DRAW NEAR TO GOD IN YOUR LIFE!

 

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2020.

SUBJECT: DRAW NEAR TO GOD IN YOUR LIFE!

Memory verse: "But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all Your works." (Psalm 73 vs 28.)

READ: James 4 vs 7 - 10: 

4:7: Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 

4:8: Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 

4:9: Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 

4:10: Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

INTIMATION:

God has promised His presence in our lives. However, the condition applied to us is that we must come close to Him, and only in doing so He draws near to us. How then do we come close to Him? The passage we read today in the Scripture clearly shows us how to come close to God: 

1. Submit to God by yielding to His authority and will, commit your life to Him and His control, and be willing to follow Him. Be "Born-again." God’s presence is in His kingdom, being part of the kingdom is personal, and it’s entrance requirements are repentance and spiritual rebirth. This kingdom has already begun in the hearts of believers (Luke 17 vs 21). It will be fully realized when Jesus returns again to judge the world and abolish evil forever.

2. Resist the devil. Don't allow Satan to entice and tempt you or deceive you with his subtleties. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom He may devour.” (First Peter 5 vs 8.) The sober and vigilant Christian is constantly listening to the roar of the hungry Satan. One can identify how he works. However, if one becomes ignorant of God’s word, or enticed by the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life, one will be ensnared by Satan and consumed (First John 2 vs 15 - 16). 

Christians must be cautious in their lives lest they will be tempted to forsake their confession. Satan has no power over the one who voluntarily keeps himself or herself close to Jesus. Christians can withstand the temptations that are presented by Satan by exercising faith in God through prayer, Bible study, and good works toward others. With the power of the Holy Spirit you will resist him. 

3. Cleanse your hands and purify your hearts. That is lead a pure life. Abstain from evil, and do good. Be cleansed from sin, replacing your desire to sin with your desire to experience God's purity. Those who have made their hands dirty by becoming friend of the world must repent. Let not your heart seek the things of this world. Be pure with the wisdom from above in order to remain in the grace by which you are saved.

4. Lament, mourn, and weep. Don't be afraid to express deep heartfelt sorrow for what you have done. Let your remorse over your sin be obvious through your mournful behavior. One will not come to repentance if he or she does not recognize his or her sinful condition. One must recognize his or her spiritual poverty in order to seek the riches of God’s grace. 

5. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up in honor. Humbly obey God regardless of present circumstances, and in His good time, He will honor you. It is our responsibility to take the initiative to deal with our pride. We cannot exalt ourselves before God on the basis of our works. Man’s pride detours him from submitting to the will of God. In order to be lifted up by God, we must come to God with a humble heart (Matthew 23 vs 12). God cannot lift up those who feel that they have lifted themselves up apart from Him.

We often worry about our position and status, hoping to get proper recognition for what we do. However, it is better we are not recognized by men, while putting our best to be recognized by God in our obedience and humility which counts in eternity. 

So many of us get worried regarding our experiencing God presence in our lives. Many wants obvious happenings or feelings to confirm God's presence in their lives. It's actually more than just a feeling or happening, but more of your believe and faith in God and trust in His Word.

A little boy of twelve years became born again during a revival. The next week at school, his friends questioned him about the experience. One of them asked him, "Did you see a vision?" Another asked him, "Did you hear God speak?" The young convert answered no to all the questions. They then asked him, "Well, how do you know you were saved?" The young boy scratched his head and looked up to heaven and finally said, "It's like when you catch a fish with your hook, you can't see the fish or hear the fish; you just feel it tugging at your line. I just felt God tugging on my heart."

When you make one small step toward Him, He makes great steps toward you, so great that He sent His Son to die for you. It is only in forgetting ourselves that we can draw near to Him.

Prayer: Abba Father, my utmost heart desire is to have an intimate relationship with You, where I will be a vessel of honor in Your hand. Give me the grace to lead a life of absolute humility and obedience to You in all things, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!