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This is a recent sermon in our “Does the Bible Really Say That” series.
Hope you enjoy!
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You have the choice to rejoice (Philippians 4:4)
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, youdouble-minded.
James 4:8
There may be times when God seems far away.You may feel as if your prayers go unheard. James said there is asimple reason for this and a solution. If you are far from God, it isbecause your sin has separated you from Him. God is unchanging. Hischaracter stays absolutely holy. His faithfulness remains constant; itis we who change. We allow sin into our lives. We choose our owndirection. We spend less and less time with Him in Bible study andprayer. Then one day we realize that we have gradually grown distantfrom God. The solution, according to James, is straightforward. We areto draw near to God.
Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.
Ephesians 4:25
Because you are a Christian, your life ought to be permeated with truth. When you were born again, God put the Spirit oftruth in you (John 16:13). The Spirit’s role is to guide you into alltruth. The Spirit wants to fill your mind with whatever is true (Phil.4:8). If you allow the Spirit to fill you with God’s truth, you willbe truthful in your actions and in your relationships. According toJesus, this means that your yes will always mean yes, and your no willalways mean no (Matt. 5:33–37). The world considers truth optional.Deception permeates every corner of society because the prince of this world is the author and father of lies (John 8:44).
“Therefore do not be like them. Foryour Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.”
Matthew 6:8
Even before we call on Him, the Father has already begun to provide all that we need (Isa. 65:24). Jesus wanted His disciplesto learn how intimately God knew and loved each of them. That is whyHe told them to pray. He assured them that even before they prayed,God knew all about their situation. Prayer is not designed for us toinform God of our needs, for He already knows them. Why, then, shouldwe pray? Prayer enables us to experience God more intimately. The morea child experiences the loving provision of a parent, the moreconvinced he becomes of his parent’s unrelenting love.
Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ.
Philippians 1:27
Paul never lost his wonder at having been called by God. He understood that the way he lived ought to be worthyof the King who had chosen him. He knew that the mystery of the gospelhad been hidden for generations and had only been revealed in his daythrough the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Col.1:26–27). Paul also understood that until people accept the gospel,they are spiritually dead and therefore without hope (Col. 2:13). As aresult of God’s plan of salvation, those who trust in Jesus are notonly made alive in Christ but are also adopted as the Father’schildren (Rom. 8:16–17).
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