ABIDE
by Lenny Ports
Abide
Lenny Ports
Daniel 6:16 So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, "Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you."
I grew up in a church that did not teach that you can have a personal relationship with God, that God was real and came to earth and took on human form so that we could have a personal relationship with Him. The image of God that was portrayed through this particular religion was that the only ones that had any kind of contract with God were the priests. The rest of us peasants could only come to God through them. Confessing our sins to them was necessary in order to be forgiven and to get back into right standing with God.
They did not push prayer or the reading of God's word or the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives or the exchanged life that takes place when we go to the cross and die and allow Him to live his life through us.
No matter where you are in life right now nor how you were raised, this is a true statement: God wants an intimate personal relationship with you.
We had several in the youth meeting on Thursday night that said they wanted to have a closer relationship with God. How many of us know God wants to have a closer relationship with you.
He doesn't demand, He appeals to our need for Him:
Come now, and let us reason together," Says the Lord, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. (Isaiah 1:18)
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (James 4:6)
Come to Me all that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)
Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
You wouldn't want someone to love you out of an obligation (because they have to), you would want someone to love you only ...
Lenny Ports
Daniel 6:16 So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, "Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you."
I grew up in a church that did not teach that you can have a personal relationship with God, that God was real and came to earth and took on human form so that we could have a personal relationship with Him. The image of God that was portrayed through this particular religion was that the only ones that had any kind of contract with God were the priests. The rest of us peasants could only come to God through them. Confessing our sins to them was necessary in order to be forgiven and to get back into right standing with God.
They did not push prayer or the reading of God's word or the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives or the exchanged life that takes place when we go to the cross and die and allow Him to live his life through us.
No matter where you are in life right now nor how you were raised, this is a true statement: God wants an intimate personal relationship with you.
We had several in the youth meeting on Thursday night that said they wanted to have a closer relationship with God. How many of us know God wants to have a closer relationship with you.
He doesn't demand, He appeals to our need for Him:
Come now, and let us reason together," Says the Lord, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. (Isaiah 1:18)
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (James 4:6)
Come to Me all that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)
Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
You wouldn't want someone to love you out of an obligation (because they have to), you would want someone to love you only ...
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