The following explains how we can pursue a life close to
Jesus, where God is real, the Bible is our road map & love comes and truly saves us!
This meditation arose
beginning out of Psalm 19:14.
Psalm 19:14
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
We have a "close call" with Jesus.
A calling to be close to God & know Him personally. James 4:8 says: "Draw near to God. And He will draw near to you."
God, our Father in Heaven, desires us to be close, intimate. Prayer is meant to be a real two way conversation. When we face tough situations, we can draw near, pouring out our hearts, needs,
hurts, troubles to the Lord. God's Word says: "Pour out your hearts..." (Psalm 62). Jesus promises
that He loves to be CLOSE to the brokenhearted and extend His help to those who are crushed in spirit
(Psalm 34). The Lord truly cares when we are hurting.
If God seems far away, guess who is distant.
(It's not the Lord. It's us.) Drawing close begins with
HUMBLING OURSELVES (James 4, 1 Peter 5). We approach Him in faith,
through the name of Jesus. Our entrance to closeness with God is the Blood & cross of Christ. Through the sacrifice Lamb, we are cleansed & made holy, ready to draw near to a holy God (despite our past sin).
Scripture calls us close to God, to learn to worship Him in Spirit & in truth. The Bible says that God wants us to bless Him at ALL TIMES (Psalm 34).
I think what BLESSES the Lord more than almost anything
is simply BEING CLOSE WITH US. How OFTEN, scripture says, He has "longed
to gather His children together as a hen gathers her chicks beneath
her wings." And my friend, the mother & her babies are CLOSE! Matt. 23:37
Why then do some of us wait and linger afar off when the Lord bids us to draw NEAR? Luke 5:8
James urges us to draw NEAR. James
4:8
WHY? Because the Father LONGS to be close to us.
Song of Songs (Solomon) lets
us know we BELONG to Jesus. And His desire (longing and
wish) is for US. FOR US!!! What great news! S.S. 7:10 Jesus, each day, calls to us: "Come away, My beloved, close unto Me."
Today, through the scriptures, let's get a whole new revelation
of prayer and a life of intimate worship. One day, those who believe, will begin an eternity of worshipping God in Heaven forever, face to face! Wow!
Prayer is not a work you do or a dry
religious exercise. Prayer is a
CHANCE TO BE CLOSE! To a PERSON. Prayer is an encounter with God! Prayer
is a way (and
time set apart) to draw near and be intimate. God is very real. What a
privilege to
carry everything (including your heart, your needs, your love, your
hurt) NEAR to God in prayer. Jesus said: "Come to Me."
Matthew 11:28-30 What
an invitation! How great a fellowship.
What drives away intimacy with God is a mouth that speaks spiritual-sounding words but empty of humility & faith. We need to learn a believing heart that loves snuggling close to the Lord. When you close your eyes, see Jesus & realize His love! Mark 7:6
Scripture, again and again, says:
"Come to Me..." (Matt. 11:28-30), "Come AWAY WITH ME..." S.S. JESUS
(in Mk. 6) urged His disciples to come away with Him by themselves.
The Bible speaks of a secret place, a place of being close, a shelter
in God's Presence. And invites us to rest in a shadow underneath His wings. (Think about this metaphor. You've got to get
close to someone to be in their shadow.) CLOSE!!! We
should draw near to the Father until His shadow covers over us, just
like the pillar of cloud by day shaded the children of Israel in the wilderness from the heat of the sun, as they traveled their desert journey.
Take a moment today to look up and ponder Psalm 19:14. A HEART that's full of a pleasing meditation to the Father. What is this?
I have sensed so much through the
years that the Lord wants me (really, each of His children) to learn
the art of being still (worshipping, praying, resting in
His Presence). And knowing that He is God (knowing Who the Lord is, drinking
in His Presence). Psalm 46:10
I have honestly found the ONLY healthy way I can cope with life (including problems, discouragements, daily stresses, troubles, difficult people and the like) is to find grace, retreat and love (in CLOSENESS), bringing my heart into the Presence of the Father.
1 John 3:1 assures us of the Father's great love. Hebrews speaks of a throne of grace where we are invited to draw near. We are meant DAILY to come before God in prayer, love & worship. The old-time hymn writers set the record straight: "I need Thee EVERY HOUR." And "What a fellowship! What a joy divine! Leaning on the everlasting arms."
1 John 1 tells us our
fellowship (sweet communing friendship, close, intimate
talks and oneness) is meant to be with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. This closeness is very real. And refreshing.
God's Word is true. And this closeness with the Lord Himself is our deepest need.
Being a Christian is so much MORE than traditional church ceremonies, or religious approaches or rituals or man-made works, or listening to sermons or programs. True Christianity is a spiritual reality, daily closeness to God. Real heart to heart with God Himself.
Keep the faith, my friend, and
remember today His great love for you. 1 John 3:1
Please remember: You are welcome, invited
by the God of Love. And the Holy Spirit draws you, grace bids you to come into His wonderful Presence.
What a FRIEND we have in Jesus!
Your home forever is found leaning close, like John at the communion table, leaning and
pressing near to the bosom of Jesus. Knowing you are His beloved and deep-hearted
friend. The closeness God wants with you is also like the friendship intimacy & covenant brotherhood we see in the scriptures between Jonathan and David.
We are called
to a life of true worship. We can walk this out joyfully and find a daily place of freedom, following the teachings of the Bible, drawing near to the Author of the Bible in real prayer that brings us
close.
Don't shortchange yourself. Go all the way with God. Find heavenly
intimacy, richness, closeness, life. Hallelujah!
If you are unsure where to begin, start with the example & prayer life of Jesus: Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16
Mark 1:35
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left
the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed.
Luke 5:16
Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
Let earthly cares go and learn a whole new focus of daily pursuing to be God's
dwelling, draw close underneath His wings.
In closeness to the Lord, you will find your life & strength renewed.
Are you weary today? Take time
to pray. Stay awhile. Don't be in a hurry. You're not here to work, but rest. Matthew 11:28-30 True faith rests. Never feel pressure to muster up a burden of works. Instead caress & wash the feet of Jesus with worship. You are not here to labor at spirituality, but to love. There is a
different way of life you can find in true worship.
Know God. He's waiting to be found. Isaiah 55 Jesus calls you to come. He loves you.
The Bible has lots of answers. The
Spirit sends this call. The Spirit and the Bridegroom (Jesus) say
"COME." And let him who hears be YOU. "Come home, come home. You who
are weary come home. Softly and tenderly, with a heart full of love,
Jesus is calling, you who are weary, come home!" Knowing God in your own heart brings you to a new
home. Jesus & God's Word becomes your beautiful daily meditation. The place of escape from all this world's sadness, fear, hurt & pain.
You are reading this because God is calling you: that this is your time to come home.
In a faith that rests, learn humility, snuggle close to God. Press deeply
into His Word (the Bible) & pursue His kingdom. Let it be said of you: "My soul follows hard (wholeheartedly) after
Thee." Psalm 42
Pursue God and begin to let true worship of the Father draw you close. Tap your soul into a river of Grace that is sufficient for all.
Every day the seeker of God can find, all over again, that the Name
above all names is Jesus. Truly, "Every knee shall bow & every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord." Philippians 2
Amen and HALLELUJAH!
Please join me in a journey that leads to FOREVER!
Seeking Jesus, the One Who is
WORTHY!
brother Jeff
To
follow up, here's a song about the beautiful treasure the Lord can be
in our lives. And how life becomes so much better when we learn to live close to Jesus...
Hear the Treasure Song!
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John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that He gave His Only begotten Son (Jesus) that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."1 John 5:1-20
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. 9 We accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 10 Anyone who believes in the Son of God (Jesus) has this testimony in his heart. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God (Jesus) so that you may know that you have eternal life. 20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true. And we are in Him who is true - even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.