Getting Closer to God

GETTING CLOSER TO GOD

James 4:8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

I.      BY PRAYING TO HIM

Mark 11:24  Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

A.      Prayer must be accompanied with desire and faith

1.   The promise is "Ye shall have them"

B.      There are prayers of praise, petition and fellowship

1.   We get closer to God when we use all three of them

Luke 18:1  And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

II.      BY PROVING HIS PROMISES

2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

A.      The promises of God are dependable

1.   Not one has ever failed

B.      There are promises in God's Word for every need

1.   We get closer to God when we use them

2.   Our faith grows stronger

3.   Faith pleases God

1 Kings 8:56  Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.

III.     BY PRAISING HIM

Psalms 113:3  From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord's name is to be praised.

A.      Praise is an effective way to get closer to God

1.   Someone said "We praised our way through the difficulty"

2.   Another said "When you can't pray your way through, praise your way through"

B.      Praises pleases God

1.   One cannot complain, find fault, or be discouraged, and truly praise God at the same time

Psalms 34:1  A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed. I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

IV.     BY PRACTICING HIS PRESENCE

John 14:18  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

A.      Many Christians often forget, ignore and disregard God's presence

B.      They should strive, instead, to be aware of God's presence with them continually

1.   He is there, regardless of the circumstances

Hebrews 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

V.      BY PARTICIPATING IN HIS WORK

John 15:16  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

A.      To participate means to share, join in, have a hand in, cooperate, et involved

1.   This is what Christians should do where God's work is concerned

B.      When we participate in God's work, we share His friendship

John 15:14  Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.