have the right though about God, God must enlighten man, He in us a holy burning to know him.
God is Previous

The pursuit of God begins with God. Before man can seek God, God must seek man.
"No one can COME TO ME unless the Father who sent me DRAWS HIM..."
--John 6:44(NKJ) We pursue God on;y becuse He put an urge within us. EVERYONE who listens to the Father and learns from Him COME TO ME."
-- John 6:45(NIV) How is a man drawn to God? A person is attracted to that which he likes or has interest. We are drawn to God because He puts the attraction, interest or longing for Him in us. He draws, entices or ellures, but never drags people toHimself. It is this devine drawing that takes away any credit for the act of coming. He is previous in the relationship. The impules to pursue God ORIGINATES WITH HIM. In His mercy HE PURSUES US FIRST.

The Glorious Pursuit

God puts the insiration within us but we must do the work. David cries out in song, "My soul follows hard after you." --Psalm 63:8 It takes effort to pursue (Chase after) God and one cannot be passive about it. We cannot say, "God come and touch me!" and not approach. We have to exert ourselves to persue God. It is "hard" work to press in. Some believers are satified with making the aquaintance of God. "Let's just sing the songs, get to the sermon and go home." they do not have a passion to persue Him. We must cry out to God to put a passion in us that we might follow hard after Him. In this 21st centry there is a new cry in the body of Christ to encounter God, to relenessly Chase Him. God Chasers

God Seeker - God Chasers

This passionate longing for God has marked holy men and woman in the past as well as the present. They were set apart because of their quest to know God more intimately. When we read the writings of these God Chasing saints, we can feel the heart of their desire for the Holy One. They wrestled, mourned, interceded, groaned, sang and cried out night and day, in their search for Him. Moses cried out, "Show me Your Glory!"
--- Exodus 33:13 He had a relentless passion for the presence of the Lord and was not satified with the revelation he had of God in the tent of meeting, and on Mt. Sinai. He wanted more! The persuit of God was in the beating hearts of the Levitical order at the tabernacle. It was the reality of Jehovah being present in the Holy of Holies that was the center of the Levitical purpose. The presnce of God is the center of the Christian faith. It is the churches purpose (To know Christ among us) and our destiny (To live in His presence endlessly). David's passion in Psalm 27:4 comes through. "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." (NIV) He had a life of deep spiritual desire that marked him as saparate from other prophets, leaders and musicians. As you go on your quest for God, as it causes your heart to pour out to Him, you will be marked as well.