Title: Drawing Close to God
Contents
Title: Drawing Close to God
Bible: Psalm 73:27-28
Starting Point of the Word>>
Today, I would like to share the sermon with the title of “drawing closer to God” through the words of this text.
People can see that their lives change depending on who they are with.
For example, when you get close to God, you become a person of God, when you get close to the world, you become a worldly person, when you get close to a good person, you become a good person, and when you get close to a bad person, you become a bad person.
So Jesus says in Matthew 15:14:
According to Matthew 15:14,
“If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
In this way, whether we live our life of faith well or not depends on who we are with.
Therefore, as saints, we must realize that we can live the most beautiful life of faith only when we draw near to the greatest God.
Example>
Edward Hall, an American cultural anthropologist, divided the streets into about four streets.
The first is 'close distance'.
The distance from 0 to 45cm is the distance between close people such as a couple or lovers, and it is a distance that can be reached if you want to touch each other.
The second is called 'object distance', which is a distance that can be reached if you stretch out your hand at a distance of 45 to 120 cm.
The third is 'social distance'.
It means a distance of 120 to 360 cm, which is a business or formal distance, which is a formal social distance.
Finally, there is 'air distance'.
More than 360 cm is the distance of almost unrelated people.
That's a distance that can be passed regardless of each other.
When we people talk about distance from each other, we say this. How do you and I think of distance from God?
If possible, I hope that the distance between you and God will become a stronger relationship than close contact.
I hope that you and our members will be within reach whenever you need it, when you need it, and when God needs it.
Go to Word>>
So, how can you draw near to the invisible God?
First, in order for the saints to draw near to God, they must become close to the life of the Word.
If we look at the words of John 1:1,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
I did.
Thus, the Bible records the Word as God.
Therefore, please realize that drawing near to the Word is drawing near to God.
So, if we look at the words of Psalm 1:1-2,
“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful, but meditate on the law of the Lord day and night.”
Said.
David meditated on the Word day and night to draw closer to God, and he was the king of faith who sought God.
In Hebrews 4:12,
“The word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
said
The word of God has the power to live and work, and as saints, we will see the power of the word, the power of God.
When we draw near to God's Word, we meet God and we meet God's miracles.
“What has been the most successful investment you have ever made?”
Then he answered without hesitation at all.
“I made the best investment when I was 10. Then I bought a pretty leather Bible for $2.75, which was the greatest investment of my life. Because that Bible made me who I am today.”
“Then, can I be successful if I only buy the Bible?”
"It's not like that. First, you must believe in God and put into practice the Word. If you trust God and work happily and joyfully, success will soon come to your side.”
I ask in the name of the Lord that your life will be filled with joy and gratitude because you are close to the Word and live according to the Word.
Second, in order for the saints to draw closer to God, they must become saints who practice prayer.
The Bible is God's word to us.
If we can meditate on these words and draw close to them, it means that we can draw closer to God through the words we speak.
The words we give to God are called prayers in the Bible.
One of the things that we learn anew through the 'purpose-driven life' and that we are moved is that God expects us to tell our lives as they are through our lips.
Therefore, our prayers should not be offered to God using any idioms, but should be prayers that tell us about our lives.
When you are angry, you tell God with your angry face;
Then God not only comforts and caresses us, but also adds grace to solve all our problems.
Look at the words of Psalm 145:18.
“The Lord is near to all who make supplication to him, to all who ask him in truth.”
, confesses the psalmist.
Example>>
The famous American Dr Norman Vincent Peale,
“If anyone prays for 15 minutes every morning, he will never fail in life.”
said
Because if you pray really earnestly, you will meet God even in 15 minutes.
Therefore, we must not only build the foundation of the dawn, but also often offer a prayer of confession to God to share our lives.
We must also pray, repent and seek God's will and humility.
This will bring you closer to God.
In the words of Psalm 34:18,
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
spoke,
In the words of Isaiah 57:15,
“I am in a high and holy place, and also with the contrite and humble of heart, to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite.”
I did.
I hope you draw closer to God through prayer.
In our prayers, that is, in our prayers to draw closer to God, God is giving us great power and grace.
Third, in order for the saints to draw closer to God, they must become closer to the life of thanksgiving and praise.
How much do you confess your gratitude to God through your life, and how do you glorify God through your lips?
Things that are not as easy as you think are thanks and praise.
Living with the world, there must have been many times when you lost the grace of God for a while and found yourself living with the world.
But we know all too well that our life cannot be close to God.
According to Psalm 100:2-4,
“Serve the LORD with gladness, come before him with singing; know that the LORD is our God; he made us, and we are his; his people, the sheep of his pasture. Go in, give thanks to him, and bless his name.”
Said.
When the priests of Israel went before God, they sang hymns.
It was impossible to approach God without singing.
In this way, we too must sing praises to draw closer to God.
Praise and thanksgiving are inseparable.
Japanese theologian Uchimura Kanzo said,
“Take the bottom of your life as zero. Then you will be thankful in everything.”
These are the words that teach the gift of praise.
We b need to remember the grace that He sent our only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to carry us on the cross to deliver us from the pit of sin, and to become saints who confess our gratitude every day.
As I always emphasize, I bless you with the mercy of the Lord that the confession of praise and thanksgiving will be confessed throughout your life.
Fourth, in order for the saints to draw closer to God, they must draw closer to each other's lives of love.
According to 1 John 4:12,
“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is made perfect in us.”
I did.
It is a lesson that when we love one another, we become closer not only with people but also with God.
In 1 Corinthians 13, we often use the expression ‘love chapter’.
However, in reality, there was no love in the appearance of the Corinthian church.
This is a letter from Paul when they boasted about their gifts and were fighting each other.
What is the main point of 1 Corinthians?
It doesn't matter who you learn from.
Also, the gifts you have received are not all.
There is one thing that holds all of this together: love.
Without love, the gifts you have now are nothing.
So, what Paul is emphasizing is ‘love’.
Just like humans, God loves those he loves.
Example>>
A black man was crying in front of a white church.
Because only white people can go there.
But the Lord appeared and said, “Do not weep, I am not entering.” you would do If you can't love people, you can't say you love God.
Today, we hope that all of our members will live a life that draws closer to God through love.
At the end of the speech>>
Organize your words.
When we draw closer to God, our lives become very light.
It is a blessing and grace for us to draw near to God.
As I said today, I bless you in the name of the Lord that you will become believers who are close to God through the Word, prayer, thanksgiving and praise, and by loving each other.
And I pray in the name of the Lord once again that God's amazing grace and love will be with you as a full and overflowing blessing in the lives of the saints every day as you draw closer to God.