HOW CLOSE ARE YOU TO GOD?

I am always telling people how close God is, but, there is one question that each soul must answer “how
close are you to God?”
For all of you who don’t know or are new to my articles, when you are born again of God’s spirit
(Romans 10:9,10) God is closer than your very breath for it is God in Christ in you the hope of glory.
(Colossians 1:27)
In an instant you become a child of God. You have all the authority and benefits that anyone who is born
again of God’s spirit has. You are a Christian! But, that is not the question is it? We know God is faithful
honest and true.
1 Corinthians 1:9 (KJV)
9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Titus 1:1-2 (KJV)
1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect,
and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
Romans 3:4 (KJV)
4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in
thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
2 Corinthians 1:18-22 (KJV)
18 But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay.
19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and
Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.
20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
God is not only faithful, honest and true He sealed us with that holy spirit of promise.
Ephesians 1:13 (KJV)
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom
also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise,
God is more willing to grant you your hearts desires than you are to pray for them.
Philippians 4:19 (KJV)
19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
So, again, the question is NOT how close God is to you, but, how close are YOU to God?
The two are totally different! What I mean when I ask “how close are you to God” is what is
your relationship with God like? Yes, I used the right word, relationship! God designed thisworld for the believer, not for the God rejecter or agnostic. Christ accomplished man’s eternal
salvation and gave him all the spiritual blessings available, but, God is a God of free will. He
cannot over step the freedom of your will. So, He waits for you, the God of all patience and
comfort has to wait for you to start a conversation and a relationship with Him!
Let’s look at Luke chapter fifteen for an example of what I am trying to get across.
Luke 15:11-32 (KJV)
11 And he ( Jesus Christ) said, A certain man had two sons:
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to
me. And he divided unto them his living.
13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far
country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in
want.
15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to
feed swine.
16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave
unto him.
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread
enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven,
and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him,
and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no
more worthy to be called thy son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring
on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be
merry.
25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard
musick and dancing.
26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because
he hath received him safe and sound.
28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither
transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might
make merry with my friends:
30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast
killed for him the fatted calf.
31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is
alive again; and was lost, and is found.
When the son was in the distant land did his father love him? Yes, of course he did.
When the son was in the far away land eating the food for the pigs, could he have just as easily eaten
from his father’s table? Yes, of course he could have.
Did the son have all the rights and privileges as a son of his father in the far away land as he would have
and did in his own country? Yes! He may not have been able to use them, but, he still had them. It
wasn’t until the son came to the realization that he had those rights that things started to change and
his relationship with his father came into full fruition.
In God’s Word, the Bible, God tells you HOW to have a relationship with Him. That’s right all you have to
do is read what is addressed or written to you i.e. The Pauline Epistles and a few other New Testament
books and do what it says and you will start having a conversation and relationship with God.
When God says “cast your cares on Him because He cares for you” do you?
1 Peter 5:6-7 (KJV)
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
When God’s Word says to seek God first, not riches, not glory, but, God first are you?
Matthew 6:25-34 (KJV)
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall
drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body
than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet
your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil
not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into
the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or,
Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye
have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be
added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of
itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
When God’s Word says to be anxious for nothing, but, tell God what you need, do you?Philippians 4:4-7 (KJV)
4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests
be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through
Christ Jesus.
You will find that when you start a conversation and a relationship with God you will start manifesting a
life which is more than abundant