Draw Me Nearer . . . Nearer, Part 1

From Chuck Swindoll's God lives with to take charge and move us and give us a sense of confidence in life and we sort of stagger along stumble our way from day to not even claiming the vast provisions that are ours to have many of the sureties's but we don't have the slightest idea on how to draw closer to God today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll helps us understand what's missing in our lives and the only one who can fill the void. Chuck titled his message. Draw me nearer to say is going to bother some of you will be uneasy.

Hearing some of these things.

Others of you will find comfort in them. They are thoughts that are not usually heard in non-charismatic churches. Those of you who are of a more conservative persuasion and I am numbered among you will wish that I would leave well enough alone. I cannot do that because in my opinion, it is not well enough. All basically I suppose things are.

We have a good system of theology for the most part we are Orthodox we are biblically sound. We are logically defendable and, unfortunately, however, for some of the quest is over. There is nothing more to discover nothing new to experience but my question to a few of you is this. Are you satisfied with your walk. I mean, are you absolutely unequivocally and unconditionally satisfied with the level of your walk with Christ. With the power of God's presence in your life or do you do you will on occasion in a few unguarded moments entertain thoughts like wonder if there's more more. I wonder if my prayer life couldn't carry much more dynamic and confidence that it does practical questions like why when I get sick. Do I first think of calling my doctor rather than calling on God why when I am in a need, a financial need. Do I first think of some bank I could go to for a loan rather than the courts of heaven for provision. It's that sort of thing. The troubles troubles me. Well, that rolls around in your mind. Let me read a few excerpts from a letter I received from a friend of mine whom I love dearly. He is a Christian businessman works for an organization and and lives outside the state of California, you probably would not know him, and he writes me every once in a while.

Provocative letters that because he loves me, that make me think he is. He is an evangelical conservative is not a charismatic Christian I say all of that. Not to label such but to to let you know the background of this letter lest you cash to the side saying it's another one of those, among other things, he calls scatter shootings is a yearning in the evangelical world for a greater sense of intimacy with God. I believe we have had too much head and not enough heart.

We are intrigued now with the Holy Spirit, like the proverbial mall and flame. We don't know how close we can fly without burning up our wing there. We are all attracted to the flame for some unexplainable reason. Still, we are frightened by the Holy Spirit. There is a fear among evangelicals that we've missed out on something spiritually. The abundant life.

We've sought isn't altogether fulfilling the craving for spiritual intimacy with God. That is seldom if ever satisfied.

Could it be he asks could be that what is really missing the thing that would give us an appetite for daily prayer and Bible study and personal dynamic is the empowering of a more profound measure of the Holy Spirit.

Don't we need to let the Holy Spirit out of the closet. Evangelicals may have believed the spiritual world is flat, that if they sail too close to the edge of the Christian experience. They'll fall off the edge into an emotional oblivion. So we run away from all but the most intellectualized expressions of the spirit as though it were some kind of sea monster evangelicals are reasoned believers quote unquote almost to logical, yet we've always suspected that too much emotion has been let out of our Christian experience. Many of us yearn for spiritual passion which has become only a flicker of light to be turned up several notches.

Some that somebody with evangelical credibility needs to tell us that it's okay to get closer to the flame. It challenges me to do that.

Maybe God still works miracles he adds. I read this. In conclusion, maybe God still works miracles, at least in some measure. If not, then why do we pray for God's help and we are sick or diseased are our prayers for God's intervention merely psychological games we play on ourselves, knowing that God no longer act decisively, much less miraculously in our world today. Evangelicals are secretly concerned that we become deists who think God's last acts were a few miracles after the resurrection. Since about 70 A.D. he writes, God is gone off into into the back room leaving a blind spiritual and physical leaving blind spiritual and physical laws and controlled the is there an option besides Deism and Oral Roberts. Can we free God to work proactively in his world.

Let's face it, Chuck. The charismatic scarabs. We are secretly revealed relieved when friends nuts like any name for a five have their sordid laundry aired out in the press.

The truth is that mainstream charismatics are also embarrassed by extremists. Let's don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. How would a new one intimidated theology of the Holy Spirit change our experiences in worship and prayer. In witness and spiritual confidence. Some of us need a revolution about time evangelicals revisited the doctrine of the Holy Spirit without concern that it will sound to charismatic, shouldn't we leave God more room to work directly in our lives today. ET has had deeper more positive personal impact on some people than the Holy Spirit. After you've had a chance to review this letter.

I love to visit with you by phone.

We may be so far off base that it scares you to death, so I'll understand. I love that man. I love his courage loves creativity. I love it that he isn't afraid to put his finger on on a nerve and push a little, even if it may make us uncomfortable and uneasy. At least it makes us think and some of you who have stopped thinking that frightens me most of all, you are pray to the next call without even realizing it. Now I want to begin with a candidate, a candid confession. Many of us must confess the same confession. Maybe you don't want to be numbered among others of us if if that's true, nobody can force you to be. But I think this represents more than the than a few.

I think this is the majority of us, the confession is there are times we desire more fulfilling expressions of our faith. There are times we wish for more evidences of the dynamic of the spirit of God in our lives, but fear holds us back. That's important part of the confession, fear of being misunderstood by our brothers and sisters in the faith, fear of being mis-labeled fear of going off the emotional deeply and then getting weird. I stay with me through this. Don't get mad at me yet get mad at me later, but if you get mad, you'll block a lot of this out so wait'll later okay fear of getting away from Scripture and into error were afraid of that so we don't dare risk something that we never tolerated before. Not even the thought of it. The fear of falling into doctrinal waters and getting way over our heads and not being able to swim back to shore. Now some of you need me to put you at ease and so for the few of you who need that let me do so.

I have never in my life been more committed to the Scriptures. I love Christ more, and I believe his word more deeply than ever in my life. I would virtually every day of my life. I am in the word of God.

So let me put your mind at ease. I am not moving into the wastelands of experience and setting aside my confidence in the Scriptures.

I absolutely door Jesus Christ and I wait on him to teach me from his word. I I have zero interest" becoming a charismatic I have even less interest in leading this ministry into the charismatic style of ministry. Relax, relax.

When you have coffee tonight.

Don't talk about that that's that's not worth your talk. I have no secret plan no subtle manipulative idea of getting us into some region far afield and then and then cutting off ties with our roots, our roots are essential for our stability.

I am probably more Orthodox and of ever been in my life but I am still thinking and I am still dissatisfied with the status quo, which is just Latin for the mess we sin I am not convinced that our understanding and appropriation of the Holy Spirit is all that can be are all it should be. I don't think we need more of God. I think we need to act upon all that we have. I don't believe we need to pray for some new thing to come upon us. I need to believe we need to appropriate what is within us is what bothers me. It's like the brain we use maybe 11 181 tiny portion of it for all our lives and the rest of it just lies there like a great glob just getting wrinkled and I think the spirit of God lives within us, ready to take charge and ready to move us and give us a sense of confidence and live and we sort of stagger along sort of stumbled our way from day to day, not even claiming the fast provisions that are ours took to have an I'm said agreed for me and for you. I do not believe that everything is solved by simply praying nor do I believe that these words represent everyone of us. Some of you have an enviable walk with Christ and you find yourself in the inner realm of of the freshness and newness. That is a too many of us enviable but most do not. Most do not. And so all I ask is that we remain open and teachable that our God may lead us and show us new truth all truth, fresh truth all truth brought back to life. Blow the dust off traditional truth that we have allowed the debris to stack up on and to hide from us. Like Paul writes that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death. The amplified Bible's says something like that I may know him that is that I made that I may become progressively more intimately acquainted with him that beautiful progressively become more intimately acquainted with him, don't you want that I want. I want to just kind of drift into the horizon and have them stick me 6 feet under. With a sigh. Fine old man.

I don't want that. I wanted I want to die challenging people to go to the very edge of their faith and encouraging you to risk new thoughts, new ideas, new experiences without fear of we can get a lot closer to the sacred flame than we ever have without getting burned. I sincerely think we have pulled way too far back from what the Lord has for us. A closer examination, I think when enlightened us to what I'm getting at.

Ephesians chapter 5 please find a Bible.

My opinion is not worth anything more than anyone else's opinion but God's word is worth it all. So we need to re-learn, rediscover by closer examination what he is said Ephesians 5, we find here a stack of don'ts. One don't.

After another you like to take notes here. They are verse three. Don't be immoral, impure or greedy 53.

Do not let immorality or any impurity or greed even be named among you, as is proper among saints. That's the first series of don'ts. Don't be immoral, impure, greedy for don't lose control of your tongue and there must be no filthiness and silly talk or course suggesting that means dirty jokes that do not funny. They don't build your faith, they are not fitting but but rather there ought to be the giving of thanks and so don't lose control of your tongue.

Verse six.

Don't don't be deceived.

Let no one deceive you with empty words, closer, full of empty words. New Age is full of empty words high sounding but empty words don't be deceived by empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Verse 11. Don't participate in evil deeds do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness but instead expose them to stay away from dark deeds stay away from immoral acts of stop watching the wrong cables on television. Stop hanging around the wrong sections of the video store. Stop lingering over the wrong magazine stop feeding your mind fill is very clear. Don't participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness and that wouldn't have to do with those rooms that get nearer and nearer the demonic stay out of that stuff don't play the games don't don't buy the discs don't get into the world of the dark and the demonic don't do that. He says so verse 15 don't be unwise. Be careful how you walk, not as unwise but as but as wise, 17 don't be foolish. These look good.

The list is his lengthy, don't be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is verse 18. Don't get drunk. You wonder, Scripture ever addresses alcoholism. Look at verse 18. Clearly it speaks against getting drunk don't joke about it.

Don't make it of a fun part of the weekend will look back and try to think it was his acute part of a of a looser lifestyle. It is disobedient to God clearly set forth in the Scriptures don't get drunk with wine, God cares very much about our personal life doesn't why the list is there and you will be with list. I hate list of people make up. Don't bring them to me and don't bother me with your lists God's given you a list fine that's great you want to live with a list great.

Don't expect that to be obeyed by me and I will not force my lists on you, but when the book gives a list is for all of us in your mention only a few from the Scriptures, but here's a list of them in chapter 5 is God cares about our personal and then he brings it to a climax and he offers one grand positive command after don't don't don't don't don't don't don't don't. But there's a positive command in verse 18 but be filled with the spirit that I personally did not yield that out. I said quietly, but it is full of emotion in place of all of these things that are supposed to be for the better. Supposedly, emotionally and physically stimulating which they are not come back to the person of the intimate spirit and let him fill your life. He doesn't say. Pray for the spirit. You don't have to do that you have the spirit spirit of God came as part of the package deal. If I may use those marketing terms as part of the package is salvation without you even knowing it. The spirit of God came and took up permanent residence within you, praise his name, and you got within you the full capacity of power, like building a vast reservoir awaiting the coming of rains and all it is is a vast chasm until the rains come in the mountains, drained their waters into this area and before long it becomes full, almost running over the capacity is there to hold it.

That's what the spirit of God provides the full capacity of power and dynamic. You got all of that at this moment of salvation. Now, in light of that, let him fill you. That's the command let him take control of you.

Instead of being filled with alcohol is being filled with drugs instead of being filled with guilt over deeds of darkness and sin of being filled with wrong wrong statements and wrong be filled with the intimate spirit of God, like the wind would fill the sale and set it on its way. What a delightful moment it is when the full wind catches full sail and you're on your way across the waters and with without any control of your own that is in the power of your own what you have is the rudder or the wheel and you and you move along silently and swiftly.

You swished through the waters because he's filling this in the wind as Billings's is the picture that's our subject over the next several programs. Learning to fill our sales with the empowering wind of the Holy Spirit and we encourage you to keep listening. This is insight for living, our Bible teacher Chuck Swindoll titled our current study, flying closer to the flame to learn more about this ministry, we invite you to visit us online@insightworld.org. Insight for living. We believe your best learning occurs not only when you listen to this daily program but when you sit down by yourself, read a good book and invite God spirit to speak to you. Along those lines, I want to draw your attention to two special resources we prepared for you. The first is Chuck's devotional that arrives automatically in your email box each day of the week.

Start your day. Take a midday break or end your day with written material that's carefully crafted to inspire your walk with God. There is no cost, just go online and sign up for Chuck's daily e-mail@insight.org/devotional if you're looking for tangible book, one that digs a little deeper into the theological doctrines that define our Christian faith.

I highly recommend reading Chuck's very popular and practical book called growing deep in the Christian life filled with humorous stories and down to earth applications. Chuck's book reveals how the practical side of theology is what helps you grow deeper in your walk with God again. It's called growing deep in the Christian life to purchase a copy right now. Go to insight.org/store or call us if you're listening in the United States: 800-772-8888 August tends to be one of the leanest months for nonprofit media ministries like insight for living. All that to say has God prompted to give a donation, please follow his lead.

Your contribution will truly make a difference for those who come to rely on Chuck's teaching to give a donation today. Call us if you're listening in the United States, call 800-772-8888 or go online to insight.org/don't. In March, 20, 23 insight for living ministries is hosting an unforgettable journey to Israel carefully planned to deepen your understanding of the Bible and draw you closer to God hears Chuck's window for thousands of years.

No place is more meaningful to God's children in the land of Israel. The rugged landscape reminds us to find refuge in God alone. The fertile valleys invite us to follow our ship Jerusalem's position at the very center of the world announces the good news of Christ to every nation, and now you can see Israel with Chuck Swindoll and insight for living ministry March 5 through the 16th 2023. Every time I visited the holy land of returned home with the refreshed part for God and a renewed vision for the world really. I mean it every time. So I want you to have the same life changing experience to learn more, go to insight.org/events call this number 1-888-447-0444 insight for living ministries toward Israel is paid for and made possible by only those who choose to attend my bill Meyer join us. When Chuck Swindoll helps us understand how to cultivate an intimate friendship with God Tuesday on insight for living.

The preceding message draw me nearer and nearer was copyrighted in 1990 to 1993 and 2003 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2003 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. all rights are reserved worldwide.

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