James 4:8a (NKJV) Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
As God’s children, we desire the presence of our Heavenly Father. The Scriptures have revealed what attracts His presence.
The Bible records that Jesus couldn’t do much on certain occasions because the people weren’t welcoming of His presence (Mark 6:1-6). Likewise, God’s presence and works among us have to be initiated by us because He respects our desires and wants. Therefore, we need to be open to God’s work among us.
The opening verse confirms Moses’ experience recorded in Exodus 33:7-12. When he intentionally set up a tent outside the main camp to meet with God, God came to Moses, meeting him through a pillar of cloud and speaking to him face to face. Likewise, we can intentionally come before God during our devotion to talk to Him, and He will meet us at the appointed time. We should create a habit of meeting Him at a specific place and time, though we can be flexible during travel. We should also be prepared to approach God boldly in our weekly services because He will show up! He promised that when two or three gather in His name, there He would be with them (Matthew 18:20)! Most importantly, we need to decide to draw near to God.
Psalms 42:1-2 (Amplified) As the deer pants [longingly] for the water brooks, So my soul pants [longingly] for You, O God. My soul (my life, my inner self) thirsts for God, for the living God. When will I come and see the face of God?
As a three-part being, made up of spirit, soul and body, our spirit man longs to worship, know God, walk with Him and in His ways, while it is in our soul that carnality reigns, making us self-centred, individualistic, emotional, want to walk away from God and push Him down our list of priorities. Therefore, when we worship Him on Sunday, we should engage our entire being: spirit, soul and body, and express our love and adoration for Him through our emotions and feelings and speak to Him. Because the body will either listen to the dictation of the spirit man or the soul, we should walk in the Spirit and seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness in our lives.
When we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. This is a spiritual law that governs the relationship between the worshippers and God. Any true worshipper whose mind is steadfast on God will also love the house of God. The spiritual realm is created to operate on this principle. When we seek Him, He will be found by us. God has given us free will. Therefore, we need to initiate ascending into God’s presence through praise and worship.
Sermon Series ：The Presence of God
什么带来了神的同在？
雅各书 4:8a 你们亲近神，神就必亲近你们。
作为神的儿女，我们渴望亲近天父的同在。圣经揭示了吸引祂同在的因素。
圣经记载，有些时候耶稣无法做许多事，因为那些人不欢迎祂的同在（马可福音 6:1-6）。同样，神的同在和祂在我们中间的作为必须由我们主动寻求，因为祂尊重我们的愿望和需要。因此，我们需要对神在我们中间的工作保持开放的心态。
开头的经文确认了摩西在出埃及记33:7-12中的经历。当他特意在营地外设立帐幕与神相遇时，神就来到摩西身边，通过云柱降临，面对面地与摩西说话。同样，我们也可以在个人灵修时中刻意地来到神面前，与祂交谈，祂将在指定的时间与我们相遇。我们应该养成在特定地点和时间与祂相遇的习惯，尽管旅行时可以适当调整。我们也应该预备好在每周的礼拜中坦然无惧地亲近神，因为祂必定会来！祂应许过，当两三个人奉祂的名聚集时，祂就必与他们同在（马太福音 18:20）！最重要的是，我们需要决定亲近神。
诗篇 42:1-2 神啊，我的心切慕你，如鹿切慕溪水。我的心渴想神，就是永生神；我几时得朝见神呢？
作为三部分的存在，我们的灵、魂与身体，灵里渴望敬拜、认识神、与神同行并走在祂的道路上，而在我们的魂中，肉体的欲望占据主导，使我们以自我为中心，情绪化，渴望远离神，降低他在我们的优先事项中的位置。因此，当我们在周日敬拜时，我们应该调动整个生命：灵、魂与身体，借着情感和感觉表达我们对神的爱与崇拜，并与祂交谈。因为身体要么听从灵的指示，要么听从魂的指示，我们应该行在灵里，寻求神的国和祂的义。
当我们亲近神时，祂也必亲近我们。这是管理敬拜者与神关系的属灵法则。任何心思专注于神的真正敬拜者，也必定热爱神的殿。属灵的领域是按照这个原则运作的。当我们寻求祂时，祂必定会被我们找到。神给了我们自由意志，因此，我们需要通过赞美和敬拜主动进入神的同在。
讲章系列：神的同在
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