Drawing Near To God

We live in a society where there are all kinds of distractions, the evil one has made it so easy to get caught up in all kinds of things that take our minds off the Lord and the things of His kingdom.  Think of what you spend most of your time on and with.  If we are believers, we are in the world but we are not to be of the world.

Too many times we act like we are of the world, conforming to its practices instead of being transformed by renewing our minds becoming more like our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.  I think, without knowing it, we become enemies of God because we become so caught up and ensnared in the things of the world and act so comfortable with them.  When we do that we can incur the wrath of God in our lives.

The Word says this in James 4:4, “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

Seeking the pleasures of the world that keep us from pleasing God is sinful.  God gives us the desires of our hearts at times and He is the giver of the good and perfect gifts, which we are blessed with in our Christian walk, praise God.  So why do we still seek the things of the world; are we trying to provoke God to jealousy?  Have we gotten so prideful and arrogant that the things of the world are more important than the things of God?  Are we crossing the line into idol worship with the things that we spend our time and energy on?

In the Old Testament the Israelites were warned against idol worship and in our time the same warning still exists.  What was expected of God’s chosen people is expected of us also; don’t forget if we are true believers we are chosen by God also.  Moses said this to the Israelites just before Joshua took God’s people into the promise land in Deuteronomy 4:23, “Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the Lord your God has forbidden you.”

In those days the people worshiped many things and I am afraid it is still happening in our day.  We may not make images and put them on pedestals and bow down and worship them, but idolizing people or anything else, is idol worship.  I believe this takes place constantly and many don’t even realize they are doing it.  This is what Moses said to the Israelites about God in Deuteronomy 4:24, “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”

Remember the same God that they served, is the same God that we serve if we are born-again.  God doesn’t change by turning, He is the same yesterday, today and forever and He is not a man that He should lie.  So don’t allow your friendship with the world to provoke Him to anger.  If you have allowed your flesh to rise up and take control of your actions and allowed yourself to be caught up in the world and its practices, you need to take authority and tell your flesh to ‘take a hike.’  

Take control of your life, resist worldly things and the temptations of the evil one, draw close to God and He will draw close to you.  The evil one will always try to get control of your mind and emotions and lead you down the wrong path, but if you humble yourself before the Lord and resist the devil, he will flee from you. Then you should seek God and the things of His kingdom and you will be blessed.  Something to think about!  May God bless you and yours, and may you have great day!!