Come Near to God
Come Near to God. Just as the Children of Israel were continually bombarded with the temptations of the world, so, too, do we face that same temptation every single day of our lives.
4 You adulterous people, don't
you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who
chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you
think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live
in us envies intensely? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why
Scripture says:
"God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble."
7 Submit
yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you
sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and
wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble
yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
James 4:4-10, NIV
Come Near to God
Do you remember that passage from Joshua 24:15?
Choose you this day whom ye will serve; . . . but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (KJV):
Just
as the Children of Israel were continually bombarded with the
temptations of the world, so, too, do we face that same temptation every
single day of our lives. God is a jealous God; friendship with the world is hatred to God? Look at the next sentence, Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. God draws the lines very tightly; there is no in between ground.
The
situation seems hopeless, doesn't it? How can we help but be overcome
by the temptations of this world. Actually, we can not, but, God can! But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
Our
goal as Christians is to be near to God with all our heart, with all
our soul, and with all our mind. God will not have it any other way. I
fear we have weakened our perception of God by thinking that He will be
pleased with our halfhearted service to Him, and will understand when
we are continually drawn back into the world and away from Him. There
really is no middle ground!
What, then, is the answer? Submit
yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you
sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and
wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble
yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Pray
today that you would constantly live near to God in humbleness of spirit leaving
the world far behind. Not only will God come near to you, but He will
also lift you up!
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