Bible Lesson: To Be Close To God
By Dr Marilyn Bouniu
Close to God
1. Fear of God
2. Holy
3. Humble
Close to God
James 4:8
Fear of God
Psalm 89:7
Proverbs 8:13
Holy
Isaiah 59:1-2
1 Peter 1:13-16
Humble
Psalm 138:6
Conclusion
Love & Obey God
John 14: 21
John 14: 23
Summary
James 4:7-10
Notes:
Close to God
1. Fear of God
2. Holy
3. Humble
Close to God
James 4:8
James 4:8 NKJV
8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
James 4:8 NLT
8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.
Fear of God
Psalm 89:7
Proverbs 8:13
Psalm 89:7 NKJV
7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints,
And to be held in reverence by all those around Him.
Proverbs 8:13 NKJV
13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
Pride and arrogance and the evil way
And the perverse mouth I hate.
Proverbs 8:13 NLT
13 All who fear the Lord will hate evil.
Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance,
corruption and perverse speech.
Holy
Isaiah 59:1-2
1 Peter 1:13-16
Isaiah 59:1-2 NKJV
59 Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened,
That it cannot save;
Nor His ear heavy,
That it cannot hear.
2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God;
And your sins have hidden His face from you,
So that He will not hear.
Isaiah 59:1-2 NLT
59 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.
1 Peter 1:13-16 NKJV
13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."
1 Peter 1:13-16 NLT
13 So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 14 So you must live as God's obedient children. Don't slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn't know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 16 For the Scriptures say, "You must be holy because I am holy."[a]
Humble
Psalm 138:6
Psalm 138:6 NKJV
6 Though the Lord is on high,
Yet He regards the lowly;
But the proud He knows from afar.
Psalm 138:6 NLT
6 Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble,
but he keeps his distance from the proud.
Conclusion
Love & Obey God
John 14: 21
John 14: 23
John 14: 21 NKJV
21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and [a]manifest Myself to 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."
John 14: 23 NKJV
23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
John 14: 23 NLT
23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
Summary
James 4:7-10
James 4:7-10 NKJV
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
James 4:7-10 NLT
7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.
