-Continued from Welcome Page
Come near to God, and He will come near to you. - James 4:8 (NIV)
Refusing to act when God is near leaves you exactly where we were before. But, instantly, when you move toward Him, in that moment you become truly alive. All the rest of your life is simply existence. When you choose to go to Him then you are alive.
Never allow an opportunity to come near to God to pass without acting on it. Act on it without hesitation. Every believer, from the newest to the most experienced, who "does business with God", is immediately freed of the weight of this world. By a simple act like kneeling at the altar, the believer is ushered into the presence of the Lord. This is because even the smallest act is a physical manifestation of your choice to submit your will to His. Then all the power of God is marshaled in your behalf.
But often, when we feel God is near we take a tiny step forward, then hesitate, and then turn back. Again and again we timidly step forward only to hesitate and turn back, until we finally realize turning back puts us right back where we started. We must step all the way into His presence to "do(transact) business" with Him.
His word "come" means to "transact". "Come to me" is an invitation from Our Lord to "do(transact) business" with Him. It's the hardest thing to do, but everyone who comes to Him is met immediately by His Spirit. The enemy, the world, and your flesh are suddenly paralyzed, not by your act, but because your small act has connected you to God and His redemptive power.
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October Scripture and Notes
Do not fret-It leads only to evil. Psalm 37.8 (NIV)
An Important "Do Not"
Aside from the Ten Commandments, this is one of the Lord's most important "Do Not"s. To fret means to chafe, fray, become irritated, or to be vexed or worried. It is easy to say, "Do not fret", but not so easy to develop a disposition that makes you able not to fret. It is hard to think of "resting in the Lord" when the anxieties about the economy and the tumult of the upcoming election are swirling about us. Can you "wait patiently for the Lord" when things seem to be crumbling all about you ? Well, if this "Do not" doesn't work now it will not work anywhere. Why doesn't it work now as it does in peaceful times?
Resting in the Lord depends on your personal relationship with God, not at all on your circumstances. Circumstances are always changing, and seldom for the better. But God never changes. Nor does His desire for a personal relationship with you.
Unresolved fretting will end in sin. It is not evidence of wisdom to be worried and anxious about the condition of the world or the condition of your budget; it is more likely an indication of wickedness. You see, fretting comes from a desire to have our own way. It comes from feeling frustration at not being able to fix things yourself. Consider that our Lord Jesus never fretted in even the most dire circumstances. He wasn't determined to get His own way, He was determined to do the will of the Father. Because of His perfect relationship with His Father, He was "resting in the Lord" at all times. So can you.
Have you been fretting that the economic situation, or the election, or your circumstances are just too much for the Lord. What pride. Set aside the "fretting" and press into the Father. Make your prayers personal and heartfelt and trust that He can and will handle the situation.