How can I be closer to the lord?

[JustPassingThru]

16 minutes ago, Blood Bought 1953 said:

Of course everyone is aware that James said “ faith without works is dead”

Brother, ...I hope you don't mind if I say something about this.

Paul tells us:

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.  Rom 10:17

That means God tells us to do something that is totally and completely impossible for us to do or accomplish, ...a good example of this is Jesus telling Peter to get out of the boat and walk on water, the story tells us he started to sink, that's the proof that he wasn't doing it himself, ...he was able to walk on water in faith of what Jesus had told him to do, ...so, whatever God might tell us to do and we step out in faith to do it, God accomplishes it in our lives,  ...that's what James calls our works of faith.

Many believe they are accomplishing works of faith in doing something for the Lord that He has never told them to do, ...that's called presumption!  

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?    And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.   Matt 7:21-23

[Geraldine]

Hi Ryan,

i praise God that you are seeking to be closer to Him. He will give you the desires of your heart. I want to share to you what the Lord taught me.

Isaiah 59:1-2 NLT
[1] Listen! The LORD's arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. [2] It's your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.

yes, this still applies today. God is the same yesterday today and tomorrow. God has given us a way to be able to be near Him again through repentance of every disobedience in our life. But we must not do the same sin again and again, we must learn what He is teaching us. When He ascended and the Holy Spirit came to us, He said the Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin, notice why world, and not just believers or any particular person, it is because Holy Spirit is with ALL men, He is beside us telling us the things that God wants and does not want us to do, (some people call it conscience). In order to walk with the Lord in our life here on earth, we must be able to listen to His voice. 

John 10:27 NLT
[27] My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

so, when we hear Him, we must follow Him, by following, it is obeying to what He is telling us. And yes, it is very important to know Him so we can know it is Him who is talking to us, that it is His voice that we are hearing, for there are 3 voices that we hear everyday, ( the Lords voice, our voice and the evil ones voice), that is why we are also told to test every spirit. We can know the character of God or His ways by reading His Word. And the examples of the life of His servants and the people of Israel. Why He is angry at them, or what made God punish Israel, and how God loves them and how God answered them and helped them everytime they call upon Him and repented. And how God punished them when they disobey and worshipped idols. And you will also learn what the promises if God when we obey.

obedience is very important. The Lord said, “OBEDIENCE IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE” for obedience shows your faith, that you believed in Him and trust Him. God hates unbelief the most. God will never fail to show Himself to you if you love Him and abide in Him.

John 14:21 NLT
[21] Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them."

Finally, my advice to you, when you pray, kneel down, humble yourself to the Lord, ask Him to search your heart of unrepented sins, and repent of it. Then tell Him with all your heart what your desire is, ask Him to help you love Him more, seek Him more. And to give you a willing heart to obey Him and to be faithful to Him. If you are willing, really willing to give your life to Him. He will give you grace. And im sure you will experience His presence. 

Its not by power nor might, but by My Spirit, says the Lord.

 

Luke 11:13 NLT
[13] So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him."

Be Blessed!

[Geraldine]

1 hour ago, Betha said:

Great post ! for a NEWBIE (are you , have not seen you before ?) you show a lot of godly wisdom people would do well to listen to.

Can i take up with you Lk 11 v13, where it says we can ASK for the Holy Spirit......assuming it is then given to them ?  Yet in Acts 5v32 we are told the HS is given to them that OBEY Him.....not just anybody who asks ?  Does this difference clarify it a bit more as to WHO  ACTUALLY gets it ? I mean, anybody could just ask  for it for a number of different reasons that don't include obedience ? that is what i see in people who claim Christ but don't obey. what is your understanding on this ?

All glory to God!

Hi, when Jesus said to His disciples, I chose you, you didnt chose me. Its very clear, that no one can really come to Jesus without God drawing us to Him. Even in John 1, we are born again not by the will of men but by God. Its very clear that whatever things we have is ALL by His grace. Not by our own works, power or might. But by His Spirit. And in this verse, i also believe that Jesus gave us a revelation or clue, that we can actually ask the Holy Spirit from the Father. Because He knew, that time will come with so many teachings and doctrines of men, even false teaching, that it will be impossible fo us to go back to God if we fall or back slidden. (Go back to our first love or relationship with the Father as when we first believe). And because of deception also. 

When the Holy Spirit indwells in us or is in us, we cannot continue to sin, we cannot continually disobey, because He will not dwell in us, for He is Holy, He cannot dwell in our body or make us His temple while we continue to sin.  And many of us don’t understand this, and it is impossible to produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit without Him IN US. for it is He that is at work in us and causes us to produce fruit. That is why Jesus said apart from Him we can do nothing. So what paul said is true, that Holy Spirit is given in a sense, He will be IN us to only those who obey. Because in Romans 8, He will lead us and control us. Only those who are being led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God. So, when one TRULY repented and seek Gods mercy again and DECIDED to willingly walk in the Lord, and be obedient. We can actually ask the Father for the Holy Spirit to indwell or be IN US again. Notice this verse.

John 14:17 NLT
[17] He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.

with you and in you.

shalom!  Be blessed!

 

 

[Geraldine]

So day to day, we must include the Holy Spirit in our lives. In order to be led by Him. In order to know how we can obey Him. 

In all your ways, acknowledge Me and I shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:6 NLT
[6] Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

 

[Neighbor]

On 5/9/2019 at 4:32 AM, nzkev said:

Did you just come up with all that off the top of your head? well done

Hi, Top of my head, well no, but it isn't cut and paste either.

It is a very short articulation of 35 years of being humbled by my awesome creator.  

Funny, as I start to serve God directs, as I sit ( Claiming  to be waiting on the Lord ), God chastises. It is just the way it has been  for me.

 

Practical experience: Looking for a new home church, I found a tremendous pastor teacher, but the building oh my,  and the toilets, worse than a New Mexico desert gas station.   And; I sat listening to the  wonderful presentation of the Word and I complained, and then  there was a leak in the roof and  I complained. Next thing I knew ( long story shortend ) I was an employee, my responsibility? Fix it.  My vast knowledge in management and property development and leadership ( all my then personal opinion of myself)  was used by God to push on a rope there for 20 years, 14 as an employee,  the "facilities manager" of the 9 acres of buildings. There I labored hard many hours every week, hands on, often very dirty work, with many others. We ripped out toilets and stalls in 13 public restrooms, nasty restrooms and made them impressive clean facilities. Some of those restrooms had 16 stations in them. Then I had to supervise the custodial staff, and be the custodial staff often as well.

Humbling? Yep, but many a saint visited our accomplishment and were "comforted" and became regular attendees, (ha) and members of that local body of Christ Jesus, where they heard and were lead to the word of God by some really excellent teachers. And I got to push on a rope there till one day, my body gave out, literally just popped, and God showed me, it is His time set  for a new generation to come along and push on the rope.  God provided them, younger, smarter, faster, good  family men, well trained in service to our Lord Jesus, and in the word of God. 

So my experience tells me God uses those that will "push on the rope", be humbled, shake off personal pride, and  higher standing as perceived by ones self. The pleasure is in the service to God, much  of it quiet and often solitary service but done by so many brothers and sisters each with their own humbling lead from God the Holy Spirit for the sake of the gospel of Jesus to the glory  of God the Father.

It has been a wondrous lesson for me, so off the top of my head? No, not so much as  from the callouses of my hands and the fatigue of my mind, pumped up by the knowledge that God is preparing yet another generation even now, as  the younger men and women prepare their own children, perhaps much as God has prepared us, - to work as Jesus' bond-servants.

Sorry, I got a little wordy there. Happens sometimes when led and the fingers move without even the top of my head seeming to be involved. Instead just the heart, one heart so appreciative of what God has done for this awful sinner against him, the Holy Spirit having turned me about.

 

Back to the thread topic: Just do, by prayer ? Yes. By listening? Yes. But mostly by  doing what one had not expected to be called  to do, and then learn to do it as  well as one can do given the strength and talent and gift, doing it no matter how humbling for the Glory that is our God, and not for self. 

 

[Daniel Marsh]

Constantly play praise music where you can.   Pray when you think of someone.   Pray for someone you are lusting for.

Pray when you hear a siren for those involved.   If there is a death or serious injury that may get them to think about life and where they are going. 

[Geraldine]

Hi Betha, i will tell you my testimony of what the Lord revealed to me and my daughter.

The Lord sent the 3 of us to a mission abroad, me and my 2 daughters.

While on the way to the airport, the Lord led me to worship Him throughout the journey to the airport. So it was a very beautiful early morning trip. At the check in counter, the lady asked us of our visa, and i was totally blanked because i forgot to bring or be reminded that we need visa for this country, we had visa but its in the old passport and i forgot to remind the girls to check and bring, but i had mine because the Lord led me to bring mine to process my other visa during my spare time, and my other daugter had hers on her passport, but my other daughter left hers at home. After realizing this situation i quickly inquired the Lord, and prayed if He wants us to proceed, (the Lord said yes) and i prayed that to show us favor that the passport with the visa can arrive before the plane leaves. The airline staff were very helpful to us, and i quickly instructed my son to hurry and get the passport at home and to have it brought back to the airport, to make the story short, the passport with the visa did arrived, (God is so faithful) but we, me and my other daughter were told to board the plane first, then just 5 minutes before the scheduled time, the plane started to leave the tarmac or parking area, and my daughter called and said the passport arrived, and i said the plane is leaving. By the way, the pilot knew about our situation. So my daughter was left behind, and then during the flight, i asked the Lord what happened, the Lord told me, IF I WILL COME NOW TO TAKE YOU WITH ME, SHE WILL BE LEFT BEHIND. i was shocked, and asked so many questions, the Lord had promised me that He will teach my children. So this is one of His teaching her a lesson and us a lesson. The Lord led me to Romans 8, John14-16, 1John3, and told me, if my daughter keeps on disobeying the Lord and will not allow the Spirit of God to lead her since she wont obey, then He will not live IN her. The Lord then told me about His people, that many thought that He is In them because of the works they do for Him, but the Lord is serious in us obeying Him and not grieving Him. 

Only those who do the will of My Father can enter the Kingdom of God.

so back to your question, to answer it. I would take the advice of paul to make our calling and election sure. To examine myself daily if the Spirit of God is in me, if Jesus lives in me. And repent as quickly as the Lord admonish or rebuke me. 

So back to what happened, the Lord spoke to my daughter and until she was willing to submit and obey the Lord and repented and understand, the Lord forgave her and then we claim Luke 11:13 for apart from the Lord in us, its not easy to obey and please God, and after that the Holy Spirit lives in her and she was really trasformed. It was not quick and easy thing. The experience taught us a great lesson and made us understand the importance of the Holy Spirit to be in us, and not to grieve Him. He is gentle and sweet and meek, He will not force us. He lets us choose to receive Him or reject Him, if we constantly defy or disobey Him it means we are rejecting Him. If we reject Him, He will leave our body, but He is faithful that He is still with us, to continue to bring us back to Him, for He knows our weaknesses.

all glory to God

Shalom

[R. Hartono]

Just think of God, its ur mind attitude not ur body.

[Tzephanyahu]

Shalom @Geraldine

What a fascinating testimony!  Thank you for sharing it.  

It's so thrilling to hear of someone speak about the Spirit with the same way I have learned about the Spirit. 

Love & Shalom

[Ryan2203]

Thank you for all your answers. For these past couple weeks I feel closer to god then ever before. Thank you.