What Happens When Were Close to God?

James 4:7-17; Acts 2,5

James 4:7 - 17

7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

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

9Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

11Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

12There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

13Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

14Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

15For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

16But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

17Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

We need to get closer to God in our spiritual lives. We need to be…

Sensing the need for closeness.

Savoring closeness. (You must like it)

Seeking out closeness (We can't expect it to sneak up on us).

Searching out harmful detours in our life that hamper our walk

Snuffing out interfering items that are imbedded in our life.

Severing harmful ties with the world that will haunt our life.

More than sensing, searching and seeking closeness with God, I want to look at the results of closeness in some people's live. Knowing what happens when we get close to God should cause us to try even harder.

Acts 2:41 - 47

41Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

42And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

43And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

44And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

45And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

46And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

47Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

The first individuals I want to look at are:

Believers that trusted, relied upon and waited on the Holy Spirit in Acts 2

We see they…

Were seeking God together

Trusted Christ and His promises in the presence of others

And…

Unity abounded

SO WE NEED AND WILL HAVE LOVE FOR THE BRETHREN!!!!!

The next individuals I want to look at are:

New Believers converted on Pentecost, anxious to know the ways of Christ.

Gladly received his Word - 41

Baptized - 41

Continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread and fellowship 42

Feared God 43

Believed together 44

Common goals 44

Helped each other and others 45

Continued daily in the temple (UNITY) 46

Visited each other 46

Reveled in the Lord 46

Praised GOD 47

…the result was that they…

Welcomed in Numerous New Believers 47

SO THEY HAD AND WE NEED LOVE FOR HIS WORK!!!!!!!!!

Acts 5:17 - 21

17Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,

18And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.

19But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,

20Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.

21And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

Acts 5:27 - 29

27And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,

28Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.

29Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Acts 5:40 - 42

40And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

41And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

42And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

The next individuals I want to look at are:

Believers that were facing opposition Acts 5:17-21; 27-29; 40-42

They trusted the Lord, they turned their life to Him, they treasured Him, they triumphed over Satan!

They were rescued…to serve 17-21

They Served - Gladly 41-42

SO WE NEED TO TRUST, TURN TO, TREASURE THE LORD AND WE WILL TRIUMPH OVER SATAN!!!!!!

 

Gary Marcum - New Beginnings Church - 061806pm - first used 090998am