things to give up to get closer to god

He is always ready and waiting to change us from the inside out. It is the posture in our hearts that we are close enough. Moses tells the Hebrews in Deuteronomy 4:29…, “But from there you will seek the LORD your God and you will find Him, if you search after Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”. As distance grew between Jesus and me, I had to come up with a solution to how to get closer … Or will you be Mary who put all that aside to be with Jesus? Not only is this a requirement of a right relationship with God, but it carries a tremendous blessing:  a time of refreshing. God rejoices when we seek Him out, and commands that we do so with true hearts. I can't stress it enough. I always believed I was giving the situation to God but the reality was I was directing Him. Jesus says throughout Scripture that He is the only way to the Father, and one benefit of trusting in Him is a restful spirit. Seek our godly teachers who will faithfully pour the word of God into your life, then listen carefully when they do. But we don’t really want Him to be our comforter because that would mean that the circumstances He allows us to be in are UNcomfortable, and we definitely don’t like that. And we have got to recapture that pursuing heart! Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. Wake up. I would love to help you any way that I can. 1. If you feel like you’ve been away from God for too long, or if you fear that you’ve sinned too much for God to bring you back to Himself, know that the arms of God are always open to receive you. We are called to seek after God always, in all things. People of the Resurrection. God has equipped everybody for specific service to others. If you need a list of great worship music, I’ve got a list of some of my personal favs here on my website to get you started. Trust wholly in Him & put Him first before everything else. Psalm 9:10 NLT. “He is always ready and waiting to change us from the inside out.”. “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life.”. Water is the source of all life, and God is the water that soothes and fills our thirsty hearts. Do whatever it takes—physically—to help yourself be present to Him. Jesus cleansed me. You know, just in case we need Him for something, but on our terms. -Glorie Catarisano, Singer, Dancer, Friend, Lover, Dreamer, Creator, Father, Husband, Worshiper, Jesus Follower Stuck. Pursue God with every fiber of your being, and we are promised that we will find Him. Happy, In the secret, in the quiet place, in the stillnes, I am being SO challenged by the Lord in this seaso, HEALING. Challenge each other and grow closer to God together. Lie down. Hey guys! But we need to do this. This may be obvious, but there are too many of us that don’t dig into Scripture on a regular basis. I love helping you grow closer to God and grow as a leader, and I have made sure to put only the best, most actionable content into my courses so you get incredible results from every course you take. As believers in God, we all know that building a normal relationship with God in order to get closer to God and receive more of the Holy Spirit’s work is crucial. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.”. The best thing you can do is are certain things that can hinder you getting closer to God. Give us clean hands and pure hearts. Repent and do the things you did at first. He has made Himself incredibly available to us through prayer. Out in the breeze, out in creation. His Spirit is ready to speak to you through His Word. Walk. In the fast-paced modern life, however, busy jobs, complicated relationships and evil social trends draw us in and occupy our hearts more and more, and they prevent us from quieting ourselves before God. Again, we don’t realize we are saying it, but we are. And eventually, make sure you’re not just there to get but to give and serve as well. There are lots of great online courses out there about all different topics. -Benjamin Hooker, "Barrett has been one of my best friends for over 10 years since meeting in college, where his loyal friendship and influence pressed me forward in courage and in faith; simply, the effects of someone who loves God earnestly, without equivocation. What would God do if He looked down and saw everyone in your church up at the altar, over and over, and over again each week? Show us the depths of your love for us, and create in us a deep desire to respond to you with passion and pursuit and love right back. I don’t want people to see me going forward. The prophet Zephaniah says in Zephaniah 2:3…, “Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do His just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the LORD.”. That’s because He has made Himself available to us. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Do not cast me from your presence If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. Believe in Jesus Christ as the way to salvation, make Him the lord and savior of your life, and you will be saved. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 4. And I mean the good, the bad, and the ugly. Or run. You don’t have to move to pray, but it can definitely be really great and extremely helpful sometimes. It does not take away the problem but it keeps me revived. Lord draw us close. Ten Things to Do to Get Closer to God. As we get closer to God… Every great leader and hero of the faith had this one thing in common: they never considered themselves close enough to God. There are lots of great online courses out there about all different topics. @thetraveltribefamily I had this plan for how God should have worked things. Daily laying our lives at His altar and letting Him prune and shape us more into His likeness. Will you come up the mountain and come closer to God? This is the first step to a redeemed life and the first step to getting close to God. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. That being said, there is a deep, disgusting disease in the Church today that we definitely need a cure for. Across the board, he's a gift to anyone who knows him!" It should be a pursuit, and a passionate one at that. It helps you put your life in His hands instead of just sitting there stuck in your own head and circumstances. Rectify our motives in all things, and accept God’s observation. We are giving God the stiff arm. Trust and believe that God is for you. And when He does, it will change your life. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Do you truly believe in God? He will lovingly provide everything we need. We love you Lord, and we want more of you. Therefore, frequently reading God’s words and practicing them is one aspect of practice for us to grow even closer to God. I guarantee you He would match that pursuit and meet you in power! Do a “closeness check” at the beginning of your time together. Top 56 Bible Verses About Getting Closer To God Psalm 65:4 (NIV) Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! Will you be the Israelites, who stayed away from the mountain? The second thing we can do to have a closer relationship with God is to listen when God speaks. “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in His ways!”. Join over 100,000+ subscribers & followers and get access to my free library, Gods Promises 2 | 100+ Healing Scriptures With Soaking Music | Audio Bible | 12 hours (2020), Bible Verses For Sleep 2 | 100+ Healing Scriptures With Soaking Music | 12 Hours, Healing Prayer | Praying Healing Bible Verses Over You | 2 Powerful Hours, Bible Verses For Sleep | 100+ Healing Scriptures With Soaking Music | 12 Hours (2020), Healing Scriptures with soaking music, Christian Meditation, Relaxing Music (POWERFUL! @soakstream. Restore to me the joy of your salvation Most of us have experienced a season of decreased passion and fervency in our walk with Christ once or twice before. Share it with me in the comments below, and let’s grow together. Tweet. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. But over the years I have learned to love it. We sit back thinking, “I don’t need that. Jesus is in the process of preparing and purifying us, His bride, more and more, so we should be engaged in that process as well. “Seek the LORD while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.”. But now I’m good.”. You get out of whatever you were in and you meet with Him. “O God, You are my God; earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh faints for You, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. You can be anywhere in the world because we meet over video chat, and I will help you maximize your potential and pursuit of Christ and grow as a leader as we spend 1-on-1 time together. If you need a list of great worship music, I’ve got. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. The way you grow closer to God is no different. It helps you put your life in His hands instead of just sitting there stuck in your own head and circumstances. This might mean finding a place of quiet, of removing yourself from distractions. There have always been people who have been in love with Jesus, and there have always been people who have hated Him. I used to have the time to get quiet before God and read my Bible and pray and actually listen for a response from Him. It is the posture in our hearts that we are close enough. God loves us very much, but He is not willing to leave us in our mess. In today's video I am sharing 5 ways to get closer to God in the New Year! Other than that, find someone in the Church that is older and wiser than you who you can meet with and chew on life together. But instead he has this intense desire to press on, to push closer, to know Christ more, to grow closer and more intimate, more fellowship. I grew up with only a couple of Christian friends, and it was hard on me because I felt like they did not always understand why I was so passionate. Just like junk food to our bodies, certain things can have a negative affect on our spirits as well. But it is extremely healthy to have one or two friends who know pretty much everything about you. Get your eyes off of you. We are saying, essentially, “I’m close enough. Spend time in the car singing and praying and talking with Jesus. We need to keep the eyes of our heart on God. Spend Time Reading the Bible He showed me commitment but most of all he showed me how to be Christ servant, being humble and show the world how serving God with passion can make you a true leader. And it is just so satisfying to walk with Him that you could never be close enough. As we seek ways to get closer to God, we shouldn’t forget that He seeks us out with equal fervor. We often do that, don’t we? Heal our hearts. In this passage, Jesus is speaking to the churches, and encouraging them to hold fast to their faith. And only He sees all of you AND loves you more than you can even imagine. -Jeremy Swift, "Barrett taught me how to stand up for Christ without being ashamed or shy. I would love to hear back from you and get to know you so that I can know what you’d like help with most and how I can help you grow. Acts 3:19 records a sermon from Peter, in which he says…, “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”. And also, I’m always looking to tailor my content to your specific needs, so hit reply on any email I send you and come chat on Facebook or even right here on any blog post in the comments. When you start dating someone, or a new friendship is made, you have to get to know the person in order for your connection to grow! These steps, ways or things aren't difficult to do. Filling your life with worship will have a MASSIVE affect on your relationship with God, and it will have an ENORMOUS affect on your entire life. We dare to pray the dangerous prayer that asks you to burn away our flesh, meaning our self, if it means we can be close to you and be fully alive in your Spirit. The Bible is God’s instruction manual. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O LORD, do not abandon those who search for you. You give up the nice food and spend most of your time in prayer through meditating and focusing on God. We should live in close pursuit and die daily. I fear though that it already is. It’s one of the best ways to go deeper, take things to the next level, and to grow together. Lord draw us close. It doesn’t get much clearer than this: seek after God continually. So if you want to get closer to God, cut out some things you normally do, watch, listen to, and think about, and fill your life with worship. This is the only way to grow closer to Him throughout your life. You must get to know and understand God, even more, you must have a close personal relationship with Him. There’s something about going on a walk or a hike. https://sallymeadows.com/.../posts/12-ways-to-get-closer-to-god-right-now 1 John 4:8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. If you want to grow closer to God, think of Moses in the tent of meeting, Mary at the feet of Jesus, and Jesus Himself, constantly stealing away to be with the Father. Here’s to growing together! You should … If you want to get to know somebody, you talk to them. “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Mostly some sort of Christian self-help type book on life with God, who He is, etc. Particularly when we feel overwhelmed. Try to find a quiet place and pray in a position that feels most natural to you so that you're comfortable. “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night.”. This is true of Barrett Bogan. Create in me a pure heart, O God, Among the stresses and sorrows of life, seeking the presence of God is to seek a peace that passes understanding. Give it to God by renewing your mind continually – The world will constantly try to add worries to your day so it is important that you maintain your spiritual health! Consider how far you have fallen! Record your blessings and answered prayers to get closer to His presence. Listen for Him to answer you. Come to Him knowing that He can provide the rest you crave. By confessing our sins, practicing humility, and transforming our thoughts with Scripture; we can become more like Christ and get closer to God. Get help from a Pastor/mentor as well who can help you overcome and get healthy.). Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded,” James 4:8. If you're a Christian and want to get closer to God, spend some time alone to clear your mind before you pray. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. When God gives you a really great friend, they can end up becoming even closer than a brother. He spoke to it in Revelation. Come and be our first love again. Here are 20 ways to seek His will and His presence in your life. Now that Jesus has paid the price for our sins through His death, burial, and resurrection, we can be saved and brought into everlasting life. Even King David, the man after God’s own heart, had lost it somehow. I even do this at Church during worship sometimes. Become a worshipper of God. There may be some dying and some burning, but hardness produces goodness, and He is making us more Holy. Worshipping the Lord and getting closer to Him requires your whole heart, your whole mind, and every step we take. It is unseen and unspoken of, and it is rampant throughout our churches and our hearts. God bless! What are some other things that you do to grow closer to God? But if we are to truly walk closer to God, we have got to realize that true love is ever-pursuing, ever-increasing, ever-responding, and ever-growing closer every day. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”. From the earliest sermons by the apostles, repentance was always the first step in growing close to the Father. All you have to do is be hungry and ready to invest in your personal, spiritual, and leadership growth. And it seemed like I had no time at all. When we open our hearts to Him, He will protect and care for us as one of His own. But if you’re looking for online courses on walking with God, building confidence, finding your contribution, leading well, or making the difference in the world that you were born to make, then check back here often as I am constantly putting together courses for your growth and walk with the Lord. Click Here To Download My FREE “Get Closer To God Workbook” So That You Can Start Growing Closer With God Today! To further up — I will give you some of the key steps that will help you get closer to God. This is what Jesus did. There are so many things we put into our lives these days. We can come to the place where our only satisfaction comes from the presence of God. Ezra brought the word of God to the people after hundreds of years without it and made sure the people understood and remained attentive. I have SO MUCH LOVE FOR YOU babe! with God. If we’re really honest with ourselves, we want the situation to be comfortable already. We might never say it out loud or even realize it sometimes, but it plays out in how we spend our time. But over the years I have learned to love it. We’ve got to stoke our hunger for Him again. If you’ve got a great Church and great Pastors, get to know them and spend a little time together. All we have to do is actually try and open our hearts to… Just pray and pace a little as you seek Him. In the fast-paced modern life, however, busy jobs, complicated relationships and evil social trends draw us in and occupy our hearts more and more, and they prevent us from quieting ourselves before God. It takes regular practice and wholehearted devotion, but we can join the psalmist in seeking after God above all else. In this directing, we fail to give it all to Him and surrender to God’s will. Reconciliation is to be brought back into a restored relationship with God. Following the commandments of God as given in Scripture and developing traits such as righteousness and humility will make us more like Christ, which brings us into a closer communion with the Father. We have got to rekindle that fire inside of us and be hungry for Him again. Confess sin, confess temptation even before sin to stay out of sin, pray together, pursue God together, have fun and live the adventure together. Meet regularly and talk about what the Lord is teaching you. Meet with God each day during the time of day that you’re most alert. I mean, He is our great Comforter. Let’s be honest. His Spirit and His love and His life and His Words are everything we truly crave. Get involved. Will you be the Christian who is comfortable with how close you’ve come? And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. Prayer is simply talking to God! For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”. You may not share everything with everybody. Matthew 6:33 gives this teaching from Jesus: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”. It’s the story of the Prodigal Son, in in Luke 15. Or be still. Show me your glory Lord. As believers in God, we all know that building a normal relationship with God in order to get closer to God and receive more of the Holy Spirit’s work is crucial. You may even give up trying to follow it because you will inevitably fail at trying to be perfect all the time. Read the Bible and you will get to know Him more and more. Dance. But it is extremely healthy to have one or two friends who know pretty much everything about you. We must get a hold on our thoughts—thoughts about ourselves, our past or future, even thoughts about God. We can find God in many ways; teach them how much happiness there is in giving. Confess sin, confess temptation even before sin to stay out of sin, pray together, pursue God together, have fun and live the adventure together. It goes with God… it moves… it follows… it pursues. It is a choice that we must make every day, in every circumstance. Or stand up. Become a worshipper of God. Just talk to God like you would any other person. God will without a doubt reveal Himself to you through His Word. His abundance. Getting Closer To God. This is the same thing that we struggle with today. That altar should be full of all of the people that are hungry for more of Him. As we get closer to God, our character will become more like His. Open it daily and learn from what God is speaking to you, then think about it throughout the day. The more we practice in accordance with God’s will, the more relaxed we will feel in our hearts, and the closer our relationship with God will become. And I mean the good, the bad, and the ugly. This is the only way to grow closer to Him throughout your life. Find someone you can trust and grow together. ).     or take your Holy Spirit from me. Whatever we are burdened with, we don’t have to carry it alone. Tweet. I had this plan for how God should have worked things. We shouldn’t seek God solely for the rewards He promises, but we should acknowledge that He is real and that He wants a relationship with us as a first step toward restoration. It plays out in our worship services. When God gives you a really great friend, they can end up becoming even, I’ve never really been a big natural reader. You don’t have to move to pray, but it can definitely be really great and extremely helpful sometimes. Acts 16:30-31 describes such an encounter…, “Then he brought them out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’  And they said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’”. While you're alone, say out loud something like, "Hi, God. Alone. Giving thanks to God for what He has given us keeps us humble, keeps us close to Him, and helps us to feel His love. We have lost the pursuit. Being a doer of the word alone helps you feel the presence of the Lord in every facet of your life. This changed my life. Praise God that He is patient with us and that He loves us, His Church, even with our blemishes.     and renew a steadfast spirit within me. It plays out when there is an altar call, and the majority of us don’t go up. Spend time worshipping in your living room. If He saw pursuit and desperation and love in our hearts? But in college I met a bunch of fellow Christians, and they influenced me to become a better person and get closer to God. “One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after:  that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in His temple.”.

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