Draw Near To God

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded." -  James 4:8

There may be times when God seems far away. We may feel as if our prayers go unheard. James said there is a simple reason for this and a solution. If we are far from God, it is because our sin has separated us from Him.

God is unchanging. His character stays absolutely holy. His faithfulness remains constant; it is we who change. We allow sin into our lives. We choose our own direction. We spend less and less time with Him in Bible study and prayer. Then one day we realize that we have gradually grown distant from God. The solution, according to James, is straightforward. We are to draw near to God. As we realize our need to be closer to the Father and we begin to return to Him, He meets us even as the father hurried to greet his prodigal son (Luke 15:20).

Drawing near to God requires us to take two actions. First, we must cleanse our hands (Isa. 1:15). We must cleanse our way of living. If we have been actively engaged in sin, we must renounce it. If we have done anything to offend or hurt someone, we must make it right. Second, we are to purify our heart (Ps. 51:10). We must make certain our attitudes, thoughts, and motives are right in God’s eyes and are in harmony with God’s word. Jesus warned that we cannot serve two masters (Matt. 6:24). It is impossible to love anything else as much as we love God and still please Him.

If God seems distant, do what is necessary to cleanse your hands, purify your heart, and draw near to Him.

[from: Today God Is First]

One Little "Moment" Does Matter...A Lot!

This moment where something creeps into our heart and pulls our focus from right to wrong. It will be just a hint of distortion. The smallest amount. But a slight and seemingly insignificant amount of skewed thought will take root. And grow. Beyond what you can even imagine.

Just like how the nation of Israel in came into captivity? Why was the entire nation of Israelites - all God's people - all twelve tribes - enslaved in Egypt? If you trace this story backwards you'll find it's because of one seemingly insignificant moment. The course of history was changed because a few family members got a little cranky and a little jealous of their brother Joseph. Envy and anger slipped in. Just a hint. But just enough. It doesn't take much.

Joseph was thrown in a pit and eventually sold as a slave. Years went by. Years of heartbreak and confusion passed. Eventually, Joseph landed in a position of great power in Egypt and had authority to provide food for his family. So, all 11 of his brothers and their families moved to Egypt. Joseph and his 11 brothers make up what became the 12 tribes of Israel. As these tribes multiplied they became the nation of Israel.

What the brothers meant for evil, God used for good. He saved the Israelites from the famine. But there were still lasting effects of the brothers' choices that came out years later. After Joseph died, "Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt. 'Look,' he said to his people, 'the Israelites have become much too numerous for us. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.' So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. (Exodus 1:8-11)

So, the entire nation of Israel suffered oppression and slavery. Why? Because a few brothers on an ordinary day got a little jealous and allowed anger and envy to slip in. And the moment it slipped in, the course of history changed. 

In just a moment. May we never assume our moments don't matter. The decisions we make every second of every day matter. There are no little moments or little sins. There is a domino affect to it all.

Today is a new day. A new chance to set things going in a different direction. Joseph's brothers had years to try and rescue Joseph - find out where he was - help him - set their past mistakes right.

Moments matter. Watch for a moment today where you are given the choice to let anger, envy or something else negative slip in. Recognize it. Refute it. And replace it with God's spirit of love. ~ L. Terkeurst

Perseverance Vs. Bitterness

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." ~ James 1:2-4

"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him." ~ James 1:12

Bitterness only consumes the vessel that contains it. To permit bitterness to control or infect your life in any way whatsoever would be to allow those who hurt you to take even more than what they've already taken.

When you hold on to disappointment, a poisonous root of bitterness begins to grow. Allow the Holy Spirit to fill you so He can heal the hurt that causes bitterness.

"See to it that noone misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many." ~ Hebrews 12:15