In Everything
Notes
Transcript
God is near
God is near
There is a huge difference between knowing someone and knowing about someone. You can have all the knowledge about someone. But until you have shared the same space, the same air as that person you don’t really know them.
Back in 2002 I started going to church consistently again. I had just been discharged from the Army, most of my friends had moved a way, and I knew I had to get my life right. A couple of my friends that were still around had started going to Cottonwood Christian Assembly because they had a college group there. While going there I became friends with a couple people who promised to show me around. They began giving me the lowdown on all the different people and families of the church. 1 family in particular they had told me to stay away from the Dixons. It was a family of 5 sisters who were all “crazy.” So, I stayed away from them as best I could. I went with what I had heard from others.
Then one day, in our college group, a new girl showed up. Well, she was new to me. Everyone else seemed to know who she was right away. She had just come back from the mission field, and was asked to share some stories. When she introduced herself, her last name was Dixon. As she was talking all I could think was, “this gal is super self righteous. she thinks she is better than everyone else.” This had been my experience with missionaries, so it didn’t surprise me. (I came to find out she thought I has some arrogant, cocky, flirt who was there to hit on girls.) She was supporting everything I had heard about this family.
Through a weird series of events, we ended up hanging out one night. As I got to know her, I realized that she really wasn’t that bad. In fact, she was really great. After a few more times hanging out we started dating. As I got to know here and spend time with her, I fell in love with her. She became my world. Eventually we made an eternal commitment to each other and, 21 years later we are still going strong.
You see, there was a huge difference between what I heard about Destiny and who she actually was. I had to spend time with her. Get to know her on a personal level. The more we get to know each other, the more intimate our knowledge of each other grows. We become more comfortable with each other, more trusting. I trust to to stick with me at my best and worst.
Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.
If we are being honest, we have all made pre decisions about people based on what we have heard. We have heard about someone and assume we will feel the same way or have the same experience. The problem is knowing about someone and knowing someone are 2 very different things. And the only way to really know someone is to be close to them.
In James we read that if we come close to God, God will come close to us. But so often we are scared to come close to God because we are assuming something about Him. Maybe that He is busy, or frustrated with us, mad at us, or just ignoring us. So we push God away.
Here’s the crazy part, the Bible says that God is near to us. Phil 4:5-7
Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
God isn’t ignoring you, mad or frustrated with you, or too busy. He is right with you. If God is near to you, then shouldn’t you talk to Him? Regularly? If God is with you the He obviously wants a relationship with you.
Yet still we doubt. We wonder why God seems so distant. So far away. Yet we only come to Him when we are desperate. “I’ve done everything else. Now all I can do is pray.” Why is prayer always our last resort instead of our first? I’m glad you asked.
We are afraid to be out of control
We are celebrated for mastering things. It is very scary having to submit. Give up control.
We are afraid of silence.
Worst feeling is nothing to talk about.
Silence means waiting.
“Silence is frightening it strips us as nothing else does, throwing us upon the stark realities of our life. And in that quiet, what if there turns out to be very litte to ‘just us and God’.”
We are afraid of being selfish
Praying to get what I want when I want it
Praying for others so they see everything the way I do
Cosmic Santa
We are afraid we are doing it wrong
That doesn’t sound right
What if I am not respectful
So now that we know why we don’t pray, what do we do with it? I think we start by looking at the prophets prayers and Jesus.
Let’s start with David Ps 140:10
Let burning coals fall down on their heads.
Let them be thrown into the fire
or into watery pits from which they can’t escape.
Ladies and gentlemen, the man after God’s own heart.
How about Jeremiah. Jeremiah 20:7
O Lord, you have deceived me,
and I was deceived;
you are stronger than I,
and you have prevailed.
I have become a laughingstock all the day;
everyone mocks me.
I curse the messenger who told my father,
“Good news—you have a son!”
Let him be destroyed like the cities of old
that the Lord overthrew without mercy.
Terrify him all day long with battle shouts,
because he did not kill me at birth.
Oh, that I had died in my mother’s womb,
that her body had been my grave!
Why was I ever born?
My entire life has been filled
with trouble, sorrow, and shame.
He starts out his complaint by confronting and accusing the God! “You have deceived me, You have beaten me.” He then goes on to curse the day of his birth!
What about Jesus? Mark 15:34
Then at three o’clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
Most scholars believe Jesus quoted all of Psalm 22 on cross. Listen to what David wrote and Jesus quoted in His most trying hour Psalm 22:1-2
My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Why are you so far away when I groan for help?
Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer.
Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief.
Why do I point these out? Because these aren’t the prayers we think of most days. God want us to be honest with Him and ourselves.
I have had 2 years where I just wanted to be done with ministry and everything. I really wanted to be a garbage man. I’d still be helping people deal with their junk, just in a different way. The would be less emotional investment and less heart ache. In 2019 and again in 2023 I prayed prayers like those we just read. I cursed my life, the day I was born, and anything else. I accused God of be harsh and cruel. Pushing me farther than I was able to go. Each time I prayed those honest, gut wrenching, rage- filled prayers, I felt God’s presence in a way I hadn't felt before. The sweet, gentle, loving prayers I had prayed. The prayers where I carefully chose each word to make sure I was respectful and scriptural never generated the intimacy with God I felt just be honest. In those moments of 2019 and 2023, I did hide the pain, hurt, or betrayal I felt. But those were the moments I felt God and my loving Father. I sensed Him weep and I wept and rejoicing when I rejoiced. This was when prayer took on a new dimension. My heart is for you to feel that as well.
I had heard that God would strike me down if I was disrespectful, angry, when I prayed. That His Holiness could not tolerate my humanness, so I hide those feelings. But as I drew close to God, I found that He is near to me in my transparency. I realized He already knows the thoughts and desires of my heart.
What stories have you heard about God that are keeping you from talking to Him? Why are you trying so hard to hide from God that you are scared to pray and get His attention? We all have those things that hold us back. God is calling us to throw those aside and come boldly to Him. Heb 4:16
So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Imagine if we as a people began to do just that? What if we are bold in our prayers? What if we came to Jesus and said, “I can’t get past this. Help.”? What would your life and family look like? How would the people you interact with at work respond? What would happen if we quit believing the lies of the enemy?
Get real with God today.
Altar call- Salvation and honesty with God
