Good morning all!
Father, I pray this morning that all those in search of You would FEEL your presence in their life. That they would get to experience You in a whole new way, in a way that can’t even be expressed by words. I pray that they know the power of Your word, the strength of Your arm and the depth of Your love, Amen. Have you ever heard that expression, can you feel it? Perhaps when you hear your favorite song? Or when you test drive a new car? Or maybe when exit the airport at your favorite vacation destination, can you feel Him?
James 4
Jas 4:5 KJV – Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
Do you think scripture is worthless? And the spirit that dwells inside of you desires for you to be discontent?
Jas 4:6 KJV – But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
God will give you all the grace you need. God pulls away from the proud, but to the humble He gives grace.
Jas 4:7 KJV – Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
You just yield to God whenever if ever you don’t feel content in your current situation. Resist the temptation to right the wrongs in life and it will not affect you.
Jas 4:8 KJV – Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Instead draw close to God in that situation and you will feel His presence close to you. Keep your hands clean from looking to hurt folks and your minds pure from seeing good and evil in people.
Bottom line
I believe there is a difference between knowing God and feeling God…experiencing God. I believe that is the message James is expressing in this passage of scripture, he said DRAW Him in and He draws you in. My initial thought as I read that verse was the picture of a married couple, a husband and wife approach each other with open arms as they both draw one another closer and embrace face to face…that’s more than a knowing…that’s a feeling!
Gen 32:30 KJV – And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. WOW!! Jacob stared face to face with God and I thought He was so holy and I was so rotten I couldn’t even look at Him? Hmm…maybe I was confused? Maybe I added my own silly thoughts to the matter? Maybe I condemned myself before I even met Him? Now I don’t know about you folks but there are very few people I’ve been face to face with, that requires some intimacy, either that or a very uncomfortable spot to be in, right? The key is the last part of the verse, Jacob wasn’t uncomfortable at all, it says God PRESERVED his life NOT condemn it. I would like you to imagine that this morning, God embraces you and looks into your eyes and preserves your life…that has to be a good feeling. Think about that, how could that possibly happen and we not feel that? If we can do that naturally with each other, would it be any
less with our Creator? Now how exactly did Jacob find himself in that position that he ends up face to face with God?
Gen 32:24 KJV – And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. He wrestled with God, you ever fight with God? We all wrestle with God, we think it’s with man only to find ourselves to the point of shear exhaustion and the next thing you know you FEEL God’s presence one day and you’re face to face with Him. How long does this wrestling match last? It’s in our time of darkness, we wrestle with all kinds of thoughts and ideas in life…and then there’s the break of day…the breaking of my stubborn will and we clearly see the sunrise and the evident will of God for our life. Until there’s breaking of my will, my pride, there’s a resisting on my part and I don’t experience the grace of God. Jacob fought with his brother Esau, they lied to each other, cheated one another and looked to kill one another…nothing like family. Can someone explain how Jacob ends up face to face with God being blessed by Him after a mess like that? DRAW near and God draws near, it’s NOT conditional, it’s NOT based on merit, it’s NOT based on poor perfromance, it’s a simple promise for us to follow…DRAW near. Now He did say “DRAW NEAR” and not a quick high five on your way out the door to do your own thing.
Sng 2:6 KJV – His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me. Hello…big difference between a high five and an EMBRACE, the difference between knowing and feeling. It’s okay, I believe we all start with getting to know God but it has to lead to so much more…abundant life, right? Perhaps just like the awkward moments when you first met the one you love, eventually it does lead to the warm embrace and once you get there does it really matter how you got there? Not really, what matters is how you feel about one another and you believe God feels the same way about you as you do for Him. Now, just to show you the true goodness of God, how does the story end for the two brothers that fought so hard with each other?
Gen 33:4 NIV – But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept. Call me crazy but maybe God knows what He’s doing after all and His goal is the warm embrace of love…nothing else matters.
Point to Ponder
Who gets to draw near to God? Jhn 12:32 KJV – And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. Don’t say scripture is worthless, it’s priceless…Christ was lifted high on Calvary to draw ALL men to Him…can you feel it?
Let’s all draw closer to Him and experience His love, In Him Phil
Faith – Family – Friends
