The God Who Comes Close

Title: THE GOD WHO COMES CLOSE

James 4:1-10 1 What is the cause of your conflicts and quarrels with each other? Doesn’t the battle begin inside of you as you fight to have your own way and fulfill your own desires? 2 You jealously want what others have so you begin to see yourself as better than others. You scheme with envy and harm others to selfishly obtain what you crave—that’s why you quarrel and fight. And all the time you don’t obtain what you want because you won’t ask God for it!

3 And if you ask, you won’t receive it for you’re asking with corrupt motives, seeking only to fulfill your own selfish desires.

4 You have become spiritual adulterers who are having an affair, an unholy relationship with the world. Don’t you know that flirting with the world’s values places you at odds with God? Whoever chooses to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy!

5 Does the Scripture mean nothing to you that says, “The Spirit that God breathed into our hearts is a jealous Lover who intensely desires to have more and more of us”?

6 But he continues to pour out more and more grace upon us. For it says, God resists you when you are proud but continually pours out grace when you are humble.”

7 So then, surrender to God. Stand up to the devil and resist him and he will turn and run away from you.

8 Move your heart closer and closer to God, and he will come even closer to you. But make sure you cleanse your life, you sinners, and keep your heart pure and stop doubting.

9 Feel the pain of your sin, be sorrowful and weep! Let your joking around be turned into mourning and your joy into deep humiliation.

10 Be willing to be made low before the Lord and he will exalt you! “The Spirit that God breathed into our hearts is a jealous Lover who intensely desires to have more and more of us”.

THE GOD WHO COMES CLOSE

Text: James 4:1-10

Big Idea: Gods greatest desire is to be close to you – and He is already moving your way.

2 things about God:

1.God is a jealous Lover —He wants more and more of you.

2.God gives more grace —He’s actively making a way back to closeness.

Big Idea:

Gods greatest desire is to be close to you – and He is already moving your way.

1. GOD IS JEALOUS FOR YOU

(4-5) “The Spirit that God breathed into our hearts is a jealous Lover who intensely desires to have more and more of us”?

God’s jealousy doesn’t come from fear of losing you, but from love that refuses to lose you to lesser things."

Charles Spurgeon

“He would rather die (and He did!) than for us to continue to be with another foreign beholder of our love and care.”

2. God Gives More Grace (v.6–10) 6, 8 - But he continues to pour out more and more grace upon us. For it says, God resists you when you are proud but continually pours out grace when you are humble. Move your heart closer and closer to God, and he will come even closer to you

Psalm 103:13: “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.”

GODS GRACE DOESN’T ERASE YOUR PAST; IT RESTORES YOUR CLOSENESS TO HIM IN THE PRESENT.

"Your failures may have distance, but His grace has reach."

APPLICATION THE THING: Pick one thing this week— scrolling your phone at night, one TV episode, your drive-time to / from work and trade it for 10 minutes of intentional closeness with God.

THE TRADE: read one chapter of Scripture, write down one prayer, or thank God for three things.

YOUTUBE – “Grace Prayers”

Closeness grows when you trade something temporary for Someone eternal.

REMINDER

Gods greatest desire is to be close to you – and He is already moving your way.