What Are The Benefits Of Being Close To God?
Some people believe they can live like the world does, away from God, and still have the benefits of being close to him.
That's not going to happen.
Let's use a secular example to illustrate the point: Let's say you go to interview for a job at a small company, and as part of your interview you find out your benefits for working there are not very good.
So you tell the interviewer, "I want the benefits that people get for working at Chevrolet".
And the person looks at you uncomprehendingly and says, "You have to work at Chevrolet to get those benefits".
Kind of a silly example, right? Yet people expect God to bless them and protect them and do all sorts of things for them when they are not close to him, and may not want anything to do with God.
God may be a dirty word to them.
So what are the benefits of being close to God? 1) Any article of this type must begin with salvation.
When Adam and Eve sinned against God in the Garden of Eden, they had a choice to be close to God or not.
He gave them a free will to stay in the paradise he had made for them or accept Satan's lies as truth.
They chose the latter, and all mankind has suffered since then.
We are all born with a sinful nature that needs God to cleanse it so we can be close to him.
Without that forgiveness, our default is eternal separation from God, known as hell.
God created this place to punish Satan and the demons that follow him forever.
But Satan wants to take as many people with him as possible.
We have a free will like Adam and Eve did to follow God or not.
Only in our case, if we don't choose God to save us, the default kicks in and we suffer in hell for eternity.
The Bible says that God doesn't want anyone to perish, but it is up to us to make the right choice so we don't perish.
We can only be saved from this by accepting Jesus into our lives as our Savior.
The Bible says there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.
So no one else can save you but Jesus Christ, the Son of God who died on a cross to pay the penalty for all of us who accept his gift of salvation that is free.
No matter how bad you have been in your life, God can and will forgive you.
(I John 1:9) 2) God will give you peace in any circumstance if you keep your eyes on him and his power, instead of being overwhelmed by what is happening around you.
But that takes spiritual growth and faith to do that in the midst of suffering.
(Isaiah 26:3; John 14:27; Romans 8:28) The Bible also says that the peace that God gives is beyond our understanding.
You can't explain it, but it is there when you need it if you are trusting God with all your being.
3) What is your purpose for being on this earth? If you are following God fully, you don't have to ask that question.
God has a wonderful purpose for your life, not to harm you but to help you.
(Jeremiah 29:11-14) 4) When you go to the doctor, he gives you a prescription to get at the pharmacy when you need it.
God has a prescription for your life also, and part of it is found in Psalms 37:3-5.
These verses talk about trusting God with all your heart and committing everything you do to him.
Go all out for God, not just half-heartedly like it doesn't matter.
This relationship with God is the most important aspect of your life.
The closer you get to God, the more you will see his design for your life, and why things are happening as they are.
When we are close to God, he promises to turn all the bad things that happen to us to our good when we trust him.
This relationship is a lifelong one, not to be abandoned when you think God is at fault somehow or whatever.
If you bail out on God you will never have the answers you seek for your life.
You will always be wondering what to do when bad things happen without God's wisdom to guide you and lead you.
At the end of your life, whenever that may be, God will take you to heaven to be with him eternally, if you come to God, his way not yours.
John 14:6 says, "I am the way, the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father but through me".
Jesus said this during his ministry on earth before he was crucified and was resurrected.
So no other idea or religion can save you from what lies ahead.
God provided the way to be close to him through Jesus.
You can't make up your own religion either, because Jesus is the only way to be close to God in this life and eternity.
I am praying you will make that all-important choice before it is too late.
That's not going to happen.
Let's use a secular example to illustrate the point: Let's say you go to interview for a job at a small company, and as part of your interview you find out your benefits for working there are not very good.
So you tell the interviewer, "I want the benefits that people get for working at Chevrolet".
And the person looks at you uncomprehendingly and says, "You have to work at Chevrolet to get those benefits".
Kind of a silly example, right? Yet people expect God to bless them and protect them and do all sorts of things for them when they are not close to him, and may not want anything to do with God.
God may be a dirty word to them.
So what are the benefits of being close to God? 1) Any article of this type must begin with salvation.
When Adam and Eve sinned against God in the Garden of Eden, they had a choice to be close to God or not.
He gave them a free will to stay in the paradise he had made for them or accept Satan's lies as truth.
They chose the latter, and all mankind has suffered since then.
We are all born with a sinful nature that needs God to cleanse it so we can be close to him.
Without that forgiveness, our default is eternal separation from God, known as hell.
God created this place to punish Satan and the demons that follow him forever.
But Satan wants to take as many people with him as possible.
We have a free will like Adam and Eve did to follow God or not.
Only in our case, if we don't choose God to save us, the default kicks in and we suffer in hell for eternity.
The Bible says that God doesn't want anyone to perish, but it is up to us to make the right choice so we don't perish.
We can only be saved from this by accepting Jesus into our lives as our Savior.
The Bible says there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.
So no one else can save you but Jesus Christ, the Son of God who died on a cross to pay the penalty for all of us who accept his gift of salvation that is free.
No matter how bad you have been in your life, God can and will forgive you.
(I John 1:9) 2) God will give you peace in any circumstance if you keep your eyes on him and his power, instead of being overwhelmed by what is happening around you.
But that takes spiritual growth and faith to do that in the midst of suffering.
(Isaiah 26:3; John 14:27; Romans 8:28) The Bible also says that the peace that God gives is beyond our understanding.
You can't explain it, but it is there when you need it if you are trusting God with all your being.
3) What is your purpose for being on this earth? If you are following God fully, you don't have to ask that question.
God has a wonderful purpose for your life, not to harm you but to help you.
(Jeremiah 29:11-14) 4) When you go to the doctor, he gives you a prescription to get at the pharmacy when you need it.
God has a prescription for your life also, and part of it is found in Psalms 37:3-5.
These verses talk about trusting God with all your heart and committing everything you do to him.
Go all out for God, not just half-heartedly like it doesn't matter.
This relationship with God is the most important aspect of your life.
The closer you get to God, the more you will see his design for your life, and why things are happening as they are.
When we are close to God, he promises to turn all the bad things that happen to us to our good when we trust him.
This relationship is a lifelong one, not to be abandoned when you think God is at fault somehow or whatever.
If you bail out on God you will never have the answers you seek for your life.
You will always be wondering what to do when bad things happen without God's wisdom to guide you and lead you.
At the end of your life, whenever that may be, God will take you to heaven to be with him eternally, if you come to God, his way not yours.
John 14:6 says, "I am the way, the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father but through me".
Jesus said this during his ministry on earth before he was crucified and was resurrected.
So no other idea or religion can save you from what lies ahead.
God provided the way to be close to him through Jesus.
You can't make up your own religion either, because Jesus is the only way to be close to God in this life and eternity.
I am praying you will make that all-important choice before it is too late.
