Get Closer

At the risk of sounding redundant; I shall repeat a portion of the ending of my last post, so that there is no break in thought. I stated: “If there ever was a time that the Christian believer should draw close to God; return to Bible based teachings; to put known sin out of his or her life and to seek the well-being of others, it is now.”

Four things: a) draw close to God; b) return to Bible-based teachings; c) put known sins out of their lives; and d) seek the well-being of others. These four things are top priority in the Christian’s life, during the time of the judgment, which is going on now; e) and if you’re not a Christian, now is the time to convert! So, okay five.

Therefore, let us take these items one at a time and explore them:

A.    Draw close to God! Why does one need to draw close to God? Not to mention, how does one draw close to God? What does that mean? Also, why is that so important, during this hour of judgment? We shall explore the particulars of this statement in the next couple of paragraphs.

We are told by the Apostle Paul – “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.” James 4:7-9.  Consequently, we have been bidden to draw close to God, and do a complete job of repenting. Why?

“… because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” 1 Peter 5:8 – The enemy of your soul is stalking you like a lion, just waiting for the opportunity to kill you. However, when you draw near to God, He sends His angels to build a fortress around you and keep you safe from the enemy’s over-powering attacks. Psalms 34:7

This is not to say that you won’t be attacked, but rather that you won’t fold, under the attack.

How does one draw nigh to God? You draw nigh/near to God, by submitting your will to His will; by allowing Him to tell you what to do, through His Word – the Bible – and then obeying it, through His strength.

What does it mean to draw close to God? To draw close to God means that you fall in love with Him. It means that you make His will and His way, your will and your way. It means that you begin to love Him more than your spouse, your children, your parents, your siblings, your friends, or even yourself. You can learn to do this by reading about the life of Jesus in the four gospels listed in the Bible – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

Why is it important to draw near to God during this judgment hour message? It is important to draw near to God during this judgment hour message, because God is deciding who will be saved eternally and who will not be saved. It is important because in order to be saved, you must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for your salvation. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:7-9

Bottom line: You need to get close to God because He is your ONLY protection and your ONLY means of salvation. Additionally, He loves you unconditionally; to the point of exchanging His son’s life for yours!

To be continued…