"I Want To Be Close To God!"

"How Do I Get Close To God!"

Piety........

Humility....... Love.......

Joy....... Peace...... Long-suffering .......

Gentleness......... Goodness.......... Faith........ Meekness....... Temperance.......

I get asked often, "Pastor, how do I get closer to God?" I "do" the "right" stuff, I don't do "bad" stuff. Then they reveal the checklist they've kept and claim approval before God based on merit and ask, "Why does God feel so far away?" Isn't it strange that we quote Ephesians, "for by grace are ye saved through faith. Not of works lest any man should boast." Yet turn right around and base our standing with God on what we do. Now understand this, a true disciple of Christ will bear fruit in action and deed but its not in the form of a checklist. It doesn't lie in how many hours you volunteered, how much money you donated, how often you go to church, how many times you say the name Jesus, how little you drink, how little you cuss or blah, blah, blah! It has NOTHING to do with you! The fruit of the Spirit is revealed in us when Christ is everything to us! As John Piper says, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him!" Your value doesn't come in what you can do for God but in what God did for you in the redemptive power of the cross and the blood Jesus Christ shed! When he said "It is finished!" He meant just that, stop trying and simply be satisfied in Him! Then the Spirit will perform its purpose, and flourish and the flesh will die. And the things you wanted to do but couldn't will begin to take place and the things you tried to abstain from but couldn't will be easy to resist when you're blinded by grace! Can a good tree bring forth evil fruit? Not at all. You claim Christ yet have arrogance, you claim Christ yet you're just like the pharisee, praying "thank you lord that I'm not like the publican." See, scripture teaches that God is near unto the humble and contrite spirit, He's near unto those who understand that their righteousness is as filthy rags. He's close to those who are broken, torn, tattered, and bruised. He's near unto those who realize their insignificance outside of him! He's near unto those who humbly resist their own efforts and solely trust in Him! Do you really know what these words mean or do you just read over them and think yea, thats me?

Humble :having a feeling of insignificance, inferiority, subservience, etc. 

low in rank, importance, status, quality, etc.; lowly:

Contrition:  sorrow for and detestation of sin with a true purpose of amendment, arising from a love of God

Love: An unconditional commitment to positive action toward someone without the expectation of return.

Joy: the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something 

exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation:

Peace: freedom of the mind from annoyance, distraction, anxiety, an obsession, etc.; tranquillity; serenity.

Long-suffering: enduring injury, trouble, or provocation long and patiently.

Gentleness: not severe, rough, or violent; mild:

Goodness: moral excellence; virtue.

Faith: the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Meekness: humbly patient or docile, as under provocation from others.

Temperance:  moderation or self-restraint in action, statement, etc.; self-control.

These are the eleven steps to communion with God!

Galatians 5:22-23King James Version (KJV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Psalm 34:18King James Version (KJV)

18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Isaiah 57:15King James Version (KJV)

15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.