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James 4:8 - Drawing Near To God.

James 4:8 (NKJV) Draw near to God and He 
will draw near to you.  

James 4:8 (NIV) Come near to God and he will 
come near to you.  

COMMENTARY PEARL

God Wants Our Fellowship
   What a blessed promise and provision this 
is! It means each of us can come close to God, 
with the assurance He will come close to us - so 
close that we become conscious of His presence. 
This is the greatest experience we can know. 
   But for most of us this isn't easy. Life 
presents us with too many distractions, and the last 
thing we have time for is to be alone with God. 
Children, work, television, the Internet, even church 
activities drain away our time. 
   Maybe you will have to readjust your 
priorities. Maybe you will have to say No" to certain 
activities or demands. Whatever it takes, make time to 
be alone with God. 
   Remember: He wants your fellowship, and 
He has done everything possible to make it a 
reality. He has forgiven your sins, at the cost of 
His own dear Son. He has given you His Word, and 
the priceless privilege of prayer and worship. 
   He will come near to you, if you will 
come near to Him. [Hope for Each Day by Billy 
Graham] 

CLOSING THOUGHT

Spiritually Satisfied
   I have a friend who, at one point, was a 
self-confessed shopping addict. Recently, his family 
realized that this activity had stopped, though he 
hadn't intentionally curtailed it. Why, they 
wondered, did his longing to acquire more goods seem 
to dissolve? 
   The reason was that my friend had become 
more satisfied with the Lord. He no longer needed 
fulfillment from what the world had to offer. What a 
terrific illustration of growth in Christ. 
   In addition to finding fulfillment in 
God, there are many other growth indicators that 
are noticeable to the believer. For instance, 
offering forgiveness becomes easier over time. 
Consider our Savior, who asked God to forgive even 
those who crucified Him on the cross. 
   Also, as we mature, our faith will 
increase. God loves us, and He gracefully and gently 
builds our confidence in Him. Then, as our trust 
grows, we realize how faithful He truly is--which 
grows our assurance even more. 
   Another mark of a closer walk with Christ 
is an expanding concern for others' spiritual 
condition. And finally, as our relationship with the 
Lord deepens, we will increasingly desire to obey 
Him. This desire is born not out of fear but out 
of love for our heavenly Father. Similarly, 
when we do sin, our hearts will become saddened 
and repentant. 
   Are you satisfied spiritually? Or do you 
have a growing, insatiable hunger for more of 
Jesus? Friend, if you think that you've come far 
enough in your journey with Christ, you have made a 
terrible mistake. You are missing great fulfillment 
and the excitement that comes from getting 
closer to Him. [In Touch Daily Devotional by 
Charles Stanley at www.intouch.org] 

LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY 

James 4:8 - Drawing Near To God.

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2022/20220626-0906.html 

Revelation 3:20 - An Invitation For 
Relationship With Divinity. 

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2022/20220506-0938.html 

YOUR COMMENTS

If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or 
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either 
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in 
hearing from you.  Thanks in advance and let's keep 
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred 
Gibbs  

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

https://abible.com/links/