You Decide How Close You Will Be!

YOU DECIDE… COME? NO BETTER PLACE THAN AT HIS FEET….

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aolcom (This is a two part lesson.)

There was a bulldog that was known for being a bully in his neighborhood. His owner kept him chained to a big oak tree. The bulldog’s chain was 15 feet long. The bulldog would run so hard and jerk his neck. So the cat would come and sit 16 feet away and taunt the bulldog. There was a 15 foot circle of dead grass around the dog house. The cat knew it was safe at 16 feet. So the cat would sit at 16 feet and mock and poke fun at the bulldog. Finally the limitations of 15 feet defined the dog and cat’s relationship. He knew he could never reach 16 feet so he quit trying. The cat knew it was safe at 16 feet. The bulldog’s life was defined by a 15 feet area. The cat learned the dog’s limitations.

WHAT DEFINES YOUR LIMITATIONS? Have you trusted people and they let you down? You have been crushed by disappointments? Do you allow the past to dictate the future? Why? Our spiritual enemy has tried his best to get us in a MIND SET and a BAD ATTITUDE TO KEEP US IN THE PIG PEN…

We have grown accustomed to analyzing problems to excuse our obligations. If I err, may I err to the side of mercy and grace.

*COME: DRAW NEARER, TO MOVE TOWARD, OVER WITH A PURPOSE, TO ADVANCE, TO GO FORWARD, RISE IN RANK.

RSVP? ARE WE ALLOWING THE PAIN AND SUFFERINGS OF OUR PAST TO DICTATE WHERE WE ARE? HOW LONG ARE WE STAYING HERE? THERE IS A GREAT SECRET THAT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO ATTAIN… BUT WE MUST UNDERSTAND WE DETERMINE THE DISTANCE WE WALK WITH THE DIVINE PLAN OF GOD… DRAW NIGH TO GOD… HE WILL DRAW NIGH TO US… …

Jesus has a standing invitation to KNOW HIM in his fullness.

HEY ZACCHAEUS, COME DOWN OUT OF THAT TREE --- JESUS IS COMING TO YOUR HOUSE TODAY!

James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

I hear so many say, God never hears my prayers? God seems 1,000 miles away. The earth seems as iron and the heavens seems like brass. There might be a reason for this.

HAVE WE HEARD THE DIVINE HEART BEAT? ONE? ONE WAS RECORDED AS BEING SO CLOSE WITH JESUS…

(WE JUST FINISHED A LESSON “WITH… BEING TOGETHER…”)

Perhaps there is one way to connect with others that are “AROUND THE TABLE.” We love our time gathering around the table and eating together. In Biblical times people gathered and probably reclined around the table. They most likely leaned on their left arm, which left their their right arm and hand free to use to eat.

John 13:23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.

We know JOHN as the BELOVED… When John spoke of himself he never called his own name. He referred to himself as one that had a special close relationship with Jesus. We have record of a PERSONAL ENCOUNTER that JOHN THE BELOVED HAD WITH JESUS. JOHN WAS SO CLOSE TO JESUS THAT JOHN WAS LEANING ON THE BREAST OF THE SON OF GOD…

Maybe others took advantage of the closeness to hear the heartbeat of God, but if there are others there are no written records of the event. CAN YOU IMAGINE LAYING YOUR HEAD AND HEARING THE HEARTBEAT OF GOD? I ponder why no others came to hear God’s heartbeat? Were they intimidated? Did they feel unworthy?

I PONDER HOW CLOSE TO GOD AND JESUS WILL WE COME… TO HEAR THE DIVINE HEART BEAT MEANS WE HAVE TO BE CLOSE… REALLY CLOSE… WHY DON’T WE COME CLOSER?

THE BEST PLACE TO BE… BEST? NEAR THE HEART OF GOD… HEAR THE INVITATION?

There are two individuals that were known to spend personal time close to Jesus. There is a story recorded in all four gospels… Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 7 and John 12 that reports and event in the town of Bethany. Many characters are at SIMON’ house. The story involves Mary, her the sister Martha and her brother Lazarus.

There are a lot of Mary’s in the Bible. This Mary we know as the Mary from Bethany or MARY MAGDALENE. This Mary appears to have a very stained, sinful life until one day she had a personal encounter with the son of God. The book of John clearly identifies Mary as the woman that spent time at Jesus’ feet.

John 11:2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)