Draw Near to God

Draw Near to God

James 4:8 NLT

8 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.

Position vs Experience

salvation vs fellowship

How to Draw Near to God

Worship

Words

Nearness Brings Protection

Psalm 91:1–4 NLT

1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. 3 For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. 4 He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

Nearness Brings Communion

Nearness Brings Consecration

Luke 22:42 NLT

42 “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

John 5:30 ESV

30 “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.

Personal inventory – How close do you want to be to God?

Nearness Lowers Self, Exalts Christ

John 12:32 NLT

32 And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.”

John 3:25–27 NLT

25 A debate broke out between John’s disciples and a certain Jew over ceremonial cleansing. 26 So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to him instead of coming to us.” 27 John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven.

John 3:30 NLT

30 He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.