The closest anyone can get to God is to have Him live within your heart. When I was a child we used to sing: “Don’t try to tell me God is dead, He woke me up this morning. Don’t try tell me He is not alive, He lives within my heart.” But before He can take up residence in yours or my heart, we must be born again. When an individual is born again, he becomes united with Christ and one with Him. The Holy Scripture says: “But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:17).
Therefore, if we are one with Christ, we are close to Him. He has even promised that He will never leave you nor forsake you. So, this notion that He is far off is a trick the enemy use to convince us into believing that we have to do more to get closer to Him. Christian author, Gregory Dickow, calls this the ‘Illusion of Separation.’
Consequently, there is no separation between you and God. Jesus fill the gap created from the downfall of Adam and Eve. Therefore, if you bought the lie that God is far off, and you have to do more to get closer to Him, you are actually saying you can earn God’s favor. And when you think you can earn God’s favor–you try too hard. Then, when that doesn’t work–you get discouraged until you either give up or assume your relationship with God is distant. This mindset ultimately affects your peace, your joy, and your confidence in prayer.
Brothers and sisters, your closeness to God is not earned, it’s a gift–made possible through the blood of Jesus. So, if we recognize that God lives within us, it will change how we look at ourselves and ultimately change how we live.
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God made it so easy…. He sent His Son to die in our place – we make it hard by telling ourselves we have to work to deserve it!!!!
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Thanks so much for your input, Michael. You are exactly right, we make it hard on ourselves. Jesus has paved the way for our salvation, but many of us are still stuck in Old Testament tradition.
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You are so welcome.
Many, I am afraid, are confined to the Law. I think, too, many some how believe that their sin was so grievous that the sacrifice Christ made could not be sufficient at washing them from their burdensome blemish. However, His sacrifice upon the tree exceeds all sufficiency required…. Were it not so, He would have told us. Yet, and again, God has told us “it is by faith in Christ Jesus that we are saved by grace… not by works.
I sometimes think there is a need for a small booklet entitled “Salvation for Dummies,101.” Wherein only a few lines may be required. and, as to God’s sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ and the sufficiency of His death…….. for all of our sin…… “Get it right……. it was a gift.”
Noel, may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob bless and keep you and yours. Now and always.
Yours in Christ;
Michael
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P/S:
I am posting tomorrow entitled “The Power of Christ over the Flesh”.
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Reblogged this on GoodOleWoody's Blog and Website.
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